Snowdrops

Today was such a beautiful sunny day we spent most of it outdoors. By "we" I mean myself and my 1.5year old son. First I chopped the wood for the wood burning stove while he was sweeping the lawn with our big broom - yes he did, and he does this almost every time we are in the garden :) Then we walked to say "hello" to his favourite neighbours - the sheep and then I wanted to see the Snowdrops I'd noticed the other day. Every year I see them I get excited, for me it's the first sign that Spring is coming!

On the way back home my son saw his first rainbow ever. Well, he's seen them in books and films but that was a real one - imagine the smile on his face :)

Now he's asleep and as it's the only time I get to work with jewellery I bid you goodnight and I'm off to work on a certain commissioned pendant.

Sunshine!

It's this time of year again when I find myself working with Amber. I guess it's the long wait for Spring and longer sunny days that makes me choose those warm, vibrant, juicy and almost sweet yellows and oranges. You can almost feel the tase of honey when you look at Amber, or think of a sunny beach, holidays, lazyness and relax My newest projects: The Bond necklace and Dragon's Eye ring. And there is more to come!

The Beginning

Spring - the time of new life. The beginning.

The second ring in the Spring theme features beautiful sparkling chocolate brown Smoke Quartz accompanied by microfaceted rounds: deep cognac Tourmalines, soft pale green Prehnite, moss green Vesuvian and delicate Moonstone with flashes of blue. All the colours of awaking Nature.

And I think I'm beginning to like work with cabochons - those stones with no hole drilled, the very tricky ones to set when you're working with wire only... but hey, what a joy when a cab finally gets in place you wanted it to be :D

Spring walk in Strathpeffer

Today I won't say much, I'm going to show you photos instead. Location: Strathpeffer, Highlands of Scotland. Time: the very first day of Spring. It was such a lovely day!
our walk started with a light shower...

but soon it got better :)
(view from a woodland walk just above the village towards Dingwall)

an example of Strathpeffer's own architechtural style

I was enchanted by the peaceful little streets!

White Butterbur (Petasites albus) found in the woods