Happy Saturday!

The sun is out and there are actually some birds twittering about, a sure sign that Spring is around the corner.

I have alot to do this weekend with beginning to get some seedlings going in peat pots and starting to plan the actual quantities of the heirloom flowers that we will be starting in the garden. I am so looking forward to some warmth and digging in the gardens.

A new ring that I made yesterday sold right away and the stone is called Riviera Jasper and I am going to have to get some more cabs as it is just a beautiful stone.

Have a lovely day peeps and enjoy the weekend!

A very trying week....

It has been challenge after challenge this week with the email server frying and being unable to answer the dozens of emails.

Got very sad news that a dear friends beautiful mare passed away at the age of 21. My heartfelt hugs to the Hompe family on the loss of royally bred, Quail Run Dominique. She will be missed by many but none more than her "Mom".

A pipe burst and $3,000 to dig that up and replace it. But then the guy said "Let's snake it first" and they found a diaper, inevitably from my Grandson at Christmas time - so $3000 saved!

A MAJOR snow storm today and I fell on the ice but NOT after the horses somehow opened the gate and were roaming around in the aisle way of the barn on cement (not a good footing for a horse with cold hooves).

After falling I realized that I lost a pendant that I slaved over today and just listed on Etsy. I forgot to take it off after photographing it and I suspect the jolt made it go, I am going to have to try and find it tomorrow, wish me luck.

Then an iron wind chime that I had hanging in the Breakfast Nook literally flew off the wall and clattered to the floor and scared me to death. I am having HUGE issues with load noises and I thought I was gonna jump out of my skin.

Enough of the roller coaster stuff but I also realize that it is these very trials and tribulations that make us grateful for the ordinary and mundane aspects of every day life.

Is it safe to come out yet?

Be who you are...

Be who you are,

Do what you love,

Make a difference,

Change the world

Heaven Sent

Another beautiful cabochon in Larimar, this stock is very very old and has been in my Husband's private collection for over 30 years. I wanted to do something a little unique so along with my drops of silver there are indentations in the silver which create a feathered effect.

I just adore this piece and had a wonderful time making it, available on Etsy now. Not anymore folks, she is sold!

Nourishment of all things

Nourishment of the body, soul and heart - something that often takes a very large jolt to realize that nourishment comes in many different forms.

Over the course of the past 7 days, I have reflected, sustained, grown and flourished. The poison that was my job is now behind me and my system is beginning the reap those benefits. In the past several days I have been more at peace than I have at any point that I can recently remember. Peace is not always that calming feeling that most associate it with but for me it is more of a calm in my heart even though there there is noise, trials, tribulation and hard work. I am at peace and I am striving to utilize this time to think about the steps ahead and the start of that is what we need to to do continue to heal this place that we can home. The land surrounding us is in pain and scarred and is barren compared to what it was prior to July 11, 2008.

The first steps are planning a garden and we are going start with about 1 acre and then an adjacent acre that will be used for flowers. I have been collecting seeds over the years (don't know why and now I do) and I have some heirloom seeds that should yield an incredible flower garden. Within that garden in the four corners will be the herbs, the four corners will be in ceremony of the the Four Directions which are red, yellow, white and black and plants that will depict these colors.

I am taking things one day at a time and I am striving on the growth part at the moment and trying to not figure out things before they need to be figured out. Going with the flow as they say and taking in the closing of each day with gratitude and respect.

Along came Shenendoah

Well, I must say that I love this necklace! The bezel setting is completely handmade by moi and then lovingly polished and then strung on leather cord along with some "friends". Available on Etsy now.

Half Moon

In my new found bliss of unemployment I decided to play with handmade bezels and this is the first result. While not perfect, it is handmade and carries a certain unique quality and always speaks so strong of things that are made of the heart and hand.

This particular stone is called Mozarkite and is comprised of the two words "Ozarks" and "Missouri". I love the shades of reds and pinks in this piece and the stone has a beautiful marbling.

This is a simple design and hangs about 18 inches with the hand hammered ovals that suspend the pendant.

On to do more goodies!

During this journey of mine the past several months I have asked several people that are close to me to send me things from their surroundings. These items are things of the Earth, of the hand and of the heart.

