Tucson Time

It has been an exhausting few days so far here in Tucson. The shows for 2011 have begun and I have done a lot of shopping. The stones are big, bigger, biggest and the chinese crystal market has exploded in a riot of colors, I could not resist. Looking for just plain round, small stones is a fruitless ( stoneless? ) search as everything is definitely geared for large profile jewelry with chain being the go to item for this year.

With silver and gold prices being so high, there is not much of either about at the shows. I see the usual fake silver and there are many new names for " silver " none of which is actually silver let alone sterling. I am really enjoying all the fondling, of gemstones that is!

I am also having a great time visiting friends, eating too much GOOD mexican food and enjoying the desert colors and textures. evening finds me totally wiped out and ready for a good snooze.

This year's Whole Bead Show, at which I am exhibiting, promises new excitement as I have new neighbors beside my show table for the first time in 17 years. I am looking forward to meeting them.

I will be reagling you with pictures as soon as I am home! Goodnight for now! xo

The Final Tucson Pieces

Hand finished sterling silver charms and contemporary Czech glass.

More satin finished sterling charms and vintage lucite pieces.

Now this is a fun riot of color and pattern mixed with my satin finished sterling
silver charms.

I have finally allowed my self to have some fun, use some new materials, create new finishes and finish up new designs for the Tucson show. I love these jangles of color, pattern and noise! They are also light weight and comfortable to wear. I am so excited to show them off! Anyhow, this has to be brief so that I can gather my knitting and throw some clothes into a suitcase! Looking for the sun in the next couple of weeks.

Soft Nights

The James & Hastings Building - 1889
by Michael McKee

This is the building that I love, the seat of my soul, my heart's content, where many of my waking hours are spent in happy relationships with my beads, jewelry, customers and friends. I love being here and playing inside, moving things about, cleaning, displaying, futzing and more. I do not need to travel the world over to discover a sense of place, I am already here.

This picture is so glow-ful, for lack of a better word; I can make this one up. The soft, ambient light radiating out into the night on a slightly foggy evening, makes everything all dreamy and soft.

Such sadness does come over me when I prepare to leave home though. I feel a pulling to stay here and an anxiety and hopefulness to go there. No wonder I pack so much stuff to travel - I am trying to take a bit of  home, studio and self with me.

My little house charm pictured on Etsy.
I love making little houses and thinking about
the people that would live in sweet little houses.
I can create whole stories of lives well
lived.
Happy Weekend! 

Whimsey and light play in a field of  rural homes.

Just a storybook doodle. 

Winter's rain and darkness that begins in the just before light of early morning and lasts well into the evening, makes me want to nestle down into my overstuffed leather chair and draw in front of the television. My hands are a bit rested, my mind is still racing with everything that needs to be done for the show in Tucson and all I want to do is doodle. I love the act of drawing when my mind is wandering and thinking of other things. A freedom comes over me that allows me to draw with whimsey and delight. Nothing exists but the little world I am creating on paper in my lap. From these images spring the designs for my charms and jewelry. From the wandering of my mind comes the ability to concentrate on tasks to be begun and finished in the shop. Tonight I am feeling so very blessed to be able to do what I love. I am wishing that feeling and that blessing on all of you.

Hands at Rest - caution - non work zone

My hands are sore. They ache. They cry out for soothing balms and lotions, maybe a little light touch here and there. They have been busy hands, working long hours for the upcoming Tucson show. Making jewelry, assembling clasps, pricing charms, sorting, stringing, stamping and and trying to live a normal life. They serve me well and today they are taking a holiday, a little rest. They are forbidden to make jewelry or knit or polish or open a can or anything that does not involve rest. The arthritis is screaming for my attention and the best way to ignore its surly demands is to rest my hands. So that is what I am doing, quieting their dance of motion and activity.  If my lap top weren't such a sweetie for its easy typing keys, you would not be reading this either.

The hands that do so much.

The finger that hurts so badly.

On the other hand, no pun intended ( well, maybe a little pun ) I can not believe that the aches in this one little joint in particular could drive me to want to remove this fingertip! I am a middle aged, grown, smart woman who rationally thinks, " if I just cut off this fingertip, the pain will leave me ". Who thinks of losing a finger  this way besides zombies? Maybe even zombies want their fingers on their hands but this sensible, artist, jeweler, mom, business woman thinks of removing hers! What a nut! I had better say goodnight.....

Busy Woman

These are a few new designs debuting at the Tucson Whole Bead Show in February. I looked for inspiration in the things around me and came up with vintage hardware and local tourist venues.

New pieces made from antique hardware. In BRITANNIUM.

