New Stuff

Here's what I finished yesterday... there's a definite 'blue' theme going on.

Rectangular cushion cut labradorite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Peruvian blue opal and oxidized recycled sterling silver ring
{ to be listed soon in my shop }

Amazing apatite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

... and a rear view of the same ring.

Labradorite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Kyanite and recycled sterling silver pendant
{ custom order; sold }

Matching kyanite and recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Labradorite and recycled sterling silver ring

{ custom order; sold }

I had a terrible time trying to photograph this one - it's a gorgeous piece of labradorite with subtle but really striking flashes of color, which I unfortunately just couldn't seem to capture on film... I'll have to try again later.

And I nearly forgot to photograph this one - 'cuz it was on my finger. :-)

Kyanite and recycled 14k gold ring
(I have some finish work to do on this one still, but couldn't resist posting anyways. Love it! My first all-gold ring.)

Another wedding ring

Here's the companion ring to the mens band I posted recently...

Blue-green tourmaline and flush-set moissanites with recycled sterling silver and recycled 14k gold.

Camping with Carlos

We went on a quick one-night camping excursion last night.

Carlos fell asleep in the truck on the way (looks uncomfortable, doesn't it?)...

...Otis, on the other hand, was way too excited to sleep.

We had some fun...

...and saw some pretty scenery.

And came home. :-)

GirlieGirl Army Rocks

One of the great vegan blogs, GirlieGirl Army, has an excellent post today - check out the full entry, I'm just going to re-post my favorite bit here but there's more you should see...

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said ‘I do’ to? What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama were a member of the ‘Keating 5′?

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are? This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

A few vegan nutrition links

A reader recently left a comment asking my advice for her vegetarian/leaning-toward-vegan niece to be sure she follows a healthy plan. I put together a short list of links for her and I figured it would be worth sharing with the rest of my readers as well; maybe it will be helpful for someone else...

http://www.vegsoc.org/health/
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/
http://www.veganoutreach.org/health/stayinghealthy.html
http://pcrm.org/health/
http://www.compassionatecooks.com/podcast.htm

More New Beads...

6mm faceted labradorite cabs

6mm faceted rainbow moonstone cabs

8mm square cushion cut prehnite cabs

6mm faceted amethyst cabs

6mm trillion cut aquamarine cabs

10mm faceted crystal cabochons

12mm x 16mm rectangular cushion cut labradorite cabochons

13mm x 18mm faceted labradorite cabochons

Lapis lazuli briolettes

Rose quartz briolettes

New Beadies

Peruvian blue opal cabs, 13-14mm

Larimar cabs, 10mm

Larimar cabs, 12mm

Peruvian blue opal cabs, 14mm

Peruvian blue opal cabs, 13mm

Peruvian blue opal cabs, 10mm

Kyanite cabs, 10mm

Blue chalcedony briolettes, 13-14mm

Fantasy blue chalcedony faceted coin beads, 11-13mm

Fantasy pink chalcedony faceted coin beads, 11-13mm

Rhodolite garnet briolettes, 7-8mm

Another Moissanite Ring

I really like this one. In the past, when I've made these narrow bands with the flush-set moissanites, I have used eight stones, but this time I used 12 (it's a custom order for one of my best customer's 12th anniversary) and they look so nice spaced closer together. Just out of curiosity, I slipped this on under my own wedding ring to see if it's something I might want to make for myself one day, and not only do I like it, I've decided that I really need two - one to stack above and one to stack below my wedding ring. Wonder when I'll ever have time for that... :-)

More Pictures

I decided to wash my filthy car today. (Further evidence of tough economic times - I washed my car. By hand. Not at the drive-thru car wash. Shocking, I know.) Carlos 'helped'.

Bubble beard
(That's a bindi dot on his forhead - he gets them at school.)

Bubble hands

Then we played with the chickens...

Carlos chillin' with his peeps

Clara's been looking pretty shaggy these past few days - I guess she's molting?

Marji is such a snuggler!

I think she liked my vegan shirt.

Then Cally got jealous and had to get in on the action.

Rosa struttin' her stuff

and sunbathing

:-)

Carlos Pic of the Day!

I haven't posted any pictures of Carlos lately, have I? This one was taken just before the orange box tipped over and elicited a long crying jag -

Chicken Pic of the Day