Monday, April 30, 2012

A few new pieces

It seems like the past week has been all about rings! I've finished several new rings, all wildly different from each other, and each one extremely satisfying!


a very cool bumpy pearl on a simple sterling band



freeform pearl and rose cut diamond in sterling and 18kt and 14kt gold. These rose cut diamonds are my new love. And I just purchased a new parcel of various sizes and colors I can't wait to get into...





malachite and stick pearl in sterling with 14kt gold

and today I finished this pretty little fossil coral ring in sterling with 14kt gold rivets




My next project is in the works. Moving away from rings for a bit and concentrating on combining various elements in a necklace for David Frank Gallery. Depending on how it comes out, I'd like to do more and perhaps utilize some of those diamonds in the design.

Here I'm using rose cut tourmalines, peridot, ocean jasper and freshwater pearls. Still a bit to work out... I'll be posting it when it's done though!



Monday, April 16, 2012

New Additions to the Family...

I've been having some challenges in the studio recently and today brought the melt down of an 18kt gold bezel I was working on. Good time to take a break, and what's the best thing to do when you need a little cheering up? No, not that half gallon of chocolate chip in the freezer, but a trip across the river to the farm store to pick out a new critter or two... or maybe seven. Always makes me feel better!

 The newbies, soon to be included in the stable of photo props already working hard to sell
                        my jewelry on etsy.

I have no idea what kind of dog this is supposed to represent, but he looked eager and check out that crazy face!

whew, intense...

And everyone knows that lizards are pretty good at selling stuff...

not too cuddly, but speaks with an Aussie accent. 

Here's cute...

Now all that remains is to design the perfect piece of jewelry to go with each one...
They should be popping up in the shop before too long! 

Monday, April 9, 2012

let the gardening begin...


My gardens have been in a sad state since last Fall when I told them I was done, they could put themselves to bed... This Spring, when we've had a nice day here and there, I had other things to do, mostly spend time in that little basement studio. Today I finally got myself out there and boy am I feeling it!
Noticed lots of little things in bloom, especially the Akebia vine with it's heavenly scent...

 
Usually blooming in March, it's a bit late this year most likely due to the cool weather we've had.


It's evergreen, with a very pretty leaf. The flowers consist of small flower clusters and an occasional larger single flower. I think it's the male and the smaller ones are the females. The scent is really lovely. I get a waft of it every time I walk out the back door and if the weather is warm enough, I can open the window and let it in.


Most of the daffodils are gone, but tulips are still hanging in there, in fact I had tulips come up this year that I know weren't there last year, and no, I didn't plant any last Fall. The last time I bought a bag of 100 tulips at Costco and never got them in the ground I learned my lesson... bad me.




I really couldn't tell you what these little guys are. The were bulbs that I planted some years ago and they really multiply, so be careful, I have to dig a bunch out every so often to keep them from taking over. And the kaffir lily is the same, but easily managed. I've given them to people all over my neighborhood. Around here, you'll get blooms all year round and they look kind of like miniature gladiolas or iris. Very sweet with an insane deep salmon color.


I cut back the ferns and already see the fiddleheads emerging. The hostas are coming up and looking good. I love the colors in this little clump! It's amazing what you can find when you pull away all the debris...


The always reliable bleeding heart planted below the akebia trellis and one of a few camellia blooms that survived my husband's "pruning". 


And last but not least...well, I actually got this done first thing today and that's probably why my knees aren't working so well right now... the vegetable garden. Planted in the strip between driveways, but getting great sun, I tilled, amended and planted onion starts, and spinach, lettuce, chard, and snow peas from seed. About a month or so later than I had wanted, back then when I was doing my taxes...


Flores wasn't a huge help. Every time I got down to put the seeds in the ground, he'd put his nose in my ear. But he was nice company... Happy gardening!