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Blog Details for "CND Jewelry Tales"
CND Jewelry Tales CND Jewelry Tales My personal Year of Jewelry; all hand fabricated using silver, gold, gemstones, pearls and lampwork. Every piece has its own story . . .that's why it's called Jewelry Tales. Articles
Promises, Promises
2007-09-17 15:01:00 "Yeah, sure, Mom," Lyndie said, fingers crossed behind her back, only feeling a little guilty about her deception. She only did it when her mom was being totally over-protective; sometimes it felt as though her mom thought she was five years old. She was fifteen! Old enough to know who to hang out with. Old enough to pick her own friends. How pathetic did her mom think she was, anyway?She hurried off to the bus stop; just like her mom to make her late with her little talk. As she approached the corner, she saw a cop talking to her new group of friends . . . whoa, what was up with that? Her best friend since kindergarten grabbed her and pulled her off to the side. "Bus-ted!" Karen whispered. "I'm so glad you were late this morning!" "Me, too," Lyndie said, fingers open wide.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, peridot. Hand fabricated sterling silver chain, bead and clasp. More About: Promises
Moonrise
2007-09-15 13:38:00 I could see the light reflecting off the leaves long before I could see its source. The forest floor was still dark, but the canopy was beginning to glow as if lit from within. It was more than just my eyes becoming accustomed to the darkness; although that was happening, too.Ahead I saw an owl glide between trees; his eyes were sharper than mine, his hunger greater, his dinner closer and more frightened than mine. I closed my eyes against the sharp squeal of his prey; when I opened them, the moon was there, full of light and reassurance.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver and corundum. Hand fabricated. More About: Moonrise
Hidden Fire
2007-09-14 23:43:00 It always surprised her to hear people describe her as calm and sensible; she wasn't a bit, and she knew it. But she cultivated it; oh, how she cultivated it. Inside, her temper slashed and burned; she raged against injustice, and wiped out legions with her fury. This battle did not show not on her face; her lips hinted at a smile, always, and her brow was still smooth, even at her age. Her shoulders were relaxed and her stride easy; her voice well modulated and pleasant.But her eyes gave her away; they flashed with the fire that never left her heart.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielGold, gold-filled, sterling silver, Mexican fire opal in matrix. Hand fabricated. More About: Fire , Hidden
Lime Rickey
2007-09-10 17:18:00 She perched on the stool, crossed her ankles delicately, and said, "Lime Rickey, please," when the counterman appeared in front of her. He winked, and she gave him an icy glare. He set her drink down with a flourish, and she busied herself with it; pretending that she was drinking a real cocktail at the Jockey Club in Manhattan, instead of this overly sweet version at a drugstore in North Hollywood. In her mind's eye, her pale pink twin sweater set and matching skirt turned into a black cocktail dress - Dior's New Look - and the counterman's shaker left off making milkshakes, and switched over to martinis.She inclined her head gracefully as literary critics congratulated her on her latest novel.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, lampwork by Melissa Vess of Inner Realm Creations. Hand fabricated.
Hugs and Kisses
2007-09-07 21:33:00 "Dear Mom, " she read, and the tears poured down her face so fast and hard that she could not even see what came next. Where did that come from? She had been haunting the mail box for days; she was now on a first name basis with the postman. When he'd handed her this letter, you would have thought he'd written it himself, his smile was so wide. She'd had enough self control to thank him, walk into the house, and sink into her favorite chair before ripping the envelope open.And now here she was, unable to stop crying long enough to read it. It wasn't a long letter, and her eyes were able to focus on a large row of letters above the signature: XOXOXOXOXOXOXO. She smiled; rubbed her eyes dry, and read the PS, "I made 'em big 'cause I knew you'd be crying."College would not be wasted on her son.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Danielavailable on EtsyCopper. Hand fabricated. More About: Kisses , Hugs
Fairy House
2007-09-03 22:28:00 I'd never found one, though I always looked; even long after I stopped believing in fairies, I still looked. Every wild thicket, every vine that ran rampant held the possibility of hiding a fairy's tiny, intricate house. Would it be woven of pine needles and twigs and bound together with the stamens from flowers? Would fairies use sap and leaves to make their roofs tight? Would she be home, twinkling opal and gold in her tiny doorway? I never found out, but I still wonder; and now, when I walk with my daughter, she looks for me. © 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, emerald chips, tourmaline, opal, gold filled beads. Hand fabricated. More About: House
Growing Wild
2007-08-31 20:19:00 In gardening books, the clematis ran delicately and prettily through trees and shrubbery; but in her garden, it looked as though it had thrown a party and invited too many questionable guests. It lolled drunkenly from the arbor, raced crazily across the flower beds, and was far too familiar with the peonies. It's deshabille had once seemed romantic; now it was just tawdry.She took her shears in hand and began to cut away the excess.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, charlotte seed beads. Hand crocheted and fabricated. More About: Wild , Growing , Grow
Buried Treasure
