Sueno~~Dream

What a great afternoon!  My darling DH is at the kiddo's house in Elk Grove helping with a non-fun bathroom wall & window repair.  Poor guy!  After church, he drove the hour and 15 minutes there and I stayed home and puttered.  Then plunked at the bench and finished up this piece that I'd started a couple of weeks ago. 

Ooooooooohhhhhh was it the most fun in the world to be in "the zone".  4 hours. Total bliss. 

Now my neck and back are telling me what a dumbhead I'd been, but my heart is telling me that this was exactly what I needed.  Thank you God!

Wishing you all a good strong great week~~

"Sing Praise" Stamped Pendant

Had a front bottom tooth pulled yesterday....ugh.  I look like snaggle-toothed granny right now.  The braces will even everything out in the future, but it was a shock when I first spied myself in the mirror!

Anyway, I spent all afternoon playing at my workbench.  I used metal shears and mostly simple stamps and basic wireworking to make this "Sing Praise" pendant.  I was engaged, happy, "in the zone".  I love that feeling!

A new week~may you all feel renewed and grateful for small blessings.  Sending you a hug~ 

Stephanie Lee is soooo down-to-earth! And part saint.

I had an amazing time at Art Is You in Petaluma, CA.  Stephanie Lee's class "Pipe Dreams" did not disappoint.

The class was packed.  Stephanie and her husband Vinnie constantly circulated about the room, instructing & encouraging.

Stephanie is so very hands-on!

And she's such a darling gal.  She signed my book, and posed for two pics of us together.  Just like BFFs!  Oh yeah.

I'm still such an amateur at soldering, but I sure felt better when most of the people at my table had a challenging time to create the "barrel component" of the pipe dream piece.  I discovered that no one just jumps out of bed one day, a master torch worker and solderer!    My finished product is wonky and a bit of a mess, but I'm so proud of it.  This old dog worked on a new trick and enjoyed expanding her skills and comfort level a bit. 

Caroline, my Christmas doll, is currently wearing my necklace.  I think it looks nice on her!

May you all have a full good week~~~Thank you for dropping by!

Weirdly ill

I've been ill.  I had lovely red lumps show up on my eyelids, legs, feet and hands.  And fevers.  And sore joints.   For nearly two weeks now.  Not fun.

Look at those attractive eyelids!  NOT a pretty sight.   

I've been off work, visiting the doctor and staying home eating broths & fruit & vegetables & herb tea.  Every morning I've drug my sore body out of bed and done my yoga exercises, doing my best to praise and trust God.

My dear friends and family have been praying for healing and encouraging me.  Blessings! 

I've had plenty of time this holiday to appreciate little things, like good health, the love and care of friends and family, and the devotion and care of an amazing husband.

Here I am today.  I visited the doctor and got a good report.  Most of my red bumps have faded.  No fevers for three days.  Sore joints getting better.  Thank you Jesus!  

The doctors are still not sure what caused all the weird symptoms, and are amazed at how quickly I've been improving with no medications.  But I know why.  And I'm so grateful.

I didn't get much done on these days off.  When the fevers took hold, I just wanted to sit on the couch bundled in quilts and layers of jammies and socks.   But I did manage to finish stringing necklaces and making earrings for my lovely sister.   And the package went out today!  So look out for it sis!

So this Christmas season 2010 has been quite different than I'd expected.  I've been given a gift of perspective, a gift of seeing how truly blessed I am every "normal" day.  I've been given the gift of appreciating good health, and the humble realization that it could have gone either way:  health or illness.  None of us are promised ease and an absence of challenges.  We are just promised that He will walk with us as we travel through the valleys and climb mountains.  May your Christmas be blessed.   May you feel the joy and faith that comes with the birth of a Savior.  My love to you all!

Cold Connection Encouragement~Citrine, Heliador, Copper and Brass

 That's what my workbench looked like last week.  I was riveting another "Encouragement Pendant".  See my cute little clamps?  They really help.  And the painter's tape helps keep marks away~~

Tah Dah!!!  It's finished today.  I get to test-wear it to Women of Faith conference in Sacramento on Friday.   I'm so looking forward to an amazing time with friends and a bunch of other Christian women.  How lucky I am~ How blessed I am.

And here's a present for a lovely niece.  She'll get this Saturday.  I hope she likes them!  She specified "small and hearts"....OK!
Have a wonderful Thursday, all.  Veteran's Day.  Thank you, every Veteran.  Thank you for protecting my wonderful country.  God bless you.

 I finished this Cold Connection Encouragement Necklace~~

 I've been holding onto this great piece of labradorite for a while...doesn't it glow?  It's time for it to grace someone's neck.

 It's time to encourage someone with a hidden message.  We all should be calm in our hearts!

Thanks for taking a look at this piece...

I sure hope your week went well~~If you faced sorrows, may they be lessened.  If you felt joy, I hope you shared it!

