First Fruits

The first fruits from my new studio. Finished, photographed, and listed in the shop!

I have several other pieces in various stages of completion on my bench which may or may not make it into the shop this week. I probably won't get as much time in the studio this week (I've got appointments, parent/teacher conferences, house guests to prepare for and Canadian Thanksgiving to shopping to do!), but I feel pretty good about what I finished last week!

More soon!

xo

All moved in and back at the bench!

Oh dear lord, it's good to be back to work!

 I was so afraid that I'd get back to my bench and not remember how to do anything, or worse, not have any ideas! But that has not been an issue. I've really only been at it two days (between the late school start here and sick kids and sick mommies and a lovely visit from my parents and various other obstacles to getting moved in to my studio, I didn't get to finally sit down for a full day of real work until this past Wednesday -- and then of course the kids were off school on Friday!), but I can already tell that this is going to be a really productive space for me. The energy is just right and it feels so... 

GOOD!

I've reopened the shop, but so far with just a few of my made-to-order listings (Wedding Bands and Simple Dimple Earrings). I hope to have a pile of one-of-a-kind pieces finished and ready to list within a week or so. I'm working on several rings, some earrings and a couple of necklaces. Can't wait to hold some finished pieces in my hands again! 

And yes, the few of you who have been patiently waiting for me to finish up custom work will be hearing from me this week (your stuff is there in that pile, I promise!). If you've paid a deposit, I'm on it. If we've just talked about custom work, you might want to contact me again as it's highly likely I've forgotten what we talked about at this point. ;)

The best news of all is that the kids are doing great at their new school. I mean really, really great. It couldn't be going better if Stephanie and I had scripted it. So thank you to all of my friends and family and fans who sent us love and prayers and positive thoughts because it's working.

xo

Big News!

running headlong into this new season, this new chapter of our lives
(a little wistful for the carefree days we're leaving behind
but optimistic about what waits ahead)

So many changes on the horizon. Exciting changes. Scary changes. 

While this past year has been a year of change in itself, what with not one but two moves (one international, one local), we've finally settled into our new life here in the city (I know, it's funny to post a picture of a forest, just minutes from our house, and then refer to our life in the city, but that is now, amazingly, our incredible reality here in Vancouver - dang, I love this place). It's been a hectic year in so many ways -- Dr. Foxy getting settled into her new job; Lucy getting settled into a new school, making new friends, and making frequent visits back to Kansas to visit her dad and her old friends; Alice getting used to being home with me (I'm hoping that wasn't too hard); and me, well, let's just say I've been a very busy mom. I tried to set up my studio in our first apartment but I was so rarely able to find the time to work in it that it was barely worth it. When we moved again into our more permanent location I decided to leave my studio packed up until the fall, when Alice will be starting Kindergarten. 

That's the first big, exciting, scary change we're facing down at the moment: Alice starting all-day kindergarten. With her challenges we're really not sure what to expect. But she will have a full time one-on-one "helper" and when we met with the school we felt good about their ideologies regarding integration and inclusion. So we're hoping for the best! 

My other big news is actually jewelry related! 

I am extremely proud and excited to announce that as of September 1st I have been invited to join a collective of incredibly talented artists and set up my work space in the fabulous Beaumont Studios! 

It has been a private dream of mine since I started Buffalo Lucy to move my studio out of my home and into a dedicated work space (preferably in the middle of a vibrant arts district ;) ). One that I'm not sure I ever really imagined would come true. So when I got the email letting me know that there was a space for me if I wanted it, I was overcome by a debilitating combination of excitement and fear. I almost turned it down. But thanks to my lovely wife and some amazing friends (some of whom I've never even met in person), I came to my senses and said yes, yes, YES!

I know it was the right decision because ever since then, every time I think about it, I get those very same butterflies that you get when you're falling in love. 
♥  

So, barring any unforeseen disasters, the online shop will be reopening (with new work!) in the near future. AND I will have items available for sale, for the first time EVER, in person in my studio right here in Vancouver, BC.

Stay tuned for news of my move-in progress and first work days in my new space.

(And send us lots of positive energy for Alice's first days of Kindergarten and Lucy's first days at yet another new school.) 

xo

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