Thansgiving 2014

As I reflect on this past year and the many events that have shaped my life, I am left feeling grateful for some of the simple items and images that my mother and aunt gave me each Thanksgiving.  My brothers and I used the day to relax and play - we grew up with each other as our most frequent playmates.
The afternoon was spent with a simple and traditional meal with our cousins who lived just a half block away.  Familiar items from the Tupperware with the melted spot in it to hold the punch to grandma's cast iron pot for the turkey came out each year.

Vintage Whole Conch Shell Cameo

These items always bring me back to nostalgic inspirations in my jewelry making especially using classic items like a cameo.

Vintage Shell Cameo

Seeing a masterfully carved full conch shell that shows off the carver's skill to the delicate work of a small and delicate details that can be worn as a pendant always leave me in awe.

When working with cameos, I try to keep in mind that there are two artists hands on every finished piece and that it is my job to ensure that my work only enhances the vision of the original carver.

A cameo is something that reminds me to honor the past each day that I wear or look at one.