Gracious!

Joanna's Birthday ring!  Kyanite and space!

Lemon Quartz wrapped in gold filled sterling silver.

Faceted peridot stone and dapped silver circles.

I entitle this entry as "Gracious" because I feel like I've done a lot of work and don't have much to show for it.  That and I'm being super overly critical of my work and my photos.  

I have a macro lens which allows you to see MORE than the naked eye can see.  But to a potential buyer I'm sure they see "flaw, flaw, flaw!!!" Little do they know they are viewing a piece with greater detail.  Like looking at jewelry with a magnifying glass! 

I suppose I'm hard on myself because I know the piece inside and out.  When I look at the sites of those I admire I can see flaws in their work too... but I think to myself, "Naahhh!  That's just what "handmade" looks like!  Looks fantastic!"  Why can't I give myself that same courtesy?  I've held off on posting my work onto the site for fear of flaws showing.  If that is the case I'll never get anything online because I'm not a robot, I'm human!  There's going to be a petite flaw here and there because hands are clunky instruments sometimes... not precision instruments.  

Either way, the amount of time and effort I've been putting forth to making more and more is hopefully going to pay off in the long run.

Where, When, Why....

Beach House Window Necklace

Sterling Silver Cuff

Where have I been? What's going on? Why haven't I written?

I haven't wanted to. That's the God's honest truth. As my husband with ages of wisdom says; "Sometimes you need a break, even from the things you love the most."

It's true. I go through droughts when it comes to creating. It also doesn't help that the packages I've been anticipating haven't arrived. Makes me hold out for their presence, I guess.

Also, I've been hanging out. With him:

...a lot.

Not that I don't usually, but it's been different. Ever since the haircut things have been different. I have been different with him.

You see, I've been a bad mother. I've been searching for answers that cannot be found, only to learn that my gut instinct on my own son is more profound, more all-seeing, more revealing about the boy that my son is, than this stupid fucking label he's been given.

He's not developmentally delayed. He's just a late-talker. And since he's been given a label I think I've treated him that way. What a stupid mother.

What a ridiculous way to treat your own child. I'm probably making it sound worse than I've actually been towards him, but I'm damn sure I'm my own worst enemy.

He's smart.
Just in ways that aren't typical for his age. But God forbid your child isn't talking up to the par of other children and he's either, autistic, or delayed.

Well, they don't know him like Terry and I know him. They don't see him putting puzzles together, or counting things, or seeing shapes in ordinary life, or remembering how to get to people's houses, or finishing memory games in under 90 seconds...

So I've just been talking to him. Talking to him and playing with him in a way that's purely care-free. And I've been having so much fun, that my everything else has taken a backseat.

I'm sorry I let his differences become abnormalities in my mind. I'm sorry for being so judgmental of my own son.

But what good has come of it?

I've learned a good lesson.

Compass Ring

Yesterday I got this pit nervous feeling in my stomach. It happens every so often. My body will literally crave a beach. I get shaky, restless, anxious really. So I decided to go for a long bike ride. That didn't suffice. Terry, Grady and I went to Yorktown beach and that certainly did the trick. It's not a "beach beach"... but it's a massive body of water no less, and the sunset was a work of art.

The craving for a "beach beach" is still in me a little. So it's no wonder when I sat down in my workshop this morning that I was drawn to this labradorite stone. Flashes of blue, aqua, and green. This compass ring tells you where you need to go. No doubt you need water to put your mind at ease.

The 1950's and More Blue!

So much has happened this week! I can't wait to tell you! First, I made my largest jewelry piece to date on Tuesday. Here she is! Hemimorphite and her silver lining clouds. I adore the piece, the amount of love and work that went into it, I see it, and smile. The silver lining necklace will be listed in the shop tomorrow once I get some great pictures! Although I'm liking the white background. What do you think?

Terry took this picture. It's hard not to laugh when he's the photographer.

And finally. I've begun my first collection since I was 10 years old! I had a sticker collection back then. I was very into Lisa Frank, let me tell you. However! Now that I'm soon to be 28, it's only fitting that I begin to collect kitchenware. But not just ANY kitchenware. Vintage pyrex! I bought my first piece today and I'm just thrilled to have it! She's circa 1950's. I hope to have quite the collection after perusing thrift stores and yard sales! Anyway for $6, how can you beat it?! They're beautiful, tough, useful, vintage!