Tomorrow my DH and I will travel to the Gold Country in California~~about 1and 1/2 hours away.  We'll peruse a huge used bookstore.  I'll immerse myself in a bead store and a trading post for jewelry goodies.  Then we'll eat a lovely lunch, walk through antique shops and drive home with smiles.  Wish you could all join us! 
Have fun my friends~

Sing the Dreams of Your Heart

New piece!
Chrysocola and labradorite on etched brass riveted to copper. The idea for this piece had been rattling in my head and telling me it wanted to be created for a while. I love it! The necklace includes beads of abalone, fluorite, copper, brass, glass and leather~~fun stuff goin' on here. Comfortable to wear too~~

I love the message on the back! It's a fun challenge to think of encouraging messages.



Etched brass and abalone earrings.


Scottish Games in Pleasanton Ca this weekend. Oh, the bagpipes, the kilts, the crowds and vendors. The silly t-shirts with the funny sayings! My DH worked his volunteer position in operations. He worked hard and loved it~~

Well, another Labor Day almost over. The official start of "back to normal". Need to savor every single day~~they are speeding by so rapidly.
Bless you all.

Love, Laughter and Joy~~Necklace for Ieshia

I'm so happy to finish this commission piece for a friend. She needed it last Sunday! But the wrists tell me how fast I can work~~And they are my boss! I've found that wrist braces help so much.
Citrine, Peridot, Brass, Copper, Glass beads too.



One rivet is a bit funky....rats! But I'm getting better. These are brass escutcheon nails from Ace Hardware. I love the way they look~


You are all wished LOVE, LAUGHTER AND JOY~ It's Thursday my friends. Time to do yoga and have a joyful day. May we all be a blessing to others!

Fundraiser Piece

Ryolite, Prehnite and Copper Pendant


Necklace of Peruvian Chalcedony, Copper, Citrine, Ryolite, Glass, Copper Chain.

My DD asked me for a piece for an American Cancer Society fundraiser. This piece evolved very easily. My DH had prostate cancer two years ago. It was caught very early, so we are optimistic about no recurrences. But I look forward to the day that cancer is an obsolete term, when no man has to have prostate surgery, no woman has to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy...
Hope you have a blessed day. I'm sitting here in my pajamas at 10:13 AM and need to clean off my workbench. And vacuum! Dog and cat hair begone!
Hugs and love to you all~~

Brazilian Occo Geode...yum!

About 3 weeks ago I visited my LBS (Local Bead Store). Beading Around the Bush in Benicia, CA...I LOVE this shop! Anyway, there in a little tray on a low table, I saw them....Brazilian Occo Geode slices...I fell in love immediately. I caressed them and admired their beautiful sparkles. Three made their way into my clutches. I also bought some amethyst points. I had a vision of a pendant. I wanted to explore the idea of a "hidden blessing", a gift from God in an unexpected place.

After sawing the brass, sanding all the rough spots, stamping it a bit, drilling two inner holes for the point, I set the occo into the brass and wired the point into the middle. Then I sawed out the copper shape, stamped the words, etched the copper and riveted the brass to the copper. This took me two weeks! I worked here and there after my day job. And thought about it many random moments. Jewelry making is so engrossing, with challenges and triumphs. ( And occasionally the agony of defeat! lol!)


The rest of the necklace was pretty easy. I love stringing and this one really went together easily.


Earrings to go with the necklace.

Well, it is Mother's Day tomorrow. I have an amazing Mom and I respect and honor her. Hopefully I do this every day, not just a Sunday in May! :-) I hope you all remember your Mom tomorrow and find a hidden blessing from her guidance. Bless you all!

More work~! And a visit from Spain

"Trapped Bezel" pendant inspired by Richard Salley's technique. Amazonite, copper, brass. First time I made my own bead caps~~ They were inspired by Candie Cooper's new book "Metalworking 101 for Beaders".


Copper and brass and fine silver bezel strips. Dangles of quartz crystal.


Copper and brass and fine silver bezel strips stamped with "Smile" and "Shine". Fluorite dangles.

Well, I don't get to participate in the artist day at Studio 41...rats! But my work will be there without me. Hope it inspires and encourages. Love to sell a few pieces too .

My beautiful stepdaughter is here from Spain! She and her novio will be here for lunch today. Which means that DH and I are going to bless this house with some cleaning~~~ When you have two big black dogs and two orange marmalade cats, you have some serious animal fur at all times. And the left-over clutter from a crazy work week...it'll be fun to clear this all out and feel clean and fresh~~

Bless you all...may your weekend be joyful!

Couple more pieces for Studio 41

More pieces for the gallery~~feeling a bit under the gun because I get to be a featured artist May 1~~~ So I'll take these pieces in tomorrow.


The earrings are new. I flame-patinaed the copper. They are quite swingy and fun to wear.



The pendant was created well over a year ago. It says, "May you be the song in my heart" which is taken from a Tim Hughes praise song. I strung the copper, jasper and pearl beads last week and really can't wait to get it to the gallery.

Can you believe it's April 20th already??? Seriously, where is the month...nay, the year...going? One of my kids will be visiting from Spain the end of next week. When she first told us she'd be home April 29, it seemed so far away. Well, time flies~~~and we are excited to see her and her novio (boyfriend) from Spain.

