Today

Feet up, watching the light fade away...Today was lovely, just one of those beautiful days that creep up on us, and all of a sudden we realize how incredibly lucky we are to live our lives the way we want to. Nothing crazy or monumental had to happened to create this perfect day, it just felt good. Breakfast at the new local spot, laughter and friendship, canine friends that always make me smile, working in the studio, the perfect song coming on and making me sing and dance a little in my seat, driving home watching the light turn everything into a glowing version of its usual self, and finally taking a cold shower to rinse off the days desert dust , and put my feet up to watch the colors fade away. 

How Desert Babes Accessorize

Last weekend my friend Kime hosted a trunk show with jewelry designer Solee Darrell at her shop The End, an eclectic vintage boutique and gallery here in old town Yucca Valley.  Solee snapped this picture of Kime and Susan showing off their ring collections.  I love this shot and seeing all these great pieces mixed together.  These ladies have the most incredible style and I'm honored that they wear my work, it's so fun to see them enjoying so thing I made!!!  There are a few of my rings in there and a couple from Solee Darrell Jewelry, mixed with vintage pieces from their personal collections.  

This picture makes me all kings of happy.

Progress

I've been working my fingers to the bone this week! Today I'm closing in on finishing up quite a bit of new work, it feels great to be working hard, and settling into the new studio.  I'm currently drinking iced coffee and eating leftover green beans from last nights dinner...also enjoying a little break from the heat in AC.  Summer is almost over out here in the hot hot desert, the nights and mornings feel a bit cooler and I couldn't be more ready for fall!!

Happy Friday!

Bits and Pieces of the Past Week

Golden hour...

Nap time...

Swap meet...

Another lovely desert sunset...

Dear Diary

Coffee Table Still Life............................

This week I moved into the new studio space, but have yet to sit down and work there.  After a supply run and a few other jewelry related errands in LA on Friday, I'm excited to get to work!!! I'm full of ideas and excited to see how the new space feels.  

I snapped a few quick pictures of a couple pieces that went off into the world this week.   I've got to be better about making sure I've got photos of my work!  So much to learn about the camera, so little time...so I just snapped these with my phone.

Really this blog is more like my journal, a reminder to myself later on perhaps?...I don't really think anyone reads it, I don't even go back and read it.  But someday I might want to...Here you go, future me!  

Happy Sunday!

Settling In

 

A few random snaps from the past week...up next, moving into the studio! Details coming soon~

Mermaid Ring~Memories of Cold Green Water, and Summertime

I sat down to edit photos and list a few things in the shop the other day, and when it came time for writing about one special ring, the memories just poured out of me...

She swam her summers in the Puget Sound,  it's cold green waters hosted all kinds of seaweed, in every shade of green you can think of...There were tall billowing ropes of kelp,  deep emerald strands, and olive green ropes with bulbs on the end the size of a grown mans fist.  From the beach, she waded through bits and strands of the stuff, it was dried all over the rocks on the beach, stuck to barnacles and shells, and onto the driftwood that was scattered around.  At ankle depth, it swirled around her toes, and felt slimy and cold.  At the back of her knees it was ticklish and wrapped around the ankle in a way that made her have to lift her feet up high to take a step without it's slippery surface causing her to stumble through the water.  When she jumped off the dock and into the icy water 15 feet below, it was sharp and left a few paper-cut like slices on her legs.  Sometimes she would open her eyes under water and see the blurry greens of the water, with long bundles of kelp swirling all around.  Yes, the water was very cold, and yes it stung her eyes like crazy, but it was one of the best parts of being in the water. To see what the mermaid sees, to take in those soul healing underwater colors, and save them in her mind through the winter, until next summer when she went back to the island and got to do it all over again.

I don't know if the story inspired the ring or the ring inspired the story...

Mermaid Ring~Cortland Plume Agate

They're All My Favorites

I don't know what it is, but certain pieces make me feel a deeper connection to the craft of metal smithing.  Maybe it's the shape of a stone, or the weight of the piece in my hand when it's finished, all shiny and with the perfect oxidized patina that I crossed my fingers and hoped would turn out as I saw it in my head.  Sometimes it's just purely the appreciation that I made this thing from beginning to end with a few tools, and my hands.  The ideas come from some unknown origin of inspiration, through my brain, to my hands through my fingertips with the aid of some serious muscle strength...in the form of the excessive hammering, forging etc. that goes with metal work. I always feel a huge sense of accomplishment when I see the final piece no matter how complicated or simple the design is.

They're all my favorites...

These and a few more in the etsy shop.
Happy Friday friends...