Wine and Poker Matched Set

Last Wednesday, a friend invited me as her guest to the Utah Wine Club, another of Utah's many Meetup.com groups.  What to wear??  The weather has finally turned warm and I like to wear soft pastels to survive the heat.  The earrings and bracelet set below, made with sodalite and green jasper, was the perfect match for my pastel blue top and sea foam green skirt.

Lucky blue sodalite and green jasper dangly wine and poker set

People were gathered around the dining room table playing poker when I arrived, more than unfashionably late.  I didn't play poker, but I had a little white wine.  The club members are very warm and friendly, and I knew a few from another social group.  One woman took a couple of us across the street to her house where she has a well appointed oasis in the desert in her back yard.  We three sat at the top of the waterfall and looked out over the expanse of the Wasatch Mountains just after sunset.  Gorgeous! and the air was not too hot or cool. 

Perfect summer evenings with mountain breezes are but one reason to live here in Utah.

When we went back across the street, the poker game was just winding up, but not quite.  My friend and I chatted non-stop the entire time, so it was a wonder the avid poker players could focus, but they did. I had a few bites of exquisite insalata caprese, while others tasted seven layer dip, a giant chocolate chip cookie, and, for some, more wine.

The evening wound up about 10:30 pm or so, sort of late for a week night, but on the way home, I recounted what a fun day I'd had ... final clean up on a resume redo for a friend who's moving and job hunting, coffee and girl talk at my house with a friend in the morning, the usual steady stream of stock market and economic monitoring, research on a stock for some friends, an hour at the gym, dinner at the Bonsai, and finally, socializing with the Utah Wine Group in such a beautiful setting. {mahvelous}

Celebration: Celeste's Graduation from Paul Mitchell Academy

"If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in a library?"

--Lily Tomlin

I've known Celeste since she was five when she and my daughter were in the kindergarten carpool.  I'll never forget her high pitched, squeaky voice.  She and my daughter Angie used to play together in our old neighborhood and have remained friends.

Celeste's first month of cosmetology school in Houston was marked by tragedy: the sudden and unexpected death of her mom and my best friend, Michele.  Celeste has persisted in spite of a very difficult time.  Her goal was to have a way to support herself through additional college education, and eventually, graduate school in design.

Last summer, Celeste transferred to the Utah Paul Mitchell Academy, and she graduated last Saturday.  Unlike college graduation, where the dean of the college tells everyone to hold back the applause until each and every graduate's name is read, Celeste got her own graduation, with lots of personalized and loving tributes from classmates about her talents and intelligence.  And applause.  Lots of it. The festivities were followed up next day with a party at the home of Celeste's friend James, who served us delicious chicken and veggie kabobs.

With her state boards all completed and passed with flying colors, Celeste's next goal is to find a job as a hair stylist on a cruise ship so she may be sailing away very soon.

I told Celeste I'd make her some earrings since she'll soon be getting a new job and need to look the part.  Shhhhhh ... don't tell her but these are coming her way.  She loves wearing colors that show off her gorgeous blonde hair so the red coral and black bead chandelier earrings will be a fun addition to her earring wardrobe.  And the green glass and copper wire earrings will pop against her ivory complexion.

Congratulations, Celeste!

Photographs of Celeste by Breanne Unsicker

A Little Drama Courtesy of My Rose Quartz Bracelet

Last evening, I switched out of my yoga attire for a skirt and sweater set, complete with a rose quartz earrings and bracelet duo.  The bracelet was a $2 gem show find, and I made the cute new earrings the night before. 

Charming pink rose quartz earrings with dangles

 
My destination was the local singles social event at The Bayou.  I circled the block three times to find parking in downtown Salt Lake City, and arrived at a spot that was anything but princess parking, ie it was two blocks away from the front door.  Before long, I was sitting at the bar, ordering a beer and water (remember me, watering down everything due to my austere lifestyle), then moving to a section of tables in the back with about 20 people, most of whom I'd never met before.

So ... I heard this noise that sounded like someone was throwing rocks on the table. Small rocks but rocks nonetheless.  All of the sudden, I look down and see ohmygosh, it's rose quartz stones.  All over the table. Quickly, I identified the offending item - my rose quartz bracelet - slipped it under the table and removed it to my purse.

