Quietude...

As the year end approaches,

I find myself in a quiet place...

a state of rumination,
reflecting and letting go.

Gosh, what a year.

2011 has been the hardest year of my life.

Hands down, the hardest.

Hope and heartbreak has been the recurring theme,

with December bringing more heartbreak than I thought I could possibly bear.

But if there is anything I have learnt this year,

it is that no matter how tattered your soul may feel,

there is always a chance to heal...

if you allow this of yourself.

~*~

This week Anthony and I clocked up six years of wedded bliss...
(and I can say, without an ounce of doubt, that we will still be blissfully married in 60 years time...the health Gods willing!)

Despite the turmoil around us this past year

(and really, just about every year of our marriage)

we are stronger,

more in love,

more devoted

than ever.

When you marry the man who has a heart as expansive as the sky,

and as warm as the sun...

the man who knows just what to say,

just when you need to hear it...

(or when to just be silent)

the man who worships you for all your shortcomings,
yet never makes you feel as though you are anything less than perfect...

the man who takes the heart you have entrusted him with,

and cradles it away in his own stronghold of flesh and blood...
(where you know it will be safe, cherished, always...)

the man who tells you that you are beautiful,

when you are feeling anything but...

the man who makes you feel like a queen,

every day,

yet who you would still be utterly content to spend the rest of your days with should you ever become paupers...

...then you will never, ever spend a day unhappy in your married life.

If you know a man like this, ladies,

grab him and never let him go!

But sorry, this one is already taken ;-)

(Of all the anniversary gifts I received this year, I cherish this one the most...)

~*~


In other news,


India is still a princess...





and Jett still loves dirt...








*le sigh*


Such a girl.


Such a boy.





Oh, and let me introduce you to Bruce...





He is our resident water dragon...


he hangs around in the yard (or the pool),
and jumps up on the window sill outside the lounge room when he wants some dinner...





I love his armour...





And if you ask India, Bruce would make the best pet *ever*...


~*~


And finally, in studio news...


My Etsy shop has been closed for a few weeks,


though I hope to re-open sometime in January.


I won't be accepting any custom orders,
at least not in the immediate future.


I just don't have the heart for custom work.
(Nurturing my family and caring for the terminally ill is just about all my heart can bear right now)


Though these two hands of mine cannot remain idle,


so there will be new work...


...soon.





~*~


Good bye, 2011...


...see you on the other side, my friends!


Much love,

Moving on...

These are all the pieces that remain of my *Moroccan Odyssey* Collection...

...they look so pretty together, 

a colourful collective...

...the result of many, many hours of love and inspiration and creation...

But I feel it is time to move on...

Each piece has been reduced by 15% for one month only,

(until 11 October 2011)

and any piece remaining at that time will be taken out of my shop and placed in a new venue.

I want these lovely pieces to find lovely homes!

As much as I love looking at them every day,

turning them over in my hand and feeling proud of my work,

I would feel happy to my very soul knowing that they are being worn and loved!

I hope you find something that has to be yours :-)

~*~

In other news, I realised that a few milestones have befallen me...

~ one amazing year of silversmithing ~
(though really, it feels like I've always been doing this...)

~ 50 sales in my Etsy shop ~
(each one special and momentous)

~ 50,000 hits on my blog and counting ~
(amazing!)

Any one of those milestones is a reason to celebrate,

but the fact that they have all happened at once has left me feeling,

grateful

overwhelmed

humble

ecstatic!

So, to celebrate, I'll be having a little giveaway.

Just to say thanks.

Details to come very soon.

I'm excited,

are you?!

:-)

Breathe

Some days,
it is enough
just to breathe…

Those days
when your soul feels frayed,
heavy and hard
from life's afflictions….

Those days
when your eyes are open,
but you see only burden and bustle
wrapped tightly around every thought…

Those days,
when your heart-strings 
remember the music 
to your soul's song,
but the words are merely memory…

On those days,
when you are heavy of heart
and slight of spirit,

it is enough
to just be,
to just breathe…

A gentle reminder in sterling silver and aquamarine, that some days it is enough just to breathe...

