Just to See You Smile...

...I am sharing our monorail cat with you...

It was gloriously sunny and warm today and although I was at the hotel working it's good to see others home enjoying mother natures gift!

Extra Special Orders...and such

I've been claiming that I have been slow on the blog uptake due to the load of work (the dreaded FTG) and "Special Orders". Well it is time for me to confess: you see I really have had special orders, promise. (I'd cross my fingers but my typing would suffer and never mind using a torch!) Yesterday I finished a pair of earrings for Sneaky Anne who perused my Sold Items and found something she liked, hence Anne's Special was created.

One of my special Farmers Market clients requested a necklace to match a pair of earrings that she bought from me months ago but the best Special Order was for myself...meet

"Doll Face"

This ring is a collaboration between Krystal O. and myself. I met Krystal at a holiday event we both participated in together, when I saw this face I knew exactly what I wanted to create. Krystal and her partner "Gutter Jim" run a shop named Zombie Head on Etsy. Now, while Krystal's pieces are a bit outside of the mainstream (that is, after all, her goal) her talents are screaming obvious. I made this ring yesterday and wore it while I was out running errands today, I got a ton of compliments on it...I love this piece thanks Krystal! I will be ordering more of these faces. Keep an eye out in the shop for them.

On the home front our "cold" weather seems to have passed for now, we're out of the 20's, finally! Today was back up in the 60's and gloriously bright. I walked to our little Minneola Post Office in shorts! The banana tree looks like it has gone through hell and back but I've been told to just leave it alone, it will be green again soon...I hope so it looks pathetic! For my closing piece I would like share my little corner of the sky with you. We tell people all the time that we live in "The Hills of Florida" then we are met with the strangest looks. Well here was this evening's sunset in my world.

The roof line on the lower left is our humble abode. This photo was taken in my own backyard which I think is almost a 45 degree angle! The valley, which is our community, sprawls out below and the main road is a mile back up the hill!

See, I told you so!

What the Heck?!

Can someone please tell me where January went?

Last time I posted here the house was filled with family warmth and the cats were playing hockey with ornaments off the bottom of the Christmas tree in the living room.

It's now about 40 degrees (down below freezing tomorrow...big new for us!)

and the FTG (Full Time Gig) is nuts.

'Tis the season for both hubby and I at work.

I did make sure not to miss out on the first gem show of the season and spent way too much on many luscious beads and cabochons. Here are a bit of the results:

Since I got my torch for Christmas I have been able to turn out Silver Lining work a bit quicker and cleaner......but it's the time factor that is getting me.

Okay I'll also admit that I have set a goal to be on the Wii Fit for an hour a day also!

Come on it's really fun especially when Jeff is here. And it's good for me too!

On my birthday Jeff and I went to the jewelry supply house where he bought my tank and torch and I bought myself a rolling mill. I have yet to use it but y'all will be the first ones to see the results when I do, promise.

For those of you that have been keeping an eye out for this I really am sorry I have been so slow to update, I am really working on my time management. So with that said I am off to "Special Order" land to get my last two jobs completed so I can begin building inventory and creating with all those special stones I've been gathering!

Ta-ta for now!