Silver Sparrow Designs

i recently drove to denver and adopted this little guy from the maxfund shelter. he is 9 months old and is evidently a long haired chihuhua/ papillon mix. he is the sweetest guy ever. he came with the name banjo, but i have been calling him jo. glenn and june however insist that his name remain banjo.

i had been casually looking for a new dog for a few months, but i wanted to wait until olive was at least two years old. i saw this guy on the maxfund website and was shocked at how much he looked like a little brown olive. my dear parents (who live in denver) went to meet him for me to get a feel for him for me before i drove all the way up there myself. they fell in love with him. so i went through the adoption process and drove up and got him 10 days ago. when i first saw him i was surprised at how small he was. from his photos i had judged him to be about the same size as olive. in truth, olive weighs 12 lbs and he weighs 6!

he is so delightful. he is mellow and calm. if it weren't for his sharp little puppy teeth i would think the folks at the shelter had made a mistake and he was actually much older than 9 months. i am already very much in love with him. i think olive is starting to get over her initial jealousy and is warming up to him. he's a wonderful little addition to our family.

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i have made many new totem pieces recently and i'm very excited about them. i have attempted to compose pieces with stones, animal totems, and quotes that all work together to make a powerful piece. i've also collaborated with a poet friend and he has written some verse to go with these themes.

the swan necklace, with a beautiful blue labradorite

the swan as a totem is a symbol for inner beauty. therefore i put a lovely quote from pablo neruda on the back. this necklace is a reminder of all that is beautiful about you that can't be seen on the surface, the gems of self that you don't wear on your sleeve but are there to be discovered for the people who want to find them. the parts of you that truly matter, that make you who you really are.

She walks under moonlit tapestries, light bulleting of her hair to challenge the dominion of stars, all these celestial bodies pooling on earth, glistening in her wake, there is a weightlessness to her, if the sea clothes were removed, this covering, I know she would rise up to claim air and whatever glory she held before this, miracle enough for me as I put my hands in pockets to stop myself from clamping a hand on her shoulder, wait a minute baby, stay with me a while, words catch and fail to leave my lips.

~Paul Baptiste

a very nice flash

and a nice double chain

she can be found in the etsy shop, here.

the wren necklace, with a juicy green chrysoprase.

the wren as a totem animal is a symbol for boldness. therefore i put this goethe quote on the back. of course the entire quote is "whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

so this piece is about seizing what you want, being brave enough, bold enough, to go after it, to make it yours, to begin the necessary work perhaps that it will take to realize your dream. but really it's about that initial decision that you are in fact going to do it, whatever it takes. and the chrysoprase will offer you the patience and grace that are also necessary to meet your goals.

With the same prodding that causes birds to leave the ground and take flight to air, not by the startle of gunshot or the scent of canines lurking. Just the push of wind and spirit, a grounding and fixed position that says I will not be moved until the breath that filled me departs this place, and then I will chase after, to hunt after with eyes of eagle but never using talon, a feathers touch, a caress to rise it and keep it here, take to the air in so many flying crosses our bodies writing love letters for those brave enough to look above them, a message written in cloud, cloak, and shadow, waiting to be picked up and perched on the lips of a child: open your eyes boy I think we are saved.

~Paul Baptiste

she is now available here.

incidentally, my favorite type of wren is the canyon wren. have you ever heard a canyon wren's song? it is a beautiful peal of laughter, a sweet little trill of delight. it is a sound i associate with the time i get to spend in the desert, as integral to the experience as the red rock and the cactus.

[and you may remember this gal? i've decided i can part with her after all.}

the deer ring,

with the most majestic looking lemon prehnite

the deer as a totem animal is a symbol of innocence, playfulness, a time when things were fresh and new and undiscovered. a time when you didn't know all that you now know and your thoughts were unburdened. let her be a reminder to you of those times. clear conscience. clean hands. virtue.

with miss emily dickinson on the back

this stone is amazing and dreamy and fluffy and delightful. prehnite is said to induce calmness, and assist with dreaming and remembering. purity and serenity, wrapped in the guise of a sweet little deer.

she is now in the etsy shop, here.

i also made the deer bracelet, with chrysoprase and chalcedony

the deer piece is slightly rounded to comfortably fit your wrist.

chalcedony, for patience and grace

she can be found here.

this here is the feather cuff, for men or women.

comprised of two layers of sterling sheet

with one of my hand-pierced feathers,

and a pierced heart too, if you wish. the inside of this one has some of rumi's words "from the tree, feathers and wings sprout on you". here's the complete poem:

Shadow and Light Source Both

How does a part of the world leave the world?

How does wetness leave water?

Dont' try to put out fire by throwing on more fire.

Don't wash a wound with blood.

No matter how fast you run, your shadow keeps up.

Sometimes it's in front.

Only full overhead sun diminishes your shadow.

But that shadow has been serving you.

What hurts you, blesses you.

Darkness isyour candle.

Your boundaries are your quest.

I could explain this, but it will break the glass cover on your heart, and there's no fixing that.

You must have shadow and light source both.

Listen, and lay your head under the tree of awe.

When from that tree feathers and wings sprout on you, be quieter than a dove.

Don't even open your mouth for even a coo.

this is a made to order piece, available here.

(remember trevor? that's his wrist.)

and the feather ring

also comprised of two layers of sterling sheet, with my hand-pierced feather.

this one has the good ol' emily dickinson quote "hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul..." and the rest, of course, is "... and sings the song without words and never stops at all".

this one is a 5 1/2, but i am also offering these as custom pieces, made in your size. you can find the listing here.

i also made a new resolve ring.

this labradorite has the coolest golden/orange flash.

and i ruffled the backplate, which is fun.

and texturized the bezel too.

this ring can be found here.

and, last but not least, i made this beaver totem necklace for myself, with labradorite (as the river) and rainbow moonstone (as the moon).

i've been having a very difficult time lately. the other night i decided to walk down to the river to check out the full (harvest) moon. while i was sitting there, all of a sudden i noticed that several beavers were swimming right in front of me. it was a very magical experience, watching them in the full moon light. you may remember this, and that i've got a thing for beavers. anyway, after that i went home to look up what the beaver symbolizes as a totem animal. because beavers are such hard workers, it is a symbol for working towards your dreams, and also for balance in body, mind, and soul. because of the dream bit, i out some of conor oberst's words on the back.