Buttoned Up

Maribelle had a tendency to say what was on her mind; it got her into trouble more often than not. There were times when she thought she'd like to be one of those cool, calm, collected women; the sort who had a closet full of shoes and a dozen handbags; but she wasn't, and she probably never would be.

Her feet liked comfort, and she changed her handbag when the zipper couldn't be repaired anymore.

Her mouth was like that, too. She just couldn't keep it buttoned up. Luckily, the people who stuck around appreciated her anyway.

© 2010 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel Vintage buttons, shiny brass. Hand fabricated wirework and chain maille.

Plum Lacy

Lacy was appropriately named; she was, and always had been, a girly girl. It hadn't been easy, growing up in Seattle (home of grunge everything) but she had managed to live through high school, move away, and find the place where she'd always belonged.

She was a southern girl from the flip of her hair to the spectator pumps on her feet. The accent stumped her, but the look was hers. As long as she kept her mouth shut, she fancied that no one knew she hadn't lived here all her life. She actually got points for being quiet; shyness and listening were rewarded here.

And the parties! Lacy loved the parties; she finally had a closet full of pretty dresses, matching shoes and bags and plenty of places to wear them. Garden parties, afternoon teas, dinner parties, debutante parties; Lacy loved them all. She knew how to behave here.

How odd that she'd grown up in the wrong place.

© 2010 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski crystals, glass cabuchons, Shimmerstone cabuchon by Paradox Moxie. Bead woven lace.

Wrapturous

The dew was still wet on the grassy field, but here, under the trees, the carpet of pine needles was soft and dry. She had woken up before the sun and watched the light change from colorless dark to blue grey to soft pink; she continued to gaze in wonder as the endless greens of the leaves appeared and intensified.

Her world had gone from black to technicolor; every morning it was the same. She wrapped her arms around her own shoulders in an effort to warm herself; the weak morning sun did not have any heat in it yet. Smiling, she began to walk back home.

It was enough to have light.

© 2010 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, crystals, freshwater pearls. Hand fabricated. Beaded beads based on a pattern by Bead Origami.

Arwen

Arwen stuck her tongue out at the retreating figure of her mother. It was childish, she knew, and not at all like anything her namesake would do, and that's why she liked doing it.

What was the big deal about Lord of the Rings, anyway? She'd been stuck with the name; she'd had to deal with moony girls and boys in high school when the movies came out, and she'd just about had it.

She was not, she repeated, not going to have a Lord of the Rings wedding. No elfin flowers, no medieval wedding dress, no church decked out like a clearing in the forest. Her nuptials would be fun; she had the Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas booked already.

This Arwen was as stubborn as the first, and every bit as willing to defy her parents.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski crystals and pearls, freshwater pearls. Hand fabricated.

Wine Country

She gave the car a little more gas coming out of a gentle curve in the road, and laughed as the wind whipped her hair across her face. On both sides of the road were vineyards as far as the eye could see; rows and rows of grapes, winding their way up and around the gentle hills.

In the spring and summer, the vines were green; but now the leaves that were left were red and brown. The grapes had been harvested, and the new vintage celebrated. Just a few weeks ago, the roads had been clogged with tourists drinking their way through the Harvest Wine Weekend; today it was completely empty and hers alone.

Another perfect day.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Copper, crystals, seed beads. Hand fabricated. This piece won a Design of Distinction in the Use the Muse III competition.