surprised me!  Thank you Interweave Press and the editors at Stringing for including my necklace on the cover of the Fall issue.  What an honor!  The piece is titled Migration and I made it long before I decided to move home from China.  Makes me wonder…  Do you ever make something and it goes together really smoothly?  This was one of those pieces—granted I'd been thinking about it long before I ever picked up the pliers and beads.  Definitely like to let the soup simmer before I dig in with the spoon.  This was the first time submitting to Stringing, so being on the cover is just ultra sweet…or should I say "tweet."  (corny.  I know.  very corny.)

Stringing out Oct. 7th in newsstands…

New Vintage findings at Bead Trust!  Check it out, here.

Life has thrown a curve ball this past week.  I wish I could tell you everyone is fine, no worries, everything will be back to normal tomorrow, but it won't.  I'm using all my brain power to send good healing thoughts and helping where I can.  Thank God I'm home for all this and not on the opposite side of the planet.  Now we just have to wait…which feels like forever.

I was just on the Apartment Therapy site and found some jewelry love that I had to share:

Necklace for your tree! If only I had a yard….  Check out the skinny here.  It triggered a memory of that SNL skit where Christopher Walken (who I adore) was afraid of plants and glued googly eyes to each one in his green house.  Kind of hard to explain, but you can imagine.

In other news, the review of my book projects was today so I've pretty much been going through the day with that in the back of my mind.  A long to-do list tonight, and Rock giving me the stink eye because he wants to go outside, so I gotta run.  Though he looks innocent and petite, he is demanding and he always wins! 

I forgot how much I love the song "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" by Digable Planets. Thank you Eilts family for reminding me about that one.  Have any song recommendations?  My iPod needs a boost.  Help!  I like anything… 

I hate going this long in between blog posts so the first thing I wanted to say is sorry.  The days are absolutely flying by between work, talking to Butch, and catching up with everyone in my small little town where I grew up.  It has been a warm welcome that I'm constantly overwhelmed by.  Just five or so weeks ago I was a gal shuffling through town with 9 million other people and now there are about 12,000 of us….of which I think I know 9,000 or so it feels.  Rock and I have walked all over this town with cars honking horns and waves and funny things being yelled at us….constantly being asked if we need a ride somewhere.  So funny.  Making lots of new friends too and pretty much loving every second of it.   

I came across this picture of some felt rings I made before I left for China.  They were a simpler version of these topiary rings that were in the International Feltmakers exhibit, On the Map that toured Europe.

When I look at these, I see so many more things I could've done to them.  It's amazing how we grow on the inside—TG.  I'd think life might get pretty dull if we didn't.  My jewelry is still playful, but in different ways I think.  It's something I've been thinking about—our path and our work.  If we revisit the same path with a few more life experiences, how will it look?  A little slower, more thought out, more confident?  These past few weeks have been mind boggling, lots of self discoveries that take up a lot of thinking time…I know you've all been there and I appreciate you hanging on for the ride.  Thank you for all the emails, comments and support. 

Walnut Hollow has some insanely good deals on their website right now! Check it out!