Things that make me smile

This past week has been a tough one for me. I had the distinct non-pleasure of getting a virus on top of the seasonal asthma I get at this time of year, precisely while I am getting ready for 3 events. But you know, I was thinking, while I was having my own little pity party, what makes me happy? What makes me smile? Well, top of that list is all of you out there who've stopped by to wish me well. And there are some pretty spectacular pieces of jewelry that I've had such a thrill to see over the past little while. Too many in fact for just one blog post. So I thought this is just the time to do a little series of these wonders in no particular order.
Judy, at Judith B Designs, recently posted photos of pieces she made using some of my components. I must say that I was completely gob smacked when I saw this necklace. Judy used a cornucopia of pearls, smoky quartz, and lapis to make this piece and topped it off with a vintage rhinestone drop. Stunning!

Judy incorporates pieces of vintage jewelry in many pieces of her work. I often think how much fun it would be to prowl the antique shops and flea markets with her.

Next up she used my bronze dragonfly charm paired with a bead and dropped off a leather cord. Complete simplicity and perfectly balanced. The dragonfly I make is inspired from memories of the images I saw during my years in the Asia Pacific. This necklace wholley embraces my feeling of that particular aesthetic. Makes me happy :-)

And this is the peep hole of my large kiln, about 15 minutes ago. I love the glow of the heat when the kiln when it is just about to temperature. The kiln is off now, the smaller kiln is on. This is the last 2 firings of the pots for the upcoming events. This is the last of my 12 hour studio days. That makes me very happy!