Revisiting Some Old Friends

Its early morning and I am sitting here drinking coffee and going through my library of pictures.  My library is quite full since I am working with several sites right now, going from vintage to my wire art.   The abundance of pictures are from jewelry I have made over the years. I had forgotten how special a lot of those pieces were and how much of it I actually produced.   They bring to mind the hours that went into learning my craft and the excitement of creating those first little works of art that motivated me to generate more.  I remember at the start the frustration I felt working with the wire and thinking how difficult it was and of course, it was, considering the wire and the tools I was using to begin with.  But after some time, I was sitting down each day and greeting my work as if I was having coffee with old friends.  There was a comfort and peacefulness that came from working with my hands, sitting in solitude and listening to the quiet, seeing the direction my mind would take and following that path to it's final destination.

Looking back now, I think of the time I invested.  There is satisfaction in knowing that others appreciated my efforts and expressed it not only in words but by taking a small part of me along with them, those many friends I made along the way. 

Hot Summer Winds

Summer on the Delta and the winds are constant as they stir up dust from the vacant fields that are waiting for their seasonal crop to be planted.  It has been unusually warm the last few days, but today's temps settled into the reasonable 80's and outside work was back to being almost pleasant.  Other than the daily winds that sweep off the Sacramento River, life in Calif. has no resemblance to my time in Nevada and the longer I am away from the high desert, the more I find myself settling into a comfortable routine and enjoying the vast amount of farmland that surrounds us.  The color green permeates throughout the area as cherry trees and corn stalks rejoice at the chance to spread their leaves and bare their abundant crops.  There is activity everywhere as workers tend the fields and prepare for the harvest.  Flowers bloom in a showcase of colors and I find a trip to the nursery as delightful as a trip to the local ice cream parlor.  I do miss the birds though and the abundance of activity and song in the air as flocks of geese and meadow larks would go about their daily routine among the reeds and canals of the wetlands right outside my parents door.  As I am writing this, I do hear a chirping melody in the not so far distance and as the sun goes down over the fields, the golden light at end of day washes over the walnut trees outside my bedroom window.  Life has returned to my doorstep and I am content.

Its April 1st and I promise you this is no joke, but for some odd reason I have lost all of my pictures that were included with my old posts.  So, it looks as if I will be starting fresh which is funny because that is exactly what I am doing with my life at the present time.   I am taking some time to pick and choose the direction I wish to take which will still include my jewelry making.     Along with that, I am going back to some of my earlier roots which include china and glass painting as well as collecting and selling vintage clothing and accessories.  I still get that thrill of finding those treasures from the past which speak to me loud and clear and take me back to the days when I had my shop, Revelations!  What started out as a hobby, soon turned into a full time adventure into textiles and history.  Every item that entered through my door came  in with a new story to tell and I was an eager listener.  The escapades

were plentiful and the storytellers would create pictures for my mind that were happy and sometimes sad, but always infused with the same fire that fueled the imagination and left me wanting more.  One of the most memorable fables was that of a shirt that read "Seabiscut".   It was brought into the shop by a sweet little lady that related to me vivid depictions of a young man named Earl who went to work for Charles S. Howard in the early 1930's.   Earl was her husband's brother and unfortunately died  long before his story could be expanded on.  And so, the shirt was passed on until it reached my threshold and to this day, remains in my possession.  I have held onto it, searching for answers or some ending to the rest of the story that needs to be told.    I will be there to listen to what it has to say with the same breathless enthusiasm that delights, like a child listening to some whimsical tale before bedtime.  Pictures in my mind!

Its a New Year

Its a brand new year and I am sitting in my room listening to the cold evening winds kicking up their heals as our first winter storm is knocking at the door.  I am excited about the New Year and all the possiblilites it presents.   I will continue to work at my craft of wire art and glass fusing, but am still challenged by some of the newer fields I 've been playing with like chain maille and beadwork.  I continue to add crytal beading to my pendants and was pleased to see the response I received this past christmas season with my booth set up at the local mall.  The presentation turned out better than I expected and it was great to see lots of my old customers return for another year of purchasing glass and wire art from me.  The greatest compliment of all! 
There have been so many changes this last year and so many blessings that have touched my life.  I am thankful for all of them and that I can continue to do what I love.  Most of all, I am thankful for those that have touched my life and been there for me when I really needed the support.  My heart holds them close and dear. 