2007-08-30 21:55:00 "What on earth was I thinking?" I wondered, as I looked in the basket that was still more than half-filled with crocus bulbs. I'd been planting them in the lawn; stomping down on a punch-like device, dropping in a tiny bulb, and then putting the plug of dirt and grass back into each hole for most of the day. How could there be so many bulbs in the basket? There wasn't a whole lot of lawn left.In desperation, I turned to the flower beds. I tossed aside the official bulb planting device and grabbed my shovel. It was time for a trench. I dug around the shrubs and perennials and dotted the newly turned earth with crocus bulbs. Much faster. Yup, this was doable after all. I planted the last of them under the roses; there wouldn't be much happening with the rosebushes when these babies came up, and I called it a day.As I washed the dirt off my hands and arms I pictured a sea of purple on bare earth; we would have an early spring.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielCopper, lampwork... More About: Treasure
A Grain of Sand
2007-08-29 19:38:00 "Faith? Yeah, right." She scowled and kicked the sand, sending it into her own eyes. "Figures," she muttered, still wanting to attack something, but loathe to try that again. She ran toward the sea instead, intending to swim off the questions (and hopes) that he'd just raised."Karin? Come back!"She let the wind pick up his voice and carry it away from her, pretending that she hadn't heard. She swam furiously until she was spent, then flipped onto her back and let the ocean swells rock her into a calmer place. Faith. It was still there, a grain of sand in her eye.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielCopper, seed and bugle beads. Hand fabricated. More About: Sand , Grain
Wading In
2007-08-27 00:07:00 The bottom of the lake was soft and yielding under her toes; she wiggled them and watched the water cloud up around her ankles. The lifeguard had gone back to school, the kids who had splashed and yelled all summer were gone, and she had the whole lake to herself. The water was warm and inviting where she stood; she knew it would be colder further out, it always was, no matter how hot the summer had been. She walked forward, her hips undulating as the water swirled around her legs, the weeds and grasses caressing and releasing her thighs until she was deep enough to swim. She dived, and the cold caught her by surprise, as it always did.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, aquamarine, zircon, lampwork by Gail Kops of Beadles. Hand fabricated. For more about the construction of this bracelet, or to ask me a question about it, click here to go the the Cagey Crafter's Jewelry Forum discussion thread.
Skipping Stones
2007-08-23 16:42:00 We stood there, our heads together, both of us looking at the stone I held in my hand. "It has to be roundish, and flat, and about this big," I told him. He looked at the stone in my hand as if to memorize it. "Does the color matter?" he asked, his little boy voice soft and low, not wanting to be overheard by his big sister who was sitting on a blanket a few yards away, her back to us, pretending that she didn't know us."Nope," I said breezily, and we transfered our gazes to the ground, hoping to find another one."Is this a good one?" he asked."Yup; I think so. Let's find out." I showed him how to hold the stone and how to release it, pointing out how my index finger curled around it before I let it fly. "One, two, three, four! Yup, that was definitely a good one. You try now." I handed him the example stone.Thud-splash. "It takes practice.""I know."© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Danielavailable on EtsyCopper, lampwork focal by Melissa Vess of Inner Realm Creations, lampwork a... More About: Tone , Stones
Sunset Stroll
2007-08-22 20:56:00 The sun was getting ready to be swallowed by the sea when I turned to walk back over the dunes; my campsite was hard enough to find in daylight, I could not imagine having any success finding it after dark. I could picture myself peering into other people's tents, wondering if they were mine; and imagining the headline in tomorrow's paper, "Peeping Tina Popped at Pismo Beach." I picked up the pace. But I soon learned that trying to walk faster on sand dunes is counterproductive; the faster I tried to go, the more I slipped, and the less progress I actually made. So I slowed down. To a stop, actually. As I shook the sand out of my hair, my clothes and my eyes, I saw the sky for the first time since I'd hit the dune. The sun hadn't given up without a fight; it had left its colors all over, like a child who doesn't want to pick up her crayons before going to bed. I climbed slowly up the dune, marveling at the tough grasses and tiny flowers that had found purchase there. Wh... More About: Sunset , Troll
The Moon and the Stars
2007-08-19 18:50:00 The night was indigo blue and the stars shone silver bright; the moon was a dish of cream and she was the cat. He stood next to her, his arms wrapped around her, and she leaned against him, testing his balance. It held. She drank deeply of this moment, knowing that she would keep it close forever. Not a single star fell from the sky that night; they held their places while the earth spun, far, far below.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, iolite. Hand fabricated beads, chain and clasp. For more about the construction of this bracelet, or to ask me a question about it, click here to go the the Cagey Crafter's Jewelry Forum discussion thread. More About: Stars , Moon , The Moon , The Star
First Kiss
