Oh my gosh, I figured out how to get on my blog with my OLD login, woohoo!  This might mess up my previous post, but hopefully not.

Happy Autumn, Everyone!

Moving a couple of times and family issues have kept me from blogging for a couple of years, so you can imagine what it means for me to be right HERE, right NOW.

Still don't have a studio setup but that's okay.  I'm not ready to start crafting jewelry yet, but I ponder on it and look forward to returning to it at some point.

For now, my life is all about happiness and health.  I joined a nearby gym and wish their outdoor pool was indoor so I could swim year round.  Too windy and cold to be wet.  I much prefer bundling up in this type of weather when outdoors.

So, it's time for pulling out sweaters and storing tee shirts....good books by the fire, and visiting and being even more grateful for those we cherish.

I'm here, I really am.  I moved in the winter of 2013 and then again in May 2014.  Still unpacking boxes, etc., and disovering the area.

My plan is to have my studio setup by end of summer, beginning of autumn to create new jewelry designs, destash a whooooole bunch of beautiful beads, silver and findings.  A clean, more minimal studio will be in play to stir new creative ideas.

I did learn a couple of seed bead designs in a class at a fabulous local bead shop I found soon after moving.  I was frustrated with the bracelet (above) at first, but once I created 3 units in the repeated pattern I loved it.  The best part was it is light and inexpensive since there is no sterling silver.

I have a second style to try once my studio is up.  THIS weekend I'll be clearing the studio of boxes but am being challenged with finding the right table. 

So I hope you'll stick with me, because I will be back and in a new creative format.

 I am on hiatus until Winter 2013.

Cupcake Heaven

I have been amazed that over the past several months

I have had a very difficult time locating independent glass artisans

who create lampwork cupcake beads.

There used to be an overwhelming number

and now I have to search for months 

to find the level of quality I desire.

Thank the heavens for

Alexandra Figueira

who crafted the beauties above!

I found these latest beads while searching Etsy.

They are BEYOND what I normally find so I am intensely happy

about the level of detail in each portion of the the cupcakes. 

Jewelry designed with these beauties coming soon!

Fresh

BeadGoodies

 

One of my favorite lampwork glass bead artists crafted these beauties.

I just reordered the chocolate one and the peach one....PLEASE

fill my order, I need a fix!

 

Luscious...what more can I say?

Click on BeadGoodies above to visit her site.

 

 

 

Life is good...

I have a job...

I still love anything cupcake...

And look forward to a big change....

that will hopefully happen this year....

moving back to my home town!

Will keep you posted on that.

Happy New Year!

Gobble Gobble

We are off to Sis's in Napa tomorrow.  She told me not to bring a thing.  Now 
THAT's a holiday!  But of course I will take some treats and look forward to chopping, 
slicing, taste testing and generally laughing my way through the day
with a family that does not let any stupid
crap get in the way of enjoying each 
other.  Makes the day 
spectacular.  I'm SO
excited!

Gobble Gobble!

Redo

 I am SO sorry to not have come back until now!   The good news is I was hired for a full time job.  The bad news is the lack of free time I now have!  It's quite an adjustment to get used to.  What I really want is to just dive into this beautiful home in San Francisco that was recently featured in House Beautiful magazine.  I could sit at the breakfast nook for hours!

 

My son recently moved into his own place so I'm excited about taking over his old room.  Into it will go the computer desk from our master bedroom which means I get to buy a cool floor lamp from Ikea to illuminate the chair that will be moved from the living room to create a reading space in the master.

Also moving from the living room into the extra bedroom will be my jewelry crafting table which currently hides our fireplace.  Oh man, this is all going to feel so normal!  1,100 square feet works when you have 2 adults and a small child, but not so well for 3 adults.  It will be wonderful to spread out.

I'm not sure when I will see you again here, but my shop is still open, so check back on occasion to see what is new.  

Click HERE to view.

Summer Rose

This post has nothing to do with jewelry and everything to do with beauty and wonder.  Since my mom passed away, I have wanted to take cuttings of her Cecile Brunner roses that grow along the white picket fence at my dad's house.  I tried to grow some miniature roses from the local nursery years ago but aphids went crazy on them and I easily gave up.

Months ago I asked Dad for some cuttings which he put into plastic baggies which my husband brought home to me....and I promptly killed.   At this point I was determined to learn more so I could be successful.  Eventually my stepmom dipped some cuttings into growth hormone and nurtured them for several months until my next visit.

  

She and I were overjoyed when we gently dug beneath the dirt's surface to find roots.  Out of the 6 cuttings, 3 took root.  I asked her what usually kills a plant...too much water or not enough.  Too much, she said.  That's what I always felt was my most likely error.  

Once home, I would feel the soil just beneath the surface each day and was surprised the plants needed water only a couple of times a week.  2 months ago I saw a teeny ball that would become this awesome, fragrant rose.   Just this single rose bloomed from the 3 cuttings that survived.

