jewellery and life update

Thank you so much to everyone who sent me such kind messages, gave me such amazing feedback, and purchased pieces from my latest collection of jewellery. I was amazed at the incredible response to what I’d made, your support of my work means the absolute world to me … thank you :)

Things have been busy here; we’re getting ready to go camping with our unschooling/natural learning group. There will be lots of children and my daughter will turn 10 during the week so we’re all excited about getting away to spend some time with our close friends and celebrate her birthday. My daughter has made lolly bags for all the kids for her birthday, but instead of filling the bags with lollies she has hand sewn little dolls and aliens for everyone … there will be lollies too though :). Here is what she has created in the last couple of weeks:

My husband arrives home today!! He has been working overseas off and on for the last year and is now finally home for good. It has been a tough year for me keeping spiralstone going, home schooling and trying to keep the house in some kind or respectable state. I have sketch books filled with designs and I’m so excited to have more time to bring all those designs to life now that he is home.

Much of the inspiration for these designs comes from growing up in New Zealand. I grew up in Christchurch and my family and friends still live there. So this week has been devastating for me, watching my beloved little city crumble to the ground. I have so many memories wrapped up in every corner of that city … my first kiss was in that park where the trees are now uprooted, my friends and I road our bikes along that road that is now carved up and split into pieces, we hung out as teenagers at that beautiful old art centre building that has crumbled to the ground and is destroyed forever … I feel so incredibly sad seeing the pictures of the devastation. My friends and family are safe and well but my Mum’s house has cracks in the walls, every appliance hit the ground, her precious little trinkets smashed to pieces, her hot water cylinder moved a metre and spilled water all over her carpet, and she has been without power and water to her home for a week. Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, ice storms … what is happening to our precious earth?

I have managed to make two more “distant sun, silver moon” pieces, I’m just waiting on some chain to arrive and then I can show you what they look like.

Here is a picture of their backs though (unoxidised and without their stones set):

Hopefully I'll have some photos to show you tomorrow (fingers crossed the chain arrives today).