Out on the Town

Without going into details, this has been a pretty craptastic week so far. BUT tonight we're getting a night out! Off to see these guys:

We saw them here in Lawrence a few months back but Jade wasn't there so we didn't get to see them perform this song (which the foxy one put on the last CD she made me for me--I know, we're sickeningly sweet) so I'm glad we're getting to see them again. In Kansas City this time. And you know how I feel about Kansas City!

Kansas City, Kansas City here I come

Okay, okay, I know I promised more details about our trip but you know how it is when you return from vacation.

I still haven't completely unpacked my suitcase.

I really can't believe we saw and did quite as much as we did. And our two little travel companions were amazing. Thanks to Grammy and Grandad for keeping the wee one so the other three Adventure Girls could take a few day trips (you simply MUST see White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns--they just cannot be adequately explained with words or pictures). It was a fantastic vacation. New Mexico is so rich with beauty and culture and quirkiness. I felt my creative well replenishing for every mile we drove.

And now we're back. The transition from vacation back to work and real-life can sometimes be a little difficult. But on Monday I was unexpectedly reminded of some of the things I love about home. We'd taken Alice to her eye appointment at her specialist in Kansas City and decided to take a detour through our favorite Kansas City antique mall before coming back home. I adore Kansas City. It's highly underrated in my opinion.

We spent a couple of hours dreamily entertaining ideas of selling our house in Lawrence and moving into a loft across the street from the River Market Antique Mall where we'd pursue nothing but artistic endeavors and the kids would benefit from our profound happiness and the culture of the city. We perused the antiques in search of fabulous chandeliers for our lofty new ceilings and outrageous art for our cinder block walls. Stephanie fell in love with a rope light palm tree (for the living room of course!) and I had my eye on a cushy orange armchair.

Of course, we're not going to pull the kids out of their perfect-for-them schools or quit our jobs and sell our house.  But it was a fun daydream.

And speaking of dreaming, we both gasped when turned a corner and saw this fabulous creature:

He would feel so at home in our house (our real one, not our dream one). I do believe he was made for it. However the $350 price tag would argue differently. So he still lives at the River Market Antique Mall. Alice was sad.

Yesterday I finally got back in the studio! It felt *so* good to fire up my torch again. So good. I can't even tell you.

It IS  good to be home.

xoxox

Home at last...

Wow, what a week!  So much to share with you...

cool white sands
hot desert
horse races
mountain views
cavernous depths
buffalo
blue jello
UFOs
and miles and miles and miles of road

We did and saw so much and I promise to tell you all about it but for now:

Back in the studio this weekend! Can't wait!

And just like that, it's summer.

We've had unseasonably cool weather for the last couple of weeks. That is until yesterday, when the heat and humidity road the wind on in and unpacked their bags. I have to say, I'm happy to see them. I'm sure I'll be taking that back long before August, but I was beginning to wonder when summer would arrive...

On Friday I shipped off my very first Buffalo Lucy order! I must admit, it was a little bitter sweet. Such a thrill to be sending my work off to its new home, but a little hard to say goodbye to something I've poured pieces of myself into. I get very attached to each creation as I saw and hammer and torch them into what they ultimately become. And then I feel proud of them and protective of them. Like my children. I look at each one and beam, "I made that!" So it's a little hard to say goodbye. But exciting to send them off. Exciting to think that these things I made are out there in the world, living their own little inanimate lives.

And speaking of sending things out into the world; please note that any orders placed after 10:00 am on Wednesday morning will not ship until I return from my vacation on June 3rd. Orders placed before that will go out before I leave.

Happy almost-Monday, sunny-ones!

Another year older...

It's my birthday! Somehow, I've marked 34 lighting-quick years on this earth. Last night in our kitchen the conversation turned to a discussion of how old each of us actually felt. My answer, which was mocked as being random, was 24. But it's true. I don't feel as young as 23, but I don't feel like I should be approaching 30 yet either. See, not random at all! But, of course, the reality is that I'm getting close to approaching FORTY! Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves... I'm still in my early 30s. Right?

Ahem.

Last night I got to spend a delightful 3 hours in my studio, uninterrupted by waking babies (thanks to our lovely new roommate!) or homework or household duties. I feel creatively refreshed today! My studio's like a spa for my artistic spirit.

And I finished another piece. This one will be in the shop sometime later today:

Rusticated sterling silver bangle bracelet with sleeping beauty turquoise and rhodochrosite charms. And of course my buffalo stamp on the back of the turquoise piece.  The charms play like chimes as it dangles about your wrist. Jingle jangle.

Oh, and I wanted to share this with you! Guess what the foxy one came across as she was walking up the steps to her building last week:

It's a fox!! Right in front of the door to her office building! There's a whole family of them living in the bushes to the right of this walkway. I told her he came out to greet her because he felt her fabulously foxy kindred spirit!

Okay, I'm off to enjoy birthday festivities. Homemade cranberry upside down cake awaits...