the yurt for solstice

for glenn's christmas present, he wanted a family trip to the yurt at mancos state park for solstice. we had a fabulous time!

our little home away from home

hazel's bunk bed

the cozy stove

we had a great fire and hazel told stories.

we woke up to several inches of fresh snow

these amazing coffee mugs/ french presses were also an early christmas gift. highly recommended!

olive you

i had a wonderfully productive day in the studio yesterday, finishing up some pieces, and then we went for an awesome family ski.

the "marshlands" necklace, with prehnite and rutilated quartz

the "strength" bracelet, with turquoise

the "nesting" lantern pod necklace

the "remember your whimsy" bracelet, with crazy lace agate

the "float like a feather" necklace, with lepidolite

(nice boob shot, huh?)

the "olive you" lantern pod necklace

and the "wintergreen" lantern pod necklace

we went for a fabulous family ski at the hillcrest golf course in durango. hazel skied for a bit and also rode in the sled. june rode in the backpack and the sled. everyone had a really good time, which isn't always the case!

juniper lounging

the ski bunny

i don't usually ski in jeans, but we were meeting a friend for dinner after and it was a bit easier that way. not very comfortable though, and they kept falling down...

i think we decided we are going to go for a family ski up in telluride on christmas day!

brave by refection

i finished and mailed all of my christmas orders today. yay! i was also able to complete a couple of new pieces and started several other projects which i will hopefully finish tomorrow.

the "brave by reflection" necklace

leonardo da vinci said:

"i love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection."

this fabulous dendorite agate is a perfect picture of a serene lake with trees, mirrored in a reflection. the cabochon is a nice circle, with a lovely high dome. it is set just a bit off center, with some texturing around the edges that mimic the chain. it measures 1 3/4" around.

da vinci's quote, and my signature raindrop with my sparrow and initials are on the back.

the moonstone flapper bracelet

this is a rather timeless bracelet. it has the look of something one would have worn in the roaring twenties, while she was out dancing and drinking contraband liquor. i set a moonstone, a kayanite, a labradorite, and a prehnite, each in their respective bezels, amidst a bracelet with four different chains and a very oversized lobster clasp. the entire bracelet has been heavily oxidized and buffed for a lovely, rich, antique finish.

the back of it is almost as lovely as the front, love, trust, and believe. the bracelet measures 7 1/4".

they are both in the shop.

hazel's first winter program!

hazel's school had their winter program last night. it was so very precious! here is a clip of them singing "grandma got run over by a reindeer". pretty darn cute... (hazel's the one in the long sleeved hot pink dress, of course.)

my sweet elves...

i am so very lucky to have such dear friends. sarah, katie, and shanti (my "apprentices") came over tonight to help me complete my guitar pick quota for the day. sarah cut them and katie and shanti filed them, while i did the stamping. these girls are fabulous! it's amazing how a few beers and some good company will make the time fly.

sarah, with the saw

katie and her file

shanti is very happy to be filing.

simon and jasper were there for moral support.

and... if you've been following the saga of my computer, you will be happy to know that it has officially been replaced. i purchased a brand new macbook pro with the earnings from all of these guitar picks! there will be no glasses of water anywhere near this baby. i even ordered a lovely new bag for it from janinekingdesigns. but it's not here yet...