A Healthy Dose of Inner Peace and Sunshine

In an (ongoing) effort to combat my "jeweler's ass", I bought a bike last week. Because let's admit it, sitting for extended periods of time at my jeweler's bench isn't the best form of exercise. 

As a kid, we practically grew up outside---sloshing through creeks, trekking through woods, catching butterflies in fields---exploring, experiencing, growing. A big part of this involved riding our bikes. At a time when we were still too young to drive cars and unable to own horses, having a bike was a great alternative. You could just hop on and pedal away---leaving your worries behind, if only temporarily---powered by just YOU and your sense of direction. It's an empowering thing, when you think about it. 

Flash forward 15 or so years. My parents had recently been cleaning out their garage and doling out childhood items back to my brother and I. It had been years since I had ridden a bike - this was going to be great! The initial excitement about having my old Huffy soon faded when I realized the tires were both flat, the gears rusted, and the brakes dried out and cracked. Old friend, you gave me much happiness, but that chapter has ended. 

So I stewed. And stewed. And then decided to get a new bike.  Not a cheap Walmart bike, but a real grown-up bike that will last me for years. It's sleek, efficient, and just what I need to explore trails. 

I knew that I had missed biking, but I didn't realize HOW much I had missed it until I hit that first downhill coast. You know that feeling you get at the top of a roller coaster when you crest and know that you're about to head down? That delicious anticipation and excitement? And then you're speeding downhill and the wind is whipping your hair and the scenery is blurring past and you're grinning like the biggest idiot alive. THAT. I've missed that.

So instead of slaving away at the stinky claustrophobic gym like a robot this past week, I've been enjoying a healthy dose of inner peace and sunshine. Hell, I even have a little bit of a tan on my lily-white arms. Now this changes everything...

These earrings feature two incredible slabs of chrysocolla stone---the marriage of warm sandy brown to the deep teal veins struck me immediately. I like to let stones like this speak for themselves, so I very simply capped them off using silver solder, oxidized, and left it at that. Long, slender, and serene.

Wising you much peace and much sunshine this week!

Nikki
LoveRoot on Etsy

Into the Sun

You know sometimes you see beads that you just can't be without?  You may recognise the painted driftwood barrels that I've used here, especially if you admire the work of Lorelei Eurto (I think that's going to be most of you!).  As soon as I saw her designs with these Nature Scavenger beads, I knew I had to get some.  They're so cheering and just the thing to be using as winter slowly creeps away and makes way for Spring.  As you can see, we've had sun here today, in my corner of the UK.

That's what's to blame for this blue-ish picture!  Still, I reckon I'll forgive it - I just hope it hangs around!

These earrings are available here, in my Etsy shop

Bye for now, Claire

(www.somethingtodowithyourhands.com)

Feeling Springy...

I live in western Canada and for us Spring doesn't really come until mid-May, just in time for summer to be on its heels.  However, we do have the luxury of enjoying chinooks in our region and with that we welcome spring-like breaks to our usually chilly winter days.  The last several days we have enjoyed beautiful sunshine, melting snow, wildlife has been out bustling around and the opportunity to set aside our bulging parka's for a light spring jacket.  This unseasonal weather has left me yearning for spring this year and rushing it here sooner than we will actually receive it.  So, I've been finding myself grasping onto anything flowery, colorful and just plain girly.  I've even found that lots of my jewelry has incorporated a colorful flair to it as of late and these earrings are no exception.  I love the way these would look with a pair of jeans, tee-shirt and a cardigan running a few errands here and there.

I hope you find the spring in your step today, as I have been finding mine.


All the best,
Traci

You can find these earrings and all my other creations in my Etsy Shop.