Friday, January 31, 2014

New and sold!

Got these two finished yesterday and stuck them in my bag wrapped in a very elegant piece of tissue paper.

Carried them around and sold the green pair today, what fun.

I like this green but I don't love it, it's not a color I can wear.  However, this reminds me that just because I can't wear it doesn't mean that someone else can't either, soooooo, they now belong to my good friend and they are fabulous on her.

I think I'll make a couple more...


Thursday, January 30, 2014

Nerdy fun

Oh my, this website building is so much fun!

I dreaded wading into this do-it-myself world, thinking all the while that I'd get frustrated and ultimately give up. I admit that I had to push myself quite a bit, figuring out how to link domains and credit card companies wasn't that easy but evidently not that hard either because I did it.

But now I realize that's what I did with my last site, I gave up and avoided it as much as possible. It was lovely but sometimes you don't know what you want, so how can you ask for it?  My method of learning and creating is to take things one step at a time, fix this, tweak that, maybe go back and re-do something.  This is guaranteed to make other people crazy so it really is best that I do it myself.

Evolve, that's a good word.  I've used it before but I like what it represents and it syncs nicely with my word for the year, Sfidare, challenge and therefore evolve, it's good.

And now I'm spending happy hours trying new things and finding new ways to do things I've done for years and I'm so damned happy doing it.

I'm also grateful to all the fine minds who have created this platform that can evolve so beautifully.

My current and forever challenge is to photograph my jewelry. That too is evolving little by little, as I find ways to capture the luminescence of enamel on fine silver.


Tuesday, January 21, 2014


My site is back up again!

Still got some work to do but I'm loving the new site and how well it works.

Lots of new things going on here lately.

The website is rebuilt, reconnected and is up and functional.

I got the part time job I've been looking for.  I could say it's a real job and most of my artist friends would give me that look.  You know the look, the roll the eyes, how can you be so clueless look, aren't we doing a real job?

Well, yeah, sort of, we work longer hours for less money than most people and we're doing something we're passionate about.  I don't choose to make things.  I'm compelled to make things.

I think of what I do as helping me, keeping me sane, allowing me to express myself in wonderful ways.  And I'm really thrilled when someone loves my jewelry enough to buy it, to adorn their body with something I've created.  It's an incredible feeling to know my passion is appreciated.

But...I like to help people too and beyond teaching I don't always get enough of that.  My full time job is for me, my part time job is for other people and the bonus is I get paid to do it and it reminds me how hard other people work too and that they may not make things but they have a great desire to make their business better in any way they can.

I love that.  I love the striving for excellence and the simple act of helping people.

My little far away family is doing well, though I've not even been away from them for three weeks and already I'm missing them like crazy.

Oh well, can't have everything all at once, can I?


Construction Zone

Yes, my website is partially down.  I'm working on a new one and will have it connected soon.

Right now you can connect to it via  Just add the s.

Or you can contact me and I'll help you out.

This is quite an interesting process.  I'm actually reading tutorials, who da thunk it?


Sunday, January 12, 2014


....scrubbed and shiny, the year lies before me, beckoning.

Of course I had to go and look up lays or lies and guess what?  I still don't get it, so fuck it.  My road lies before me, yours can do anything it wants, really.  Maybe yours dances before you and blows spit bubbles, maybe you are stretched out on your road waiting for an 18 wheeler, or not.

Why do I yank my own chain so hard?  Why do I allow semantics and grammar to step in the way of my creative self?  Why do I allow anything to step in the way of my creative, happy, healthy, joyful, silly self?

Because it's interesting, because I'm equally right and left brained, because lining everything up in neat rows is as much fun as losing myself in colors and tastes and smells and touch, that rich sensuality that inhabits my soul.  Creating order strikes something inside me.  It sets the flame alight to fire up the yearning to create that simmers always just below my surface.

And so, in these 10 days since I returned to my haven, I've scrubbed and ordered, tossed, moved things to new places, filled up empty receptacles and freshly inhabited my space.  I make it mine again. Like a pianist flexing her fingers I've spent some time making easy things, moving slowly into my studio, opened drawers, fondled pliers, put things away, breathed the scents of metal with my fingers, lamented over peeling calluses, rejoiced in this space.

Covers up some lonely though, the frenetic starts to slow down as the acute missing ache eases.  I can't even think about rubbing my face on her hair without crying.  She listens to my speaker phone conversations and kisses the phone.  My heart breaks, over and over, missing that baby.

Which makes me lose any creative momentum, must be time for lunch.  Need a grilled cheese sandwich, comfort food at its best.


Wednesday, January 01, 2014


Last year I noticed that some of my artist friends chose a word for the New Year.   A word that would exemplify their feelings or goals for that Year.

What would my word be and how the hell would I ever choose one little word to encompass all the hopes and dreams of a new year?  As David Lindley sings in his classic song, "Ain't no way, baby." 

Then my sleek row boat arrived and suddenly there it was, challenge, and because Italian is such a beautiful language the translation was the perfect word.   It also means to dare, defy and to be brave.  These are all things I want more of in my life.

I felt like it was time to challenge myself in some small way.   And yes, the boat is a major challenge for me but it thrills me at the same time.

I can think of a lot of other things I want to do, but right now I've only got the energy to get myself home.

How sweet that will be.

This trip ends with so many positive things.   GBella is happy and smiling, walking a few steps and getting stronger every day.  She's completely different than she was just a week ago, it's amazing.

Both of my kids are moving this week so I've been packing my daughter's house and helped my son move one afternoon too.

I'm so tired.

On Friday morning I'll be looking out at the forest from my kitchen sink, tired but happy down to my toes knowing I did everything I could and it helped.

I need to hammer some metal and head to the Range and shoot holes in things and I need to see my funny friends and laugh out loud while drinking a really good beer.

And I need a hug or three and the smell of mountain air and a few kisses from my furry boys.