New keepsakes!

“Many people will walk in and out of your life but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

I've been playing with ideas for keepsakes people can add their keepsake to themselves, so they don't have to ship their keepsakes to me. I came up with these!

These are cremains I did for a friend. I really like that people can add their keepsakes, making it a bit simpler and possibly a bit of a fond moment for them.

Here's the first one I've listed on Etsy. Spring Hill, it's got some great colors in it!

Deuce days

“Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.”

James Michener

I've been trying to incorporate stones into my sinner rings. I've done two different styles and the profile is just too high. Maybe the third go will be wearable?

Today we spent the entire day at the Deuce Days car show in downtown Victoria. What an amazing show! I'll admit I am not a huge fan of car shows, all the car talk is way over my head and man can those guys talk for hours!

But this was amazing, over 925 cars!

We took our little truck done up cowboy style of course!

I saw my dream paint job for my car, this had a rich purple base (metallic) with a pinkish purple scallop on it. I'd add some cool purple and pink pin stripes!

We saw an adorable family of ducks at lunch. 6 babies all puddling around in a small pond by a restaurant, the babies would swim within a foot of people now worried at all.

All in all a great day! I got way too much sun even with a hat on. Not burnt just really tired.

One of those days

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”

Jawaharlal Nehru

I had the most amazing day. I was plugging away at a couple spinner ring ideas, one didn't pan out the stones sit way too high. The rest all turned out pretty cool. Pictures to come tomorrow.

I've gotten into a bit of a routine, while working in the studio I can putter in the garden between projects, water plants, listen to the pond and just enjoy.

Today was such a nice day I decided to take my comfy papasan chair out into the garden and file and sand my rings out there. Who joined me but a bunch of barn swallow babies learning to fly! I love the barn swallows, the twittering and flitting about makes me smile. The babies would all line up on the electrical line and wait for Mom to fly off, then they'd follow. This went on for about a 1/2 an hour, then the wind picked up and I assume they all went back to their nests.

What a great way to work!

Gorgeous day!

“No person ever ended his eyesight by looking on the bright side.”

Zig Ziglar

I thought I'd share my fourth acrylic painting with you today. I did a still life I painted over, a snow scene I still have but am not happy with, a landscape I painted over, then this painting.

I have to say I love everything about it, well maybe it's too shinny a finish but the rest I love. I've been drawn to the Northern Lights ever since I first saw them in Quesnel years ago. In fact a Alaska trip is in my "too do" book just to see them closer.

I also thought I should take a better picture of my wind chimes, pretty aren't they? There's a wonderful bone, or shell hanging off the bottom that makes the most soothing noise.

I made some window hangers I've been wanting to do for a while. The idea is not mine, it's Diane Woodalls' niece but she hasn't had any in her shop for ages so I tried it. Very fiddly, and not as nice as hers but I'm pretty happy with them.

And last but by no means least a new spinner ring. I'm really enjoying making these. I have one in the tumbler I'll do a happy dance over if it turns out!

Todays jobs

The flooring in the studio was driving me a bit nuts. There had been a small section tore up when they repaired a leak the building had before we bought it. They made a bit of a mess, I was trying to figure out how to tackle it when I saw some anti fatigue mats you can cut to size. I think it turned out pretty good!

I found a wonderful ceramic wind chime today that I thought would look wonderful by the front door. Then when I got home and looked at the wind sailing around still I decided hanging it inside may be a better idea. It's got lots of nice purples and blues in it.

Yesterday my husband cleaned up my smaller anvil, I love the texture the surface of it has gotten over the years. I didn't want it re surfaced, I have another anvil I get re surfaced to a perfect flat finish. He buffed it with his brass wheel and it cleaned right up!

I've got some discounted spinner rings in my etsy! Take advantage of it if you like copper rings!

Windy day

Got lots done today despite what are gale force winds out there! My husband got the work bench in place and got it lifted up 6 inches with the addition of some rail road ties underneath so it's perfect waist height!

He also made me a greta little holder for my ring mandrel! I can slide it in the slot and hammer on it! I stole the idea from Marion and Vicky of M&D Designs (where I will be teaching this Sept). They had one and I had to copy it, it's so cool!

I also played with copper plating, which wound up being what I think is an epic fail! BUT someone else may not think so, so Ill have some discounted spinner rings in my etsy this week!

Happy Heart

“The happy heart runs with the river, floats on the air, lifts to the music, soars with the eagle, hopes with the prayer.”

Maya Angelou

I've got a happy heart! I've found my morning routine is walking out the the garden, smiling, because the coolest studio EVER sits out there! Then continuing on to pick some raspberries for breakfast. Does it get any better than that?

The heat seems to be hanging around here, yesterday we got the sprinklers set up for the horses. It seems every year we do this they forget that they stood in them last year. Then run off, and look at them sideways when we first turn them on. Within the week they'll be standing under them again.