2007-08-16 16:36:00 She listened to them talking, out on the front porch, measuring their silences, poised to jump up and walk by if they were quiet too long; torn between remembering how wonderful it was to be in love for the first time, and wanting her daughter to be five again. Not that it had been so easy then; but it was familiar, and she suddenly craved the familiar. This part of mothering was uncharted territory; her daughter's vulnerability was more than she could bear. This was not going to be an easy afternoon to shoulder; but shoulder it she must, and she resumed typing with one ear out the door.And then he was gone; and as her daughter wafted into the house, she was suffused with memories.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Danielavailable on EtsySterling silver, peridot, lampwork by Gail Kops of Beadles. Hand fabricated. For more about the construction of this braceet, or to ask me a question about it, click here to go the the Cagey Crafter's Jewelry Forum discussion thread. More About: Kiss
Blowing Bubbles
2007-08-13 23:24:00 It was 1969 and she was ten years old. Two numbers. She thought she probably ought to feel pretty grown up by now, but somehow she just didn't. She looked longingly at her little sisters, dressed in shorts and crop tops, and pulled angrily at her own dress. Stupid thing. It was so short that she was afraid to do anything, but she'd begged and begged for a micro-mini dress, so now she had to wear it. After all, she was ten now. Practically grown up. Too old to make mistakes.The little girls squealed and laughed as they blew bubbles, and she'd have given anything to be nine again.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, freshwater pearls. Hand fabricated. For more about the construction of this bracelet, or to ask me a question about it, click here to go the the Cagey Crafter's Jewelry Forum discussion thread. More About: Bubbles
The Pull of the Moon
2007-08-12 22:19:00 Fifteenbangs the screen doordrops off the porch, melts into airparents folded from sight, pressinghard against skin, everything pocket-thinEighty-fourwatches the night-bloomingcereus slowly open, scolds dandelions, works fingersunder roots, holds onto earth, breatheshard dark-secented air© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, lampwork by Gail Kops of Beadles. Hand fabricated. More About: Moon , The Moon , Pull
Go Lightly
2007-08-11 02:46:00 Even when she was dead broke, she still went shopping. It never hurt to look; that was her philosophy. And it certainly never hurt to try things on. Trying things on was almost as good as buying them. Over the years she'd tried on lots of things: clothes, jewelry, jobs, men; not all of them fit, but she didn't regret looking. If she didn't try things on, well, then, she'd never know, would she?She'd gone lightly through life, taking as many items into the fitting room as she could carry; discarding the ones that didn't suit and enjoying the ones that had, even when she was too broke to take them home.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, cubic zirconia. Hand fabricated.
Moss Maiden
2007-08-06 21:56:00 This was deeper into the forest than I'd ever been, and I'd gotten used to being dwarfed by the giant redwoods. Even the occasional clump of sword fern no longer felt out of scale; I was small and had never been any larger. The light that must have filtered through the needles at the top of the trees was almost totally absorbed here on the floor of the forest; I did not cast even the faintest shadow. My footfalls were soundless on the mossy ground; the moss was so thick and soft that it tempted me to sleep.and then I began to dream . . .© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Danielavailable on EtsyCopper, freshwater pearls, seed beads. Hand fabricated and strung. More About: Moss , Maiden
Elf Magic
2007-08-03 17:59:00 The hush was the first thing I noticed every time I entered the redwood forest. There was a point where the sound of the outside world disappeared; I never could pinpoint it, but the world just went away and left me altogether. I walked deeper into the forest, the earth a soft carpet of needles and moss beneath my feet, feeling smaller with every step. The trees were not only tall, they were larger around than any other trees, and I always had the sensation that it was me that was smaller, not the trees that were larger.I passed a clump of sword fern that was nearly as tall as me, and was transformed.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Danielavailable on EtsyCopper, freshwater pearls, seed beads. Hand fabricated using traditional bobbin lace, coiling, embroidery, and needlelace techniques. For more about the construction of this bracelet, or to ask me a question about it, click here to go the the Cagey Crafter's Jewelry Forum discussion thread. More About: Magic
Serenity
2007-07-28 20:07:00 It was amazing that a place so beautiful could be this close to New York City. All she had to do was cross the GW Bridge and head north. Everyone else was heading south, so there wasn't even any traffic to speak of; she made good time and pulled into the small parking lot off Seven Lakes Drive. The creek was high; it had rained all last week. But today the sky was blue, and the ground was only slightly mucky. She stepped carefully, knowing that the trail didn't need much to wash out. She stopped when she came to a large rock, and flopped down on it. She took her time with her equipment; she enjoyed selecting a lens, spinning the polarizing filter to minimize reflection, choosing the right f-stop, setting the exposure, and moving her tripod by fractions of an inch to find the best shot.There. In a ripple left by a green frog was a lichened stone and a leaf torn from the tree by last week's storms.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer Danielavailable on EtsySterling silver, lampwork by... More About: Serenity
The waterfall
