You Can Go Home Again

2018 UPDATE:
Hello friends,
By now you may have noticed that it has been quite some time since I have added a fresh post to my blog.  Apologies.  Time seems to fly by.  My schedule hasn't allowed me to continue to do the type of lengthy blog posts I enjoy, so I am concentrating my efforts elsewhere.
If you would like to keep up with me and my new work, please join me on Instagram.  Or you can be notified directly about new work by signing up here;

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There are also links to my website, both of my shops, my Instagram and my Pinterest on the right sidebar of this blog.
Of course, my blog archives are still accessible.

My most sincere thanks and gratitude to all of you who have accompanied me on my blogging journey these recent years.  I have thoroughly enjoyed our interactions and your witty, kind, insightful and helpful comments.  Getting to know this community of inspiring and mutually supportive people has been a delight.  I hope to continue connecting with you in the future.

Till then...be well friends!
            ~~~~~~~

And it's amazing when your home state is Colorado!


I forget how incredibly beautiful it is when I'm away for awhile.  Growing up there, I thought it was "normal" to have vast varieties of natural wonder and  beauty wherever you look.

I thought it was "normal" to have dinosaur footprints on the side of the mountain right beside  the road that my Dad and I frequently traveled.  Being the epitome of mellow, he would just say "there's the dinosaur tracks" and point.  No big deal.  So it seemed really weird to see people sprawled on the steep cliff right next to the road examining the tracks up close. (sadly that road is now closed and you have to pay to see the tracks.  Sigh)

I didn't know then, that almost daily clear crisp blue skies are a gift.  I thought everyone had that.  It wasn't until I grew up and moved away that I realized that what had always been my normal, was actually quite exquisite.  Now after having lived all over this country, I fully appreciate the uniqueness of Colorado.

Hope the natural beauty of the place fills you with the same wonder that it still does for me.

This was a fast trip up and back but family and friends always make sure it's a pure delight.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from our recent trip...

This picture above is my friend Kathy's studio (the friend formerly known as my "imaginary friend Kathy" for you long timers here).  Can you imagine?!  What a breathtaking setting for her to do her wonderful lapidary work and create her fabulous jewelry in.

Here at our house in Texas, we rejoice when we see our single pair of hummingbirds each summer.  In Colorado the squadrons of hummers fly in formation.....

Oh, here's just a few wildflowers alongside the road.

And this my friends, is an ornamental lawn deer,
Colorado style.....

How cool is that?!

The animatronic type of yard art that moves and eats!

You know, for that sense of realism.

This was a first for me....

A zonkey!

A really friendly adorable zonkey and his equally friendly horse mate.

Everywhere you look, there's something fascinating!

See her there?

So lush.
The sound of a mountain stream is always
a welcome treat.

Fascinating root pattern against the dark earth.

Why yes, that is George Washington's profile in the rock wall.

A little bit more about that in a minute....

Even the storms brewing in the sky are enchanting.

Solitude

The geologic process that created this wall of rock was explained to us

in perfectly understandable terms.

I would be happy to share it with you

 if I could only remember the particulars.

It involved a volcano, erosion and ??

Sure is interesting though, eh?

There were some places that the wall went on for miles.

Literally.
And had famous faces in it.

I believe that it has been recently determined, scientifically,

that an Aspen grove is a single tree.
Yeah, I know, I could look it up to be sure.
Let's just say that that's right, ok?

How do you like this Aspen tree?

Which will be a flaming blaze of Autumn color very soon.

There's not much prettier than Aspens in fall against that blue sky.
Or to be more precise-
An Aspen.  The Aspen.
Whatever. 

OK now,

are you all sitting down?

You might want to.

Because this next picture is 

EPIC!

Mr. Wonderful has finally agreed to make his debut on my blog.

I know!

This is a day I thought would never come.

Of course, you can't see him, but still.

Progress!

Mr. Wonderful knocking on Heavens door.


Somehow this next picture seems somewhat inappropriate right after the second most interesting man in the world finally shows up to say hello.
Though since he did show his backside to you, maybe it's the most appropriate photo I could share here.

Um, yes, it's exactly what it looks like.

BWAHAHAHAHA.

Stupid me!  I always backpacked in and backpacked out.

Never once have I camped where there were actual facilities of any kind.

How did I miss this random luxury in the woods?

Let's call this

"Double seater With a View"

shall we?

Keep your eye out for it if you're camping here....

They aren't named the Rocky Mountains for nothing.

Of course I had to bring home a couple of rocks...

Kathy's husband Steve is ALWAYS the first one to find the goods.

We were all looking, but he found the leaf fossil plates.

Wow!

This texture!

Texture AND color!

This is such a great find!

A really interesting something....

Anyone have any ideas what this is?

Fossilized mud?

Turtle shell?

?????

Moqui marbles!

In Colorado?!

Who knew?

Fascinating coloration inside this broken Moqui marble.

It's good to remember to look up

because there are just as many treasures to enjoy in the Colorado sky

 as are found on the ground.

Stunning!

We do have some pretty nice rainbows and sunsets here in Texas as well...
Like these....

