Winter Break!

Took a week off this January from everything.....ahhhhh....road trip. Jesse and I packed up our "new-to-us" camper and drove all over montana....even in the freeeeezing weather, it was a great time, we decided to do a hot springs tour. Good thing too, considering this weeks temperatures were usually below zero at night and just barely above during the day! The little propane heater in the camper burned off some of the dust accumulated, and with a little tinkering, banging, and love....she burned hot all week!

We soaked in white sulphur springs with lovely friends from the flathead, then drove to chico hot springs and soaked...and prayed our camper would keep us warm...

and then we woke up in the morning, headed south to one of my favorite places in the whole west....and i think Jesse's favorite spot EVER.....

the boiling river in Yellowstone National Park....

Took a week off of work to regroup, re-center, and look forward into 2011....in one of the coolest features mother nature offers here in the west.....a great place to start the year off right.

we soaked....

and soaked.....

and soaked until we were human icicles...

very prune-y.

Had a lovely week of no work, no work, and no work.

I am off to set up my new studio space for the winter, so wish me luck and I hope to have some great new pieces to show for all the relaxation and much-needed centering.

Stones that make you salivate

Oh I love buying stones....It is a great hobby, passion, drive to make jewelry, obsession, bad habit, all into one. I was writing a statement of sorts about my work for Ethos Paris a few weeks ago, and it had never occured to me how much I love stones until I wrote this little paragraph about my work. Thought I would share with you this little blurb:

Rag and Stone ~ Erin Hawley ~ Local Artist

Wearing jewelry is a very individual and sentimental experience. Like people, stones all have their own personalities, strengths, colors, and weaknesses. I try to bring the personality of the stone and the metal to the forefront and tell a story around its existence.

Silverwork is a very personal process for me, as stone and story are the two parts of my work I enjoy most. I focus on the integrity of the stone and the story it provides to connect the human existence in jewelry. If you wear it, if it is touching you, it will affect you. If you believe that your stones are powerful, then they are.

Jewelry integrated in daily life as amulets, magnets, charms, and talismans can remind us that we are unfinished pieces of artwork and we can improve upon our divine design. We are a story in the process of being written.

I guess after writing this, I have been really involved in shopping for a new supply of lovely little stones and pearls on Etsy. I have been enthralled with the color and constant supply of creative energy these little rocks give me. And with the new year FINALLY here, I think it's a great way to start off the creative journey of 2011.

Every new rock has limitless possibility, every stone screams "MAKE ME INTO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!" I thought I would share some of my favorite rock stores on Etsy, as it has been my habit lately to just peruse through dazzling colors....

Iwoowoo is such a great eye-feast.......

as well as smartbirdstudio ........

but i would have to say the biggest feast of them all is beadsaddict, their druzy quartz cabochons are like little pieces of candy, and frankly, I want ALL OF THEM.