Home at Last!

I feel like I've been away for a year!

We've actually been home for about five days now, but we've been busy dealing with a broken refrigerator, sending Aidan off to 3rd grade, and trying to find our lost cat (he showed up at our back door like nothing ever happened after we spent three days searching every square inch of our neighborhood, knocking on doors, posting fliers, climbing fences, setting off car alarms...).

Anyway, we had a lovely and restful time in Western Massachusetts and I was even a little sad to leave. We did a lot in our three weeks there, but the best part about all of it was that it was just us being a family. Stephanie was working, but it somehow felt different there than it does here. Maybe because everything else, all of those pesky little day-to-day things that get in the way (like broken refrigerators and lost pets) were out of mind. So we just got to enjoy being together.

We did a lot of this:

A little of this:

And our fair share of this:

But it's good to be home. I appreciate my sinfully comfortable bed more than ever. And my studio. Oh how I missed my studio! I finally got to work in it again yesterday. The familiar sound of singing silver as I sawed and the strangely comforting smell of vinegar warming in the pickle pot brought a smile to my lips and to my soul. 

So good to be back.

The shop is open again but I have to admit, the shelves are a little bare. I'm going to be busy working on custom orders for the next ten days and then I'll be off again! To Banff for my brother's wedding! I'll be back in the studio on September 7th and will start work on restocking the shop then. I'll also be wading through my custom order list, so if you're waiting to hear from me about a custom piece, I promise I haven't forgotten about you!

Finally, I'll leave you with a few pictures that I took over the last couple of days from home with... MY NEW CAMERA!! I am very excited about it. I've wanted a *real* camera for some time now. Every time I tried to take pictures of my work with my old point and shoot it ended in cursing because I knew how I *wanted* the shots to look but it just didn't have the capabilities. So when it was time to reinvest some money back into my business, this is what I decided to go with. I'm a happy, happy girl!

Actually all of the photos in this post were taken with my new toy. I'm still learning how to use it (but I am shooting in full manual!):

This is Spooky, the cat who disappeared without a trace for three mysterious days. Here he looks like he's saying, "She's mine. Watch your step or I will cut you."

And this is Boo. He's quite a looker:

And this is our amazingly talented friend Lance who shows up randomly at our doorstep with his guitar and serenades us while we eat our dinner (at least that's what happened on Thursday!)

Alright! More to come soon. But for now it's time for me to hop into my sinfully comfortable bed.

xo

Vacation!

Ahhhh... 

We're one week into our vacation (Foxy's been calling it a "Fake-ation" since she's having to work) and so far what I'm enjoying most is the weather! Today we reached a (contested) record high back home. 111°F! Who can even live like that? That's what I want to know.

Here in Western Mass we've been having highs in the 80s and nights cool enough to sleep comfortably without air conditioning (unheard of in the summer in Kansas!). I must say, we timed this well.

I haven't been taking a whole lot of pictures (a few I've posted on instagram and my personal facebook page) because I'm too busy enjoying the time with my girls. So far there's been roller skating, beach-going, ocean swimming, sun bathing, lobster-roll-eating, planetarium-ing, ice cream licking, Pictionary playing, wine drinking, garden gazing, playground-frolicking, long-walking, and lots of laughing.

It's been quite a change of pace for me compared to the whirlwind weeks leading up to this trip. I miss being in my studio terribly, but I suppose it's also good for me to have the time away so I'll appreciate it all the more when I get back to the bench (especially now that it's my full time job!! Eeek!)

Speaking of being in the studio, here is a shot of the custom order that kept me working until the very night before we left:

A very special order for some very special friends (who happen to be minding the zoo at this very moment! Thank you M, P, & A, for taking such great care of our house and pets!!). Three acorns for a mom and her two daughters. A special set of matching necklaces to mark the closing of one chapter of their lives and the start of another.

It ended up being quite a challenge, technically, but in the end was *so* worth it. I am really, really pleased with the results (as were, I believe, the recipients). Plus I learned some new techniques and finally got to work with amber for the first time.

~~~

Two more weeks before we head back to the surface of the sun. I mean Kansas. I'm sorry, fellow Kansans, I don't mean to rub it in. But damn. 111? Yuck.

Long May Your Big Jib Draw

Oh my! What a vacation! Words can't even begin to describe... the sites, the food, the people, the parties, the booze, the WHALES! Absolutely amazing...

We did and saw so much in those 2 weeks. A HUGE and heartfelt thank you to my dear aunt and uncle Regina and Dermot for putting us up and feeding us (oh so well!). And the same to ALL of the aunts and uncles, great aunts and great uncles, nanas and papas, nannies, cousins, second cousins, first cousins once removed, and friends who might as well be family for showering the children with gifts, plying us with alcohol, and generally making us feel loved.

And mom and dad, thanks for making it all happen. ♥

We attended party after party, ate food Stephanie hadn't even heard of (but loved!), saw whales in the ocean on at least 3 different occasions and got Screeched In at Christian's Pub! I can't remember the last time I had so much fun...

I took over 300 photos while we were there so here are just a few. I'll post more of the family snap shots, etc. on Facebook as soon as I have a little time. Hopefully this week.

[caption id="attachment_459" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="One of many parties... "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_460" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Downtown St. John's"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_461" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="The view from Signal Hill"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_462" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Petty Harbour"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_463" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Fishermen live here"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_467" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="The easternmost point in North America"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_466" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="It was a little windy... "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_481" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Right before the Screech In"][/caption]

We're smiling, but we were nervous (rightly so!).

It was hard to say goodbye but we're home now and settling back into our routine. The shop is back open for business and I'll be getting back into the studio this week. Watch for shop updates soon!

And Regina, we'll toast you every night at FIE'VE TIRTY!

xo

And we're off!

We'll be heading out bright and early tomorrow morning to catch the first leg of our flight. We'll be arriving in St. John's, Newfoundland tomorrow night! (Please send us "easy-travel" vibes, especially since the wee one started feeling a little under the weather yesterday)

I'm not sure what my computer situation will be like while we're there so if I can't post pictures while I'm abroad, I'll post as soon as I can after I return on the 13th.

I'll miss you, but I don't think I've ever been more in need of a vacation!

xoxo

Whew! I have been rather absent from my little ol' blog this month, haven't I? It's been a whirlwind on the Buffalo Ranch.  I've been busy with my day job and single parenting duties while Foxy's been working her little tail off trying to get grants written and trainings completed and other such things necessary to keep a roof over our heads. Those kiddos leave little time for jewelry making and shop updating and blog writing... But when they're not making me cry, they sure do make me smile! ;)   (Did I ever tell you about the time Aidan brought home a "book" she'd written at school and it was clear that they'd been given a very structured outline to work with. It had to start and end with the same key sentence. Aidan's book started and ended with, "My mom loves me more than she loves making jewelry." That girl knows her mama).

Anyhoo...

Four sleeps until Newfoundland!

I'll be putting the shop on vacation mode while I'm away so this is your last chance to place an order before I leave. Orders placed before 10PM CST tomorrow (Friday, July 30th) will be shipped on Saturday morning. Then I'm closing shop! But just until I come back on the 13th.

Be warned... everything that's available in the shop now may not be when I reopen in mid-August. So if there's something you've had your eye on... :)

And just so I don't forget what she looks like between now and when we leave for vacation, this is my recently-mostly-absent wife:

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!