The above is a picture of those items that I have sitting on my desk and are near me at all times. Each of the items has meaning that is far reaching for me in it's purpose and design.

Near the top is 2 vials from Wolf of Anima which contains sacred water of the river and small bits of sand and stone. The small sachets are filled with Lavender and the small blue glass bottle is a miniature perfume bottle that belonged to my grandmother. Below that is a gift from a dear friend which depicts the tree of life (she has no idea how much meaning the tree of life holds for me). Then we have a piece of Larimar which is of my Husband's roots, then we have a small piece of wolf fur from Wolf and several pieces of Mogollon pottery which is about 1-5 thousand years old and incredibly sacred (also from Wolf). Then there is a river rock from that same dear friend (thank you Cindy) and then a gorgeous Chalcedony Rosette which is created by bubbling pockets of silica within super heated volcanic rock, part of the creation of their canyon (at Anima Retreat) 1/2 million years ago. The small round piece of leather is stamped by Cindy and is a turtle which also holds alot of meaning for me which again Cindy has no idea of the symbolism and I hope that she reads this:

A great deal of mythology exists in regards to the turtle. In the Far East, the shell was a symbol of heaven, and the square underside was a symbol of earth. The turtle was an animal whose magic united heaven and earth. The turtle is a creation of nature that carries its round shell over the ground, like heaven, and has a flat bottom, like earth. With a profile resembling a mountain and the turning motion of its toes, it seemed to be a depiction of heaven and earth changing constantly through the seasons.

The fact that the turtle represents Heaven and Earth is obvious in it's meaning to me but the turtle is also a reminder to take life at a slow pace and to savor everything.

My effort to gather these things has been very grounding and the gifts from these special people are significant in my journey with Anima and connecting with the very place from which I have come.

Freed at last....

There is something very freeing about being able to fully control ones destiny and I have done just that as of this morning. I empowered myself to take the next step and make a strategic move. I quit! No more Corporate maneuvering, posturing, lies and false friendships. The buck stops here and I vow to be faithful to my spirit and my needs.

While making a discerned choice to eliminate my salary I am serving my soul a thousand time what the salary is worth. I feel so good and have many plans.

This means that I can dedicate more time to HAED and work even closer with the artists. I am so looking foward to being able to grow the company further. I have had so many plans that I just could not orchestrate due to time constraints.

That is now changed and I thank each of you for your support. Stay tuned for more ahead.

Changes, Fears and Next Steps...

I have had 4 days to contemplate the downsizing of my position and to digest where I want to be and what I need to do to survive. My heart is not here in this job any longer but I am scared. I know that I am on the precipice of some form of change but I am resisting it. All that I have endured the past 10 months has been around nothing but change - aka, tornado. I am terrified...

Why am I so scared? I have been here for 4 years and I have hated every moment of it, the lies, the games, the feeling that I am betraying my very core.

I need to walk away but I can't. I need some encouragement people, talk to me.

A Little Hawaii?

If there is such a thing?

Tending the Fire.....

I have long had a love affair with fire and it is not uncommon for me to sit behind the torch melting glass for as long as 12 hours at a time. Mind you, my eyes take quite the toll and they are not nearly as 20/20 as they used to be in my younger years.


I indulged myself in some therapy time behind my torch with just me, my music, my glass and my muse. Above are the fruits of my labor and the bead is called Surrender which is probably one of the very best I have done and comes from a tutorial that was given to me by a dear friend Lydia Muell who is a Master Glass Artisan herself.



The above set is what I am calling Man Beads for the moment, they are named Primal and I wanted something that was raw and organic but yet defined and masculine. What do you think?

Good healing time by the fire and we shall see what today brings...

And the drum keeps on beating....

I came in to work today to learn that my job has been eliminated and I have been downsized into a position that I had about 15 years ago. There are several that no longer have their jobs so I am grateful. My boss commented that he hopes that the others take it as well as I have. What?

I still have a job and for that I am very grateful no matter what the context. A friend commented that if her boss asked her to wash her car at lunch she would happily and I agree, I would wash that car, do her laundry and just about anything else ethical in light of todays climate.

