I believe I’m back in the right business. Even though I spend most of my time  NOT making jewelry, but trolling for really cool rocks and beads. I think I almost like this part better. I crave rocks. The Tucson gem shows are still 3 weeks away, and I am getting excited to see what goodies I can find.

This afternoon I drove out to a little itty bitty show outside of New Orleans (look, this ain’t Tucson, but I needed a fix) and picked up a few baubles to play with.

Chrysoprase, rutile quartz, smokey quartz, sapphires, tanzanite.

Last summer I spent a couple of afternoons outside of Montreal with an old roommate, Lucie. She was part of my bohemian life in Toronto back in the 80s. I had just graduated from college (in goldsmithing) and  had joined a cooperative studio. So here we are, 30 something years later, and Lucie pulls out a pair of earrings I had given her back in the day! I was very touched and surprised! Those earrings brought back a flood of memories for me. At the time, I remember being fixated by Ted Muehling, hoping to emulate his ideas in my own way. Of course I was way off, but those earrings were a catalyst for me. I wanted to go back, and get in touch with why I wanted to make jewelry in the first place. Ted Muehling is one of the best. I love his eye and his reverence for nature.

For Christmas (last month) I treated myself to this book:

Lucie is a painter (among other things), and  I remember we stopped by an art supply shop, where she complained about the price of paint. Oh, to be able to have a palette for what she spends. Sigh.