Yum

There's a butternut squash cooking on the counter.  It smells amazing...I'm gearing up to make my new favorite "recipe", red curry coconut squash soup!  It really couldn't be easier...roast up a squash, once it's cooled, cube it and saute it in a pot with some onion, and in this case I'm adding some roasted peppers, throw in a can of coconut milk, the stock of your choice, a few tablespoons of red curry paste, and let it roll for a while.  Once the flavors have had a moment to get acquainted with each other, let it cool a bit, and then have at it with an immersion blender, (new favorite tool).  I've got some cilantro to sprinkle on top, if you go in for that sort of thing, and/or some chopped up cashews on top!

YUM
AMEN
Lunch for work tomorrow and dinner for three is served...

I woke with the birds this morning, picked Jo up from working the night shift at the hospital, had some breakfast and headed in to the studio for some long overdue work.  Some things are coming together with long gaps in between stages, some things have been finished and need photographing, and a few things had their third "photoshoot", as I'm still battling the camera demons.  Hey, I'll take my progress where I can get it, no matter how slow it goes.

So, here we have a few treasures:

I've had this stone in my collection for quite a while...She's been waiting for the right moment.


I've just done a bit of research to learn more about this amazingly colorful specimen. Mookaite is an Australian Jasper, characterized by bright shades of crimson, gold, orange and sometimes purple.  It is connected to the earth element and said to habe properties of self-healing, and to protect against negativity...if you go in for that sort of thing.  I certainly won't be denying it.

These crazy creations have been in the works for a while, I tried out a few different combinations of color, and THIS is absolutely my favorite...If you've been around here at all you know of my love for all things chartreuse, so here we have more of that lovely hue of happiness.  I've paired it with some orangey/red coral tube beads, a few vintage chunks of white coral, opaque gray seed beads, and a bit of good old sterling sliver...Strung and knotted on bright royal blue cord, and ready to make your eyes and your neck happy with color.

Another in the chartreuse appreciation collection, this one is a bit "weird" too, but I'm ok with it...in fact I kind of love the weirdness.

 I've been loving working with these small beads, and brightly colored cord...It's a time when I can be creating, but a little bit more relaxed about it, total meditation/zone out/thinking but not thinking/therapy time.  Just seeing all the little containers filled with color,making a messy pile of beads, and finding inspiration in the random color groupings that come to life, makes me smile.  It's my tropical version of knitting.  I used to crack out on knitting projects for hours when I lived in a colder climate, and I missed that kind of work...I have found my knitting substitute!

A note abut these necklaces...I have piles of them by now, and have been photographing them for weeks.  Something about them refuses to be captured accurately with my camera.  The colors look different, the gray looks a bit washed out, and I just havn't been able to capture how RAD they really are...And it's frustrating!!!! I've still got to get a few better shots before I can list them in the shop...So try and try again, I will, and I have been.  There's handfulls more like these, and I've been enjoying wearing them layered, many of them at a time, or maybe just one or two depending on my mood...me likey!

Not the most artistic rendering of them on, but hey...A girl can try.

Ok, I'm off to deal with the soup, start on the shop listings, and then indulge in part 3 of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, (the Swedish version).

Oh, Monday...you're lurking right around the corner and there's so much left to do!

Aloha
S