new things

Hello! Today was a good day. Sometimes you have strings of good days, where jewelry almost strings itself, all the food you order is perfect and you run into old friends. We started off by getting brunch at the Rise and Shine Cafe, I ordered the blt and it was decadent, with avocado and thick slices of bacon. Then we climbed the stairs to see the new pastisserie Creme, I picked up the rosewater meringue (pictured above) and a couple bottles of local honey, poured into charming bottles. After that we headed to Green Life, our local fancy food grocery store and I bought the owl tote and two solid perfumes. In the parking lot we saw our friends Meg and Alisa and chatted with them about this and that. Meg is a well known photographer (she also did our wedding) and I asked her if she'd have time to shoot a portrait of me, for the back of my book. I tried a few times to get a good shot, but I think I'm just not photogenic! Well, we shall see what happens! I'm off to work again, happy and contented that I got out of the studio for awhile.

cacoon

Andrew made this necklace for me, using the lovely skull bead the talented Anne Choi sent as a gift. He used two star rubies, several faceted labradorites and a mysterious stone that looks like rutilated quartz, except the threads are deep red and blue. There are also a few herkimer diamonds thrown in for their properties in enhancing creativity.

I've been carrying this stone in my pocket since the lovely Nina Bagley gave it to me. I think its lucky.

I opened a package from Jean Yates, expecting her submission for the gallery and look what she put in for gifts! I felt mighty pleased with the ancient looking polymer box and sparkly earrings!

My baby loves a good milkshake and the ones served at the Asheville Pizza and Brewery are very good! She especially loves the game room that we usually eat in, thronged with kids and cartoons playing on the big screen.

Look how happy Greggy is to be back home with his family! He just arrived from Jacksonville, FL in time to go with us to the airport, to see Andrew off.

So I've been holed up in my studio with Andrew and Azalea, all of us working hard to get things done. The days have run into each other, so that I found myself surprised by the passing of time. It seemed like one long afternoon. The monotony of our routine was broken up by a visit from Nina Bagley, fellow artist and NC resident. I met her a long time ago at Art Fest and I think we traded goods and chatted about our mutual friends during one of the bon fire journaling evenings on the Sound, in Pt. Townsend. I recall that as being one of the best times I'd ever had, surrounded by all the artists and creativity! Anyway, Andrew and I fixed a feast, I made slow cooked beef brisket and Andrew cooked the parmesan polenta, strawberry and cream panncottas and the carmelized bacon, which was dang good. I could eat a lot of that business. We discussed all manner of interesting things, told funny stories and I showed her my studio, which I was nervous about. It looks as though we never leave it, beads everywhere, clay and paint at every station and loads of books piled by desks. I got over my embarrassment to show the jewelry for my book and refrained from making Nina look at my doll collection. Even I know that can creep folks out! So the day was passed with lots of laughter and eating and sifting through my beads. I really can't think of a better way to spend the day.

Andrew left yesterday and I've puttered around the house looking lost and disgruntled. He is such a useful and creative person! I found myself saying absently ' what do you think of this?' forgetting he wasn't in the chair opposite mine. Yep, pitiful. He knows it. So, we went out to eat at Azalea Cafe today, to have a bowl of the lobster bisque and squash soup. I felt a little better, but still unhappy my craft buddy is in NY. Yeah, I know that's selfish, but that's how it is. well, bacl to work!

Look at this tiny monocular from optics planet! Its really good for spotting birds and has a close up range of 13 inches and magnifies 7 times. Its not super powerful, but its a useful pocket scope, for folks who like to look at everything closely. like me.
I just got this pretty little sake set from Korin. We are using it for strawberry white tea and some snacks, but imagine it with asian pear sake and sea weed salad. Love the tumbled sea glass look.
Yessir, I got another Ellowyne! When will the madness stop? It won't. I'm a doll junky and this one wears wigs. I ordered a bunch of wigs and shoes. Hmmm, I love wigs and shoes. Perhaps I'm living vicariously through my dolls, watching them lounge around in expensive gowns and jewel-like stilettos, with absolutely no responsibilities. I should be jealous, but I'm not. Its love. I can't help it. Greggy is so nice, letting me order three dolls because I couldn't go to Tucson. Talk about retail therapy.

Greggy and Andrew arrive home tomorrow after being gone for two weeks! It seems like months! Azalea and I will be pleased, it'll be nice to have someone else to talk to. I can't wait. I've been working on jewelry, but not much since the little one needs me to do my job of procuring interesting snacks and playing dolls. We have staged hundreds of weddings, why that girl is so into them, I will never know. Sigh. To break up the monotony of my studio, we went to the playground a lot and went to see a couple of movies.

Coraline is freakin' amazing! Go see it. I listened to a recording read by the author, Neil Gaiman, (my all time favorite). The book is strange and creepy, good for small children like my bean. The movie is just as good, better because every doll and prop, is completely handmade. Its also a stop animation. Yet another reason to see it. My girl nearly lost her mind she loved it so much. Ok, people, more updates on the book coming soon!

Hey everybody! Look what Azalea and I did, we set up Pansy (Azalea named her) for a photo shoot, displaying a necklace that I made. Andrew made me the pearl one. We arranged the food we made awhile back, so it looked more like something we'd enjoy. You know, feasting. Anyway, back to work on that book!