Shop update at 3pm today

Due to some technical difficulties, my shop update is going to happen at 3pm today instead of noon as I previously announced.  I hope you can pop into the shop and let me know what you think!

Sneak peak of new necklaces and earrings

Here's a sneak peak of my new necklaces and earrings on the lovely, ever patient Phoebe who, as it happens, can keep herself from squinting even in afternoon sun. Amazing. (Unlike me, one of those "might have to wear my sunglasses in the shade" kind of people. ) We tracked down some dappled light in my neighborhood for her though.

Additional colors (more blue variations, greens and orange and yellow...) and new configurations will be filling up the online shop soon. If you haven't already done so and are interested, be sure to join my email list to be the first to get specifics.

My seven book summer reading list

Since we'll be spending a slower summer this year, staying closer to home, I'm looking forward to digging into my reading list. We're considering getting a hammock to complete the experience but the front porch fits the bill pretty well too.

When my Graves disease was active I struggled to read. I had no focus. I would read and re-read, and re-read, often getting so frustrated that I would just give up. I resorted to reading directions and recipes out loud just to get through them. Pretty sure the first year I was diagnosed I didn't read an entire book. Since going into remission late last year one of my priorities has been getting back into a good reading habit.

For my friends in the Southern Hemisphere any of these would make for suitable winter reading as well, simple exchange comfy chair by a fire for the hammock.

Here's my list as it stands.  Are there any books you would suggest I add?

1. Growing Gills: How to find your focus when you're drowning in your daily life  by Jessica Abel

2. Pondering Privilege : Toward a deeper understanding of whiteness, race and faith by Jody Wiley Fernando

3. The Locust Effect: Why the end of poverty requires the end of violence by Gary A. Haugen

4. The Knowledge Illusion, Why we never think alone Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach

5. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

6. Big Magic:Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

7. The Homing Instinct, Meaning and Mystery in Animal Migration by Bernd Heinrich

Should I share the skeletons in my closet?

Or how about just the beads in my drawers? This is embarrassing enough really, the amount of parts and bits and components that are sitting around just waiting to "be" something.

Seaglass inspired beads

There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to do all the things, make all the things, try all the things, experiment with all the things. Better than to be stuck for ideas I guess, right?

School is almost finished for the year though and  I'm looking forward to lots of studio days this summer  - the one bright side of not traveling.

Bright tube beads

Faux River Rocks

Paper jewelry supplies. 

Photo shoot

The overcast, foggy, "blahness" that has taken over southern Pennsylvania has actually been perfect light for outdoor photo shoots (surely, it must be good for something) and I was fortunate to have model Phoebe and my niece/photographer Sarah Repp to help me out this week.

The two pieces shown here are not yet in my online shop but they will be soon. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know about new work, sales and special projects.

Have a great weekend - hoping you have anything but "blahness" wherever you are!

.


SaveSave

Catch my work in Colorado

Those of you from Colorado, or folks just visiting the outdoor mecca of Salida this summer, can now find my work at The Rosy Finch.  They're in the process of moving to 139 F St., excited to be sharing the big, old downtown hardware store with Yospun yarn shop.

The owner, who's been so great to work with, used to live just 20 mins. from me but we never met. Now, when she's 1,689 miles away, we found each other on the internet. How do these things happen?

No Saint Helena trip this year

By most standards, the journey to Saint Helena is quite an undertaking - not your typical summer vacation. Even though the travel is now by plane instead of ship (since the opening of the airport last year) it's an expensive, 2-3 days from the east coast of the U.S. You to have enough time, enough money, be prepared for separation from family, and have enough money...oh wait, I already said that. But don't get me wrong, it is worth every penny!

Looking into Sandy Bay from the Peaks

Flagstaff and The Barn in the distance

Jeannie and me

Trevor is helping Sam...or Sam is helping Trevor. I'm not sure which

We had hoped to be making the journey again this year but sadly...no. For various reasons it didn't work out. We'll so miss seeing our friends. We''l miss the walks, the busy days volunteering at SHAPE, the incredible hospitality, the fish fries...

An amazing fish fry at Isaac's 

Of course, there is much to do right here on this side of the Atlantic and I'm going to throw myself into some projects and opportunities that have been brewing for a while. This also means my shops will stay open with some new pieces coming in June ;-)