Firsts
We’ve been living solidly in the land of “firsts” since I wrote last.
Remi spent his first night in his new room - which meant that, for the first time in six months, Eric and I were able to get ready for bed without (as he put it) sneaking around like burglars in our own house.
The first of Remi’s teeth made it’s arrival shortly after - which meant I experienced my first baby bite. No need to relive THAT experience.
After the tooth came first food - steamed apples - and the beginning of a whole new era where we’ll get to share the absolute joy that is eating.
And then there’s me:
For the first time in a VERY long time, I made an Instagram post. And then a second and a third. These posts are on my little poetry account, with it’s very small viewership and complete lack of “gotta sell” atmosphere, so I’m hoping I can use it to practice building back up to some better and healthier social media habits. Those habits may come in handy shortly because I can now officially say I’m making jewelry again.
Yes, that’s right - I finished my FIRST jewelry piece since Remi was born!
It started with this luminous quartz crystal, ordered up from Etsy and delivered to my door. Inside, the seller had written a lovely note with hopes that I would use it for energy work and balancing my intentions - and while this was exceptionally sweet, it made me guiltily tuck my metaphorical tail.
The reason I bought this crystal was to chop it up.
For years and years and years, I’ve been fascinated with stone inlay jewelry - and, to be honest, when I blew my business savings on stonecutting equipment two years ago, inlay was the end goal. In my many hours of sitting this spring, I had dreamt up a necklace for my mom that required a chunk of quartz and it was finally time to make it.
All the metalwork was done first and then I was ready for stone. The crystal was sliced up and I carefully ground down one of the pieces to fit perfectly in the setting.
Beneath the quartz I placed a single pressed fern frond, plucked trailside when my Mom and I hiked the California coast in 2019. The stone was cemented in with a little clear resin, ground flush with the silver, and polished to that smooth shine.
My inclination is to go on, now, about how many things didn’t work out in this piece - but honestly? I’m really proud. There are just so many things that went RIGHT and so much I learned along the way.
Also, I got to give my mama a belated Mother’s Day gift to say thank you - because for the first time, I truly understand what it is to walk in her shoes. And to say that I’m grateful is the understatement of a lifetime.