Been in the Studio

I took my own advice and have been in the studio these last 5+ months. It helps that my littlest is in school full time. It has been great. Pics of: Hoops that haven't made it to the site yet; PMC pieces ready to be fired in the kiln; Earring components ready-to go; and Copper cuffs drying on the very high-tech drying rack after clear lacquer applied.

Cheers! Happy Holidays!

Kristen

Practice Makes Perfect

"Chance favors the prepared mind." ~Louis Pasteur
So, get...in...the...studio.....! : )
xo

Hope, Beauty

These images come from a National Geographic slide show. I have been able to include just a few here. Enjoy.
Love,
Kristen

Big ideas for a Sunday

From Echkart Tolle, "A New Earth."
As soon as you rise above mere survival, the question of meaning and purpose becomes of paramount importance in your life. Many people feel caught up in the routines of daily living that seem to deprive their life of significance. Some believe life is passing them by or has passed them by already. Others feel severely restricted by the demands of their job and supporting a family or by their financial or living situation. Some are consumed by acute stress, others by acute boredom. Some are lost in frantic doing; others are lost in stagnation. Many people long for the freedom and expansion that prosperity promises. Others already enjoy the relative freedom that comes with prosperity and discover that even that is not enough to endow their lives with meaning. There is no substitute for finding true purpose. But the true or primary purpose of you life cannot be found on the outer level. It does not concern what you do but what you are - that is to say, your state of consciousness.

So the most important thing to realize is this: Your life has an inner purpose and an outer purpose. Inner purpose concerns Being and is primary. Outer purpose concerns doing and is secondary. While this book [A New Earth] speaks mainly of your inner purpose, this chapter....will address the question of how to align outer purpose and inner purpose in your life. Inner and outer, however, are so intertwined that it is almost impossible to speak of one without referring to the other.

Your inner purpose is to awaken. It is as simple as that. You share that purpose with every other person on the planet - because it is the purpose of humanity. Your inner purpose is an essential part of the purpose of the whole, the universe and its emerging intelligence. Your outer purpose can change over time. It varies greatly from person to person. Finding and living in alignment with the inner purpose is the foundation for fulfilling your outer purpose. It is the basis for true success. Without that alignment, you can still achieve certain things through effort, struggle, determination, and sheer hard work or cunning. But there is no joy in such endeavor, and it invariably ends in some form of suffering. ~Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. pp. 257 - 258.

A reason to create

Do not try to satisfy your vanity by teaching a great many things. Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds; do not overload them. Put there just a spark. If there is some good inflammable stuff, it will catch fire. ~Jacques Anatole Thibault

This beautiful quote touches on part of the reason I create, part of the motivation. My curiosity is awakened by ideas or visual inspiration. I like to pass that along.

Make it a beautiful, curious day!

xo
Kristen

Hooray for Samuel Clemens

"All you need in this life is ignorance and confidance, and then success is sure." ~Mark Twain

Eggs are Amazing

London blue Topaz with fine silver Hand cut band and bezel set lampwork glass

Fine Silver 'Spears' with vintage fabric stamp impression

Fine silver earrings with grid texture, fixed sterling earwire

A few new pieces. And, most importantly, please note that the chickens are now official apprentices to the studio. They designed (and made) these amazing drying forms for my new earring design. They are the bomb... I just love those girls.

have a wonderful day!

xo Kristen

This is the Charles Loloma bracelet I gawked at and even (yes) tried on at Bahti Indian Arts (http://www.bahti.com/) while in Tucson. An incredible piece by an incredible master jeweler. It's selling price is a fair $22,000. It was like being able to touch a VanGogh painting. It is tufa-cast and inlaid with lapis, ivory, gold, ironwood, coral and turquiose. Charles Loloma was Hopi and worked in the 50's, 60's & 70's. It is hard to describe when an artist's work touches your soul. But I am so inspired and so grateful.

Oh, and it fit me perfectly....

Bezel set necklace, Getting over the flu with a movie

Just came back from a rare outing to a MOVIE! "The Kings Speech." Incredible and amazing character acting. True talent. All the more moving of course for it's (apparent) authenticity and beautifully human portrayals.

And then, even more rare, out to dinner apres movie, complete with dessert. Thanks Carleen, that was fun! And you are right, it would not have happened had we planned it.

I think I am over trying to get the 'flu now. I curled up in a blanket on my studio floor much of the afternoon watching Annabel bead earrings, bracelet and necklace for Grandma. When you are 5 you need mom close by to do the finish work on your beading projects...... : ) And, I needed a good excuse to, well, curl up in a blanket and veg.

More pieces rolling out! The necklace has been in the works for a long time - the setting lay languishing on the bench waiting for me to finish it and set the stone. The design appeared one day. I just love the heavy copper of the bangle. It is such a rich, warm color.