The Pods in Progress

My lil pods continue to develop, their color has been added now the stamen is being put together, I couldn't stand it any longer I just had to polish them up and make them shiny , this was a hard decision to leave them matte or put a shine on them, the shine won. Oh well. now the stamens are a very pale pink druzy cabs , mine of course , free form sort a round set in high bezels don't know why but I thought this somehow fit the idea, I can not begin to tell you how long I have wanted to make these pods why who knows but time frame is forever they will be a part of my jewelry line, I can imagine all kinds of interesting things to do with them my mind is blazing with ideas, here is the latest photo's , I hope you have enjoyed coming along on this jewelry challenge with me, wait till you get  to see what we create in our next challenge , a lil hint its called the "Pink Cadillac" yeah for real interesting huh? So stay tune as we finish up this challenge hopefully tomorrow as it's my last day to cram for my math final and the last day to complete the challenge so it's work on the challenge take a break , study , take a break work on the challenge its going to be a long challenge, and then after my math test its on to the farm for a little R&R for a few days, got to get the blueberries ready for harvest time which is right around the corner, fresh blueberries my favorite. So check back in tomorrow as we finish up the challenge.  

In the middle of Finals

Oh yes I am in the middle of finals at college, yuck is all I can say for that . Lots of studying , don't know if the newbies who have joined know but a quick update, let's see divorce after a 31 year marriage, on my own for the first time except when I was 18 for a couple of months. I was a hairstylist for part of my life and several other things and tried to do styling again but after a stint with back issues and reoccuring hand issues it was a no go. So with little tools in my toolbox of life I have started back to college at 53 years of age to be independent and to be able to support myself. That about sums it up except for the fact I have two wonderful children both in their 30's , a son who is a kick butt tattoo artist and a daughter who has two degree's one in technical and just got her second one in Nursing, she is now a registered nurse I am so proud of my kids, also have three grandsons . So yes this was my first finals in 10 years whew I have forgotten alot,but that's okay. Just finished up my finals in computer now  I am doing one in math next week.
Now the other half of my life is jewelry artist, silversmith, lapadairy fiberartist, you name it. I love the art side of my life its the best part, Alot of you have followed me on this crazy journey I am on and I always welcome new people with open arms and yes please comment I love comments , love to hear from people.

As most of you know I belong to this fantastic team on etsy called the AspringArtists, they are the greatest of folks we share so much of our lives together. We had a challenge thrown out to all of us to set Druzy, I have never set a druzy so of course I was up for the challenge, now for awhile I have wanted to make this special design in a pair of earrings so I am inviting you along for design , construction and hopeful the great outcome of the earrings these are the step I have taken so far in the challenge , 

Still playing in the cabbing studio

     Today was a cabbing day, oh how I love those days, when I can just go into the zone and nothing else exists. My faithful dog babies hang with me in there while the breeze blows the leaves about for Bubba to give chase  which keeps him out of my rocks ( he like to carry them around in his mouth the nut, very dangerous some could harm him). Daisy just sits as good as gold never gets into anything oh how I love the quiet child, she is my treasure child. Today LULU which is what I call my cabbing machine she is old and tired but keeps on creating treasures with me especially now she has two new wheels to cut through rock with ,  anyhow she and I created some turquoise , drusy cobalto cabochons, hemimorphite druzy cabs, some beautiful BROWN moonstone which I love, weird considering brown is not a color I like to much . Although this is different I bought a couple of small slabs from a vendor at a show I went to. Little small slabs just to play with and some peach moonstone as well . These are fantastic I love them, they just glow and when you put them in the sunlight they have sparkle hidden deep in their depths like a special secret waiting for you to uncover, awesome wonderful pure delight. They were a stupendous find at the show.
     I really like turquoise its my favorite stone next to about a million other ones. lol I do actually sell cabs as well as jewelry in my sister shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/NancysCabochons. Oh by the way umm see if you see a lil sea monster in the Rocky Butte jasper , I umm well see one but my teamies didn't so maybe it s my imagination which is always in full gear, do you see anything be honest let me know I am so interested in seeing if anyone sees him besides me , I see his bug eyes , nose and arms and the lil fins on his shoulders, oh well maybe I am the only one he shows himself too.