inspiration

so this very special necklace has been a real inspiration to me, and has led to all of these...

i just love how they all look together.

i am feeling so very inspired lately.

the flow ring,

with the juiciest of aquamarines.

lots of layers

may what I do flow from me like a river, no forcing and no holding back, the way it is with children.

~rainer maria rilke

the be the change necklace,

with a dazzling labradorite pear.

(p.s. i bought this hat from sparky jones a few years ago.  sadly, she seems to be taking a break right now.)

a new three wishes ring,

with smoky quartz, garnet, and freshwater pearl.

so wintry.

these pieces are all now available in the etsy shop.

and, we had our first snow yesterday,

which led to the first fire of the season in my shop.

(the view out my shop window)

so lovely.

i hope that everyone had a fantastic weekend.

more mandala-ish pieces

this is a new piece that i made for myself,

with rose cut rainbow moonstone and a teeny little peridot

inspired by a truly amazing and beautiful poem, it is deliciously heavy, with four layers of sterling sheet

this stone is amazing, and the necklace is very powerful.

and today i made this one, the grace and compassion necklace,

with a juicy, high dome chrysoprase, black tourmaline, and freshwater pearl

"compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin.  it is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too"  ~ frederick buechner

...this necklace is meant to convey trying to maintain your own balance and extend compassion to folks who need it,  remaining strong enough to help them and to guide them without letting whatever it is that is causing them to suffer to rub off on you, being graceful in your efforts and gentle with yourself if they do not succeed...  the challenges of caring for people in this life, of relationships and love...

chrysoprase for grace, freshwater pearl for compassion, and black tourmaline for helping to repel negative energy...  

this piece is in the etsy shop now, here.

hope you had a great weekend!

our last camping trip of the season

last weekend we went camping over in blanding, utah.  sadly, it was our last trip of the season.

we camped in a campground that was inauspiciously called devil's canyon.  there was a "kid's cave" there, where there girls set up a little fort for themselves.

olive had a fabulous time.

we played a lot of music.

(this is my first guitar.  it has now been designated as the camping guitar.)

it's such a beautiful time of year to be in the desert.

we went to natural bridges national monument, which was amazing.

the view from above

we were actually able to complete the 2 1/2 mile (round trip) hike down into the canyon with the girls to see the sipapu bridge up close.  probably the longest hike we've ever done with them and they were awesome.

it is truly a thing of wonder.

(juniper took this photo.)

i am pretty sure hazel is saying "sipapu" in this picture,  hence the face.

there were three ladders along the hike.  very cool for the girls.

we had such a wonderful time.  we have now cleaned out and parked the camper for the winter.  already looking forward to spring.