New Beads

To be listed soon in my Etsy bead shop...

Turquoise cabs, 8mm

Faceted smoky quartz cabs, 5mm

Faceted rose quartz cabs, 5mm

Faceted prehnite cabs, 11mm (also got some in 9mm, same shape)

Rainbow moonstone cabs, 12mm

Melanite garnet cabs, 10mm

Crystal cabs, 13mm

Faceted amethyst cabs, 10mm

New Work

Fair trade teal sapphire (5mm), recycled 14k gold, and recycled sterling silver ring

I'll be listing this one soon in my Etsy shop. :-)

Chicken Pic of the Day

Chuck Norris, the Patriarch

My gift to you - post-holiday bargains.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday. After the dust settles, if you find yourself flush with holiday cash, be sure to check out these brand-new markdowns in my Etsy shop!

Cookies!

I didn't get too crazy with holiday baking this year, but I made a few things. I posted links and info yesterday for the ginger-lime cookies, Gene's holiday cookies, and peanut butter topped fudge. Here's the super-easy recipe for the no-cook mint meltaways (front and center in the photo above).

3 ounces Tofutti Better-Than-Cream-Cheese
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
4 cups powdered sugar (or perhaps a bit more to achieve proper consistency)
granulated sugar

Using a stand mixer or hand blender, cream together the cream cheese, mint extract, and food coloring. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until mixture becomes fairly stiff but still workable. Form small balls, flatten slightly, and roll in granulated sugar. Place on wax paper sprinkled with more granulated sugar. If you want, you can press the tops flatter with a fork. Refrigerate mints in a tightly covered container until ready to serve.

Turkey Pic of the Day

Holiday Sweets - Fudge Variation

Last December I posted my foolproof vegan fudge recipe. This year I tried a different fudge recipe, was disappointed by said fudge recipe, and ended up making my original recipe today to make up for it. I felt like doing something a little different, so I whipped up a simple creamy peanut butter topping. If you'd like to try it, just prepare the basic fudge as directed in the link above, set it aside (no need to chill it quite yet), and melt 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons soymilk on the stove (stirring constantly) until completely combined. Then pour the peanut butter mixture over the fudge, smooth it out, and chill. I'll try to get a photo in the morning to post.

Also on my holiday sweets plates this year... mint meltaways, ginger lime cookies, and Gene's holiday cookies. What are you baking this year?

Duck Pic of the Day

Polly Wolly Doodle

Chicken Pics of the Day

Marji

Abby

Another new one...

Fair trade aquamarine & recycled sterling silver engagement ring
{ custom order; sold }

More New Stuff

Turquoise & recycled sterling silver ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

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

California green tourmaline & recycled sterling silver ring
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

rear view of the same ring

Holley chalcedony & recycled sterling silver pendant
{ custom order; sold }

Another new ring

It's not the greatest picture, but here's a 7mm wide oxidized sterling silver and 14k gold wedding band I finished today.

Turkey Neck

New Work

5mm square moissanite on 6mm band of layered recycled sterling silver and recycled 14k gold

Vote for Meeeeeee!

Hey! I got included in an Etsy Storque Contest for 'Best Sparkly Jewelry'! If you want to, you can vote for my Moissanite wedding ring. There are some other really amazing things included in the collection; it's an honor to have one of my pieces included. :-)

New Beads

These just in... to be listed soon in my Etsy bead shop.

Amethyst cabochons, 17-18mm

Whiskey quartz briolette drops, 9-11mm

Tourmaline beads, 3mm

Tourmaline briolette drops, 8-9mm

Rutilated quartz beads, 4.5-5.5mm

Rainbow moonstone 'kite' briolettes, 12-14mm

Labradorite heishi beads, 4mm

Faceted iolite beads, 6-8mm

Garnet beads, 4-5mm

Citrine briolettes, 9-11mm

Stormy Skies

I have been waiting for a couple of days for a break in the weather so I could photograph some new beads and jewelry (to be posted soon) - it's been so dark and dreary outside, which makes photography tough. Anyways, I finally saw a bit of sun peeking through the clouds today, so I was able to take my pictures. I froze my butt off out there - we're having a major cold spell here, at least by California standards - and by the time I was finished with my pictures, the sky was looking more and more ominous...


And within a few minutes of finishing my photo shoot, it began to hail. HARD. Carlos had fun watching the ice come down.


The chickens and turkeys were all huddled up against our front door under the porch overhang, but the ducks didn't seem bothered at all - in fact, they had a nice little swim.


The chickens enjoyed eating the little bits of hail after the downpour ended.

Carlos and his buddies

We have struggled on and off with convincing Carlos to be nice to the dogs. Sometimes he's great with them but other times he wants to hit or squeeze them, which is obviously unpleasant for the dogs and dangerous for Carlos. I think he may be starting to get it though - here are some pictures I took yesterday when he was being very nice to them (and getting lots of praise, of course).

See that devilish little look on his face?

Okay, so I know these next ones are blurry, but somehow I think they seem to capture the essence of Carlos best. :-)

Turkey Pic of the Day

Turkey Pic of the Day

New Stuff

Variscite and recycled sterling silver ring, size 9

Faceted turquoise, recycled 14k gold, and recycled sterling silver ring, size 7.5

Prehnite, recycled 14k gold, and recycled sterling silver cufflinks