Evening has closed in and there is nothing but blackness outside my bedroom window.  The wind continues to speak in loud whispers, warning of changes in store.

Copper is Queen

Spent the day fluffing the Christmas kiosk at our local mall here in Carson City where I am set up for the holiday season.   This is just one of the many fused glass pieces that I wire wrapped in a non tarnish copper wire.  I have always loved copper, especially vintage copper jewelry and as prices have risen on gold and silver, I thought I would start introducing a new look with the rich rose tone of copper wire.  For those of you that are in the Carson City area, be sure to drop by and take a look at all the new goodies I am putting out.  I have also added a lot of crystal jewelry including lariats that are great for layering.   I have even included some beaded bracelets in seed beads .  And as always, I have a small case with vintage items such as jewelry and smaller treasures and I am selling vintage on my Etsy site as well.   Hopefully I will get some pics of the booth and more of my current jewelry pieces and will be posting as we get closer to Christmas.
We will be set up right through Christmas so be sure to come by and take a look!

Giving Thanks

I hadn't intended on taking my usual walk to the river this morning, but somehow the crispness in the air and the sharp contrast of white against landscape urged me on until I found myself bundling up and hurrying out the door.  There was a quiet stillness on the marsh and everything seemed frozen in time as I ascended down onto the path leading to the meadow.  I was quite alone and almost giddy at the idea of having this icy wonderland to myself and as I proceeded on, I started to take in the sites around me.  Trees and bushes glistened with ice crystals as the sun reached out to embrace their leafless limbs.
I was glad I had dressed in layers and felt comfortable even though it was still below freezing. The river waters were moving along serenely on the far side of the bank and there were pockets of newly formed ice drifts that didn't seem to bother the mallards that swam easily amongst them.  I started to think about the day and the thanks I wanted to give and it was such a perfect place to be in that moment of gratitude.  I thought of my brother Greg and was thankful for him opening my eyes to the world of nature, for exciting my senses and giving me the gift to appreciate the beauty that lies outside my door each day.  I thought of my sister Katie and was thankful for her sensitivity to the written word and all the wonderful affirmations she's given me over the years that have touched my soul and stayed close to my heart just as she has.  And of course, I thought of my parents and the lessons I have learned from them.  They gave me the gift of life and what a life I have had so far.  
My footsteps continued to take me further along the path and I could feel the morning air start to warm as I moved on out into the sunlight and away from the enchanted forest and the river's edge.  I was still alone and still giving thanks for the newness of this day and fact that I'm alive and doing well.  

Thanksgiving.............and so many people, places and things to be thankful for and just remembering that its something to live by and not just one day a year!

Falling for Fall!

What a glorious morning!  I think fall has been my favorite season for as far back as I can remember.  The distant tease of morning light got me out of bed early.  I hadn't taken my usual walk in weeks and a voice in my ear was telling me to get going before the sun could top the Pine Nut Mountains.  I bundled up and headed down the path that skirts the old Mexican Dam canal and arrived at the top of the trail that overlooks the marshs and meadows of Eagle Valley.  Patches of morning mist were drifting over the ponds and the moisture of dew still clung to the grasses and trees that filled the marsh in abundance.  Signs of fall were everywhere and as I started my decent into the meadow, I made one last stop to take it all in.  I could make out the distant images of cattle grazing in the meadow to the south.  My feet carried me along the path through Russian Olive trees and down into the blessed mists of morning light.  The sun was just starting to peak the mountain top as I arrived at the river and I didn't hesitate long before making my way into the enchanted forest of cottonwoods that line the river bank.  No one had passed me and the solitude was welcoming.  The Sierras were now wearing their lavender cloak of color against a clear blue sky and the promise of another beautiful fall day.  I proceeded on and as my walk was coming its end, I stopped along the path between a grassy marsh to one side and a canal on the other.  Ducks were gliding along the ponds and everywhere I looked was the stark golden glow of light against the amber trees and bushes.  I understood then why I had fallen in love with fall and why it would always be my most ardent lover!