{SOLD - thank you!}

Supermum Sale!

Because, 

really, 

EVERY mum is a Supermum!

To celebrate Mothers Day,

I'm offering 15% off everything in my Etsy shop

from now until April 30.

Simply use the code 'supermum' when you check out.  

Easy peasy!

This discount only applies to items already in my shop,

and NOT custom orders.

Happy shopping!!!

Fanciful facets...

I have been so busy with custom orders since opening my Etsy shop, that I haven't had time to add new pieces to the shop as often as I would like...


...but as I see it, that is a very happy problem to have :-)


I did manage to add this necklace to the shop a few weeks ago though...
(and COMPLETELY forgot about mentioning it here... *oops*)

The *Drop of Desert Sky* Necklace

Faceted gems are finding their way into my work more often...

...including this to-die-for Sky Blue Topaz which I could not WAIT to use...
(it really is just like a droplet of the most perfect blue sky!)

I cut out a teardrop shape from the back of the pendant to let the topaz really light up...

...and one of my hand sawn Moroccan motifs sways from beneath the topaz...

I don't usually leave my jewellery with a polished finish (I think a patina brings out all the lovely details), but this necklace needed to be shiny.  


Do you prefer polished or patinated jewellery?


~*~


Speaking of faceted stones, I fell in love with this enormous 27.5 carat smoky quartz the moment I saw it...

...and I bought it even though, at that time, I had no idea how to set faceted stones!  
(Sometimes my creative visions far exceed my abilities LOL ;-) But it's an excuse to learn and challenge myself, non?!)


Anyway, about a month ago I decided it was time to use this beauty...

...so I set about creating a bezel for it from scratch...
(because it was far too big to fit my pre-made bezel wire)

...you know how much I love sawing ;-) ...

(and yes, I saw barefoot - doesn't everyone?!)

...add a 'bearing' to the inside of the bezel...

...and some filigree to the sides...

...and a matching filigree-adorned ring band completes it!

...big and bold...

...delightfully detailed...

...heavy and hearty...

...and it's all mine, mine, MINE! :-)

It looks top heavy and I kind of expected it to swing around on my finger,


but it's surprisingly well balanced and sits perfectly.


I think I wear it just about every time I have to leave the house :-)


~*~


More fanciful facets coming soon!


And some new jewels will be added to the shop too...

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Torn...

I think this word perfectly sums up how I've been feeling for the past week...

...torn...

This is not necessarily a bad thing!

I'm torn between wanting to continue with my *Moroccan Odyssey* Collection...

and wanting to start something new,

something fresh.

I bore easily...do you?

I'm certainly not done with my Moroccan collection...

there are still many, many more ideas waiting to be brought to life!

Yet, I want a change.

I want to try something new.

So, tonight I did.

In between cooking dinner and packing for a 3-day trip interstate tomorrow (well, I was procrastinating on that packing bit), I taught myself how to make a basic prong setting...

This is just the beginning,

there is much work yet to be done...

but can you see where I'm going with this?

I felt revitalised, energised seeing it come together...

...a buzz of exhilaration as I watched the solder flow...

(and I held my breathe ever so tightly because I was certain I would melt the wire!)

And now I'm torn because I have to leave this unfinished while we go away for three days!

(ARGHHH!!!)

But, good things come to those who wait, non? ;-)

~*~

I was also torn over these earrings I made last week...

The *Lost Medallion* Earrings

...because I just can't stop wearing them...

...and they were supposed to go into the shop...

...so that someone else could love wearing them just as much as I do...

Dilemma!

Soooo...I decided to create a Made to Order Listing.


I will create a pair of these earrings just for you!


All you have to do is ask :-)


~*~


Wishing you a wonderful, wonder-filled weekend, my friends!