The sad, busted rose quartz stretchy bracelet

Amazingly ... no one around me acknowledged they saw this happen, and I didn't exactly say anything either. Still, I hope none of the rose quartz pieces went onto anyone's plate and/or down their throat.  Perhaps everyone was sufficiently engrossed in the conversation about New York, the sweet potato fries in front of us, or maybe the beer. Yeah, it was probably the beer.

Ah my cheap jewels.  Even though the bracelet was inexpensive at $2, however, I recall seeing a very similar one in Alaska a couple years ago for $22 at one of those cruise ship gift stores (all the more reason not to shop at such places).  Obviously the gem show offers wholesale pricing and the markup at tourist attractions is a form of highway (waterway) robbery.

Looking on the bright side, I now have some new rose quartz beads to make a new piece.  And I met a few new friends, too. {giggle}

Mom's Birthday Violet Jasper Vavoom Jewelry Set

Assorted violet jasper and pearls

A larger view

With the gem show coming this month, I have one thing on my mind: buying more gemstones. For some reason, I have this insatiable love of real gemstones.  I LOVE their smooth, cool touch.  I LOVE learning about their history, and magical and healing properties.  I LOVE their colors and patterns.  And I LOVE their shapes.  The stones above are purple-violet Jasper from which I created a birthday necklace, bracelet, and earrings for my mom.  My mom says she loves the bracelet because it's just the right size for her wrist and the clasp makes it easy to put on.

Finished violet jasper bracelet

Finished violet jasper earrings and necklace

Jasper is used for protection. Those who need to think on their feet may benefit from wearing Jasper.  In Feng Shui circles, Jasper helps to absorb change through balance.  Each color of Jasper has specific properties.  Violet is the color of the 7th (crown) Chakra.  Those who wear violet seek spirituality, wisdom, and excitement.  That describes my mother!  Also, Violet helps to align the wearer with the oneness of the Universe.


The week after my mom's birthday, I was already working on two other sets for Mother's Day.   They're not shown here.  The week I made them, I put them on display on the dining room table.  (Sometimes, I am my greatest fan, perhaps as it should be.)  The beautiful pearls "mined" from Jewelry Connie's collection of leftover jewelry, black crystals, and silver plated spacers ... oh so fine.  And ... the day after I finally sent off the package to my mom, I realized I didn't take a photograph first.  Mom is sending the piece back for an adjustment, so I'll get another chance. {thank goodness for second chances}

Lapis Lazuli Copper Poker Set

I designed the copper and Lapis Lazuli earrings above to coordinate with my copper and Lapis Lazuli pendant set. The occasion: a Texas Hold 'Em social. A month or so ago, I found myself signed up for such an event, even though a high roller, I am not. In fact, until that night, I'd never played.

Lapis Lazuli is a royal blue stone with flecks of gold-colored iron pyrite. From ancient times, the stone has been treasured and used to make jewelry. Known as the stone of friendship, especially for Sagittarius, Lapis Lazuli is believed to cultivate wisdom, power, love, and psychic abilities. The legends, reports, and stories surrounding lapis lazuli date back to 5000 B.C. Goddesses Athena, Bast, Diana, Iambe, Isis, Medusa, and Tyche (Fortuna) wore Lapis Lazuli as adornment.  For the Assyrians, Lapis Lazuli was the holy stone Uknu, which brought the blue of the sky and with it the light of the gods to the earth. The word is a compound word made up of the Arabic azul, meaning “blue sky” and the Latin lapis, meaning “stone.”

Historically, Lapis was mistaken for sapphires and at one time was equal to gold in value. The Pharoah wore a Lapis Lazuli as a symbol of great power. Wearing Lapis Lazuli is said to strengthen the body while the wearer is experiencing a spiritual awakening. When you hold it in your hand, you may be inspired to find your "one and only" partner. The stone supports the throat chakra, the communication center of the body.

And ... while I cannot claim to have experienced a spiritual awakening at the Texas Hold 'Em event, I met some interesting people and did well at poker.  {wink}

Wearing of the Green

I was asked to create a necklace and earrings set for a contest to launch Everyday Inspirations, a blog founded by my daughter Angie and her friend Ashley.  The goal was to create a piece with sufficient green to celebrate the St. Patrick's Day opening blog post.  With help from Angie, I selected green glass beads, copper spacers and findings, crystals, and seed beads.  The copper maidens on each side of the necklace were added for an Irish look and feel.  The design process was largely trial and error, and it took longer than the assembly itself. 

Photography of finished set courtesy of Angela Fairbanks