So much emotion and anticipation came from watching this rose develop.  I'm kind of glad only one bloomed.  It feels much more significant.

 

The least successful cutting produced only 4 leaves and then stopped growing.  The leaves did not continue to grow, but they didn't die either.  I cut the offshoots to hopefully freshen their growth.

Today as I was thinking, "now what do I do that this one rose bloomed" I thought I should check the other plants to see if I should cut them back to produce more growth.  Surprise: the 4 leaved plant....has new leaves coming in!  How about that.

Patience paid off.  I've never been much of a gardener but am now enjoying becoming one.  I even dared to plant seeds for sweet peas which are growing at an amazing rate.  My Nona used to have sweetpeas and the color and fragrance always amazed me.  How lovely to have flowers my mom and her mom used to grow.  Ahhhhhhhh.

Summer Cupcakes

Watermelon Cupcake Earrings

in 3 color combinations

I know, I know!  It's been since March that I've been here.

Now that I'm looking for a new job, I have time to make earrings!

 

Cherry on Top

 

Pink Chocolate Cupcake Earrings

These will all be on my website in a few days.

I need to take photos and then list them

HERE

 

Dreaming

Hi again. It's been awhile since my last post and I have a wonderful update....I had a fabulous dream about my mom! Every once in a while she'll appear in my nighttime dream and IN the dream I feel how wonderful that is...then IN my dream I realize she can't be real because she's no longer alive....so I suddenly understand I need to enjoy her as long as she'll "be" there...and that is the moment she would disappear....well, not in the last one!
She stayed in my dream for what seemed like hours (you never really know how long they are) and I knew I had to enjoy her and so I did and she was there for so long that when I awoke I was happy and completely fulfilled with the time I had "spent" with her.

We talked, we laughed, we read a little...we just hung out all over the house and backyard. Wow. There is nothing more I could want. How wonderful.

On the jewelry front, I've got lots of springtime pieces that are packed with color and will make you smile each time you see them. Come on over and dream of spring with me!

I miss my mom

I miss my mom.

I saw something funny on tv and thought how Mom would have appreciated it.
And all of a sudden I ached to be with her, talk with her, hug her, smile and laugh, laugh, laugh with her.

I'm so tired of that ache.
All this year my goal is to work at turning that ache into a smile of a memory.
I'm tired of crying over her.

I just want to laugh and smile when I think of her.
I don't know if my goal can be achieved.
I know that a year working at it might not be enough.

Will it take a lifetime?
I don't know

What I DO know is.....






I miss my mom.

Year of the Dragon

So, 2012 will be the Year of the Dragon on the Chinese calendar that is over 4,000 years old...amazing! Also amazing: tonight, on "Chopped" I saw something new to me...
Dragon Fruit!

What an insanely bizarre, yet beautiful food. You would never know that the inside and the exterior would be so completely different, yet complimentary to each other. I felt like it was a fashion statement the way the bright pink and green pod was filled with white flesh and black seeds..how Parisian!

I have no idea what it tastes like but discovered it grows from some variety of cactus...it just gets more and more interesting. Some interiors are bright pink. Wow.

This intriguing fruit reminded me that it is a good thing to
always be learning and always be curious.
You never know what you might discover.

Happy New Year

Stocking Stuffers

I know, I know, it's hard to believe that a week from today is Christmas Eve. At work we have a countdown calendar...and I hate being reminded of it daily because I'm just not "on it" for gifts and prepping. BUT, the good news is I have stocking stuffers for you!

Actually, anything in my shop is small enough to be a stocking stuffer so you can't lose.

I will be so happy to move from full time holiday working hours to part time after the new year...whew! This year I haven't said Happy Holidays ONCE. No matter what religion a person believes in, the reason for the holidays IS Christmas so that's it, there's no way around it, so I say.....there really is no good reason to consider other people and that they might be offended to hear those 2 words. Why did I ever worry about it in the first place? Diversity awareness can sometimes be counter productive....so.......

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Golden & delicious

My brother in law's smoked turkey was spectacular...perfectly golden and juicy alllll the way through...yum! How was yours?

Be Vogue in Leopard

Autumn is here. Be stylish in leopard with a twist...cupcakes!

Who knew cupcakes could be so elegant?
Click photos for more details

Smiley Face

Hiya! Summer is nearing its end so I thought I better greet you again and entertain you just a little. So, on the weight loss front, I definitely have NOT felt like this.....but.....

I did kind of feel like this! Got a little tired of being sooooo focused on walking, not eating too many carbs, blah, blah, blah, that I let myself have a little too much fun with my old eating habits and right about now, I'm feeling better than.....

this. I'm not sad about it, I'm kind of tired of not losing, but I know exactly what to do to get back on track and I'm not gaining, so soon, very soon, I will be back to feeling like...........

THIS!

18 lbs. and counting

I'm in a bit of a lull, but I lost 18 lbs. in 6 weeks so far...now THAT's a diet!