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Archives for August 2018

Light and Citrine

August 27, 2018 ·

This morning I woke up, tossed on my favorite red dress (you know the one, it has the skirt that is layered and curved like rose petals), made myself a cup of chai tea, and by the time I glanced out the back windows towards the walnut trees the sun was already at its apex and scowling at me disapprovingly. “How can you fritter away indoors a day as glorious as this one?” he seemingly said.
How indeed!

This is the (near) beginning of a long-anticipated, week-long “staycation,” intended days filled with metalsmithing and outdoor rambles. (Did you know I work two other part-time jobs in addition to metalsmithing? About 36 hrs of my week are dedicated to non-smithing work. Ooph!)

But here I am in the early afternoon on the third day; an entire morning spent sketching out the upcoming honeybee and citrine collection. I have not relished one flower or tree, and I have not stepped foot in the studio.

I know that sketching and planning is an important part of this work, but today I want to swing hammers and chomp metal. As the morning ticked away, I could feel my body gradually leaning ever-more noticeably towards the studio as I sketched. Another hour of it and I would have been horizontal.

But I am particularly lamenting my lack of time out of doors. This week I had every intention of savoring each morning photon, especially those that travel through our beloved oak at the arboretum.  Did you know there is a word in Japanese for the light that filters through trees? It is called “komorebi.”

We need a word for that light in English too, don’t you think? Try as I might, “komorebi” does not fit comfortably in my mouth. It clunks around like rocks or coins, and I blush at how little justice I am doing that poor word.

Why on earth do we have the word “erinaceous” (which means “hedgehog-like,” in case you somehow didn’t already know) and not a word for that light that seemingly drips from leaf to leaf in search of the ground? There should most certainly be a word in English for those bands of light, because has there ever existed a person who has not marveled at it? I think not.

Rather than continue to be lectured by the sun already high in the sky, I have now taken my lateish lunch to my north-facing studio where he couldn’t watch me disapprovingly.

When we build a house I hope to create a studio with windows on three sides and a door through which I can step into our unruly back garden. I plan to bathe daily in 2 parts full, south-facing sunshine and 1 part komorebi.

And when you receive jewelry created in this dream studio, they will still be warm from all that light.

Filed In: In the Studio, Inspiration, Musings / Tagged: art, artisan, artist, artists, citrine, creative process, honeybee, inspiration, Jewelry, lifestyle, metalsmith, metalsmithing, moonspinner, nature

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Greens upon greens upon greens in the northern for Greens upon greens upon greens in the northern forests of Maine. 🌲🌿🌳
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#livefolk #staywild #quietinthewild #exploretocreate #countryliving  #folkgood #livesimple #optoutside #foundforaged #earthspirit #natureinspired #getoutside #forestlife #forestcore #wearewildness #intothewoods #seeksimplicity #hikenewengland  #appalachiantrail #hikingmaine #maine
Thank you to everyone who raised their hands on my Thank you to everyone who raised their hands on my call for how many of these necklaces to make. It is such a help! 

If you have a preference, do you prefer oval necklaces, or teardrop shaped ones? It's now time for me to choose from my gemstone collection. 

I think I will be able to make juuuust enough necklaces, though as always, everything will be first come first served.

Stay tuned for more previews!
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🌲 North Woods Collection: Date TBA 🌲

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#agate #mossagate #terrarium #forestcore #handmadejewelry #mainemade #madeinmaine #forestjewelry #gemstonejewelry #maineartist #artisanmade #artisanjewelry #mossagatenecklace #madewithlove
🌲 A call for ring sizes for the first design of 🌲 A call for ring sizes for the first design of my North Woods Collection! 🌲

Generous slices of moss agate, each unique and holding tiny forest-like worlds. Set atop an undulating bark edge base, textured and sawn to look like a tree slice. 

These also have a secret message inside the band.

I have about a dozen more of these in the making, all with wonderfully different gemstones. 

If this ring calls to you, let me know your ring size! They will still be first come first served, but I will try to make the most requested sizes. 
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#moss #mossterrarium #mossagate #agate #agatejewelry #gemstonejewelry #gemstones #terrarium #terrariumjewelry #mosslove #mainemade #madeinmaine #maineartist #forestcore #forestlovers
🌲🏔 We have begun hiking (in most cases “re 🌲🏔 We have begun hiking (in most cases “rehiking”) the Maine 4,000-fters with the goal of consciously ticking them off starting now. 

