Ice . . .

Coaxing the muse out of hiding with the tempting tinkle of ice, perhaps?  


Yesterday I made up my mind that I'd chain myself to the bench until something was created and with much distracted playing, this piece appeared.  I arranged and rearranged and rearranged again little bits of leftover pieces of silver around this sweet cab of Tourmalinated Quartz and I'm pleased with what appeared.

Simply set with an open back.
Moves easily.

I have a handful of these cabs, some just the size of your fingernail, and each one has the appearance of cracked ice.  Holding them in the palm of my hand looks like a handful of crushed ice.


Maybe it's the icy driveway and shrubs and icicles on the eaves this week that inspired me to set this as ice tongs holding a melting cube - no matter, I'm just happy that errant muse showed up.

O.M.G. My first!

I finally made it to etsy's front page today! I'm validated! The little Tourmalinated Quartz necklace was part of a treasury and it sold immediately - yay. Add 7 hearts and I'm tickled!

Tourmalinated Quartz . . .

This turned out to be one gorgeous icy ring. The inclusions are spectacular so setting it with an open back was a no-brainer - as was darkening the channel in the band.

So cool.

Update :: sold!

Shop local . . . . .

Here is the scenario: someone mentions to me in some serious tones that it "sure would be nice to shop for stones at the Big Gem Show next year". If you buy beads, gemstones and cabs, you know which Big Gem Show someone's talking about and I think to myself, "Yeah, that would be nice. Get some really gorgeous stuff. Spend some serious bucks." When all is said and done, I'd be out the cost of transportation, accommodations, car rental, food, my valuable time - all before I even set foot in Big Gem Show. Lordy.

The very next day: I go to the local Gem and Mineral Club's annual show. I find everything I want, more than I need, some super deals, even more gorgeous stones, chat with a few locals, run into some friends that I had not seen in months, bought from my incredibly talented friends and neighbors - all in my own backyard. It dawns on me - I can get the best deals from people right here in my own playground! I sleep in my own bed that night, eat my own food, drive my car to and from the show, and my uber-cool, relatively inexpensive finds are waiting for me on my bench. Bonus.

At the local shows, I can get absolutely the best bargains and the sweetest deals on everything I am looking for. No hotel. No car rental. No flying halfway across the US to pay cubic dollars for something I could find right here. True, there is some intrigue and adventure in traveling great distances and finding those great finds but at what cost? And can I build in and recoup those costs in the price of my work? hmmmm

You know, when I weigh the option of staying home and shopping local, who benefits? The short answer - my customer.