new earrings

I've been collecting earrings since I was twelve, and was finally allowed to have my ears pierced. I still have the very first pair of earrings I ever got. They were a Christmas present that year, and they were the signal that the time had come to start poking holes in my body. What a happy, happy day that was for me! Those little gold hoops meant I was Grown Up. And ever since then, I can't remember a single day that I've gone without decorating my ears. I've even gone so far as to buy a pair of earrings if I somehow dashed out of the house without putting some on. And I remember one time, when I was a waitress in Gardnerville, Nevada, and had to be at work at 5-AM-for-goodness-sakes... I grabbed two earrings off my dresser in the dark, and accidentally discovered the joys of mis-matched embellishments. Another fine day, indeed.

Since then, I've collected mostly large and interesting earrings, since it takes a lot to be seen through my hair. Even when I worked for the U.S. Forest Service in McKinleyville, California, they referred to me as the "cute little girl with the braids and the earrings". There I was, stuffing seedlings in bags by the thousands every day, so tired I could barely move by quitting time, but I always had killer earrings.

My collection is impressive. I've never counted, but I'd estimate A Whole Bunch. And once I started making my own, there was no stopping me. You know how it is. Sometimes you just need some new earrings. I find this is true quite often. So I always bring tools and wire to bead shows, in case I need to make some during a lull in the show. And then there are times like last night, when I need something new to wear to a party. Clothes are too much effort, but earrings can happen in an instant, and they always fit. I mean I wear clothes too, but they certainly aren't the focal point of my outfit. That's where the ones at the top of this entry come in. I've been playing with fusing silver into chains since Anne Mitchell showed me how at Kate McKinnon's place last year in Tucson. These earrings are my own hand made chains and ear wires, embellished with dangly little lavender cubic zirconia drops. Quite festive for an evening out, don't you think?

And then this afternoon I was finishing my work day, and I just thought maybe another similar pair, a little less formal, would be ever so nice. So now I have these with the faceted turquoise drops. I'm wearing them now. They're wonderful and swingy and make me feel just plain good. Tomorrow... I don't know... maybe I'll be OK with these for a few days. Then again, what about some of my own glass beads swinging from some edgy oxidized silver chains...