on a roll...

Today was like a little jewelrt factory took over my hands. Some days, everything just works out- some days, all I do for hours is break saw blades. Luckily today was the first of those options.

Worked a long time on this scorpian. Dont know why I had to make it, but I woke up and just had to do it- I have no natural affinity to scorpians- or anything that crawls for that matter- but I HAD to make a scorpian- I am quite happy with the results- 36 little pieces later and many many hours of engineering:

Hope there are some scorpian lovers out there...

Here's a few more baubles I made today:

Hope this astreak continues tomorrow. Also, a big shop update tomorrow!

labor or love

This bracelet... has caused me to scream- throw things- curse in a truly disgusting manner- eat a large amount of chocolate- be snippy with my cat and finally smile.

Two days in the making and 39 seperate pieces, but i love it in the end!!!

This next one involved better behavior on my part, but the stone is so to-die-for that I might still made inappropriate loud noises occassionally

Now for a serious dilema:

If you were the last person on earth- and the earth was still full of food that was untainted, would you just eat as much as you want and just get fatter and fatter, cause no one is there to see you anyhow?

Well, I was presented with this question, and thought, NO -cause if I did, no doubt I would run into an obscure group of people who also survived and were restarting man kind- and there I am 300 pounds knocking on their door! Yikes!!

Also, I would prefer to be the last person on earth (plus a chef)

If I has a choice...

In the Kitchen

Kids are out of the house tonight and I feel like making a nice romantic dinner for two tonight! Here is what is on the menue:

1. cold cantaloups soup
2. fresh green beans (I hate them , but as an adult must serve something green)
3. whole wheat couscous with cranberries and almonds
4. grilled sea bass
5, lemon sorbet- HOMEMADE!!!

doesnt that sound refreshing???

A Day At The Beach

One relaxing Saturday at the beach with nothing but a book, and a chair and Umbrella. While Tamir surfed the waves, I did absolutly NOTHING!!! It was fabulous!!

Water clear green blue and as warm as a bath- jelly fish all gone- I forget how amazing the beaches are 10 minutes from my house!!! The Mediterranean is such a gorgeous sea!

Amazing view except for the mystery paddle ball queen

Tamir and his third child

And now to serious matters: There are a few things in the world that might make me one day go out and buy a gun and actually use it. This is the main one:

Number 1: people who are in front of you in the supermarket and take their time to pack without paying first, so those in line have to wait until they finish packing and THEN pay, so we can get our turn.

How difficult is it to pay, pack and be on your way?! Also, what's with those people who then after packing, start digging around in their bags for any form of payment, and cant seem to find it for like an additinal 10 minutes!!

Number 2: (still at the supermarket) when people walk up to you with only a few items and ask in an assuming way that they only have a few things and is it ok to go ahead- NO- IT IS NOT OKAY

That is why there are express lanes!!! And that is why we wait for answers before assuming things!!!

Obviously I had a bad day at the super today... sorry for ranting

Mara xo :)

De-carbing...

Not sure if "decarbing" is an actual word, but my oh my- I need to start! Ten days in Italy- non stop pizza, pasta, biscotti and gelato! Thank god for walking- jeez- it was a 10 day eating orgy!!!

Sicily was "nice", but not like the rest of Italy- Southern Italy in general is a bit run down. Not like Tuscany or Lake Como- so after a week in Sicily, we high tailed it up north a bit to the most gorgeous place on earth- the Amalfi coast and Capri. Blindingly beautiful... no words for there except- well, none actually...

Back to Sicily: The house was lovely, but creepy as expected. Many 16th century portraits stairing down at me from all walls. And my disturbed imagination to give them life led to a few sleepless moments!!

Here are a few pics of here and there:

On Top of Mount Etna

Worth Every Calorie!!

The view down from the top of capri

Altogether, I have over 400 pics, but there is just so much time I can figure out what to put on... Mount Etna was other worldly- as most active volcanos are, I would guess. And populated by millions of lady bugs- which also most active volcanos are for some reason.

Now, back to the jewelry factory- my hands has a 10 day rest- ready to get dirty again!!!

xoxo

Who Believes in Ghosts?

I suppose I dont actualy believe in ghosts- but I can seriously creep myself out with the slightest provecation. And this said, in one more day we are on our way to Sicily for 10 glorious days.

Mom rented this 16th century mini castle- I guess you can call it- and although by looks it is quite beautiful- there is some real creep potential. Meeting up with the whole gang- brother and family, Mom and us. Here are some pics of this amazing place:

The name of the house is Villa Pietraperciate

This last pic is the view of Me Etna from the garden. I plan on climbing Mt Etna- if not totally by foot, than at least as much as possible- granted it is close to 11,000 feet...

I suppose if I were to encounter something of the other world along a hallway one night, etter it be in Italian- I imagine even ghosts seem more elegant in Italian.

Next on the plan is a heavy duty dosage of daily carbs. Being one who tries to limit these- italy is like heaven and hell together. Daily hikes will hopefully keep things under control!! I have been to Italy now about 5 times, and i have yet to find a pizza or pasta that is not worth every bite. Doesnt matter what a whole in the wall it is- it just is the best anywhere!!!

So... closing up the Etsy shop from Friday July 2nd until July 14th. Hope to come back extremely rested and inspired- as well as well fed :)

Top 5 List:

5 things Italians do better than anyone:

1. they turn ice cream into Gelato- and that is magic enough

2. they can tie a rag around their throat and instantly look like they are high fashion

3. They can get their points across to foriegners without a word of English

4. They make the simplest of words sound sexy as hell

5. what they do with tomtatos, basil and garlic goes beyond words

see you all soon... xoxoxo

Aqua Blues

I am in LOVE with aquamarine! I love its name- actually, I have become enamored of stone names lately- dont even get me started on Amethyst Sage- I am ready to name a baby after that one (if a baby was on my to-do list- which it is wayyyyy not.)

But I had an insanely yummy chuck of aquamarine to play with today, so this was born:

After all those cool blues, i went in the OPPOSITE direction with this today: firey and hot!

There were more today, but I am exhausted from this computer!!!

Night night~~ xo