Chartreuse Orbs

Couldn't resist. These big o' tasty chartreuse green beads practically screamed out at me from the website I saw them on, so I had to buy them. The beads are 22mm - just under 1" round. I've paired them here with two small square glass beads and a length of oxidized chain. They dangle a shoulder-dusting 3.25" total. Tasty, no? I call them (cleverly enough) Chartreuse Orbs and they are available in my Etsy shop.

Today's Reality Check

"Sorrowful homecoming: Four-year-old Caden Lawson Parrish salutes as an Army honor guard carries the casket of his father, Army Spc. Charles Dustin "Dusty" Parrish, off a plane at the Alabama Air National Guard base in Birmingham. Parrish died June 4 after being mortally wounded in Jahlad, Iraq."

Cube Studs

I don't usually make little, tiny things. Most of what I make leans toward the chunky, dangly, bigger side. (Guess it's because I'm big.) I had a smaller piece of some heavy square stock and thought how cute it would be to saw off little squares of it and make little posted studs. Voilà!

I think they are so cute. Solid sterling squares that are 1/8" on a side. I call them Cube Studs. Available in my Etsy shop.

Pebble Bracelet

While vending at the Portland Saturday Market a couple of weeks ago, I was approached by a family to see if I could make a bracelet for the girl, a teenager. She was graduating from high school and her parents said they would have a special bracelet made for her. She pulled out a baggie with several pebbles in it and described the sort of thing she wanted. These weren't precious stone pebbles, these were just your basic run-of-the-mill pebbles, but apparently they were precious to her. Her mother explained that they had a whole heap of sentimental value for her, that they were from someplace very special.

When I got home, I sketched out a design and after a few back and forth emails, we settled on something. I created hewn, fine silver "pebble" discs and bezel set three of the little stones. The discs were then riveted together with lengths of wire. I hustled to get it done in time for her graduation and did. She was thrilled with the results.

Today's Reality Check: Inspiring

"Toes-on lesson: Jessica Cox shows Brian Tagalog how to check the oil on a single-engine Ercoupe during their pre-flight check at the airport in San Manuel, Ariz. Cox, who was born without arms, made headlines recently when she obtained a license to fly a plane with her feet. Now she has inspired another armless Tucsonan to do the same."

Liquim? I don't even know him.

"There's a sucker born: When Del Monte Superfruit Smoothies asked a thousand women who they would most like to lick, they picked the newest Bond, Daniel Craig. So Del Monte got working on a limited-edition "license to chill" ice lolly based on a beach scene from "Casino Royale." It's no doubt the first popsicle with abs."

4000 Hearts

You like me, you really like me! ... Or maybe just my Bitty Swirls

Festival Malachite Earrings

Another version of my Festival earrings. These lovelies with a forest green malachite. Festival Malachite Earrings are available in my Etsy shop.

Today's Reality Check

"Thousands may starve: The lives of more than 50,000 severely malnourished children are in jeopardy after Islamist militants looted medical and food supplies in a central Somali town. This boy and girl live in a makeshift camp for the internally displaced on the outskirts of Mogadishu."

Today's Laugh

Rainfall Necklace

Actually, this is a new version of a previous design. This style of necklace, with a bold graphic in wire hung from tubing on a thin black cord, is something that I really enjoy creating. I love the clean, modern line. Modern, but also somewhat tribal. Really appeals. I've done others of these and there will be more in the future. The response to them has been very positive, which is even further encouragement to continue making them! I currently have another design in stock, but don't yet have a photo of it. This particular piece, Rainfall Necklace, is currently available in my Etsy shop.

Valerie Earrings

I love when my customers suggest something that's a great idea that didn't necessarily occur to me. I created a necklace that used these elongated riveted loop elements with a bead as part of the chain. The customer asked if I make earrings like that. *doh!* Well, I do now! I currently have them available with three different beads: a warm, orangy red aventurine, a cool green aventurine and sweet yellow jade (see photo). I've oxidized the loop, then tumbled it for a nice gun-metal grey. The earwires wrap around the top. A design that I'd like to think is sort of unique. I call them Valerie Earrings and they are available in my Etsy shop.