Recommendation: Genevieve Motley jewelry

South African jewelry designer Genevieve Motley makes the most lovely, unique pieces you can imagine. Very economically priced, too. I won this fantastic necklace and have received many compliments on it over the past few days.

Head on over to her shop at genmotley.etsy.com.

Recommended: Sea Glass Designs

Rita in Nova Scotia has the best luck in her sea glass-hunting excursions — check out these lovelies …

… which she turns into the most exquisite statement pieces. Have you ever seen such a big piece of red sea glass?

There’s beautiful pink depression glass …

…and a sweet sea creature …

… and the most delicate piece of flowered sea pottery …

… you can see more and buy some at Sea Glass Designs on etsy.

All photos and jewelry © Rita Laidlaw of Sea Glass Designs

Take it easy

Musical accompaniment: Tinashe – Zambezi (Fool’s Gold Remix)

Summer is obviously coming, a bunch of my friends are posting open road-type photos. I am working every day and it’s going to be ages before I get out like that, so I am living vicariously.

by Kevin Collins, one of flickr’s finest and an island neighbor of mine.

by Gordon Edgar, author of Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge, which you should check out.

by harpy, queen of the polaroid and all things summer.

Thursday linkage

Hope you had a fun St. Patrick’s Day. I made corned beef for the first time and it’s delicious, and I went to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which is so horrifyingly, hilariously un-PC, even for the 50s, with J and her kids. I also spent some time at the beach, reading again, because the weather today was even better than yesterday. I might be a little scorched around the shoulders but who cares!

Here’s some stuff I’ve been enjoying:

1. cookoorikoo: blue and favorites from spring color week, including a couple of mine. thank you!

2. Grand 1857 plantation house in impressive setting
Prominent Warren County builder Albert Gamaliel Jones built this Greek Revival-style house for wealthy planter, Thomas Jones. Known as Swamplawn for its close proximity to the river swamps, it is one of the finest residences built along the Roanoke River valley. Price reduced to $89,900!

Thats just the hallway. *swoon*. [via Robin]

3. These are so gorgeous, I would like to one day achieve this level of organization and artistic talent and follow-through. Designer’s Sketchbook: Amy from Amy Holton Designs

4. Another method of journaling inspiration: Mandi: Style File

5. Rob Brezsny’s Free Will Astrology
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The Hebrew word chalom means “dream.” In his book Healing Dreams, Marc Ian Barasch notes that it’s derived from the verb “to be made healthy and strong.” Linguist Joseph Jastrow says that chalom is related to the Hebrew word hachlama, which means “recovery, recuperation.” Extrapolating from these poetic hints and riffing on your astrological omens, I’ve got a prescription for you to consider: To build your vitality in the coming weeks, feed your dreams. And I mean “dreams” in both the sense of the nocturnal adventures you have while you’re sleeping and the sweeping daytime visions of what you’d like to become.

6. Handwriting Analysis Quiz: I am Smart and Intelligent [yes, capitalized like that]!