Back to Work! (and Introducing Simon)

So this getting back into the studio thing has been a little more difficult than I had imagined. I did get the shop opened back up as I'd promised (although I didn't post here to let you know as I'd promised - bad me, no biscuit). However, I have only made one new piece of work since the new year, and it's not even going in the shop because it's already on its way to its new owner in London, England. (But to give myself some credit, I have done some other shop-related work, I've sent off a few made-to-order wedding rings here and there, just no new one-of-a-kind pieces or shop updates to speak of as of yet)

We knew this whole international move business would be tricky but there have been  difficulties we hadn't even considered. Mostly waiting lists. Very long processing times and waiting lists. The biggest challenge, and the part that has made it most difficult for me to get back into a routine with my work, is getting services set up for our little one, Alice. Back in the US she was in an amazing (Ah-Mazing!) preschool program with Ah-Mazing teachers and therapists who worked with her on almost daily basis (at zero charge to us) on all of the teeny tiny and major giant things that she needs day-to-day help with (for those of you who are new to our story, our four year old daughter Alice was born with a unique variant of an already rare brain disorder called Holoprosencephaly, and while she - and we - have been incredibly lucky in that her particular variant appears to be mild in relation to the initial prognosis, she still has some pretty major life challenges). Anyway, all of that to say, these services that we received for Alice four mornings a week freed me up to work in my studio (and to stay mostly sane). Alice is eligible to receive services here (we are still wading through the various forms and interviews and assessments and waiting lists, etc. to find out exactly which services those are), but the thing that no one warns you about is the fact that she very well may (and I'm not exaggerating here) age out of the system before she makes it to the end of the waiting list and actually receives any services. But there's a light at the end of the tunnel. We registered my baby girl for kindergarten yesterday. KINDERGARTEN! So even if we never make it to the end of the waiting list and I'm never able to get her any kind of aid to get her into preschool (because of her "special needs" she can't just go to preschool like any other kid), she will be going to kindergarten. And we have a meeting with the school board this morning to determine what type of aid she will need/get there. Keep your fingers crossed for us since I'm not sure how that will go (I know in the US it's hit or miss, I have no idea about here!).

So, that was to explain my absence. My very busy little four-year-old has been monopolizing my time (and in case you're not aware: hammers, saws, torches and four-year-olds don't really mix). But since she's growing up right before my eyes I'm not complaining. ;)

So anyway... here's the little piece of metal and stone that I was finally able to put together this week: 

This was a custom piece using the client's own stone (a lovely specimen of rutilated quartz). It felt SO good to finally have a finished creation in my hands again. I immediately began work on more. 

I have several more of these open-back/translucent stone style rings in the works. And they will be in the shop!

In other news... 

We've welcomed a new member into our family! Meet Simon.

He's a handsome little devil, isn't he? You can bet that his charming mug will be gracing my blog regularly from here on out.

And jewelry (uh... jewellery!), definitely more jewelry. 

xo