What a gift it is living in this area for the summer. Towering granite cliffs and each road a tiny corridor through endless green. 

It seems every moment my fella is dashing out the door to mountain bike or hike part of the AT or fly fish his favorite river or go running on the trails.

And I have been gathering up the entire valley in my arms, the one our cabin is nestled in, to spin it into a bold, rugged collection for you.

We been relishing all the clearwater, bluebird-sky moment of these north woods. (Despite those early summer black-flies.)

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#livefolk #staywild #quietinthewild  #countryliving  #theartofslowliving #folkgood #optoutside  #earthspirit #appalachiantrail #getoutside #forestlife #wearewildness #naturelove #intothewoods #seekthesimplicity  #wildandfree #natureisbeautiful #naturesbeauty #beautyinnature #mainelife
I am gathering up the forests of northern Maine an I am gathering up the forests of northern Maine and translating them into a big, earthy collection for you. I hope you will love it!🌲💫
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#moss #mossterrarium #mossagate #agate #agatejewelry #gemstonejewelry #gemstones #terrarium #terrariumjewelry #mosslove #mainemade #madeinmaine #maineartist
🌲 I have been soaking up so much chlorophyl, I 🌲 I have been soaking up so much chlorophyl, I must be nearly drunk on it by now! 

Being in this cabin near the Bigelow Preserve has been like a tremendous exhale. The first thing we did when we got here was to turn off the alarm clocks on our phones, and now summer stretches out like a yawn. I feel like I am 8 years old again with a summer vacation just beginning.

#moss #mossagate #naturelover #wildflowerseason #getoutsidemore #mosslove #mainelife #naturegram #beadedlily #lilygarden
My endless thanks to those of you who plucked some My endless thanks to those of you who plucked some amethyst earrings! About three dozen pairs were claimed, and are waiting to be packaged up. 💫
💫 Everything is in the Etsy shop, sweet friends 💫 Everything is in the Etsy shop, sweet friends! 💫

The easiest way to see everything, is to click the * Violet Linings section on the left in the Etsy shop! 

(Direct link to the shop is on my profile.)
Goodness how these earrings glow! For these summer Goodness how these earrings glow! For these summery earrings, I sawed a tiny window from the back of the sterling silver base so that the light comes pouring through while being worn. I hope you love them as much as I do!
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🔮 Violet Linings Earrings: TONIGHT at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop 🔮
💜 👾 Amethyst Vines and Stranger Things 👾💜
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Goodness how I love these earrings, I am wearing my pair as I write this. 

Light and long, they twirl with the wind and make the gentlest susurrus. These will all bloom in the shop in two days!

Until then I will be eating vegan peanut butter cookies and rewatching Stranger Things (currently on Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer) before we hop onto Season 4. Have you watched it yet? (No spoilers, please!) 

Also, I rather enjoy giving my posts chapter titles, a la Stranger Things.
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🔮 Violet Linings Earrings: Sunday, June 5th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop 🔮
“Morning Glories” by Mary Oliver Blue and dar “Morning Glories” by Mary Oliver

Blue and dark-blue
rose and deepest rose
white and pink they 

are everywhere in the diligent 
cornfield rising and swaying 
in their reliable

finery in the little
fling of their bodies their 
gear and tackle 

all caught up in the cornstalks. 
The reaper's story is the story 
of endless work of 

work careful and heavy but the 
reaper cannot 
separate them out there they 

are in the story of his life 
bright random useless
year after year 

taken with the serious tons 
weeds without value 
humorous beautiful weeds. 

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🔮 Violet Linings Earrings: Sunday, June 5th at 7pm EST in the Etsy Shop 🔮
We are fully ensconced in a cabin for the summer, We are fully ensconced in a cabin for the summer, tucked against the Bigelow preserve in northwestern Maine. 

Long verdant days tinged with birdsong, and crisp nights, full of stars and mountain wind. 

And coffee has never tasted so good.
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