Fun Factory . . .

What came out of the Silverwork Fun Factory yesterday?  A handful of sweet stuff, considering that I had a pretty full 'to-do' list this weekend.  I did manage to carve out some bench time to create a bit and that feels good  (Damn you to-do lists - shakes fist.)  Anyway, here you go.

I had a small piece of Dendritic Opal (or common opal as Captain Agate used to tell me - hey, how come HIS stuff was always the good stuff and MINE was just the common stuff . . . ?)  This little bit of material had a good shine when I finished cabbing it but after I set it, I threw it in the tumbler for an hour and it beat away the soft material and left the black dendrites polished - which I discovered I LOVE!  Now it looks like a relief painting of a plum thicket with the small twiggy branches in raised relief.  What a happy accident!

As a 'free gift for ordering' with my last yummy bead order, I received some large medium grade aquamarine beads, typically too large for my taste but I found a great way to work them into some simple bracelets.  Nothing complicated but great everyday pieces and something I wouldn't be afraid to wear while out on the tractor or digging in the garden this spring.

Speaking of gardens, are we all getting our seed catalogs in the mail at an alarming rate?  I'm afraid if I don't order my asparagus plugs immediately, there won't be any left!  Hands off the Purple Passion asparagus - it's mine!