Along with the downgrade in position (I am/was/were/not any more an Executive Manager in Information Technology for a fortune 500 company) came a downgrade in pay as well and again I am very grateful to even have a job.

I saw my best friend and confidante pack her belongings and walk out the door with eyes filled with tears and terror. I am so very sad for the families that this economy is affecting and wonder when the bottom will ever become endless in this spiral.

The timing could not have been worse with the passing of my Father but the timing is never good in times like today.....

Some healing and adorning....

I decided to lose myself in creativity last night and have been wanting to work with some exquisite copper beads that I received awhile ago.

The result was this beautiful Goddess Prayer Mandala which is comprised of beads that run the range in healing:

Tourmaline - Helps you to move beyond limited thinking, to an expanded sense of reality, and see past experiences in new ways. It teaches us that we are light beings in physical form, and helps us to experience the physical and spiritual worlds as one.

Sodalite - Sodalite is the stone of athletics, as it stimulates endurance. It is said sodalite will harmonize the inner being or the conscious and subconscious mind. Sodalite promotes peace and harmony. Sodalite is extra lucky for writers.

Rose Quartz - Rose quartz is known as the love stone. It helps the user feel a strong sense of self-worth, therefore being worth love. Rose quartz is the stone of universal love. It is also the stone of love in marriage. When worn in jewelry the wearer feels a sense of self-worth.

Fluorite - Fluorite is said to absorb and neutralize negative vibrations. It makes one more receptive to the vibrations of other stones. Fluorite should be kept in every room of the home. Fluorite is known as the "Genius Stone".

Lepidolite - Encourages independence for setting and attaining goals inconspicuously. Protection from outside influences. Relieves every day stress, and promotes restful sleep when placed near your pillow. Attracts good luck to those who carry it, and drives away negativity. When used with rose quartz, it becomes a stone of reconciliation of love.

Cape Amethyst - Amethyst is a gemstone often worn by healers, as it has the power to focus energy. A healer will usually wear several pieces of jewelry with amethysts set in silver, especially an amethyst necklace. The person to be healed will have an Amethyst to hold while the healing is being done. The healer will place another piece of Amethyst on the area of the body in need of healing, the heart or lungs usually.

Garnet - The Garnet is a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion. The information released in a search may be painful, but it will always be what the searcher needs. The Garnet will help everyone's security level and spiritual awareness.

Lapis Lazuli - When working or meditating with Lapis Lazuli, it can bring matters more clearly to the mind. It is one of the most powerful stones. The ancient Egyptians used Lapis Lazuli as a symbol of Truth.

Most of the beads used in this piece are vintage and are at least 30 years old. I wanted to create something special and magical and something spoken of the heart.

The use of Copper has long been used as a healing metal, especially for arthritis and rheumatism. Copper has been used with blood and metabolism disorders. Copper acts as a conductor when worn on the body. Copper will help the healing effect of any stone when both touch the body.

The goddess is the newer part of this piece and is comprised of a Ceramic Greek Goddess that has gorgeous tones of greens, blues and purples.

His wish came true last night at 7pm....

He was never the same after my Mother passed away in 1996. He tried to find peace and he tried to find solitude but instead he let himself slip further and further away.


He told me once that he felt like he was lost at sea, he could feel himself bobbing up and down with the current but there was no land in sight. He was thirsty but could not drink the water which was my Mother's presence and the soul that he so very dearly missed.


He was an amazing man, he fought in the Israeli war for a cause that brought him much pride, he had a book written about him called "The Pledge", he was the inventor of the clean room system that is now used in most aerospace companies, he was a scientist, he was a fighter pilot, he was a PHd, I called him Dad as well as 12 other children that he adopted over the course of his life.


He would bring in the most interesting things for my science projects when I was a kid, he would bounce both my Daughters on his knee when they were younger, he would always make sure that my Son had a subscription to his favorite racing and motocross magazines, he seldom spoke but yet he spoke volumes, he was a tall man with a gentle soul.


He is gone now, and so is the legacy of a man that will be loved forever by many and missed by even more.


This must be what I heard as the sun rose early Friday morning....

Stir it up little darlin...

