Officially on Hiatus!

Just a quick note to say that I am officially putting the blog and the shop on hiatus. It's been in a state of unofficial rest for about a year now, but I've packed away my studio once again and need to officially flip the sign in the door to CLOSED.

But have no fear, I am by no means going away for good. 

Watch this space for my triumphant return in the fall! 

With love and gratitude as always, 

Buffy

XOXO

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

Still Here! (but not there)

Oh MY!

My poor, poor neglected blog.

I had no intentions of letting it go for so long, but we've had a major shake up in the Foxy-Buffalo household and my every waking moment has been consumed by the details of it for the past five months.

We've moved to Vancouver!

British Columbia!

CANADA!

The country of my birth, the place where my heart and soul have longed to be since I left 15 years ago. 

Being from Alberta, and having spent my entire adult life in Kansas, the prairies are most definitely a part of my core make-up. I will always feel nostalgic for the soft rolling hills and seemingly never-ending fields of wheat that make up the Kansas countryside. 

But having said that, somehow arriving in Vancouver immediately felt like coming home. 

It's exactly where I'm supposed to be. 

The Pacific Northwest has wooed me with its many magnificent charms. On Tuesday I went out to run an errand and in a matter of about four delicious afternoon hours I inhaled the salty soul-cleansing air of the ocean, photographed the lush green moss of the sun dappled forest, and sucked up the electric energy of Vancouver's downtown hustle and bustle. 

This place was made for me.

I don't even mind the rain. 

A good pair of wellies, a rain coat, a hot cup of chai and a fire to come home to... I have everything I need to survive a "Raincouver" winter quite happily.

:)

How did we end up here, you ask? Well the Foxy one, being the hot commodity that she is, landed a faculty job at the University of British Columbia. So hopefully we'll be staying well into the foreseeable future.  Of course there have been sacrifices and while it's been relatively smooth as far as international moves go, it hasn't exactly been easy. Stephanie's having to work incredibly hard (and will for a few years at least), we left behind all of our Lawrence and Kansas City friends and family, we have no childcare here (ouch), and my work was put on hold while we got our lives packed up and resettled. But I'm slowly getting my new studio into working order. I will soon be back in production mode, but at a much slower pace (since, as I mentioned, I have no childcare at the moment and a very busy three-year-old). Hopefully I will at least get the shop back open in the next week or so. To those of you who have been waiting for me to finish up custom orders, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so patient. 

♥

Now that I have my computer space set up again, I will be back to blogging regularly and will keep you posted about when the shop will be back online. I'm *this close* to being there. I'll tell you, my hands are itching to pick up the torch again!

I've missed you. 

It's good to be home.

Pretty Things

This weekend we braved the heat to take in the local vegetative goodness at the Lawrence Farmers' Market. We came home with an armload of peonies. 

They're downright obscene, lounging about in the dining room, flaunting their garish colors and ridiculously large blossoms without shame.  I'm almost embarrassed to look at them.

But we couldn't resist their charm.

Anyhoo...

In shop news... I will have a small shop update tomorrow consisting of these three items in varying shades of green:

(From left to right: turquoise, sterling, feather & jade, chrysoprase & amethyst)

I'll be adding these little ditties to the shop tomorrow morning (once I've photographed them). But they won't be there for long. I'll be closing the shop and pulling all of my inventory at the end of this week so I can start building my inventory for the Strawberry Swing on June 1st and 2nd. So if there's something you've had your eye on... now's the time! 

See you in the shop in the morning!

xo

Ah, finals week(s). One down and one to go! 

I've been in the studio in between study sessions and will have some new work for you hopefully tomorrow. These ones won't be in the shop for long, though. I'll be closing it up next week so I can start building up my inventory for the Strawberry Swing! 

Here's what I'm working with RIGHT NOW:

Jade, turquoise and chrysoprase echoing the colors outside of my studio window. ♥

I also realized that I haven't even posted the last two pieces I made! This one has already gone to its rightful owner (a lovely lady, I assure you!) but it's a beauty and I have to let you see it!

That stone!! Be still my heart. Dendritic quartz and citrine set in sterling.

And then this one is available in the shop now:

Mookaite jasper set in sterling silver on 28" of black suede with and adjustable handmade sterling D Ring buckle. She's pretty bad-ass. ;)

Okay! Back to work! More soon!
xo