The sunset reflecting off of this rainbow was gorgeous.
Not real distinct but really pretty.

Somehow the housetops below just don't convey the 

same sense of majesty that the 

mountain range does.

The sky below looks like an impressionist painting to me...

Hope you enjoyed these glimpses of
beautiful Colorado
and these few shots of
our Texas skies.

Proof that yes,
regardless of that
 famous saying,
you can in fact, 

go home again!

I have had a rough time getting back into my normal routine of making, taking photos, editing photos, listing, rinse repeat, etc. after this trip.  We weren't gone long at all, but apparently long enough for me to enjoy not working.   This was the first time I've ever put my shops on vacation mode.  Must admit, it was a wonderful break!
I'm still having a hard time getting everything listed that I have all ready to go.  Even the photos are edited and measurements are done!  Everything is ready to go for listing 3 necklaces and 11 pairs of earrings!  Hmmmm, maybe this means I need another vacation?  Eh?  Eh?

```````*```````

No?
Ok, if you insist.

On to being a productive member of society.....

Here's what I've been working on since my last post....

These earring displays are all sold.  

I really enjoyed making these so I'll be working on a few more.  

I made myself one for use as a photo prop and I love it!

Flame Birds

Petals in Love Letters

Climbing Red Roses

Twilight Sky

       The Alien Bloom

Autumn Splendor

Morocco

First Snowfall

Fragments of Antiquities

Jubilation Dance

Fragments of Antiquities

The Hoard

Glacier Blue

A Romantic Mystery textile assemblage bracelet.

A sense of Victorian luxury in Sepia tone.

Apologies if I already shared the finished bracelet.

I know I've shared W.I.P. shots.

Wrap bracelet with raku, amethyst crystals, vintage beads, phrenite,
stamped bird bands and chainmaille.

Corene's Treasure

                               Sherbet Under the Sun




















Spots and Dots



                                                                                             


I'm still playing with variations of my "Turkoman Goes Modern" series....

Abandoned

Rainforest

                                             Insect



And of course there must be artisan ceramics.....

Cherry Blossoms at Midnight

and torch fired enamels with lampwork...

Confetti

Ancient style Raku assemblage earrings

Similar design with a bit more texture and layering going on.

The Dark Twins

oh how I hope Petra has more of these beauties in her "to do" queue.

The Black Star

                                  Concert in the Park

Marie Antoinette's Treasure

                                       White Doves






















Blue Birds



                                                                                                                                                                                       




                          Care to Dance Masquerade

Night Comet

A few more Turkoman Goes Modern variations.....





                                  Autumn Ablaze





















Autumn Leaves  (think of those Aspens, er that Aspen against the blue Colorado sky)






                                                                                 





                                 Warm Hearth

Golden Lady

Carnival

Ruby nuggets, aquamarine beads and a beautifully monogrammed

vintage coin purse necklace

with a striking deep blue lining.

There's also a wee leather envelope tucked inside to safeguard

 your sweet love notes or tiny treasures....

Another purse necklace with a beautiful mesh purse.

It has the faintest hints of lilac and saffron coloring remaining.

With a really wonderful clasped hand closure to add a bit of modern flair.

I made another chatelaine necklace

mixing old and new,

rustic and refined....

A wee filigree purse, a souvenir pocket knife from France, 

a European book locket and retractable working pencil.

Titanium coated agate and a wonderful toggle clasp from Jill Stoffregen to give it 

the right amount of organic earthiness. 

A vintage owl matchsafe with sparkling rhinestone eyes

paired with clasped hands and a 

great chunky chain.

The matchsafe opens by tilting the owls head back.

Mixed metal with Raku and faceted ruby in zoisite

               Verdigris and Charoite stacked towers

I've finished up another of the diorama necklaces from the series I

started working on a few years ago.

This one has a romantic theme.

You notice how I have a dozen different projects going at any given time?

This way, surely something will strike my fancy if I'm not feeling particularly inspired.

Like after returning home from a too short vacation.

Here's the back.

This necklace is entitled

"Beautiful Night"

for obvious reasons.

Here's the inside...

Complete with sand between your toes.

Nesting Birds

The Glance

Guess he can gauge her mood by whether she is 

glancing towards him or away.

Smoky Mist

And The Words Came Tumbling Out

Swirling Waters

Invasion of the Sea Creatures

Because of the spiny oyster shells of course!

Drops of Fire

Decaying Leaves

Gallantry

\

Here's a shot of the earring display I kept.  I also have a few more of the
minimalist bangles with the vintage focal links finished.

If you would rather make your own bracelet or pendants with these links,

 I have a large assortment of them listed in the

 Attic shop

These Monogram "S" links are new to the shop.  

They have a cool feather design and stars etched along the "S".




I also now have more swan links available!

Well that's it!  A little bit of travel, a little bit of work.  

No scary spider or snake pictures (sorry about that Helen). But hey, there was a zonkey! 

Hope you enjoyed the post.

Thanks for stopping by!

Till next time,

make some time to chill with your best buds, like these guys...

ENJOY! 

and be well

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