All Drama

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The finished product - all drama! I really love this ring. I was a little sad to mail it out. I don’t usually wear wide rings on my bony fingers, but I have to admit I’m tempted to make one of these for myself…

In the Works

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I’m working on a custom design for a funky wide band ring at moment. It’s a big piece, and my customer and I are working long distance, and verbal descriptions are just so imprecise. My solution? Paper models, of course. I’m really happy that she went with this option, because I really want to see it in brushed silver. I may need to make one for myself, too!



A nice little abstract from my jewelry workbench. The thick silver wire will be chunky bangles, and the trapezoid will be the custom ring.

Personal Concert

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One of the great things about living next door to a ballfield is that I get treated to some of the most amazing renditions of the national anthem. They generally have the singer(s) in early to test the sound system. Some guy with an incredible voice just sang the national anthem for me.

Wow.

The Rugby Sevens aren’t until next weekend. I wonder what’s happening this weekend?

I Have Evidence

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Finally, I have evidence that I have, indeed, been working my patootie off for the last month. As proof, I submit into evidence one (1) photo of my Full Heart Open Hoops and one (1) photo of my Full Heart Charm Bracelet. I’m attempting to get one new design photographed a day. At least I managed to get my Valentines jewelry designed and made before Valentine’s Day this year! Last year’s designs never made it out of my sketchbook.

So I went and had that facial yesterday, which I’m sure you’re all dying to hear about. It was… relaxing. And nice. And very interesting to try out. Having said that… well maybe I’m just a real miser, but I can’t see myself doing it again. Because it was really, really expensive. I kept thinking to myself “stay in the moment!” But these little thoughts of “I’m sure I could do this myself at home much cheaper” just kept sneaking their way in. I felt the same way the one time I went for a manicure. I’ll obviously never make a Hollywood celebrity, or even a Footballer’s Wife.

And now, I can hear rain coming down. So like a good daughter of the desert, I’m off to go stare out the window in awe before it stops raining…

Full Hearts and Facials

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The show is over, my spring line is designed, and I’m finally getting some photography done! Well, OK, I’ve only photographed one piece so far. But I’ve taken a lot of pictures of this necklace. Does that count? That’s my Full Heart necklace, part of my new spring line, which I’ve been furiously designing for the past month. It’s really comfortable, and looks fantastic with my red t-shirt. I feel all Valentiney just wearing it.

I’ve been going hell-for-leather since mid-October, and at this point I’m so stressed out that I can’t even take a vacation. I know, I know, that sentence doesn’t parse for a lot of you. But just the thought of planning a trip, finding a flight, finding a hotel, packing, going to the airport, flying, renting a car, driving, checking in, and then having to go out, three times a day, just to eat makes me want to get in bed and pull the covers over my head.



So I’m taking my little stash of vacation cash and having a staycation-spa-semi-break right here at home. Instead of going somewhere to relax, I’m going to do it right here. Well, I’m going to semi-relax. As in, relax for half a day, for a couple of days a week. And as a bonus I get to hang out all day with my dogs, eat dinner with Andy, and sleep in my own bed. I started yesterday by calling my massage therapist and getting a good old deep tissue I-feel-like-I’ve-been-pummeled massage.

Next up? A facial. Oh yeah. I’ve never had a facial before, but in my head it’s going to be the most relaxing thing ever. I’m utterly convinced. Don’t try to talk me out of it. There’s a day spa that’s only 20 minutes walk from here (no driving!) that’s supposed to be one of the best in the country. I’ve booked myself in for a facial tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes.

And now I think I’ve earned a chai break. All this typing has tired me out…

Ditto the Flirt

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My friend’s little 2 1/2 year old daughter was over playing with Ditto yesterday. Ditto loves kids. She’ll let them poke her in the eyes and pull her ears and examine her paws. She treats them just like she would her own puppies. She’s very gentle with them, especially when she’s stealing their food…

I remember turning around at a bagel shop once to see her ever-so-gently stealing a bagel from a toddler. The little kid was giggling the whole time. It’s a bit hard to get kids to eat around her as it’s so much more fun to feed your food to Ditto the flirt.

Curious Kenya

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Kenya loves people watching out the window. Particularly if she can get one of us to sit with her. And Andy really loves to indulge her. It’s fantastically funny how she’ll listen to every word he says with a look of deep thought on her face.

But then, Kenya always was a thinker and a watcher, even when she was a tiny puppy. I remember the first time we saw her. At the time, the breeder had 17 puppies, all about 9 weeks old, from three separate litters. When we arrived, the first thing we saw was a squealing, squirming, tumbling mass of 16 puppies, playing their little hearts out. And off to one side, watching, was Kenya. Watching and thinking. Thinking very deep thoughts.

Gracefully Bangled

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This weekend is dedicated to figuring out my displays for my jewelry show next weekend. I really don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t live two blocks from a shop supply store. Have a nervous breakdown, probably. I think I’m overdue for one…

I thought I had so much time to get ready when I arranged this show, but I didn’t really bargain on losing 3 weeks to bronchitis. So I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off for the last few weeks, just trying to make sure I have enough pieces for the show. Thankfully I’m finally at a point where if I had to do the show tomorrow, I could. Time for a deep sigh of relief.

I’m really loving this frosted glass hand I found with the display supplies. I love the gestural feel of it, and I love how my hammered bangles look on it. I’m going to make as many more bangles as I have time for this week. I’d love to run them all the way up to the wrist!

My chunky hammered bangles are available in my shop. Don’t miss out!

Pliers Central

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Yesterday Wendy suggested that I give a tour of my jewelry workbench. What a great idea! I’m sure a lot of you are confused by the jungle that is my workbench. Heck, I get confused, and I know what everything is for. Besides, I should be able to burn at least a week of Project 365 photos on this one…

So, the first stop on your tour is Pliers Central. Here you can see six of my seven most used pairs of pliers, all racked up on my brand new pliers rack. This saves me a lot of sorting through piles of wire looking for those missing pliers.

But hey, enough about me. Let’s get down to those yummy pliers! From (fuzzy) front to (antlered) back, they are:

1) round nose pliers, which I use for making loops and curves in wire
2) flat nose pliers, which I use for taking out curves and adding sharp angles to wire
3) chain nose pliers, which I use for reaching those hard-to-reach things, and when I need a pair of pliers in each hand
4) flush cutters, which I use to cut wire (up to about 14 gauge)
5) specialty bending pliers, without which it would take me years to make those tiny curls
6) and finally my new jump ring cutting pliers, which I use to hold a coil of wire while I saw it into jump rings

I hope you’ve enjoyed your fabulous pliers tour. Next up? Um, whatever catches my fancy!

Missing in Action

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I know, I know. I’ve been sadly missing in action this last week. But I have a Trunk Show at the end of next week, so I’m chained to my workbench. Luckily it’s all going quite well - I have some fab new designs that I’ll get photographed as soon as I get a breather. And then I’ll share. Promise!

For now you’ll have to be satisfied with a view of my tragically buried workbench. See, I am working hard!