Shhhh, listen closely. Do you hear it? The quiet hush............................

Stir it up; little darlin, stir it up. Come on, baby.

Come on and stir it up: little darlin, stir it up.

o-oh! Its been a long, long time, yeah! (stir it, stir it, stir it together)

Since I got you on my mind. (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) oh-oh!

Now you are here (stir it, stir it, stir it together), I said,

Its so clear

Theres so much we could do, baby, (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)

Just me and you.

Come on and stir it up;

little darlin!

Stir it up; come on, baby! Come on and stir it up, yeah!

Little darlin, stir it up! o-oh!

Ill push the wood (stir it, stir it, stir it together),

Then I blaze ya fire;

Then Ill satisfy your hearts desire. (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)

Said, I stir it every (stir it, stir it, stir it together),

Every minute:

All you got to do, baby, (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)

Is keep it in, eh!(stir it up) oh, little darlin,

Stir it up; ..., baby! Come on and stir it up, oh-oh-oh!

Little darlin, stir it up! wo-oh! mm, now, now.

Quench me when Im thirsty;

Come on and cool me down, baby, when Im hot. (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)

Your recipe is, - darlin - is so tasty,

When you show and stir your pot. (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)

o: stir it up, oh!

Little darlin, stir it up; wo, now!

Come on and stir it up, oh-ah!

Little darlin, stir it up!

Oh, little darlin, stir it up. come on, babe!

Come on and stir it up, wo-o-a!

Little darlin, stir it up! stick with me, baby!

Come on, come on and stir it up, oh-oh!

Little darlin, stir it up.

Off in the distance, listen closely......Do you hear it? Close your eyes, open your heart and listen, do you hear it?

P.S. For those that remember "Hair":

When the moon is in the Seventh House and

Jupiter aligns with Mars

then peace will guide the planets

And love will steer the stars

Astrologers tell us that on February 14th, the day we celebrate love, this alignment will indeed be upon us. The Moon in Libra will enter the seventh house and both Jupiter and Mars will be aligned in the twelfth house. This auspicious alignment begins at 7:25 am on February 14th and will last 18 minutes.

Wild and Free

I must admit that I am needing to feel this more often than not, the sense of being wild and free, without restrictions. Now notice my choice of words here, free of restriction, not free of responsibility.

As we plunder (or some of us gracefully glide) through life there are inevitable moments in ones life where we wonder why we are doing what we do. We amass the mortages/s, cars, credit cards and more and more restrictions which run the gammut. We restrict ourselves, no one does it to us it just happens and then one day we realize that we are so tightly tied down that we can barely wiggle a toe.

I hit that about 3 months ago and I have been making short strides in trying to slowly loosen the ropes. I have paid off all but one credit card (I never was a big credit person so that was pretty easy), I found a home for some of the farm animals to relieve some pressure of caretaking and give me more freedom of choice. I make an effort to prepare each and every meal from whole foods, nothing that comes from a box or a bag. The purpose driven life is one that I find very satisfactory, whether it be the sanctity of preparing a meal for my family or preparing a bath for the girls with oils and such that feeds their minds and souls.

It is in the preparation, the proverbial journey, that one must stop and realize the sanctity of the act. I have even afforded myself 5 more minutes in the morning before I head out the door to just stop and sit in the breakfast room and notice the difference in the light of morning with the promise of Spring and longer days of Summer.

I cleared my shelves of clutter and self indulgences that should have never taken place and filled boxes for Womens shelters and Goodwill. I am working on freeing my mind, my soul, my very purpose, it is all a preparation for something born of tomorrow, I don't know what that is yet, but it will come in time.

I made this bracelet of metal and leather, where as a year ago I would have never even thought of such of a thing. It would have been Swarovski crystals, bling and more bling. I have had a penchant in the past to want to be noticed which stems from my childhood but quickly realized that what I was seeking could be found internally. I am at peace with that....

With that development is evolving a simpler approach to design work and allowing my fingers to form the vision that my soul sees. The clouds are lifting and veil being pulled aside for a clearer view and I hope that you like the view to my little world.

On another note, I have been working with the wonderful folks at Anima in regards to charting some of Jesse's artwork and I am proud to announce that we have completed the first chart called Anima Apprentice.

