gifts from the road

literally 

be mindful of the passage of time

and 
love is everywhere if you are open to it ... 

fruits of my labor - like the hard birthing kind

you know how sometimes everything you need seems to come to your fingertips and mind with great ease?
and then you know how sometimes it feels like you are in labor? 
well, today was that kind of day...

maybe it's because it has been a couple of weeks since i last made something... i didn't even have the mental retrieval system of my inventory on board ... 
or maybe it's because i am getting more pieces to work with than i can keep track of... 
nahhhh! 
maybe it's because my head has been in places that are not conducive to  creation...


i finally opened up my bag from  bead fest in philly - yes, i was there on the 21st - & for 2 weeks my goodies have been awaiting me! 
first items i ogled over again were from marsha neal... i love the little pendants i got in the brown color from her... 
then i literally starting pulling stuff out and looking at it... i use a wine rack to hold different things... and now a lot of it is emptied on my floor... (did i mention i have a kitten? fabulous - i will begin to hear him sliding through the bags soon, i am sure!) i came upon a bird pendant by mellisa at chinook in a glaze color i am so fond of... the two needed to be put together... and doesn't the small brown pendant remind you of the color and texture of bark that was subliminal, i didn't 'think' about that...

'hope is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul,

and sings the tune without the words

and never stops at all.'

-emily dickinson

had a lot of fun with this one...used mixed metals - copper and vintaj... very partial to greens with the copper but wanted the warm vintaj brown to be present as well... more wire working in the links, clasp and my drop for the small pendant... blues & greens on one side, browns on the other... lampwork glass from linden avenue designs and bleu verre...brown raku from keith o'connor...

'one love, one heart

let's get together and feel all right.'

-bob marley

then there are some other pieces i have had stashed away... cindy pack does really beautiful metal stamping and she created this 'one love' piece for me, it even has a nice curve for the wrist... barbara lewis makes sahara beads that i adore... i knew i wanted to create another bob marley piece... hence, 'one love, one heart' ... her work is so uniquely textured, colored & manipulated... this bracelet mixes copper and sterling... there are some heavy cast sterling rings linking the beads from cathy dailey... and mary ann from linden avenue provided the silvered ivory glass... we have been discussing the religion of love after all... 

so the beads are all over the floor, but the liver of sulphur is disposed of... it was a gorgeous day today & i know i spent it inside... but i was due!