Where, oh where, have I been?

Well, first I was in California for vacation, having a very rad time indeed. Then I got back and have had a case of the lazies. Did vacation make me feel rested and ready to take on new challenges? Not at all.

But the bright spot is that in the past month I’ve collected some sweet jewelry, all of which is now in heavy rotation.

This is my best souvenir from CA – a necklace with a jillion strands of green plastic beads that are cut in such a way to make them look like… something other than plastic. Also, it is tremendously long. I can loop it around my neck at least three times. I love that this is plastic but looks, as Heidi Klum would say on Project Runway, “expensive.” It looks expensive. It was $15 at a vintage/costume shop. The clerk who got it out of the case for me asked me if I was “going to the 60s party.” She mistook me for a local!

The owner of the store said, “Now you have something to wear next St. Patrick’s Day.” I said that I will wear it just about every day and she gave me a sour look. She was also freaking out about some kids playing with the costume swords and threatening to put up a sign that said something like, “No Kids Touching Swords.” Huh. Stock a store with all kinds of cool dress-up stuff and then get pissed when kids get excited about it.

Sorry for the kind of bad picture. Are shadows bad in photos like this? I suspect they are.

Anyway, another favorite purchase was this gold-dipped sand dollar from Rewind in Minneapolis.

I love Rewind. It’s a small shop but they have quality things, not crap. Sure, everything isn’t going to be for you but surely you can find a handbag or a clutch or a blouse. And they have a lot of jewelry. I remembered seeing the sand dollar during the winter and I thought about it for weeks. I went back and got it on my birthday. There weren’t any sand dollars on display but when I asked the very kind sales person dug out at least five options from their chest of goodies. So if you go there with something in mind, don’t be afraid to ask. They will help you out. Also, they don’t stare at you the entire time as if you are going to steal something and they say hi to everyone. Those are two things I like in a store – don’t assume I’m there to rip you off and acknowledge my existence.

I wear this necklace just about everyday.

Finally, while shopping for gifts for others at Gallery 360 in Minneapolis, I found this cuff. They have many of these cuffs both in different sizes and widths. They are made from old belts and semi-precious stones. That’s right, this is a big ol’ rock strapped to a belt.

I am an idiot and forgot to write down the name of the person who makes them. But there is a large display at the front of the store. I do love a beautiful cuff…

I have a lot of beads in my closet from my jewelry-making days but not a lot of belts. I might take a few of the stones I have that I don’t know what to do with and make myself another cuff. Maybe. I still have a case of the lazies.