This is a sweet picture of Phil and his youngest granddaughter, Eliza. She lives in Utah. I think, they look sweet in their matching pink shirts! We are older now and once there would have been pictures of our grandparents with us as babies on their laps. Sometimes the circle of life comes full around and you can see it so clearly that you are certain that you are looking far off into the future.

I was thinking today of a time when I first moved to Port Townsend and had a 4 person party line for my phone service. Just think, four people! It seems so very long ago but it was less than 30 years this summer. What would the kids of today, even my own kids, think of that? You didn't need to be on line to know what was going on in your neighbor's lives! How things have truly changed. I wouldn't always call these changes positive progress but it is amazing nonetheless.

Here is Jacob swimming in a pool on his vacation in Utah. He looks pretty happy but I am beat and am heading off to lullaby land!

When I sit at my workbench and make jewelry for hours on end; I used to call my mom and we would talk on the phone for a long time. Yesterday, twice, I found myself reaching for the phone to give her a call. I would think, " oh I have to tell mom that " or mom would like to hear about this ". Man, somedays it is just driven home how much you miss someone!

Chetzemoka Park

When I went into town tonight I realized that I was a bit early to close up the shop so I thought what shall I do with my rare found free time? I went to Chetzemoka Park and sat on this ancient wooden glider swing and just let the early evening drift by as I watched the mountains and water and trees. Five minutes of doing nothing but gently gliding on the green wooden swing. Peace. relaxing, quiet peace. Stillness at the day's end.

The Colors

The colors in my dining room just make me happy! Even on a day without much sunlight, which has not been the case this summer, it glows with color. Plus it is a great place to display part of my crow collection. Come have lunch in here with me!

Father's Day.

On this Father's Day, I decided to post a picture of my parents taken around the time they were married. I love my mother's gleeful, triumphant look and the solidness of my dad. He has been gone a long time now. Exactly half my life. I knew him, if I ever really knew him; such a short time. I like to think they are together now and happy and peaceful and so in love. I do not cry anymore for the loss of my father. My mother's death, all too fresh in my heart still brings me to quick tears but my dad's passing, so long ago now, has just left a hollowness that will never truly be filled. Indeed, what can replace the emptiness of being parent-less?

I am thankful from my full heart for the men that have graced my life. For my grandfathers, my uncles, my brothers, my husbands, my male friends. We are here so quickly that to have been loved by them and missing those that are gone is the most bittersweet thing in my life.

May men the world over continue to love their children and teach them peace and tolerance and also love the mothers of those children. what a world we could all create.

A close up of the elaborately drawn card that Jacob gave his dad, my Phil, for father's day.


Jacob made his dad a card and decorated it with my good new markers! Said he " had to use that new set of markers of yours. " I love that he still makes things and seems to enjoy it.





We had a quick father's day gift opening on Saturday night as Phil was leaving for Utah so early on Sunday. Here the great man is himself, all relaxed in his sweats, ready to begin a vacation on the morrow.

These pictures are from a coffee shop in Sequim called THE BUZZ. The 4H kids from Paws 'n Claws need to decorate their cat show during Jefferson County's Fair in the theme of bees. These walls are covered in chicken wire to look like honeycombs. Pretty clever. Anyway Phil took these pictures so all the kids could see this idea on my blog. So in between the beads we now have the bees. HAHA! Bad pun I know. Good night!

At last outside the living room windows on the side deck; raindrops! It is finally raining. A light, sweet rain that is making me drowsy in its comforting sound. I have so missed our wet, gray, soft days. I hope it rains for a week or more! I am ready and willing to embrace the moisture that my gardens and flowers and skin longs for.

It has been a tiring day and I will not bore you with the details but suffice it to say that you cannot ever underestimate the pettiness of people, the cruelty of their words, the sheer selfishness of their actions. Somedays I am just doomed to learn life lessons over and over. It must be a karmic journey.

These are photos of wild sweet peas. Labeled as weeds, I think their purple color, cascading leaves that grow so ruffly between the beach or swamp grass are very pretty. You just must never eat them!

I looked up from my work table in the studio and out the window over my desk and I saw a beautiful sight; a mama deer and two twin spotted fawns. They were the tiniest I have ever seen! They just strolled by my studio, the fawns a bit wobbly. I am only sorry that my camera was not handy. All my neighbors on my side of the street, there are 3 have their back lots in tall weeds and grass. I do too except that I have some fir mixed in and alders. All volunteers. Yesterday, they all got together and mowed their fields so now there is no place for the deer to hide except my field. I am not gonna cut it. Nope, no way, no how. I like it all wild and I know the local animals do too.I think it is very pretty. No one has asked me to cut it yet but I have my answers all prepared anyhow!

