Proud to be part of FAWN BOUTIQUE in Kalispell.

the support of local business, 

while growing my own,

is overwhelming.

and exciting.

I have been ultra-busy with new displays and new horizons...

growing up and out of my little comfort zone...

into the world of retail and wholesale.

an interesting and wholeheartedly different experience.

And,

it's awesome.

Hope your holiday season shines on you, 

as I feel it is shining on me....

Paper pushin' and rock shoppin'

It's november...

and for me means slowing down just enough

to tackle the things you just never REALLY wanna do.

Like taxes.

(Does your piano bench ever look like this?!)

oh.  and budgets.

and business plans.

all foreign language to me until this year....

time for building.

...

And I thought, for my suffering... :)

I would spoil myself with stone shopping.

(Merlin was here. oh yeah. feed the addiction.)

Besides a hoot to be around,

Merlin is such a great stone-cutter. a master.

He's been at the lapidary work for 50 years....

holy crap.

I am so lucky to have him in my arsenal.

He told me this time...

"You know Erin, I thought you were supposed to have those warrior rings done LAST time I came up..."

ooooh.  called out.

looks like I have some rings to make.

Warrior rings.

Big pointy war-head shapes, going into battle style rings,

and fatty earrings.

These Montana Agate Points I think I will have to keep. for me.

They are my favorite.

Just in case I need to go into battle....

hah!

Timekeeper

Check out that ring : )

Been listening to Miss Grace Potter  in the studio lately, 

cant. get. enough.

Bob Marshall ~ Voices of the Wilderness Art Auction

(Bob Marshall)

The Bob Marshall Wilderness is a place not far from where I live.

a really special place.

http://www.bmwf.org/

Jesse and I did a trip a few years ago....

A great adventure.

(Jesse split open his leg on a rock the very last day we were in the woods, down to the bone, and I had to do some emergency backcountry stitches. 10 to be exact.  That's not exactly in my repertoire. but it all worked out and we hiked out the next day.  I'd post pics, but every time I see them, a cold chill shoots down my spine.  Amazing what a little adrenaline will do to you, even years after...)

In it's 6th annual Art Auction, I have had the great pleasure to make a piece of work whose proceeds directly benefit the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation.  And it's fun, coming up with new "wild" pieces.

This year was no different.

I've made a belt buckle this year...with a pack train.  

All Copper and Brass, with a heavy patina.

Called "Dawn Patrol"

.....

I dont know about you,

Belt Buckles make me feel like a bad-a**

A bad-a** buckle,

for a bad-a** foundation.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness.

A pretty Bad A** place.

Change
If there's something about your life you don't like, change it. Make a big change or a small one. Change into someone entirely new. Change the color of your hair. Strip yourself of old, tired patterns and change into a woman who's creating her own beliefs about herself and her world.  Change the channel. (You know what I mean!) Change the way you've arranged those pictures on the shelf.  Change the route you take to work.  Change your morning routine and come downstairs before you get dressed.  Change newspapers.  Change radio stations.  Be brave enough to change your views on choice, on immigration, on capital punishment, on gun control.  Change churches, change schools, change banks.  Change toothpaste.  Start making changes from the inside out, and when those around you cry Change back!, refuse to change your tune.

Exerpt from "365 Words of Well-Being for Women" by Rachel Snyder.