Yes I adore this climate... most of the time. But when the thermometer hits 100+ degrees, it's time to regroup. Not only is it REALLY HOT, but we need to be cautious and take care of our skin. Being outdoors in extreme heat is good only in small spurts. Here are a few of my favorite things to do during our summer months. Take a hike. Literally. We have dozens of trails … [Read more...]
Jewelry Clasps; the bigger the better!
Ever since I can remember (long before I started designing jewelry) I have been frustrated by the tiny clasps on jewelry. Seriously, how are we supposed to get these hooked? Especially since they are on the back of our neck. I used to move the mechanism to the front and look in a mirror. Not an ideal situation.. and sometimes this does not work. Even having a spouse or … [Read more...]
Arizona… and jewelry LOVE
Yes I love Arizona almost as much as I love to design jewelry. I moved to this awe inspiring state almost 30 years ago. I haven't regretted it for even one moment. Yes we have the scorching hot weather in the summer. Yet the trade off is NO MORE SNOW AND ICE! Plus if I decide to escape the heat, we are only 3 hours from Flagstaff (which does get snow in the winter) and only an … [Read more...]
The Color BLUE; Calming and Stabilizing
When you put on a certain color in the morning... does it make you feel energetic? empowered? calm? Do you tend to gravitate towards certain colors in your home and wardrobe? How about the jewelry you wear? are you attracted to certain gemstones and colors? Blue is one of my favorite colors! It is associated with open spaces... like the sky and the ocean. Furthermore blue is a … [Read more...]
Confessions of a Jewelry Soldering Junkie
Yes, it's true. I love to solder. Next to hammering it is my favorite jewelry technique. Of course it was not always so. I have destroyed many a piece of silver during my early days. Life has gotten much easier since I have broken the code on this process though. Here's a piece that was one of my first soldering jobs. Not only did this take about 10 times longer that it … [Read more...]