And it Starts all over.

The school year that is!
Summer started Year 1 today and I was sceptical as to how well it would go, given that she had been at home and having fun for the past 6 weeks. But I saw her to her new class room and met her teacher and she settled right in as though she'd always been there.

No tears.
No worries.
Relief.

And now I can focus a teeny bit more time on my bench work, well at least once we are into a solid routine again. I have enjoyed the lazy days of doing what ever, when ever.


Playtime all day.
Lunchtime when ever.
No school run.
It was nice.

Now we're back to a schedule and I have to retrain my brain and my childrens.

Poppy is getting more and more aware of what she wants and who she wants. Which is me.
Or rather my lap.
All the time.
And I love it.

This is a picture of both of my girls around the same age in the same dress I had made for Summer, so around 7 months(ish):

Summer on the left and Poppy on the right.
They look so similar. But their personalities are Polar opposites. Summer was a full on, balls of energy, plenty to say baby. Poppy is a more solemn, serious kind of child. It has been a fun and interesting 8 months so far!

So when Summer is home and can play with Poppy, I will be able to get to my bench. Below are some of the things I have made since my last post:

The enameled elephant was a custom order. It was a bit of a challenge as it was hard to know how to colour it so that had the traditional colourings of an elephant. But I (and the customer) were happy with how it turned out!

The silhouette lady is my 3rd so far. Think I might have to make myself one, someday soon. And a couple of heart pieces for Valentines day.

It has just started raining right now and I have mopping to do and then some parcels to pack up. I hope you are all having a great start to the year - though January is already almost over!!!!

Em ♥

So not in the flow.

I'm struggling to finish my little collection. And I have a small custom pebble pendant to do, but I just can't seem to get it happening. Doesn't help that it's now day 2 of the 2 week school holidays. I'm keeping up with everything domestic/parental. Just not jewelry.

I have to get my backside to the bench today to finish that pendant so I can get it posted. I have been enjoying getting my groceries delivered, so that is something I don't have to contend with, spesh with having the baby to take and a 5 yr old ... not my idea of a good time.

So jewelry wise, here is a piece I finished not long before I had Poppy:

My first ever attempt at a hollow form piece. I love it. It has a nice weight to it and it's a great simple -go to- go with everything pendant. I wear it with another long necklace with a feather, being that it's all silver, it goes with other necklaces. Not that I have any others lol

Below is a picture I just captured:

I absolutely LOVE it - I managed to get her to look at me just for a split second, enough to capture her beautiful little eyes looking right into the lens. This will be one to frame!

*sneaking away to make a cuppa*

Okay, I ended up going to the bench to get that pendant happening too lol.
I am going to make sure I have my collection complete and listed before the 1st of July too! I think it's so hard for me to get on with it, because of that little bundle of cute above. When she finishes her feed I want to continue to hold her as she sleeps or just lays there looking around taking the world in, it's so hard to put her down sometimes. But if I were to hold her all day long, I would get nothing done - at least nothing done that requires both hands/arms :)

It's time now for me to enjoy my cup of tea and a chocky biccie or 2! Then it's back to the pendant, by then I'm sure my little one will be awake again.

Take care
Em ♥

And it begins!

My gorgeous baby girls first day at Kindy!!!!

And I can't believe how well it went!

I hung around in the background for about a half hour (whilst it was playtime outside) and then I was talking to one of the teachers and she advised me to try and leave whilst everything was going on. So I called out to Summer and she came over and I told her I was going, but that I would be back before she knew it, as she is going to be having so much fun and that I love her. And can you believe it?? She didn't really mind!!!

That coming from the little girl who this morning said she didn't want to go lol.

So I went through my fave coffee shop drivethru and got their biggest coffee and hung around for half an hour (just in case they needed me to come back) and now I am home. I've got 3 hours to play with before I have to head off and pick her up. 

So I guess I should hit the bench eh?!

Wow this is so strange.....I love her with every fibre of my being and I know how much she needed this. So I hope she is having an awesomesauce time!!!

I love you my little munchkin ♥ ♥ ♥

Em.

Changes.

I'm all for a change every now and then. 

It keeps things interesting and fresh.

But some changes are more difficult than others.

It's time for me to put Summer into some sort of Pre-Prep/kindy school. 

I am so used to having her home with me every single day...that the thought of being without her every day makes me feel a bit strange. She needs it. I think she'll love it. She hasn't ever been in any kind of daycare though, so I am unsure whether she will find it hard for me to leave her there - with a bunch of strangers, or if she will be so absorbed in the excitement of it all that she won't care. I'm really hoping that she won't care about me leaving. 

She is such a friendly outgoing little girl now and is very gentle when it comes to playing with other children. I don't want that to change. She isn't used to children who bite, hit, snatch, swear, or who are rough when they play. Maybe I'm being a bit of a worry wort. Summer needs to assert her independence and needs to learn to stand up for herself when mum and dad aren't around and being away from home will help her do that. I just hope she doesn't bring the above traits home with her.........(am I being ridiculous??)

Another thing I am pondering changing, is my shop name. 

As much as I am attached to the name I have now, it doesn't really give any indication of what it stands for. I am struggling with what to change it to.

I have:

Cherry Hill Silver

Emma Cherry Silver

The Silver Cherry

Which do you prefer??

Above is what's on my bench right now....not much eh? The one good change for me, when Summer goes to kindy will be the time I will have to be at the bench and get things made. Those of you who've got kids, know how hard it is to get anything made with them around all day, especially when there are no day naps occurring anymore.

Okay...think I'm going to call the kindy now..... *sob sob*....

Em

Almost Over.

2010 that is. But that's kinda obvious :P

The lovely cool weather we were having here, is now gone. Well and Truly.
It's so muggy here again. We've been getting a lot of rain on and off too. And a couple of storms with more on the horizon. Fortunately where I live, there has only been 1 very humid evening. Hubby spent last weekend installing air conditioners in the master bedroom and our daughters. I love air con. I hate what using it is doing to the environment (along with every thing else I use) but I couldn't live without it. Not in the Summertime anyway.

I have lots I want to do in 2011. Thinking of Goldsmithing school (night lessons). Thinking of purchasing new tools to learn new techniques - chasing & repousse, etching, tube setting gemstones and the list goes on. I am pondering a rolling mill too. I have the opportunity to get one right now, but not sure if it's worth it yet.

I have a new tool:

An Orca Torch. My hubbzie bought the gas tank for it yesterday, but as it's been too humid and I've had a lot to do round the house, I haven't yet played with it, but plan to on the weekend.

My first ever Etsy sale went fabulously!!! I haven't yet filled my shop back up yet, but that's a good thing :) I've placed my 2nd order with RioGrande this week, which I hope to get on Monday (just in time to play over the christmas holidays). And I am going to send in my 1kilo of silver scrap - that took me an entire year to accumulate - to my silver suppliers to get credit to buy more supplies. I don't have enough to get refined and I will need more sheet soon, so it's the only way for me to go right now.

Well my old mans home and he's brought lunch with him (YUM) so I'm going to leave it here and go and enjoy it :)