Aging

I am aging. It's not that I didn't know this interesting fact but today it feels more real to me. My daughter turns 19 years old today, and for a kid living in BC Canada, it is a milestone. No longer considered a child, they are granted the right to vote provincially, buy cigarettes (oh my how I wish she wouldn't) and drink alcohol. So for me, that means my daughter is no longer considered a child - ergo, I am definitely aging.


I'm only 41 - I like the word "only" in that sentence. In many ways I feel younger than I ever have because I am comfortable in my own skin. I'm no longer plagued with as many questions and concerns about who I am and how I fit into this universe. I have more confidence in my decisions than I did when I was younger and I believe in myself in a way I didn't know was possible in the past. I know me. And I am aging.


It is a strange thing this aging process. Just when we get really good at life...when we're getting it figured out...we are on our way toward leaving it. An odd reality but I suppose that's how it is meant to be. We are born to learn throughout our days and when the time of learning is over, it is done.


Not that I think I am close to that by any means! Like I said, I am only 41 :) It's just that now I am able to grasp the concept that I am finite. That I too will be over. That I need to make my mark - my indelible impression on this planet in a timely fashion because time really will cease to exist for me at some point - of this I am now certain.


I am grateful for the days I have and I intend to find my own way to be of service to this planet...this life...this experience. Cheers!

Claw Settings and Soldering

At my last writing, I started to set cabochons, which is very exciting. I have a few more styles on order to play with, including some pyrite, which is absolutely lovely.

In addition, I purchsed some sterling silver claw settings and some tiny stones to have fun with on the nose jewelry site and produced some lovely, little flowers with stones for centers. The process was a little tricky and I wasted a few of the claw settings before I experienced success. The little claws are tiny and melt very quickly under the heat of the torch.

Once I got a rhythm in place it worked out very well. I soldered the little claw setting to the flower cap by using paste solder, which flows faster, and by heating the soldering brick around the piece, instead of the piece itself. Once the claw was soldered in, I turned the flower cap over and soldered on the post. I thought I'd share some photos!