Another busy week

It started off nice and easy, a Dr's appt here, fishing on the boat there.  Here's a rainbow that we saw before we took the boat out.  No rain, just rainbow.  Gorgeous.

 Isn't this the funniest looking fish?  We were stumped as to what it actually was.  We've gotten lots of suggestions; lizard fish, Fred, and the moon worm from Star Wars!



Then it all seemed to be gone in a moment.  Time, I mean.

I worked on my detailed jewelry project most of the week and finally finished it on Thursday afternoon.

Friday, TDH and I went back to Arcadia to do more Fossil hunting.  The weather was great, but it must have rained more often in the interior of FL than on the coast because the Peace River was deeper and the current was faster than the week before.  It wasn't dangerous or anything but picking up the shovel with the faster current was a challenge.  We found some really interesting things and are definitely going to do it again, maybe later on in the year after the rainy season.

The top left picture is most of the stuff we found, after being washed, drying on the towel outside.  The center one is a set of teeth, most likely from and Ocean Sunfish.  The left center pictures is what we think is a fish scale.  The bottom left is what we think is an armor plate from an alligator or some such from prehistoric times.  We've ordered a book that will help us identify what we find, so I may have a retraction in the next few weeks to print.

This is the finished jewelry product that I teased you with last week!  I"m so proud of how it came out, it took such a long time and was so detailed in it's execution.  He is a little big for a pendant so right now he is hanging on my bookcase guarding all of my treasures.

He is work hardened dead soft wire in a bronze color, with gold florist wire weave (scales, wing wrap and head wrap), his chest is covered in ombre gold, brown, yellow and clear seed beads.

Well, was it worth the wait?  For me it was.

Be well folks.  Talk to you next time!

Second week of June!

Hello again, everyone.

I spent most of the week at our daughter's home. Her husband was at a conference from Sunday to Wednesday.  It was a lot of fun spending time with her and our grandchildren.  Part of the fun was that they are enrolled in swimming classes and I got to see them in the pool learning how to duck their heads, float on their backs and for the Bean, how to do the backstroke.  The instructor held her on her back and had her do the arm movements; (do them as you read and you'll see why it is so cute) chicken wings then airplane and finally rocket ship!

After I went home, TDH and I worked on our side yard.  We'd had the sidewalk put in, connecting the front walk with the back patio.  We mulched and added a few bushes then put in some beautiful bromiliads.  It's so nice to have it done.  I didn't take pictures of it yet, but here's a nice picture of the sunset from our back door.

In between, I found time to make some jewelry that I'm happy with.

I also made 2 commission pieces for friends this week.  I am thrilled with how wonderfully they turned out.

This is detail of a project that I've started - it's taking a long time - can you figure out what it is?













Thanks for checking in, hope you are having a good week.  Be well.

Fossil Hunting and Dreaming Inspiration

On Tuesday, TDH and I went to the Peace River in Arcadia, FL to go on a Fossil Expedition.  You wade into the river and start digging in the gravel.  You then put shovelfuls of gravel in a sifter and shake out all the dirt, leaves and other detritus.  Then you can look and see what you have.  It was great fun, weather was wonderful, water warm and on our second shovelful, we found the Megaladon Tooth pictured here!  How cool is that?     

We also found Duogong Rib bones (an ancestor to the Manatee), Grinding Mills (teeth from a Sunfish), Turtle belly, fossilized gastropods (snails), other smaller shark's teeth and tons of bone fragments.  We are definitely going to do it again.

If you are in Florida and plan to be in the South Central area looking for something different to do, I'd look up Fossil Expeditions with Mark Renz.  He's a great guide and a wealth of knowledge and corny jokes.

Last week, I made a Forest Potion pendant.  This week, I felt drawn to the water (go figure), and made an Ocean Potion pendant.  What do you think?

 I followed that up with aqua goddesses of all types.  Among them are primitive, mermaid like, leaf like and shell woman.

 Then, after doing the Shell Goddess, I wanted to use a shell I'd been holding onto waiting for inspiration.  I made it one way first and then changed it.  Which way do you like it better?

 Last night, I had a dream about folks who play with their jewelry (me included).  I twist my rings, turn my necklaces and straighten my earrings.  So, I made a necklace I'm calling "The Fiddler's Necklace".  It's spirals on bars that can be twisted all at once or one at a time. The rolling is really soothing and of course, I made it in Chakra colors for the first one.  I can make them any color or combination that anyone would like.  I am so pleased with it, it's fun and it feels serendipitous.

I think I'm going to make companion pieces too; a bracelet and earrings to match.  Would you wear them?

Thinking of all those who had to deal with Tropical Storm Andrea and her fury.  Be well.

It's always an adventure!

We had a grand time at the zoo with Daughter, Son-in-law, the Bean and the Duke for his birthday celebration.  We also met friends of the family there with their daughter too.  Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa is amazing.  It's well laid out, clean, with enough interactivity to keep even the littlest ones interested.  The Dinosaur Tour was wonderfully done with twists and turns and dinosaurs at every one.  They moved and roared and so did the Bean and her friend.

Tuesday, TDH and I took a day trip to Peace River and Lake Okeechobee.  It is SouthEast of us and took a little over 2 hours to get home after all day, but definitely worth it.  Wood Storks, Black and Turkey Vultures all standing together on the banks of the Okeechobee was really something to see.

The jewelry I made this week was along those lines.  This first one I call Forest Magic, it reminds me of a potion bottle - all sorts of flights of the imagination can happen looking into it.

This next one is a Forest Sprite.  I just couldnt' resist adding her wild hair.

Then, of course, I had to make a tree in the Forest - The Tree of Life, but it's slightly canted as life is sometimes.

My last effort this week is a stylized Forest Goddess. 

I've sure enjoyed creating this week, so much inspiration in nature, so little time to get them done.

Have a wonderful weekend, be well.