Travel

In late Spring or early Summer I made my first trip to Chicago! Hard to believe that in my years as a costume designer that I never did a show there, so it was time for a visit. Here are a some pictures from a really great trip with excellent weather. My first stop was the Art Institute of Chicago, where I spent the day. What an accessible museum, full of wonders, but not exhausting, as my local Metropolitan Museum of Art can be. More pictures to come....

Kite flying on Lake Michigan

Art Institute of Chicago favorites

                                                                  Chicago River

                                             View of Lake Michigan from my hotel room

Lyric Opera of Chicago lobby, where I saw "My Fair Lady"

The Crown Fountain, featuring faces of Chicagoans

                                A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, by Seurat
                                            nice to catch the end of a school group lecture

Can't resist jousting knights, at the Art Institute

The Bean, after a full day at the Art Institute. So tired!

The Pier, at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, for a fantastic "Shakespeare In Love"

Blue Chicago, an atmospheric jazz club downtown

River boat tour, sunset moment - was it The Rapture?

Activism

It's been a really long time since I've posted anything on this blog - since last fall. Between all of the social media I feel obligated to participate in, real life, work and the news, I am stretched a bit thin. But one thing that has kept me going is activism against this terrible new president and his life-denying Oval Office and Cabinet appointees. I was never much interested in politics, but all of that has changed. I went down to Washington DC in January for the March, and that was only the beginning of a wave that I hope keeps on rolling.

I started small sideline of "resistance" jewelry and have to admit that there is no shortage of inspiration. I've been selling at local markets and shows here and there and have had some great responses to my pieces. I don't know how long or National Nightmare will continue, but even when we finally have the right people running our country, political life and the process as we have known it has been changed forever. We, the People have been shaken out of our torpor and are paying attention to what is wrong politically and are working to fix it. There is much to do, and who knows how successful we will be, but we are doing it!

Keep holding your local and national politicians' feet to the fire, keep asking questions, challenging, being insistent and above all, Nasty, Resistant and Persistent!

It's shameful that I haven't posted since August! It was a busy summer and it's been a busy fall, too. I wait all year for fall and this one, while balmy, contained enough cool days and nights to finally give us some great local color.

I was up in Rhinebeck, New York, for the Sheep & Wool Festival in mid-October, and we were blessed with a fabulous weather weekend with gorgeous foliage.

If you haven't been to one of these festivals, and I hadn't, until last year, I recommend it for the whole family. There is a petting area for various animals - sheep, lambs, goats - an actual competition for sheep that's fun to watch, and more fiber to buy than you can imagine. PLUS they have workshops for felting, weaving, knitting and other textile arts, which we did this year. I learned to knit (again) this year and recently completed my first scarf. Of course, I bought tons of yarn last year and this year that I'd better use, but I need some more skills first. I'll be practicing this winter!

Rhinebeck is a charming town and a lovely, if tiring, weekend can be spent antiquing, hiking, eating, drinking and buying, and enjoying the scenery in this most picturesque area of New York State.

New Work

I thought I'd show you some new work that has been taking up some of my time this summer. I've been using some of Gem Show booty, trying to make a dent into my stock that threatens to overwhelm. I went back to some of my older styles as I have a ton of pretty glass and gemstone beads that should be out there adorning you!

Rare old Bohemian glass beads made for trading in Africa in brilliant green with a hint of blue. The darker beads are bluer in life than in pictures. Paired with brushed sterling silver hollow nugget beads.

This is the third iteration of this sea colors lampwork glass bead set. I bought the beads at a now-closed upper west side bead shop and love the color combinations - the yellowy green really adds summer heat, and the pretty blue enameled Vintaj clasp blends nicely.

This bracelet is a candy-lover's dream. I chose gemstone and glass beads and paired them with handmade sterling silver components.

I bought these beads about 10 years ago when I first opened my shop on Etsy, and this is a sample necklace that I made for a custom order. I love the glass drop beads with their red, blue, orange and green ashes of color. It's a simple necklace and the only one of its kind, lightweight and colorful for summer.

Dendritic agates are so gorgeous, and this fern agate is really lovely and evocative of seaweed. I cut the sterling base to echo the organic look of the stone.

Here's a landscape or picture agate - doesn't it look like sandy terrain dotted with trees? I added a moonstone moon and gave the silver a brushed satin finish.

Botswana agate with its striking stripes! The stone is smooth and domed and has great light and depth, and the patterned Art Nouveau ring band is so lovely.

More gemstone candy. Pink rhodonite bisected by black, set in sterling with a bright finish.

 I snagged some beautiful swirly blue and green chrysocolla at the JA/MJSA show in March and will be making pieces for my shop, but these earrings, with olivine for added oomph, are for me, to match a turquoise dress that I wear in summer. If I can't go to the beach, I wear these and feel cool and calm.

Happy summer to all - stay safe and cool if you are in a heat zone (as I am). Fall isn't far away - that's my mantra.