These are pieces that I found in brass at an antique store in Port Gamble. The lock was an actual working piece that we filled with resin before casting. I think they will make excellent additions to the old new look ofsteampunk style jewelry as well as assemblages created with found objects.

The Seattle Monorail!

The Space Needle! 

 I am trying to do some charms that are more " real " than my usual imagery. I picked the Space Needle and the monorail because I stumbled upon an old charm bracelet that was a memento from the 1962 World's Fair held in Seattle. What says Pacific Northwest more than the Space Needle and Seattle/

It may be hard to see here but this is a new metal finish for me on the
Britannium pieces, a nice soft satin finish.

These were an experiment in finishes. Brushed and soft looking, they are a satin finish that looks almost like ancient metals from an archeological dig. I particularly like the angel wing. It looks delicate, worn, handled by wishes and dreams.

Russian Amulets

Several years ago I found these pieces in silver, of Russian religious medals. I loved the detail on their surfaces and the different stories they told. I moulded them and recast them in sterling and will have them in Tucson this year.
You almost need to see them in person to appreciate the beauty of the markings on each piece. The largest cross is so expertly etched with a lace like texture that it appears as filmy as curtains at a window. The crucifix is heavily done in great detail, a striking image of the body of Christ all rib bones and pain. I can see this being worn by a man today or a priest in days past. The rectangular piece is the most primitive in design, looking like its drawing was done by unskilled hands in the tradition of folk art. I think it is Joseph.
I am very pleased with how these turned out and know that they will find an appreciative audience in Tucson in just a few short weeks.

On another note, my heart and soul pour out prayers for the victims and families of the shooting rampage in Tucson today. I am crying for America, too. May the hatred stop. Just stop.

Russian Christmas

Today is Russian Christmas celebrated on January 7th to coincide with the Julian calendar and this is Grandfather Frost or a Russian version of Santa, a combination of a pagan figure, western Santa Claus and created when the communists prohibited the celebration of religion.

In my family, we always had a second celebration of Christmas, this evening being one of a special dinner ( sauerkraut soup, anyone? ) and family togetherness. We actually ate Subway sandwiches and worked late at the shop. I still feel a special connection tonight to my family, to my times growing up to the passing of another holiday. A bit of sadness at the passing of what was. A sweet tinge of longing...

There is a hint of cold in the air, a chance for snow and I am settling into the studio for a long run of work for Tucson and beyond. I am looking forward to the dessert and all it's early spring glory. I intend to do some serious sketching down there and some relaxing knitting but for this moment I will say Merry Christmas and goodnight.

Epiphany

Today is the 13th day of Christmas or the Epiphany. Tomorrow will be what we called " Russian Christmas " when I was growing up. We will have a special little dinner and perhaps exchange one final gift and then officially label the holiday as over. I am always sorry to see Christmas go. We are the last house in our neighborhood with bright holiday lights up outside. I love them! They bring such light and sparkle to dark, cold wintry evenings and make me feel greeted when I come home from the shop. I might have to leave them up just a bit longer, making me feel as if I am extending the warmth and happiness of the holidays. 

These are hearts that can be worn as pendants and also
have bars so that they can be used as toggles. Bronze metals.

New crosses cast in white and yellow bronzes.

Happy Epiphany!

These are a few of my celtic reproduction pieces cast in white
and yellow bronzes.

With a glimpse at the pictures above you can tell what I have 

been up to the last month or so. I am making new pieces for the

upcoming Tucson shows. The show is the first thing on

my mind in the morning and the last thing at night as I close my eyes

for dreamlands. A few more weeks and I will have to call everything done!

The show starts on February 2nd, will I be ready? Oh lord, 

I certainly hope so! 

New Year, New Things, A New Way

This is what greeted us at 2:20 in the am at the shop the last day of 2010. I don't mind saying goodbye to

the year that was! Vandalism in the form of a drunk forcing a chair through my shop window and causing much damage, made me sad, resigned and sleepless.

The chair that was pushed through my window.

The sad trail of broken glass.

Where the window used to be over my cash wrap.

Normally the whole window thing would upset me greatly, but after losing all three front display windows this summer due to wear and tear and age; I could handle this. We all worked from 2:20 until 5:30 in the morning to clean up the broken glass and then dashed home for a couple hours of sleep before returning to the shop for the rest of New Year's Eve day. Even Jacob was roused from deep sleep to help. 

It could have been worse but thankfully, the building's angels and resident ghosts watched over us. No one gained entry, wood was found to plug the hole ( plus scraps of carpet ) and life moved on. 

Sweet wonderful life! No matter what it throws at you, ( a chair through a window? )  it is just that - sweet and wonderful! Happy Newest of Years!