Sea star...

With record breaking temperatures here in North East Texas, I find my mind constantly returning to coool thoughts.

We have taken several family trips to the Oregon Coast, but it has been a long time since I've been there.

One of the things I loved best was visiting the tide pools,

Reaching my hands into the icy cold water, 

and gently stroking the sea life living in that little ecosphere.

My favorites were the Sea Stars!

There is nowhere I would rather be right now than at the spot where the mountains meet the ocean on the coast of Oregon.  Bundled up in a hoodie and walking the beach.  Ahhhhh.......

This piece features a hand crafted sea star in fine silver, on a sterling platform with sterling stones scattered about.  Set in a fine silver scalloped bezel to represent the waves of the ocean.  All set high on a sterling silver adjustable band!

This beauty has already been claimed, but I'm seeing more sea stars in my future!  :-)

Work in Progress...

I want to thank everyone for their input on my post about the charm necklaces.

After agonizing over it for awhile, I decided I must pick a direction and decided to go for it!

You guys are right about keeping an eye on all those little pieces.

I'm not too worried about the show I do at the church, but I applied to a much larger show in Ft. Worth that if I get in, I will have to worry about watching my pieces more closely.

My Mom wants to come in from Nevada to help at my church show, but I think I'll  have her come instead for the Funky Finds show.  Again....if I get in.

I told you guys how I wanted to tweak my display?

So, last night I bought this....

I think it will be perfect for the charmies...I have big plans to take out some of the spacers, and to paint it or something... I don't know.  I'll have to see when I get it.

Well...on to the work in progress!

I am continually drawn to all things oceanic, and am on bit of an ocean inspired kick.  Specifically sea shells.  

I have just about given up on the hope that I will be as productive as I'd like to be.  It's a double edged sword.  I'd love to have more time to create, but I must put my family first.  Soon the girls will be old enough to not even want to be around me, and then I'll have all the time in the world.  Until then it is a priority to spend time with them.  

These pieces are coming along slow but sure.  To give you an idea, I started the seashell and amazonite  piece over a week ago.  The large single shells about 5 days ago... That contraption in the middle is for a custom order.  This is what is really taking my time.  Thinking a lot.  Thinking too much.  

I am attempting to make a prong type setting that will allow the piece to be completely reversible.  About 11:00 last night I think I finally worked out in my mind exactly how it will look, and how I will go about achieving it.  It's kinda scary.  I haven't put myself outside of my comfort zone in a long time...

So, who knows when it will all be finished.  There are also lots of charmies in the works....I think I best set myself a deadline.  Let's say by next friday I hope to have a few sea shells to sell by (or away from!)  the sea shore...

Happy 4th of July!

The older I get the more patriotic I become.  The more history of America I read, the more aware I become of what it means to be an American.  

I think of all those people who took a chance to bring their families to a land across the ocean.  Risking their very lives.  Not knowing if they would fail or thrive.  

Those times must have been extremely hard, but so liberating at the same time.  I can't imagine feeling so suppressed, so hopeless, that my only option for freedom was to pack up my family and risk crossing the ocean to foreign lands.  

It make me ashamed of my younger self, who took it for granted how lucky I was to have been born here.  Who wasn't grateful enough to my ancestors for the sacrifices they made that would one day allow me to be born amongst the freest people on this earth.  

I am not a person to hang my head in shame for any of the mistakes that America has made.  Here and around the world.  The United States is made up of human beings.  And wherever there are humans, there will be mistakes.  

I am instead a person who wades through our history, looking at the good and the bad.  Hoping to keep the good for us and for future generations, and hoping like hell that we learn from the bad.

Happy Birthday to the Republic that is the United States of America.  

My home....sweet...home....