Arts In Rhode Island

Arts in RI team members decided to creatively challenge one another to come up with Mother's Day themed items and post them for you on our blog. We will be running a contest between now and midnight May 9th. All you have to do to enter our contest is leave a comment for the artist about the creation and you will be entered into a random drawing for a basket of handmade goods made by Arts In RI members. You can leave a comment every time we post a new item for multiple chances of winning! We are also offering the winner the option of having the winning basket sent directly to his or her mother if they so choose!

The next Mother's Day item is hot off the torch from The Venerable Bead. Paula made this Mother's Day themed skeleton key necklace as a statement for all the "good Mom's" out there who know the balance between limits and unlimited love. Paula says of her creation: "Being a good Mother is hard. It's the hardest job I have ever had but also the most satisfying. I don't always get it right but I try my best each day to find that balance between protecting, limiting, releasing, and unconditionally loving the most special little beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sometimes the responsibility is awesome but as luck would have it so are the rewards!"

Paula's necklace features a lampwork bead in bright orange built directly on the shaft of a vintage skeleton key. She uses watch parts and other found objects along with beads and crystals to make a piece filled with nostalgia and forgotten times but updated for today's hippest fashion looks. For the modern Mom who enjoys a steampunk aesthetic.

Please leave comments for Paula here on the blog and you will be entered to win a Mother's day basket filled with handmade goodies from our Arts In RI team. The drawing will be on Mother's Day!

If you like this Arts In RI blog post...spread the love!

Arts In RI team members decided to creatively challenge one another to embrace the season of love with Valentine themed products. Between now and Valentine's Day we will share some of these "lovely" designs with you here on our blog. Let us know how you feel about our art by leaving a comment. Everyone who leaves a comment will be entered into a random drawing for an Arts In RI gift basket featuring goodies from many of our shops. (one entry per person per post. In other words you can enter once every time we post a new product!!!) Be sure to check back on the blog on Valentine's Day as we will announce the winner that day. Entries will be accepted until midnight February 13th.

The next Valentine item up for viewing is from my own shop The Venerable Bead. It's a boro glass beaded vintage skeleton key necklace inspired by a children's book. On the last few pages of Guess How Much I love you by Sam McBratney, Big Nut Brown Hare settles Little Nut Brown Hare into his bed of leaves and whispers "I love you right up to the moon - and back". I swear I never got through that last page without tearing up when my kids were babies. I tore through the house looking for that book last Sunday morning. Maybe I was feeling a bit melancholy because my baby boy turned 11 on Monday. I literally felt myself having panic at the thought this book had been put in the Goodwill bin. In front of 6 sleepover guests I was begging my son to help me find the book. He looked at me like he might just kill me right there in front of 6 witnesses. "Whew never mind I found it in your sister's room" I said a few minutes later. I heard him say to one of his guests that he had no idea why I would think a baby book was anywhere but.

This is a tribute to unconditional love that spans a thousands oceans, a million miles...to the moon...and back. It's comprised of a skeleton key that has a bright red borosilicate glass bead made directly on the shaft. It has charms and a hand stamped brass tag the reads: I love you right up to the moon and back. It comes strung on a 24 inch gunmetal chain with lobster clasp.

Let us know how you feel about this piece here in the comments and you will be entered to win a basket full of great prizes created by our very own street team.

If you like this Arts In RI blog post...spread the love!