What? Wine...Me?

I'm new to wine...I got some left overs from a "wines from around the world wine tasting" (that I'm now kicking myself that I didn't go to.) So there was about a 1/16 of a bottle left and a friend (another dry lover-Thanks Angi!) held others back, stuck this tiny bit in her purse and said try this...well, blow me down. I. Now. Like. Wine.
No. I mean: I REALLY like wine.
So much that I went out and bought my own bottle.

From the vineyards of Conde de Valdemar, a Crianza 2004 vintage, from tempranillo grapes in Spain. As always dry, dry, dry. We had this with pasta alfredo and Mmmmm. Near perfect, a little overpowering for the alfredo.... Then I tried it with an almond biscotti and WOW! Definitely perfect! It would go good with BOLD meals....Hmmmmm... something spicey with tomatoes.

Is it wrong to fix meals to go with a wine...?

No. I think not. I think it is just like making a necklace and then needing to find clothes to go with it. And that is just fine in my book.

OH! Check out the fabulous wine glass I bought from Water Street Glassworks in the Arts District of Benton Harbor... Just look at that stem it is HOLLOW! Blown by the fabulous Becky Wehmer.

Now all is complete.

Beach Stone Necklaces, etc

I finished up a second necklace with beach stones. I made it to move and turn and twist, I wanted it to look interesting from every which way. So I took it for a test drive last night and it was wonderful, it flipped, spun and moved without getting hung up or looking odd.

I had no less than 5 people stop me and need to try it on. That is a good sign.

I'm doing these sets without clasps, easy-on-easy-off.

Here it is with it's companion necklace and 2 pairs of beach stone earrings.

I'll be doing more of these for sure!

Filigree Leaves and Rubies Necklace

I made this a while back for a show at Kalamazoo Institute of Art. I fabricated all the little leaves and added rubies between each. I added a touch of 18kt gold to this clasp.

Happy Hour with Mad Hatter

Ooof. No patience for a glass.

Must drink in the bitterness right now!

From New Holland Brewery, right here in Michigan.


PS Happy Birthday Lewis Carroll

Heavy-duty Chain Necklace

Heavy-duty neckware
Hammered sterling, riveted links.

Shield Series Earrings

Sterling and copper shields for your ears

Happy Hour Absinthe

I received this as a special holiday pressie. At first I wasn't too sure about it because it smells just like Jagermeister *yuck-pitooey* but it doesn't taste like it...much more subtle, anise, fennel, has a light feel in your mouth.

I really like how I get to add the amount of sweetness according to my tastes. I like dry and bitter over sticky and sweet any happy hour.

Plus there is this entire ritual to it: measure the liquor, balance the slotted spoon, rest a sugar cube on it, slowly drip ice cold water over the sugar cube until the absinthe "louches". Once it is all completely cloudy it's ready for sipping.

And nope, no hallucinations. Not a single one.

You can read about it at Wikipedia

Handmade Chain Bracelet

Fine Silver and sterling

Banded Bead Bracelet

Frosted glass beads, fine silver and sterling.

Rings, rings, rings!

Sterling, fine silver and some have a bit of 18kt gold.

Shady Lane Sparkling Riesling

Sparkling Riesling in a pilsner glass.
*tsk*
Is that wrong?



So sue me, I wanted to see the bubbles!
This is really yummy & dry (is there anything else in my Happy Hours?- No!)
Grapes grown right in my own state. So this wine has a very low carbon foot print for me-
Cheers!

From Shady Lane Cellars, on the Leelanau Peninsula way up there in Michigan.

Beach Pebble Necklace and Earrings

If I don't get snowed out of the opening reception, I'm going to wear this.

Sterling with beach pebbles.

I think I'll wear it even if I do get snowed out :o)

From the Studio: Faculty & Students

I made this special for a show at Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, Michigan, I just found out that it was juried in along with this other piece I made in October!

Wooooo-Hoooo! I'm thrilled!!!

Consider yourself invited to the opening reception January 16th, Friday, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Icy Floodwaters

We had a major snow melt off a couple of weeks ago, then more snow and freezing temperatures. New Years Day I trudged out a couple of miles through knee deep snow to see what sort of ice I could find along the Paw-Paw river, now that the waters were receding.

These tree branches dipped in-and-out-in-and-out of the river making these unusual and beautiful ice formations.

These looked like queen anne's lace, they were about 2-3 feet tall. The ice was so lacey...

Now I'm thinking they look like water fountains.

The large trees along the banks were all wearing cute little ice tutus, it was lovely.

Beach Pebble Necklace

This is made with 9 lake tumbled stones that are smooooooooth and colorful in a muted way.

Each is the perfect little stone to drop in your pocket while walking in the sand. I keep trays of these sitting on my workbench, little piles of them on the kitchen window sill, one in my wallet, a stack on my dresser...

I cut the backs away for a peek of the other side of the stones.

Each stone has a setting made just for it, a perfect fit. Nestled in sterling, held tight forever.

Forever.

MmmMmmMmmm! Kalamazoo Stout!

With a head thick like whipped cream, you could rest a quarter on that head!


Dark. Dark. Dark.
Rich & Smokey!

From Kalamazoo, Michigan's Bell's Brewery.

Beachglass Necklace

This is the other commission piece I worked on for my friend Bob. This one is made up of 10 pieces of Lake Michigan beach glass that he and his wife Janet found together over the years. I sorted through hundreds of pieces of their collection and came up with a couple of stunning combinations of colors and shapes. Bob settled on the deepest blues and greens arrangement with the lone red piece from their entire collection on the clasp.

The sterling backs are all cut away so that the light shining through can show off these brilliant colors. The silver is heavily textured with hammered in coarse sand. I formed the chain links so they would mimic the shapes of the glass.

It lays beautifully from collar bone to collar bone.

Here it is with light through the back.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

May your 2009 be filled with peace and joy.

And a little gin.

And a lot of olives...