2007-07-02 20:35:00 I'd been hiking for about three hours when I came upon the waterfall; it was a narrow cascade, no more than five feet across, dropping straight and true for more than a hundred feet into a small, almost perfectly round, pool of water. The lake, no, really it was almost small enough to be called a pond, was dark greenish blue and looked deep. The water was gloriously clear and I knew it would be cold, but that was fine by me. I took off my shoes and socks and tested the water: icy cold. So I pulled my t-shirt over my head, stripped off my jeans, and shucked off my underwear. There was no one here, no one for miles, and I didn't fancy hiking the rest of the way in damp undergarments. I waded in, surprised at the shallowness. I stood under the waterfall, arms raised to the sky, letting the water soak my hair and massage my skin as it swept all my cares away.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielSterling silver, turquoise. Hand fabricated. For more about the construction of this ri... More About: Waterfall
The open road
2007-06-29 22:23:00 She twisted her hair into a knot, slipped it down the back of her jacket, and pushed her helmet low over her face. She balanced on the booted toe of her left foot, and pressed down hard with her right foot to start the old bike. It obligingly roared to life, and she grinned. They'd been through a lot together; they'd taken good care of each other, and they were both still running after more than a quarter-century of roads.She knew it was annoying to the cars behind her, but she didn't care right now. She knew every twist and turn of this road, and she wanted no one in front of her, so she deliberately held back, going as slowly as she could on the straightaway. And then . . . magic. She opened the throttle, leaned into the curves, and saw the road just inches from her face as she flew up the mountain.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielCopper, sterling silver, lampwork by Melissa Vess of Inner Realm Creations, freshwater pearls, citrine, glass beads. Hand fabricated. For more... More About: Open , Road , The O
Spread your wings
2007-06-27 15:20:00 It wasn't the work she minded, she'd always believed that work was a good thing. There's nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes from a good day's work; she'd always loved tidying up her desk at the end of the day, filing a few stray papers; returning the last emails, and scheduling tomorrow's calls.No, it wasn't the work.It was the atmosphere of the place. She'd joined this company a few weeks after it was started, and had enjoyed watching it grow and become successful. But somewhere along the way, things had changed. She remembered staff meetings where they'd gleefully posted pins in a map to represent new installations; the champagne brunches to mark milestones reached ahead of schedule. But now, the owner had lost all joy in their success; he was afraid of losing what they'd created.He haunted the halls, listening to conversations, stirring up suspicions, upsetting the kids in the mailroom with his tantrums. Senior people began to disappear; one at a time ... More About: Wings , Spread
don't make waves
2007-06-23 22:57:00 The water was soft and cool as it swirled around her ankles; she waited for it to recede, pulling the sand from under her feet as it did. She sank imperceptibly lower, and waited again, this time for the water to return. The next wave was curling, green and blue as she squinted into the sun; she watched it break, churning white, and speed toward her. For one irrational moment, she thought the water would be deep when it reached her; deep enough, perhaps, to knock her knees out from under her and cause her to slip backwards into the sea as it returned back from whence it came. But it barely grazed the sand, barely wet her ankles, barely touched her at all; yet she sank deeper into the sand as it pulled the earth out from under her. If she stayed here all day, how deep would she sink? Would the tide rise, and swamp her? Or was it already at its highest, and, as it went out, would she be left in the sand to dry like ropes of kelp?She did not have the patience to find out. She ... More About: Make , Waves , Wave , Aves
Alpha Kitty
2007-06-21 21:08:00 Katerina made partner when she was 27; six weeks later she'd found the perfect flat in Lancaster Gate and moved in. She had high ceilings, blonde wood floors, and a small terrace where she would take her coffee on fine mornings. She ordered ivory bridal satin for her draperies, and her duvet was custom made from the palest apricot silk. Her linens were soft and caressed her skin; her bath was her own private spa.She loved her flat; not that she was actually there very often, but she loved the thought of it as she flew from New York (great shopping, fab prices) to Tokyo (great shopping, horrid prices), mailing her dirty clothes back to London when business cancelled her return and pushed her on to new crises. She could spin out presentations overnight; she was famous for getting the most out of the powerpoint jockeys who fell under her dominion; no matter if they had hours or weeks, she got the job done. And then she was off again, the comfort of her flat keeping her sane.© 2... More About: Kitty , Alpha
Coqui
2007-06-16 03:58:00 She was born in Brooklyn, and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. If you'd asked, she'd have told you that the subway ran in her veins; that the wind blowing down the canyons of Manhattan streets was as close to nature as she'd ever wanted to be. But that was before she set foot on the island, before she heard the coqui call to her soul, before she knew she was Puerto Rican. She learned to stroll on the island; to laugh loud and long; to longer over her coffee; and to dance: oh, how she danced when she was Puerto Rican.She's back home now; she's Nuyorican again. She's wearing her tailored suits, stockings and Jimmy Choos as she hurries from the subway to her office and back again in the cold Manhattan mornings and evenings. But the island keeps her warm, the coqui sings her to sleep, and she knows who she wants to be.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielFor information about the construction of this bracelet, click here.
