gold and prehnite and fabulous weather

i've made my first yellow gold ring! i hesitated to show this to you because i made it for a very special someone who may or may not read this blog before i am able to give it to them. but, here it is.

it is fascinating to me what hammering and oxidizing does to gold. it gives it an entirely new look and feel. very rustic. very organic. it seems that, maybe because it is so beautiful when shiny, and such a "precious" metal, and quite expensive, folks are very hesitant to do either to gold. i love the outcome!

the inside says "heart of gold".

what do you think?

i recently shared with you a photo of some custom stones that the lovely terry of lostsierra.etsy.com cut for me. i got several very AMAZING and very LARGE prehnite cabs. as i tend to do, i had been trying to come up with some fabulous design for a ring for myself using my favorite of them. i finally decided that really, the best thing to do with it was to give it a simple setting that would highlight the beauty of the stone. this is it:

you really cannot see the depth and intricacy of the stone in these photos; it is spectacular!

i asked terry to cut the prehnites with the highest dome she could. look at this one!

i out my favorite excerpt from the desiderata on the back, "be gentle with yourself. you are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars."

and, the weather has finally been really warm and nice lately, so the girls and i have been outside as much as possible. we went to the park the other day.

hazel rode her bike.

and june trailed behind with her new baby (that the minky fairy left her).

and the girls made dandelion wishes,

and rode on the tire swing.

and yesterday, for our special "hazel's-at-school-and-it's-just-the-two-of-us" day, june and i went to the river.

juniper loves to throw rocks in the water.

i have always ADORED river rocks, especially when wet. these particular stones yesterday inspired a ring. i can't wait to make it! be on the lookout for the "on the riverbank" ring.

our lovely dolores river is running high right now. it is magnificent!

and, i'd like to say something about "lurkers" or "lurkey turkeys", as one lovely lady called herself. a number of you dear ladies have contacted me, via e-mail, saying you would love a cd but did not wish to leave a comment here. have you seen the movie "julie and julia"? remember the part where she realized how many people were visiting her blog and she said something like for every person who leaves a comment there are hundreds who don't? well, i just want you to know that comments are not required here. although i love them, and i truly appreciate the feedback, they are certainly not expected. you are always welcome to contact me via e-mail, silversparrowdesigns@gmail.com, if you have something you would like to say. but please, do not consider yourself as a "lurker"; that has a negative connotation. how about a "silent visitor"? i know you are there. and i think you are fabulous.