The Taos Series has run its course for now and I have wandered off westward, to the remote Bisti Badlands in search of new inspiration. This simple choker is like my fused fine silver charm bracelets, but is a simple chain of oversized, very primitive and organic links.
Well, you've probably been wondering where I went...several days ago I said new pieces were coming and then I disappeared! I've been working long days on what I think is becoming a new series, my "Taos Series"...at least there's two of them so far (a three-necklace set is in my Etsy shop), and a third set is nearly complete. These are necklace sets that are made for layering, composed of small pendants on silver chains and maybe a larger, more dramatic necklace. They were inspired by the colors, textures and feeling of the Taos area, with its wild open mesas, the stunning Rio Grande Gorge, and the Sangre de Christo mountains. The palette is more subdued and cooler than most desert colors, favoring sage greens, greys, weathered browns and deep olives. Like Taos, the feeling is very earthy, grounded, and rustic, but also down-to-earth and unpretentious, organic, and accessible.
The Taos Rustic layering trio, just listed in my Etsy shop.
When I wear everyday jewelry I've come to prefer simplicity and usually throw on one or two favorite pendants on long silver chains. So that's the idea behind these pieces: you can mix and match them however suits you in the moment.
Also, I don't know about you, but I've lost count of the times I've gone into favorite clothing shops and just fallen in love with their aesthetic, only to be sorely disappointed when I take a closer look at their jewelry selection. Either they are made from the cheapest stuff imaginable, or they nicely made but boring...so boring I want to cry. But I love the layering that folks are doing now and I love all the little glimmery beads and fiddly bits in mixed strands of chains, so I decided to try and see if I could bring the Taos colors and vibe into that idea.
I don't know how many of these I'll make, but my worktable is covered with elements, beads and chain...so stay tuned, I'm on a roll...!
Meditation in the sage of Taos Mesa yesterday, looking north.
I hope you all had a good holiday weekend. It was a busy one for me! On Saturday and Sunday I was giving a brief crystal grids workshop and doing some very intensive energy work with the shamanic mentorship group I'm part of. It was a powerful and engaging time with a few surprises thrown in. I was left feeling pretty wrung out afterward and decided to go up to Taos yesterday to decompress...and that turned out to be another day of intensive energy work and some exciting finds at Taos Gem and Mineral. So I'm glad to be returning to the studio for some peace and quiet!
Today I wrapped up the three orders that came in over the weekend and shipped them out, and tomorrow I'll be working on new pieces. I picked up a couple of sweet little staurolite Fairy Crosses, which come from the Pilar area just south of Taos, and they may show up in something soon. I also found two tiny, perfect agatized turitella shells from Morocco that are completely intact, thinking that they would make an amazing pair of earrings. That is, if I'm courageous enough to try to drill them...
Look for more pieces coming this way soon!
This tiny cactus flower greeted me on the mesa. It was the only one I saw there.
Spring has come to the desert, and I'm celebrating it with these Spirit Beads. This strand is very lightweight and is made to be worn as a necklace!
...Haven't done one of these in a while!
Just listed this magical little vessel...
Cathedral Rock on a hot afternoon with a beautiful agave in bloom in the foreground.
Tomorrow I'm heading to Sedona for a few days after an intensive work period in the studio. Time to soak up some red rock energy. I will wrap and ship any orders placed today tomorrow (Monday, May 2). Still not sure exactly when I'll be back--either Wednesday or Thursday--so my next shipping date will be Thursday or Friday. I'll keep you posted! Have a great week, everyone!
...also today, you'll see that these talisman earrings are back in the shop! It turned out that the color scheme was not quite right for the buyer, so if you're sorry you missed them you have a second chance!
New today! These are truly lovely!
It's been a busy week! Here's what's new so far...
I just listed this ethereal elkhide amulet, filled with sacred copal...truly a piece out of the Dreamtime!
I've capped off a very productive week with this latest set of Spirit Beads which are just full of fossils and ancient material!
Just listed these extravagant treasure earrings...such beautiful things in them! I have one more new item to list here, a very primitive and organic strand of Spirit Beads that is just full of fossils! I am going to start working on the listing now, and look for them here tomorrow.
These antique shell currency beauties are today's offering. Please have a look in the shop! And there are more to come...
I know it must seem that I've been neglecting the shop here, and I have, in a way. It's because I wanted to put some fresh energy into the Etsy shop, what with its new makeover and all. Ever since I created this site and shop I've been neglecting Etsy, so it was time to balance that out.
For the past several days I've been hard at work and there is a new granite necklace and three pairs of earrings finished so far...and counting. Since my worktable is now strewn with hundreds of tiny bits and bobs, many matched, I'm taking advantage of the situation and making several sets of earrings. One just leads into the other...
Over the next few days, the granite necklace and a pair of earrings will appear on Etsy, and I will list two more pairs of earrings here, including a pair made with glittering Ethiopian opals, so be sure to check back in, starting tomorrow.
Have a beautiful week...
The fossil choker is here, and just beautiful. So happy with this one!
Today I started a new and very elaborate set of Spirit Beads with some very special (and expensive) talismans on the ends. They're all in Peruvian opal, turquoise, and rich, deep browns with many mala beads, and the main emphasis is strongly East Indian. I don't know which shop they will appear in when they're finished but I'll keep you posted!
Of The Green Earth: a trio of finely-beaded extra-long necklaces in desert greens.
Ok, first the good news: these lovelies were just listed in my Etsy shop after several days of very patient beading. And today I made a fabulous primitive choker with an unusual fossil pendant that will appear here in the shop.
The bad news...that choker I made with the stone ground turquoise tabs was snapped up by someone locally before I could even list it. Sorry! But there will be more turquoise, never fear.
In other news, Etsy has done an overhaul of the shop look, and I'm actually fairly pleased with it overall. For once! They say the new storefront will appear publicly tomorrow.
The turquoise tabs have made their home on a handstitched deerhide choker-length cord, and they look so beautiful there. I will photograph and list the necklace, probably on Etsy, in the next couple of days. A new piece is evolving and the worktable is strewn with beads in olive green, bronze and silver. I had the idea to do a set of extra-long strands of very fine beads, all anchored with small pendants, that would layer together. The first one is done and it looks gorgeous. At least one more, and maybe two, will be made, and when they're done they will all be listed together. I have a lot going on this week...today I'm taking my son out for his 28th birthday (28..!) but they should be appearing somtime around this weekend. As always, life and the creative process are unpredictable at best.