I don't think that I have ever posted pictures on my blog before of the inside of our warehouse. It's pretty sweet, very organized now and desperately wants to be bigger! It can be a bit crowded when I am not gone for a show and all the shipping containers and merchandise are in there. Thank goodness we have another area for storing all the charms for my website!

The warehouse is even open by appointment, if you dare to browse for tempting treasures!!!




Phil in the warehouse carefully putting away inventory.

Just before I left the shop for home this evening; I took random photos of this and that and some of the jewelry I have out for sale. When the shop is quiet and the day has ended in there; I can almost feel the jewelry waiting for the next sales day. Sounds a bit crazy but I think each piece is created for someone specifically and the jewelry just waits until its rightful owner comes in and purchases it. So anyhow, here is your look into a couple of my display cases..........







An image from around the shop tonight. I like the way there are almost double exposures in the reflections on the glass. Almost otherworldly.

ONE more time - Ediz Hook

JUst a couple more pictures from our time at Ediz Hook. I was so enamored of my day there that I think I need to do beach getaways more often! Lois needs mini breaks from studio and shops!

One of my favorite things to look at and touch are the massive pieces of driftwood tree roots. I love the gnarly -ness of them and the texture just sends me to my sketchbooks.







The view looking back towards the Olympic Mountains towards Port Angeles. The low clouds and mist make it almost mysterious.

When the winds blow and storms come into the thin strip of land that Ediz hook is; trees and big pieces of driftwood are tossed up onto the rip rap and boulders like toothpicks upon a salad plate creating a sculpture of immense proportions. Very cool.




The seagull at Ediz Hook in Port Angeles. A beautiful, windy, sunny, warm, wonderful salt in the air kind of day.

This little crab on the beach at Ediz Hook in Port Angeles today was so perfect; I wanted to scoop him up and take him to the studio to encase him in resin in a frame. Unfortunately, he was a bit too big. ( He was dead, I would not have hurt a live crab. ) Jacob said if I put the crab in resin I would be trapping his soul forever. Where does he get these ideas? I do really think that small found things from the beach would be cool imbedded in resin. More pictures of our stroll at Ediz Hook tomorrow. It is one of my favorite places!

I have not mastered the fine, fine blogging art of posting pictures and matching labels ... yet - so here are the details on my friends at the Bead & Button show. These are some of my most favorite people that work the show and I was so glad to see them!

First is Kate Richborg of Beaducation an amazing jeweler, then there is Joanne Morash, an incredible lampworker and crafter of earwires and displays extraordinaire, Elisa Sullivan of the Beadin' Path, we have been friends at shows forever, well at least since a long ago NYC show and finally, the person I could not do the show without, Judy Danberg, my worker phenomenal! Plus she puts up with me and is very talented at a zillion things! Man, is it ever fun seeing everyone although I am beat from working before, during and after the show and from the rich dinners and late nights!

Thank you Janet Wolery and Steff Korsage, you two make my every minute fun when I am with you! xo!

Bead & Button Show Photos

I'm home!!! The B&B show was very exciting, it was fun to see everyone and meet all my wonderful customers and thank the lord; FANS of my work! I watched baby seagulls on my hotel roof everyday grow into bigger gray fluff balls, ate great Thai food and coconut ice cream, bought beads ( imagine that! ) and just worked myself to exhaustion. I will post some pictures and offer more details in upcoming posts. Oh, and my dog is beside herself with joy in seeing me and Jacob fessed up to the road rash on his arm from wrecking his bike! See, he is growing up too fast and almost overnight! ( Since I left a mere week ago; his feet have grown a full size to a 13 now! Adult size 13! Time for new shoes! )

I'm off!

This is the day. The work has to be done, the shipping accomplished, the suitcase packed, the goodbyes said. I am leaving today for a flight to Milwaukee tomorrow. ( Only someone who is living here knows what I mean by that statement! With the Hood Canal Bridge out - it is a very LONG journey to Seattle. ) I am excited, full of anxiety, hope and prayers for a safe journey. I may be able to blog from the road but I am not taking my laptop. When I am in a hotel room after a long work day; I like to use the time to draw, knit and veg ( make like a vegetable ) in front of the TV. I consider those evenings soul comforting and creative time. No interruptions. No tenants, no work issues, no preteens playing video games, no dog to be fed, garden to be watered, no chores calling me.

So wish me luck and a good show, a safe trip and I will bring back and post lots of pictures! Happy Trails!