An Aegean Bike Ride!

                     How to do a bike ride on an Aegean Island

The first thing that you need in order to do an Aegean Island bike ride, is an Aegean Island!  Since my home is on Salamina, that will be our island today.

                                                                   Salamis Island

Now that we have the island, the next most obvious thing we need is a BIKE!  Here is mine;

My Trusty Steed.

This is my trusty Steed...it is a new Italian model bike and I LOVE it!  I try to get a bike ride in a couple times a week.

 The more tourist oriented Aegean Islands, and larger cities will now have bicycle rentals, but sadly, my island does not.

The Next Item you need is Sunscreen.  (This is an Aegean Bike ride, remember?  Sun! Sun! Sun!)

I never leave home without it!

Now, how about shoes?  A good pair of comfy shoes with a non-slip sole on them.  I just bought these, and I call them my "Heidi" shoes.  Not much on looks, but VERY comfy, and PERFECT for biking.

Heidi, eat your heart out!

  Actually, I would have preferred a classic pair of Keds, but seeing as how I am on a small Greek Island, not too many "Keds" shops around, but these are GREAT shoes, a German company called "Rieker" and they are comfortable from the first minute you put them on.  LOVE my Riekers!






And last, but not least, Jewellery! "What"? You say, "Jewellery"?  How is THAT necessary for an Aegean Bike Ride?

Well, I guess strictly speaking, it isn't; but,  if you are a jewellery artist, and you just LOVE to wear your jewellery every day, then it IS a necessity!

  So, I have chosen my beautiful Silver and Cracked Agate "Aegean Blue" bracelet for the occasion.  It so looks like the waters and sky of the Aegean, wrapped on your wrist.

"Aegean Blue Bracelet"

 Okay, so now that we have the Bike, the Sunscreen, and the Jewellery, where shall we go?  How about to the port?  (actually, that is where I always go, nice ride, about 5 miles each way and down hill most of the way on the outgoing trip...which means UP hill on the way back!)

My trusty Steed brought me safely to the port.  Now we will ride around it and on to my cafe.

 The first waterside Cafe...but not MY cafe...let's go a bit further.

Sculling Team

I usually see the little kids from the sailing school out here, with their funny little square sailboats, but today it seems to be the Sculling Team.  The coach was working them really hard, racing up and down in his motorised Zodiac, screaming orders at them.

Cappuccino and Cookie

Relaxing

This is MY cafe.  Love to sit here.

They make a GREAT cappuccino here.

                                  I hope that you enjoyed the bike ride, let's do it again sometime!

What's Happening at the Work Bench

Every studio should have it's resident cat.....

 This is my resident cat; "Patches" (aka Patsy Cline...long story, don't ask!)
Patches is the perfect studio cat, she "pussy foots" (sorry, couldn't resist) around my work bench, disturbing nothing.

Then we have the Quality Control Cat; "Girlfriend"

Unlike my Studio Cat, Patches,  "Girlfriend" is chaos on 4 legs!  She wants to be in the middle of everything, the center of my attention, and wants to be up close to everything I am doing.  She is always on the job!



A client wanted some ideas for a pair of large hoop earrings, with a Spanish flair, so here I began to make some sketches and try out some different stones.  Working first in Copper

Swirls and curves give a nice Spanish feel...


Here comes Quality Control again!!

"Yes, Girlfriend, I know it is time for a cuddle break".

It is a bit difficult working with a cat in your lap; but I wouldn't have it any other way!




I am happy with the end result; Quality Control did a great job!
  I will be adding these earrings to my Etsy shop this evening.

Copper and Carnelian Large Hoop Earrings

   

A Sunday Stroll to the Acropoli Mueseum

Located on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis Hill, the new Acropolis Museum is a thing of beauty; lightness and solidarity.  The glass facade of the upper gallery beautifully reflects the Sacred Rock and the Parthenon.  I had been to the museum shortly after it's opening, in 2009, and knew that I would be coming back again and again.  

A few weeks ago, on one of the first warm Sundays of the year, I took myself on the promised outing to return to the museum.

The Entrance Way, on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street.

Natural light fills the spaces.

