A Beautiful New Year

Happy New Year everyone. I know I'm a few weeks late but I want to send love to all anyway. I have just experienced a wonderful two weeks traveling. John was attending a conference in Las Vegas for 1 1/2 weeks so I accompanied him. We took the Airstream and stayed out at the RV lodging at Nellis AFB. It was a beautiful facility. We also had the pleasure of meeting up with one of John's AFA classmates, Allan Herzberg. We'd seen him at the reunion in November but before that it had been years---lots of catching up. He's single so I think he enjoyed the companionship and the meals. He told me he usually eats box dinners-yuk...

Anyway, while John was conducting business during the daytime, I spent my time researching and reading up on silversmithing and jewelry design. It was an opportune time for me to just "chill out" and re-group after the holidays. I really was able to relax and reflect. I took the time to realize just how fortunate I am and what a wonderful life I've been living. I became so filled with enthusiasm and excitement that I thought I was going to burst right on the spot. I spend hours sketching and thinking about pieces of jewelry I want to create.....I am so happy to be home again and back in my studio that I could just scream with delight - maybe I will (no one in this neighborhood would hear me anyway-tee hee).

So my little chickadees-love to all and take the time to thank God for the gifts you've been given and use them to make him proud. Off to pour a cup of tea and get busy....yippee!!!! Hugs and love, Sal

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Hi everyone. Wow, it's been a long dry spell since I last blogged. So much has happened. I had a wonderful visit with my 2 sons and their beautiful families in April. Sure wish I lived closer to them so I could enjoy my 3 grand daughters growing up - it all happens so fast. Anyway, I came back to Arizona and we had a trip scheduled to San Carlos, Mexico with friends the week before Mother's Day. WELL, the swine flu hit the fan and you probably know the rest of the story. After much discussion and calls from children worrying about us being exposed, we changed our plans and went to Sedona, AZ. We all had a wonderful time with perfect weather. Gads I love that place - so much art everywhere you look. Galleries galore to enjoy and if so inclined you can stimulate the economy at the same time. Following that trip, we came up to Pinetop, AZ which is located in the White Mountains. We have a summer home here and it is so nice to get out of the desert heat!! I just finished unpacking my studio and I think it is all organized and ready to roll. I haven't done any metalsmithing in 2 months and I am about to scream - I mean it. It seems like all I have done is pack, unpack and repack. I'm ready to settle down and get to work. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer and by the way, wasn't that a great Indy today!!! What a race and what an emotional finish. I love him and am so happy he won.

As Rich Willis said, "Whenever ideas are shared, the result is always greater than the sum of the parts". - Thanks to Carolyn Miller of Autumn Leaves Jewelry for sharing her ideas on signing your work with all of us - it was a great vlog. I think it is so wonderful when other artists share their ideas with us and help us to improve ourselves and our work. None of us are re-creating the wheel but it is great when we can find an easier or more efficient way to do things. Thanks to all of you for sharing and helping me to become a better artist and I hope someday I can do the same for someone else. Have a great week.