Last Full Tucson Day

It is incredibly difficult to believe that this is my last full day to spend in Tucson as tomorrow I fly home. I should continue shopping today but instead I am going to help a friend pack out her booth and then spend a little time out in the desert sun, soaking up the warmth and atmosphere, desert sounds and sights. I am going to give myself a day to breathe and simply be. Every year that I am down here I fall in love again with the open spaces that the Tucson countryside shows me and I get a determination to move down here and begin again an art studio. Wouldn't it feel like heaven on earth to spend months holed up in the quiet and solitude, creating my jewelry and paintings, venturing out once or twice a year to sell them? Make enough money to return to my lair and creat some more? What artist would not really like this?

I am a person that believes if it is meant to be then it will. I am sending this thought out into the universe and we shall see where it lands! Much love - Lois

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.....