Where did October go?

It has been a busy October.  Bob is in the Dominican for baseball, tomorrow is Halloween, this weekend is the St. Lucie Rock & Gem's annual show and Friday is Charly's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!  I have finally been released from therapy and am doing so much better.  I have to wear a brace to sleep to immobilize my wrist and wear it on and off during the day, but my tendonitis is finally easing up.  Just have to remember to do my stretching exercises and TAKE BREAKS - which is very hard!

My cabbing machines are finally up and running!  Here are my finished cabachons done at the St. Lucie Rock & Gem Club.

This Tiger Eye is in the process of being polished....

This stone is going to have to be stabilized and refinished.  The stone is just too soft and is chipping off in places.

And the Leopardskin Jasper is the first completed piece.  As soon as the gem show is over, I'm going to start wire wrapping the rest of the cabs so I can put them up for sale.

Here is my first faceted stone!  I am so excited to be able to cut and facet stones!  Just knowing that I can now cut a diamond is a major sense of accomplishment - although I can't afford to buy diamond rough!  I deliberately didn't polish the mains so that when you look through the crown you see a flower.  I know it's not a perfect cut, but it's mine so that makes it perfect to me!  It is a round brilliant Smokey Quartz.

I have also been playing with dichroic glass.  I am so in love with glass.  When I first began my classes, I just experimented with everything to see what it would do.  Today it was so much harder to make a design since I know what everything will do.  But I love love love it!!!

These two pieces are in honor of Charly, who turns 1 on Friday.  HUSH...it's a secret!!!   Found these lovely Rottweiler decals and they are both on rainbow glass in honor of his rainbow baby collar!

Finally, I have also been taking enameling classes.  I really like it, I just haven't gotten it down yet.  I am not happy with my first finished piece (the leaf) and think I will be drilling out and re-doing it.  The orange ones are going to be dangle earrings when completed.

It has been a busy month!  Leaving next week for St. Croix and when I return I will be updating my webpage and ready to get back to work!

If you were brave enough to get through this post, please leave a comment and tell me what you liked the most and why.  I really need a critical opinion.  It's the only way to grow and learn.  Hopefully, next post won't be so long.

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Happy Halloween everyone!!!