Love me, love me knot
2007-06-12 23:59:00 At this rate the garden would be decimated, but she had to know, and if the daisies wouldnt tell her, perhaps the lilies would. Her mother didnt like him, but what did she know? Her best friend didnt like him, either; but then, hed told her how prejudiced and inflexible Annette was even before shed forced Annette to admit that she didnt trust him. Annette had repeated some terrible things that shed heard from other girls; perhaps she should find some new friends, after all. Hed never treated her like that.He told her that she was the only one hed ever loved. The other girls hed gone out with were not right for him, they were all wrong, and once he was done with them, they made up terrible lies about him. Just like the lies they were now telling about her. He didnt want to hurt her by telling her what was happening behind her back; he had to tell her in order to help her become herself. He swore that no one could love her the way he did; that no one unde... More About: Love , Me Love , Knot
Under the Arbor
2007-06-12 00:26:00 Hed promised to be here ages ago; how long could she reasonably sit in the arbor and pretend to sketch before someone came looking for her and discovered that her pages were blank? She quickly made a few marks on a page; it was no good, she really didnt like drawing and everyone knew it. At least the arbor was shady and cool; she leaned back and closed her eyes. If anyone did come by, it would look as though she had fallen asleep.Was that a spider? She quickly opened her eyes and rearranged her skirt, inspecting it for insects. That was the problem with the outdoors: bugs. One never knew what would crawl up from the ground and secret itself in her clothes. She quickly got up and inspected the perennial beds; she wished that she had brought a basket and a knife with her to cut a few stems for her room.She took one last turn under the arbor; the grapes were not ripe, it was time to leave.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielFor information about the construction of this bracelet,... More About: The A , Under
Believe
2007-06-10 20:09:00 There was a wildness in her that no one understood. The pressure would build up and shed have to do something to release it; she couldnt explain it, wouldnt take the time to think about it, didnt dare try to stop it once it started. It was the only thing that had ever worked; it was the only way she knew to be herself.She alternated between pacing wildly and staring at the wall. She was disappearing in here; soon there would be nothing left of her. Shed tried to comply, tried to wait them out, but they were not as trusting as they had been. They wanted change, and if she changed, she knew she was lost. Control was her only weapon.Believe, her mother whispered into her heart, let go.© 2007 Cynthia Newcomer DanielFor information about the construction of this bracelet, click here.
Runaway
More articles from this author:2007-06-06 14:42:00 The sky was grey and misty, the sun would be up in oh, about an hour or so, but I couldnt wait. If I didnt go now, I would never go. I grabbed a carrot and Dustys bridle from the rack, stuck a hoof pick in my back pocket, and ducked between the wires of the fence. The horses made early morning sounds as I approached; Dusty lifted her head in greeting and snuffled in my hand for her carrot. I picked her hooves while I waited for her to finish chewing, and then slipped the bit in her mouth.Grabbing a handful of mane in my left hand, I stepped back, tossed my right leg over her back, and, mid-flight, grounded myself with my right hand on her withers; a single smooth motion that had taken so much practice to learn, but now came easily and gracefully to me. I nudged her sides with my heels and we ambled off towards the gate. Another move that had required practice but was now second nature: she sidled up to it, I opened it, we went through, and Dusty swung her backside around... More About: Away , Runaway 1, 2, 3 |
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