Ooo, Rocks!

Last night I decided to bust out my stone boxes full of iolite, sunstone, and tourmaline.  The idea was to make more earrings, but that idea didn’t pan out.  I did end up going back to work on my “Rock on a Rope” collection.  This weekend, I hope to take photos and start listing them on Etsy.  I also need to calculate the prices too.  I’m hoping this will be a more affordable collection, because I want everyone from any walk of life to be able to purchase a stone that speaks to them.  This collection is also a way of introducing stones and their energy properties to the masses.  It’s also been a good way for me to freshen up on my stone studies.  I just happened to buy a stone book for my Kindle.  That’ll be more helpful than lugging around my favorite stone book everywhere.  I’ll have a baby to lug around in 2 months and a bit.  Yikes.  It’s scary how time flies.

From the left, prehnite, rough watermelon tourmaline, rose quartz, larimar, and pink tourmaline.

From the left, iolite, sunstone, iolite-sunstone waiting for their chainmaille bit and chain. ♥

Sporting my iolite and sunstone necklace with iolite-sunstone focal bead.  Of course, the focal bead is from my crazy pirate rock lady.  And I really don’t look pregnant from the chest up.  Hehehe.

Ooo Shiny!

Lots of new shiny things and new pictures.  I’ve been inspired to use my wedding china as a backdrop.  What else am I going to do with it if I don’t use it for entertaining?  Yeah, next dinner party, I may just bust it out…

So this is what happens when I have a Saturday to leisurely sit on my butt and “rest” while Jesse occupies himself with Diablo 3.  Someday, I will play video games again, but not until I replace my crappy computer.  But hey, it lets me do all the stuff I need to do online, so I’m not complaining.  Besides, one can only do so much “running around and killing things” before one’s butt gets tired of sitting.

This is my spring necklace… I love what I did with it.

Old fluorite necklace I revamped with this big @$$ focal bead.  It’s certainly a show stopper.  I should post it on Etsy, but that’s a task for another day.

Teeny tiny multicolor tourmaline beads on yellow gold filled.  I blame 2 things for the creation of this necklace… my friend who is obsessed with tourmaline and the fluorite necklace.  It took me all day and I tumbled it all night (yay for fan noise to block out the tumbler noise!).

With matching earrings, of course.  Well, I never make matching anything, so this is a big accomplishment.

Rose gold filled and sparkly sunstone.  Yum!

And a work in progress tourmaline necklace.  This is the lighter strand.  The darker strand is in sterling silver.

Playing Catch-Up

This week, I’ve been focusing on all the things I’ve been neglecting around the apartment.  Mostly the apartment in general.  I’ve had more energy this week entirely (must be getting enough sleep for once), so I’ve been tidying and putting stuff away.  Tonight I need to tackle the pile of skirts in front of my closet door.  I’m really enjoying the challenge of maternity fashion and the challenge of not looking frumpy and lazy.  As long as I have my basic t-shirts and tank tops that are long enough to cover my bump, I’ll be happy.  Oh, and of course, plenty of knit skirts with an elastic waistband.  Part of me feels its time to go through my closet and say goodbye to the cute summer dresses with plastic boning because 1) when will I get a chance to wear them again? and 2) I think it’s time to focus on more versatile pieces of clothing.  The knit dresses from last summer and prior are fine because they’re empire waisted, but the tight corset A-line dresses that don’t require a bra because they’re lightly padded need to go.  I’ll keep my 2 favorites and donate the rest.  It’s hard to let go, but I’m starting to realize I like more flowy fabrics and clothes are starting to become more of an investment than anything else.  It’s like the difference between fashion and style.

“Fashion is something so ugly, we have to change it every six months!” ~Oscar Wilde

I feel really good about the direction I’m going in with all these rocks. Sometimes I need to take a step back from the chainmaille and focus on other designs with chainmaille bits (not exclusively chainmaille). I may question it but I know better and just go with the flow of things. Exactly how I’m dealing with married life and being pregnant.  It’s a simple design, but oh so versatile. I can already imagine all the yummy sets I can make… Necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I’m not a matchy-matchy person so it’s hard for me to make sets. But when the concept is so simple and begs to be done, that’s hard to resist. But ideas are one thing and getting into production mode is the next challenge.  I’ve been wearing my Iolite-Sunstone necklace this week.  I was reading up on the three stones because there’s Iolite, Sunstone, and Iolite-Sunstone.  I adore this necklace because the focal stone is an Iolite-Sunstone followed by the iolite and sunstone to make the chain.  Hmm… no pictures that will do it justice.  Need to play with the camera soon.

Yay for Sunstone!

I finished the charm bracelet I started yesterday.  Wow, actually productive.  Very impressive.  I put it on and ever since I did, I decided to hang up some clothes, spend a few minutes tossing stuff off my dresser, etc.  I guess sunstone really does help de-stress and kick your butt into gear.  Perfect bracelet to say, “La la la”.

And after going through a ton of pajamas, my favorites still include the nightgown with the sheep.  You can catch a glimpse at the bottom of the picture.