Beautiful Day

This photo was not taken today, but I love the bright red entangled in the emerald green. He's a pretty boy.

This is a beautiful day in Carolina. Not your standard "Chamber of Commerce" beautiful day, but everything seems so fresh. The skies are gray, but the trees are green. It's like they're opening up to savor the day, unemcumbered by the smoldering heat & the oppressive humiity. It is 2:00 in the afternoon and it's only 68 degrees with little sprinklettes of rain. This lusciously cool weather makes my body & mind want to stretch; it's an awakening of sorts. Fall is my favorite time of the year..it's a reprieve from the claustrophic summer because the air is crisper & lighter & even the squirrels seem to sigh with relief. This is Carolina so it'll be back to 90 degrees in a few days, but for today we can breathe.

Coming Soon!!!

My new version of Candy's Heart, modeled by the real "Candy". You won't see her face, but you will see her décolletage. Yeah, fancy name for cleavage. I have to take my random outdoor photos, but this piece needed a live model. Check back in a couple of days & see what I've come up with. If you have ideas on how to improve, please leave a comment. I hope everyone is having a great weekend. (((hugs)))

In Progress

I'm working on something to expand my Candy's Heart line. I must admit that it is inspired by a few pieces that a couple of our favorite silversmiths have been producing. There are a few design elements that I'm hammering out before I take photos. I've shown it to several people & have gotten a pretty positive response from all of them. A couple of them wanted me to tell their boyfriends/husbands that they wanted one. I'm always a little uncomfortable doing that, so I'll leave it up to the ladies to make their wishes known. I wanted to get the real "Candy" to model the necklace, but alas, it may not come to fruition as her schedule is a bit harried for the next week or so.

I really need to get working on some staple pieces for my shop, but my muse has left. I don't know where she went, but I'm sure she's having more fun than I. At least I hope she's sleeping better than I. Insomnia is awful. How can something that is so natural become so ellusive? I sit here at night, really quiet so as not to "excite" myself into sleeplessness, but I still witness the wake up calls of the birds while the encroaching dawn permeates the darkness. Another night lost, which means another day lost. *sigh*

Nina Simone

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Mortar Love

I'm not really a collector of things, just your run of the mill pack rat who's afraid to throw anything away because I'm sure I'll need it one day....right? I've been reorganizing my kitchen, cleaning out all of the cabinets, putting things I use regularly within reach & things I don't use on the tippy top shelves. It's been a really good thing. I love it when everything has it's place.

I noticed something when I was cleaning. I love mortars & pestles. I love to use them & I love having them around. I look for recipes where I can use my M & Ps. It wasn't until I gathered them all up that I realized the seriousness of my "crush" (get it?? teehee). I actually use all of these, well all but one, because it's pretty much useless except for a serving dish, but they each have a certain purpose.

The large one in the back & the one in the center are molcajetes. They are from Mexico & made out of lava rock. I bought them new so I had to "season" them myself. Not an easy task. The insides are still a bit rough, but great for making salsas, guacamole, etc. The other one in the back is from Thailand is made of granite. That's the work horse. I can pound out pesto or most anything else in that one. The green one on the right is a Japanese mortar & pestle & has a rough bottom. I like to use that one for breaking up dried herbs & spices. The little marble one is for my peppercorns & anything round that likes to fly out of the other mortars. The mushroom shaped pestle keeps my victims where I want them. The wooden one on the left is the Diva....looks pretty, but that's it. The pestle is too round to get good contact with the mortar so she just sits around & hold things. The wooded one in the front is my garlic pounder from Syria. It is unfinished & I only use it for pounding garlic. This one gets most of my attention because I cook with garlic a lot.

I'm sure this has got to be the most boring post ever, but I'm feeling pretty boring today. Maybe the next time I'll show you my wooden spoons. Just kidding!!

I just found more of my favorite butane (Zippo) so I'll be firing up the torch to make more pretties. I'm trying to come up with a few staple pieces for my shop, but haven't really had any luck so far. I'll keep the Candy's Heart, but each one needs to be photographed because each one turns out so differently. I feel like I need to have a few simple earring designs that I can keep relisting as they sale (hopefully).

Well, I think I've done you in for the day, but just imagine how much more exciting your day will seem after reading this. Remember my hummingbird post?? Oh, the excitement of that one!!

OK, Puppies!! Have a great day!!

I just noticed that I have prattled on forever in this dissertation of my M & Ps. Sorry. :]

Candy's Heart Re-list

I just re-listed Candy's Heart. I hope this one finds a new home as quickly as the last two...I don't want to get too attached.

Just Listed

I just listed this Cathedral Agate in my shop today along with a pair of danglies. I'm working on another mended heart because someone wonderful bought the second one I listed.

I have no big plans for this weekend. I need to run some errands & work on a couple of new pieces...if i actually run my errands. I gotta get more butane, groceries, printer ink..all kinds of exciting things.

Ya'll have a great weekend & I hope you have fun. What are you gonna do?

Silver & a Little Jasper

New in my shop.

I've sold several of these around town & one went to Afghanistan (as a lucky token) with a friend of mine. I haven't heard from him, but hopefully he'll come strolling back soon.

**Edited**

A Fine Distraction included me in her treasury. My first treasury ever!!! Well, I go to Etsy this morning & I have a convo from her congratulating me on my first sale. My first sale!!! The little mended heart is going to a new home in Vegas, baby!!!

This is my newest "baby" that went to her new home Friday. This one was hard to let go, but I can't keep them all. The photo isn't great, but I snapped it quickly because I had to get it boxed up. The stone guy told me it was a lahontonite jasper, but I bought it because it looks like the sea oats on the beach at my beloved OBX. I've never seen a stone like this, probably never will, but we had our time. *sigh* I miss her so.