Beads and Legos of Summer

Yes, I have been a bit distracted from my jewelry passion lately.

I have been very determined to help my fiver year old son learn to be a stronger swimmer so we've been in the pool practically every day this summer.  He loves the water and is definitely part fish like his father but he has had a great fear of THE DEEP END! Several attempts to motivate him into the DEEP END ended up in tears. Hmmmm. I decided to bribe him.... The other day, I told him that when he was ready and could swim from the deep end to the shallow end (long length of the pool) I would buy him a new Lego set.   I know, I know... I shouldn't have but I just KNEW he could do it! He looked at me and said "You mean for FREE??... No allowance?"  I said "Yes!".  He ran straight to the deep end, jumped in and swam all the way to the shallow end ...NO TEARS!  Thank you Lego...mission accomplished!

Despite my hours in the pool, I have managed to squeeze in a little creative time for myself and managed to design and assemble a few pieces that have been sitting in my studio for a few months.  I made the silver pieces months ago but as you can see, I'm finally playing with the beads I went crazy buying at the bead shows and having so much fun! Here is a sneak preview before they hit Etsy....

"You are all separate beads strung together on that one thread, God."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Chirp Chirp

Everyone is asleep except me....

and it's quiet....

except for the chirping.  

After almost a week of hot weather, today it was warm and a perfectly comfortable 80 degrees.  

Now, 

the doors are open (screens closed!)...

the night is pleasantly cool (but not cold!) and they're out...

the crickets. 

 Such a summer vacation sound.

I must remember to plant night blooming jasmine to go with my summer crickets.

I think the combination might make for some lovely dreaming and wishing upon stars.

Amberbop

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington

More Ojai Beauty

So, Saturday night, my hub and I had our date night just around the corner at Suzanne's.  During our scrumptious dinner (as always) we started chatting with two lovely ladies seated next to us.  One of them was contemplating becoming an Ojaian and wanted to know what we thought of the area.  They must have thought we worked for the chamber of commerce as we started gushing and raving about our beloved little town.... and we continued to talk their ear off for the better part of an hour!  Thankfully they were all ears.  I hope we didn't over-do it. We just couldn't help it.  As I have shared here, I told them that after six years, even in such a small place, I'm still discovering new places. I then remembered that I still had yet to post the photos of my return trip to the Ojai Foundation in upper Ojai.  I was there a few weeks ago for the first time with my son's kindergarten class for a short field trip up the hill and I thank Ireshya for the soulful tour! I couldn't wait to share my discovery so I returned with my dad and sister recently to enjoy again the incredible beauty and views (and take some pics).  Here is a sneak peak at some of it's hidden gems...

matilija poppy

little hand carved wooden monk

eight hundred year old california live oak

sitting Buddha

This is only the tip of the iceberg of the many wonders at Ojai Foundation.  There are hand painted rocks from long gone visitors scattered around in little corners here and there, beautiful murals and sculpture, groovy hand built kivas, a stone and earth labyrinth, many wandering walking paths and really amazing views.  This last visit the skies were overcast so I wasn't able to capture the vistas on film but I'll be back to share with you!

Still sketching new jewelry ideas, re-vamping my bookkeeping and compiling my new website ideas ...I'll keep you posted soon!

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it."

~ William Arthur Ward ~

Casitas Vista

My spring fever has not just affected my work but my love of Ojai.  The last couple of weeks I have fallen in love with Ojai deeper than ever before.  So many factors contribute to this high I am feeling..... I have made so many new lovely friends that are an inspiration and a joy to be around and I continue to meet new interesting people every week...even in this tiny little town.  Also, in addition to all of the beautiful places of nature wonder that I have always enjoyed (Sisar Canyon, Meditation Mount, Krotona), I have just discovered several new little gems.... all practically in my own backyard.  I will share them over the next few posts when I return to take photos.

Sisar Canyon

Meditation Mount

Krotona Gardens

....last but not least, my fabulous walk today with my friend Tegan and her sweet "Little Buns" and Sacha around good ol'

Lake Casitas

"Any perception can connect us to reality, properly and fully.
What we see doesn't have to be pretty, particularly; we can appreciate anything that exists.
There is some principle of magic in everything, some living quality.
Something living, something real, is taking place in everything."

~ Chogyam Trungpa ~

Delayed Spring Fever

I think I finally have Spring Fever.....

Some say that this feeling or phenomenon is actually physical, not just psychological, because our seratonin levels rise in spring which create "giddiness, energy boost and enthusiasm".
Enthusiasm was my first symptom.... now I feel giddy.... and my energy is beginning to blossom.
It is difficult for me to hibernate in winter but now the sun is out, flowers are still blooming everywhere and I'm on a roll.  Of course, the weather has been like this for awhile now and summer is almost here but better late than never!

I'm excited because I've decided to truly professionalize my jewelry business and create an amazing website to showcase my jewelry.  I've been searching the web non-stop the last few days for web design ideas and have found great inspiration and in turn,  I discovered so many amazing jewelry artists "out there".  Here are a few that I find exceptional!

Sara Weinstock

Judy Geib

Jamie Wolf

Monique Pean

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

"Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world.  It beats money, power and influence."

~ Henry Chester ~

"I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom."

~ Anatole France ~

Trust Those Dreams of Gold

Last year, I posted a blog (She Sailed Away...) about a dream I had  several years ago that prompted me to finally take a jewelry class and learn how to use Precious Metal Clay.  In the dream, I (I think it was me!) was making gold jewelry.  I enjoy working with silver but I REALLY would love to work with gold....high carat gold like 18k, 22k, 24k... but with the price of gold at an all time high I have only dabbled with a few findings. A few weeks ago I splurged on some 18k gold ear wires and head pins and created a pair of earrings that had been in my head for awhile.  They ended up being the most expensive pair of earrings I had ever listed on Etsy and I figured they might sit on the shelf for months, if not forever.  Low and behold, one week later.....SOLD!  I couldn't believe it! 

I know the concept but now I now I trust it...... Do what you love and the rest will come!

So, you might be seeing more gold accented jewelry soon.  

And someday I WILL learn to craft in gold!

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.”

Julia Cameron

Mystery Blossoms

A couple of weeks ago on a Sunday morning after breakfast at the Emporium,  I  passed in front of Massarella's Firehouse Pottery (where our lovely dog water bowl is from) and saw these incredibly dreamy blossoms lining their driveway.  Roses they are not as there were no leaves or thorns. Maybe some kind of cherry blossom... though they were small bushes.  Can't you see them in an antique Chinese blue and white vase! What are they???

"Merrily, merrily shall I live now,

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough."

~ William Shakespeare ~