New Charm Masters

These are new pieces, some still waiting to have the final finishing touches added to them, that need to be cast. Looks like this next year I will have a jump on new charm designs. All the masters are made in copper and then cast into sterling or white bronze. White bronze has been an interesting material to work with; very similar to silver yet it has a slight yellowish cast to it that reminds me of old ethiopian coin silver. I also like red bronze but do not have much finished work in it yet. Other new pieces not pictured here that are mailing to the caster tomorrow. I should have new designs finished for both Tucson and lots more for Bead & Button in June.

Something to Crow About

... or is it my time to be an old crow? A picture from my birthday party.

These are two shots of our Christmas tree just put up tonight by Jacob and me. We had a technical difficulty at first in that our trusted tree stand leaked like a sieve so we had to dash and get the LAST ONE IN PORT TOWNSEND this afternoon. After a challenging switch, I think we have one of the prettiest trees ever! I was also amazed that the tree cost so much less this year. Must be due to the economy and tree farmers thinking people would not buy one this year.

This year at Christmas I am also remembering my mom and still missing her very much. I just wish I could hear her voice one more time and ask her the things that a daughter asks of a mother. Once again I would listen to her and wish that she would never leave and let me alone be the adult.

There is also the lightest dusting of snow on our porch right now, like sugar on a cookie. Perfect for tree decorating time!

School Christmas Performance

It was a wonderful Christmas event at Jacob's school last night. A potluck followed by a puppet show and the singing of Christmas carols. It was well attended, too with parents and a few grandparents. At Christmas, I think of how it would be nice to have family nearby. The icy cold evening with a clear and starry sky passed quickly in a rollicking good time!


The entire school puppet gang in a performance they wrote themselves. It was actually well performed and funny! Those clever kids!




The mustached puppet is Jacob and he is wearing a shirt and tie!





Jacob's classmates singing Feliz Navidad and shaking their moroccos at last night's school play. Jacob is the tallest kid in school! I was really getting into the singing and rocking out and after the performance one of the other boys said to Jacob, " Is your mom always like that? " Jacob says, " yeah and she sings all the time, too. " I just can't get enough of embarrassing him! HAHA!

New silk cords, handmade and dyed on the San Juan Islands, have arrived in a beautiful array of colors. After I had them tied onto their special hangers, and laid upon a table in the studio; I realized they were a work of art in themselves! A lovely, slightly abstract assemblage.

By the way it is 20 degrees right now in PT. It is 16 degrees below normal! Brrrr... Good night all.....




I meant to post this picture a couple of weeks ago but just never got around to doing it. I am at a loss to explain where all my hours in a day disappear to! Anyhow, this is our quiet family Thanksgiving dinner, just the three of us. A more relaxing and peaceful day would be hard to come by. Phil cooked an amazing and comforting dinner of the usual T-Day foods.

This is our customer Elaine and the beautiful necklace she created in peyote stitch. Elaine has been doing beadwork for sometime and shares her love of beads through teaching her friends and neighbors. Elaine once told me how she uses money won in bingo games to buy her beads! If I ever write a book of stories about my customers; I'll be sure to include her story.

The child in me loves the snow, hopes for it, wishes against all reality that it will snow but that adult in me; knows that it is bad for business and wishes that the snow tires were on the Subaru. The beauty of a winter's night astounds me in all its silent falling snow.




The first quiet snow of winter 2009 arrives and quickly turns night into a soft white with Christmas lights glowing against the deck rails.