A mountain's dream

 

I had a dream last night and in that dream a friend and I were bringing dirt to contribute to some local project. When we arrived a huge truck was in front of us and it was obvious that their dirt was going to fill all the space. We were upset because we wanted our contribution to be used and to stand out. We had a choice of taking the dirt back with us or finding a way to integrate it into the load that the big truck was leaving. What we came to understand and realize in that dream is that our contribution was meant to meld into another. We were not meant to stand alone in any kind of glory for our contribution. I think we ended up merging ours with the larger load. In fact, I believe the huge truck helped us to distribute our load with theirs so that we could feel we had contributed too.

There are a lot of lessons and symbolism in this story. Many of them have occurred to me but I'm sure there are tons more. What we realized was that it wasn't important for us to stand out, that it was more important to make a contribution and feel the goodness of that. It also meant that the diversity of contributions melding together was somehow a sacred thing to do. The mountains sent me this dream last night.

Earlier in the day I shot video of the mountains behind us and the weather that was becoming windy and strong. (click link to see it on Google!) The wind blew all night long with heavy gusts. We haven't heard this kind of wind since last winter here in Utah. I think the dream seeped in through the windows and came into me. I am connected to these mountains. They welcomed me last night as I approach my 67th birthday this week. Such a Gift!

Love your jewelry

Have you considered arranging your most exciting jewelry on a frame so you can enjoy it even when you're not wearing it? Here's a crafty idea for a hanging jewelry organizer, and you don't have to spend much money or time to make one. Plus, if you are a jewelry artist like myself, frames are a clever way to show off your pieces while making it convenient for you to find something to match your mood. I've also had fun hanging a large pair of Southwest tribal earrings in my guest room within a small frame that beautifully added to the room's motif.

To "show the love", all you need is a used picture frame and hanger, a staple gun, and some type of material to staple to the back of the frame. I have used everything from rubber shelf liner from a discount store to leftover needlework canvas. Just use something with holes in it that won't stretch out over time. I get my frames from thrift stores. You know, the eclectic ones? When you've finished assembling your frame you can easily attach your treasured jewelry into an artistic display you can admire. I make wire hangers to use and I've even reshaped paper clips for this purpose.

When you take an even bigger step and decide to assemble a good variety of frame shapes and sizes, make a clever wall arrangement and move it around to change the decorative effect. I love that part... I get to see a gallery of beautiful jewelry whenever I want and moving it around reminds me of just what I have! Here's a display I made to honor my personal "stash".

If you are reading this, then you are a jewelry lover too. So do visit my collections of handmade artistic jewelry for purchase from Tina's Sedona @ www.tinassedona.com. Many pieces are original designs. 

 

Hoop earrings are back?

A fashionable friend of mine recently wised me up and told me they never left! Then I discovered an article from last summer that attests to their long term popularity over thousands of years. Seriously? Thousands of years? Obviously not a fashion queen, I thought they had gone out of style since I wore them in the 70's.

It is only when I started making them for customers that I thought about wearing them again.

Personally, I have to wear small ones because big hoops are just too long for my neck. I am also over 60 so the larger they are, the more foolish (I think) I look. I wanted a pair for myself that was small and sedate for a mature woman but had a little bling to them. So, a few years back, I set out to make a whole lot of beaded wire hoops about 1-inch around, the size of a quarter. Those were the perfect size for me!

At one point, I got bold and created a huge pair that I named "Sedona Salad". There have been NO takers for those (yet) as you need a long neck and have to be under 25 to wear them (just kidding!).

Then recently, due to the article I found, I decided to branch out, making three totally different sizes. They poured out of me like water! OK. So the smallest size came out larger than 1-inch but who can stop when you're having so much fun?! Here is that completed bevy of hoops that I am still in the process of posting to my website.

With all this recent experimentation, I was ready to tackle a new pair of 1-inch earrings and pursue a different style just to keep it interesting, and, in doing so, I hit the jackpot for my face and temperament! I can't wait to make more. These hoops all have a hammered surface to reflect more light and just a small spray of beads to make them more interesting.

Here are a few of my personal collection and I love wearing them! They feel perfect for my age and they are light and whimsical. I feel like having fun whenever I wear them. So now I am planning to produce this 1-inch style for the website. I just have to start making them.

The more I make jewelry the more I realize that each piece is such a personal item. That said, I have come to the conclusion that hoops are wearable for all ages. Just find the right size for your personal taste. Experiment with different sizes. If you use scarfs or wear high collars that can interfere with your earrings, they are too big for you. At the least, use ear wire stoppers so you don't lose an earring! Stay tuned for all the hoops getting posted.

Tina's Sedona © All Rights Reserved 2021

Christmas Day With Big Horn Sheep

I am finally getting more physically active after recovering from a bicycle fall in late July 2019. I was moving at less than 5 mph in our driveway. At the time it didn't seem like such a big deal. It took several months to recover from the broken big toe and then, surprisingly, a shoulder injury from the same fall emerged and moved into my neck. I ended up in physical therapy and I've been struggling for quite a while to get everything corrected and back in action. A few months back, discouraged and desperate to find some healing, I discovered a fabulous chiropractor, Dr. Joshua Carr, who has been able to get me back on a healing track with an eight week program of intensive physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, massages, and trigger point injections.

By mid-December, with me feeling more pain free and both of us wanting to see snow, Nathan and I rode around Zion National Park and took pictures of the snow. We went back there on Christmas Day which was especially exciting when we came upon big horn sheep grazing in a blizzard. See all the Christmas Day pics here.

By mid-January, I will have completed this eight week program, and encouraged but cautious, I have wasted no time getting back on the trails with Nathan. We hiked two short trails last weekend and it was a thrill to stand on the precipice near the river and realize how high up we were and enjoy the quiet of the space. See our pics from Sunday here. Take your time getting perspective of looking down from the edge!

Luckily, during all these months, my jewelry hobby has kept me sane. Actually, this "time out" also gave me a chance to discover a lovely gift shop, Chez Debi, a beautiful space that carries unique, eclectic gifts. The energy there is vibrant and calming, the colors are stimulating, the whole place is a gift for the eyes. So much to see! Be sure to visit her website, make purchases online, or better yet, meet Debi in person!