Have a blessed rest of your week my friends. May spring bring you sunlight and joy!

Things are gettin' better~

Finished Linda's earrings this morning~~wow! Took about a week and a half for these, going bit by bit. YAY GOD that my wrists are improving. Gratefulness just washes over me.

Started this necklace in June 2009, but had to set it aside. Finished it yesterday when my Praise Band buddies Jane and Nancy came over for a beading-chick flick-taco salad party. THE BEST TIME was had by all.

Here it is on...modeled by my neck~~ I just LOVE it! It was inspired by a necklace that was worn on "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Part 2".
May your Wednesday be blessed~~~I go back to work tomorrow! I'll be doing mammograms again! Time to save some lives~~~To God be the glory.

Great Quote and New Jewelry

A new necklace and earrings for the gallery!! I spent most of Saturday in my jammies working hard on these pieces. Very happy~ Peridot, Citrine, Amethyst, Copper, Silver~~

And on another note.......
I read a great quote in the Feb. 09 Ladies' Home Journal in an article by Margaret Renkl titled "Find Your Happy Place"

"One of the best ways to keep negativity at bay is to skip the venting, says Rick Foster, coauthor of "How We Choose To Be Happy". You may think that complaining to friends and family about your unreasonable mother-in-law or your overdue bills will help relieve the pressure you feel. In fact, says Foster, all you're doing is digging yourself a really deep trench of dispair. "If you keep on reliving the feeling, you're trapping yourself in the negativity."

I LOVE this quote. Now if I can just LIVE this quote. I tend to vent. Over and over. And I need to realize that it's not making me happy~~ So onto dealing better with frustration!

May your week be blessed. May you feel His guidance and love. Amen!

Funkified Peruvian Opal Necklace

New pendant on Etsy...a chunk of Peruvian Opal, some stamped and soldered copper, leather and a sterling and copper clasp. Fun and it's so very lovely to get a chance to be creative again!!

It's been a full Thursday and I still have laundry calling my name. Don't you hate it when that happens! LOL!

May your Friday be a joy. And ease you into a blessed weekend.

Look for the Good

Just finished a commission piece for my friend Debbie at work..."Look for the good" describes her attitude. The workday can hand her challenge after challenge and she'll look for something positive in them. And inspires me to look for the positive too!

I must confess that I'm such a grouch about commission pieces. Yes, I'm getting paid for them! Then why do I grouse as I make them??? Must remind myself that I'm blessed that others want my work. I need to "Look for the Good"~~~

Please God, I want to have a grateful heart. I confess to selfish grumpiness and ask for the Holy Spirit to encourage me to gratitude. I have so much~~~ In Jesus' strong name I pray!

Bless you all.

Tired Brain

Hey my blog friends~~~my brain is tired from a challenging work day. I'm being trained to assist with MRI guided breast biopsies and while it's truly fascinating to learn something new...my brain's tired! My bed sounds like a lovely place right now--LOL!

Here's a necklace I made a while back. Amethyst is soooo pretty. May your week have lots of pretty moments and may God make you a blessing to someone each day. Love you all~

Sunday Senior High Mission Trip

Amazing church service today! Some of our senior high kids went on a mission trip to Southern California to help at a few food banks and a church thrift store. They sorted through rotten turnips and moldy-earwig-laden onions to find good produce for the hungry. They told their stories at the sermon portion of our worship. And we saw a video showing the hungry who eat the "fruits" of their and others labor. How inspiring to hear from positive teens!
I thought the "Assurance of Pardon" from the service was especially moving, and I'm including it for you here:

In every doubt God says,
"Here are my wounds. Touch."
For God is with you
in the greatest hurt--calling you.
In every confession that you make
God says, "I am listening."
For God is full of grace;
enough for you to let go
of all deadly things,
and still be held by the hands of heaven."




Here's the final pictures of the amazonite and turquoise necklace. It's quite long--30 inches. But you can shorten it to 18 inches by removing the extension piece along the neck, like I did for the last picture. This was amazing to make and I praise God for His gift to me. The gift to love to make jewelry! Just as others of you have the gift to quilt, or sew, or write, or cook. A gift indeed~~

May your Monday be blessed.

Saturday Accomplishment

New Pendant! The stone is amazonite~~I LOVE amazonite! (note: previously I posted that this stone was ametrine...wow, my brain must have been fried. Ametrine and amazonite look totally different! Well, I fixed it, but is my face red!) The inscription is "Breathe, Look for the good, Wonder, Healing, Balance, Peace, Compassion, Blessings, Joy." I cut the pendant out of 20 gauge copper sheet and the little "breathe" part is 26 gauge silver sheet, which I riveted onto the pendant. The patina is Liver of Sulfur a couple of days old...turned out a neato color. Way fun! I should have done the laundry, but this was funner. Clean clothes, Pah!

I'll post the finished necklace tomorrow. It's not done yet :-)

May your Sunday be blessed. May you learn more of God's Word and feel His work in your life. Amen!