Please take a moment to click on the link and help this wonderful organization further their words and ultimately our growth as people and stewards.

The Scent of a Woman

When I sat down to do this perfume vessel it came together so perfectly that I was astounded. As I was blowing, pulling and forming each movement with the glass it was perfection, I didn't have to manipulate or change anything. The glass just became and it was so simple that I thought for sure the whole thing was just going to melt into oblivion or crack coming out of the kiln.....

None of that happened and she is perfect and right as rain. I tossed around the thought of keeping her and decided to let her go (she is on Etsy now). I feel like this was made for someone and I truly hope that the someone that needs it finds it for whatever reason.

I learned two things here - to not fight, to allow my soul to have a voice and actually listen to it and then to allow my fingers to connect and trust and to not think too much with my brain. I also learned that I must not keep the most beautiful of things that I make for myself. They need to be shared, they need to be admired and they need to be given for whatever reason. I truly believe that the reason for this is that my soul and me as a person is in each and everything that I make and that beauty of individuality must be shared (thank you Cindy for this insight).

Blue, gold, liquid, rare, curvy, complex, beautiful and functional - The Scent of a Woman.

A Deep Winter Thaw.....

I awake to the gentle sun drenched morning, the rush of the winds in the tree behind our bedroom, the soft plop of water dripping and the hope of Spring around the corner.

It was a quiet morning, I got up, put the tea pot on to boil and went out to feed the horses. Now you have to know that this is my favorite time of day, it is my meditation time, it is my ME time. My routine is to build the layering of clothing to withstand the whatever - degree temperature it is during a Minnesota Winter. I then let the dogs out of their kennels (all 4 of them) and we head out to the barn.

Spencer, our rescue Standard Poodle leaps and bounds with the two Border Collies like he has springs on his feet and they wrestle and tumble as we make our way to the barn. All the while I have Tasha, our 4 pound Yorkie tucked away in my coat somewhere.

This morning was different though, I opened the sliding glass door and was greeted with a chill in the air but not that blast of what always feels like stinging needles. The snow was starting to thaw and as we all made our way to the barn you could see the snow turned to puddles of water and the sun's glint off the surface, it was beautiful!

Another favorite is when I open that barn door and both horses always greet me with a whinny and a soft neigh. That is my "Good Morning" from my faithful friends (but we all know that it is really "Where is the food Mom?").

I go through the process of mixing grain, minerals and pellets and ceremoniously feed Tess and Dunny and give them my own greetings with a scratch on the forelock and a good scratch along the neck.

I then tend to the chores of picking manure. filling hay mangers, cleaning out the automatic waterer (which I swear is older than me) and then tending to Montana the big old Barn Cat and guardian of the horses (or so he would like you to think).

By this time, everyone is done eating and they are anxious to get outside and enjoy the semi-warm weather. I always halter Tess first and lead her out of her stall for turnout but this morning was a little different. I have been working with her on lowering her head for haltering (trying to make things easier for my 5'6 husband and dealing with a 16h horse) and she had been a little resistant with the technique I was using which was to put a little pressure on her poll to lower her head. This morning I just brought my arm above her head and held the halter in front of her and she stuck her own nose in and then lowered her head to my hip level. It was very cool and I am always amazed at how much horses teach us as long as we listen and see carefully.

I then haltered Dunny and took him to the run in to his awaiting friend. By the way, the two are inseperable and it is not a love affair between mare and gelding but a deep respect for the leader which is what always is first and foremost in the horse world. Dunny, is the leader, he is somewhere between 23 and 26 years of wisdom and I don't know his history but he has been ridden hard and has had little love and trust has been a long road but we are getting there. Being leader he kicks Tess to get away from "his" perceived pile or piles of food and she always respects him. However, the gratuity is always repaid by a gentle nuzzling of a wither or the quiet solitude of standing grazing next to eachother.

I then go to the task of cleaning the stalls and sweeping the aisleway and head out the door but never before turning around and admiring my work and being grateful that I have the opportunity to care for these creatures.

There is a glimpse of a Saturday at the Sayetta farm in the midst of a deep Winter thaw.