                 

                 From "The Procession"

The glass facade reflects the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis and the Elegant Parthenon

Outside, on the Terrace














When you come to Athens, don't miss touring this beautiful museum.  When you leave, having worked up an appetite, you will want some place great to eat.  I say; forgo the tourist traps restaurants in the area, and go for a real Greek experience.  Upon exiting the museum, go to your right, and then make another right at the wide pedestrian walk way, Makrigianni, past the metro station to the first street directly behind the museum.  This is Hatzichristou Street...go to #12, "

This is "The Kati Allo" and you can enjoy some good Greek cooking and good Greek wine.  They speak English, too.

                                        Athena!

Athens by night.....Music; Manos Hatzidakis

                     

                            Rick Steves; Athens!

The FANATSTIC New Acropolis Museum...Music; Yiannis

COFFEE AND EAR WIRES.

"TED TALKS"
On my MAC....

Brutally windy here on the island today; that leaves out working in the garden, or doing laundry. (We hang our laundry on the roof...and on a day like today, it would end up in Piraeus!)








That makes it the perfect day to work in the Studio! (as if I needed an excuse!)
So after lunch, (our main meal), I fixed myself a Double Cappuccino and took it into the studio; found my program of "TED TALK HOUR" on NPR, and listened, sipped and forged Ear Wires.

Cutting and forging
Stelring Silver Ear Wires

Life is surely has it's "sweet spots"

I made 10 pair..
That should hold me for a bit!

If! I'm lucky, it will be windy again tomorrow!

                    " An Ode To Copper"

Copper is a wonderful and amazing metal, and we humans have been using it for over 10,000 years.  Copper represents "Venus, both the planet and the Goddess.  The Ancient Egyptians used this symbol;  

 the "Ankh" to represent Copper.  The "Ankh" was also the symbol for woman and for eternal life.

The ancients created beautiful copper jewellery

As we do now...............

"Swirls" Copper Ring

"Squiggles" HandMade Copper Necklace

"Red Heart"Free Form Copper Heart with Red Crystals

HOW TO KEEP THAT COPPER SHINY BRIGHT?

I don't know how the ancients did it, but in our life it has meant hard, messy, and smelly work with strong chemicals, but, Gentle Reader, this need not be the case!  All you need is;

LEMONS!

Simply squeeze the juice of one lemon into a small bowl, add enough water to cover the jewelry you wish to clean.  Drop the jewelry into the lemon bath and within minutes, it will be sparkly clean and pinky-orange new!

Be sure to rinse and dry your jewellery completely, and then it is best to store it in a specially treated bag (I supply one of this type of bag with each purchase) which will protect your jewelry from further oxidation!

 No mess, no fuss, no chemicals!

Black Friday-Cyber Monday Weekend Sale

   

                     Aegean Dreams Artistic Jewelry 

    ****Black Friday-Cyber Monday Weekend Sale***

Beginning Thrusday, Nov 22, and ending Tuesday Morning, Nov 27, shoppers will receive a 20% discount on all purchases, even already reduced items!

You only need to insert the coupon code; BlackFriday20 at the point of purchase to receive your discount.

Happy Holiday Shopping!!

This is my Sterling Silver "Squiggles" necklace.  
This choker necklace lays so beautifully, just along the collar bones.  The motifs end at the sides of the neck, and a handmade chain continues to the clasp.

Companion "Squiggles" Earrings
The companion Earrings 

Sterling Silver Squares
The sleek, modern Sterling Silver Squares 

Sterling Silver "Electra" Earrings
These earrings are fit for a Princess, and that is why they are named "Electra" after the daughter of  King Agamemnon of the Mycenaean, Greece
You can find more of this collection in my shop; including a bracelet, wonderful necklace and a statement ring.

Sterling Silver Hoops wrapped round and round with beautifully faceted Amethyst Gemstones.

Chalcedony and Swarovski Heart
I have been making my stylized Sterling Silver hearts for many years, each one slightly different and beautifully unique.  This one is adorned using faceted Chalcedony gemstone beads, and small, round faceted Swarovski Crystals.  

"LOVE" in Any Language!
I am totally in LOVE with this pendant!  One of my freeform hearts, gone Puffy! and stamped with Love in7 different languages; can you figure out which languages are on the heart?

Copper and Prehinite Woven Frame Bracelet

Copper and Crystal Heart Pendant

Copper, Silver and Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Earrings
Fantastic Copper Hoops, with Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Beads wrapped round and round with Sterling Silver Wire.

  Your items will arrive wrapped and ready to gift, and shipping is complimentary; yes, anywhere in the world!  I will also gladly ship direct to your gift recipient, should you wish, with a small gift card enclosed.