When I started this Ani Cheval blog, my intention was to allow this to be my artistic get away - my anonymous outlet to be someone else for a change.

Apparently that didn't work out so well. It turns out I really like being me. So I'm putting this blog on hiatus until such a time when I have the artistic inspiration to fill the space again.

In the meantime, feel free to join me over at my regular blog Little Me in the Big D. It's really about me and the foods I love and the hobbies I take on. Now with the hiatus of this little anonymous blog, it can also include a little of my artistic side as well.

And Santa rewarded me beautifully. Oh yes he did! Right this second I am posting with my newest toy.


And look it has a red cover to match my Hawt Lipstick! Plus it's red for Girl Strength and Power! Woohoo! I'd like to get a purple one though to change out every once in a while. Purple is a great color!

Hopefully this new toy means I will be posting more. Hopefully.

Thursday night the world lost an icon. Bettie Page has passed away. I just read her memorial page, but now the whole website has blown up and you can't get in or move around or anything. I wish her family peace. She was a beautiful lady.

Last night I picked up the cutest little retro Simplicity pattern.

Originally I picked it up with a certain silk boucle fabric I have in my stash, but then the gears in my head began to turn and I have another Fabulous costume that I'm going to make out of it as well.

What is it? Hmmm, I don't think I'm ready to let the cat out of the bag yet, but I'll give you a few hints:

Welding goggles
Red
Go go boots
EVIIIIILLLLL!!!!!

That's all you get, hehe. I hope to have this costume ready for All-Con. You can see it then. It's going to be so cute I just can't stand myself!!!

Thanks to The Bargain Queens, I give you a source for channelling your inner super hero any time of the year with these Fabulous Rainboots!



They're available at Amazon.com.

http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com

Sometimes us girls need to rally together and do something nice for our boys and girls in the Military.

Cell Phones for Soldiers takes old phones and accessories and sells them to refurbishing companies and then turns around and uses the funds to buy phone cards to ship to the soldiers. Each phone will buy a 1 hour phone card for a soldier to call home. This charity even has drop off points all over the nation if you have trouble mailing the phones in. Just click the "find a drop off point" tab across the top of the website and you'll be taken to a place where you enter your zip code and Voila, Drop off locations will appear mapped on your computer screen.

This is a great means of recycling cell phones instead of letting them sit in a dump and this time of year is a Great time to help our soldiers connect with their families. So many of them will be away from home over the holidays.

These Friday Simply Beautiful entries were conjured up mainly for the purposes of me drooling over art as I become acquainted with it. However, there are so many different kinds of art, that it's not really fair for me to just stick to one medium for Simply Beautiful. I mean, to some people art can be something that they simply think is brilliant.

So for this newest Simply Beautiful installment, I will shift gears to another sort of art. Sparkly Art.

For some glorious reason I often receive a copy of the M.S. Rau Antiques catalogue. I don't recall when this began, but through this publication I have been exposed to Many beautiful things. The first catalogue I received was a Fine Jewelry issue. I remember being quite entranced with the sparklies in that issue. Today I received yet another Fine Jewelry catalogue from M.S. Rau Antiques, and let me tell you, it does not dissapoint.

First I will show you the item with which I fell in love from the first catalogue. It is still available for sale. It makes my Right hand ring finger tingle with joy.



That is a Star Sapphire and it is a rare gem indeed. It's the star shape that really just pulls me in. And it is a relatively simple setting. The gem doesn't really need much more than those little baguettes.

Going from Simple to True Art brings us to this lovely Edwardian necklace.



The drops and intertwining of little diamonds is so eye catching. And the little bits of Sapphire and Emerald bring a slight pop of color to the piece without overpowering the simplicity of the diamond floral motif. It is delicate like a web and yet it is destined to be handed down to enthusiasts and hopefully daughters and daughters-in-law for many years to come. This is the kind of necklace that would compliment nearly any black tie affair with grace and class. It is nearly timeless.

Timelessness in art and jewelry is something to be proud of, however sometimes a Bold "wow" statement is in order.



This piece is so amazing. I don't know if I would ever have the guts to wear something that bulky on my wrist, but it is such a statement and so entrancing, I'm sure if I happened on the occasion to own it, I would wear it nearly every chance I got! The bulk of the bracelet is carved crystal banded with little diamonds. I've never seen carved crystal jewelry before this. It is strange and yet incredibly inviting - demanding of attention even.

And then sometimes there is such an exciting beauty in the art of simplicity.



This little ring is just about the only thing that this girl's modest budget could ever afford from M.S. Rau Antiques. I do not post it because it is a cheap item. I post it because I personally think that it is even more elegant than the Star Sapphire ring. This simple little carved ring would be a beautiful accompaniment to the Edwardian Necklace. It would make a perfect Engagement ring for a pair in love. And it would be a timeless bauble to pass down from generation to generation. Just take a moment to admire the intricate care in the carvings. It's quite a beautiful piece. In fact, the sight of this makes a girl want to re-shuffle her budget so she can call it her own.