When The Raven Calls

My work in the shop lately has been wonderfully productive, it's amazing how focused one can become when you're limited for time.  There's been no daydreaming, no mindless tinkering around with ideas only to lose focus and scrap it all together.  All the sketches I've been working on in the wee hours of the morning while Leo and I hang out have slowly come to life..and how wonderful it is to finally see them develop.

I've found myself drawn to my wildlife designs - birds, bears..totem animals that speak to me of things I have yet to figure out.  I'm flattered and delighted that people have contacted me regarding the Phoenix ring I listed just before Christmas, a ring I designed and created with no expectation of selling.  My largest ring yet, this design was hand drawn with no thought to practicality, created purely on aesthetics.  I fell in love with it..and must confess that I was a little sad to see it go.  I'm currently in the midst of creating another one, something a little different but just as luxurious with heaps of sterling and a simple turquoise. I'm hoping to have it finished by the middle of the week, Leo allowing, of course!  I'm excited about it..as I am to share this new raven ring I've been working on these past few days.  

Sterling, Agate

Let there be a raven more...
Let it soar and fly.
Let there be a raven nor...
Let it circle by.
Let there be a raven more...
T'will it stay up high? 
Let there be a raven more...
Forever more, the most more ever high. - Michael Gale

Made entirely of sterling and a snowy specimen of agate, a raven sits perched upon the beautiful stone.  This ring sits on your finger with a decadent weight, tumbled for hours for strength and comfort.

Available now in my shop. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

xo Blue Gnome

Heatwave

I woke up yesterday morning to a refreshing, cool northern breeze coming in my window and I cannot tell you what a welcome that was!  We've been hit by a heat wave for the last little while and yesterday, finally some relief!  Although temperatures were still soaring quite high the humidity finally dipped and then there was the amazing breeze..aaah..that was our saving grace.  We haven't had any rain here for well over a week now and the neighborhood shrubs are starting to wilt and droop.  I'm hoping for a big dramatic thunderstorm sometime soon, I absolutely love summer storms.

A few years ago I planted a wee little hydrangea shrub the size of a soccer ball in the front, right next to my front porch.  It looked sadly small and out of place, there were five blooms on it then, big bobble heads perched on the end of frail stems that snapped and fell limp after the first blustery day of summer.  I would wrap wire around the bent stems and nurse the blooms back to health, cursing the winds that seemed so determined to crush the poor plant at any given chance.  My hope was that one day it might grow to  resembling anything like the impressive lush shrubs some of my neighbors had in their yards and finally this summer, my hydrangea has come into her own.  The shrub is thriving, abundant with pink, lavender and periwinkle blooms.  So many blooms that I can actually trim them back for the kitchen table.  It stands tall and proud, strong enough to withstand the worst storms we've had so far this summer..I am the proud mama of this plant.  :)

Nothing beats fresh cut flowers at kitchen counter!

Work in the Blue Gnome Emporium studio has been a little slow lately, mostly due to the heat wave and unbearable stillness.  Yesterday however, with the northerly breeze blowing through my shop, I managed to finish a gorgeous ring of lace agate, the sterling polished this time to a showy, bright finish.  Another raven ring as well..with a cool, breezy amazonite upon it's hopeful wing.  Available tomorrow in my shop.

 Sterling, Lace Agate

 Rave Ring - Sterling, Amazonite

Hoping you're finding ways to keep cool this week and into the weekend!

xo Blue Gnome