It was a year ago today that we started this thing! Packed up the cat, some house plants, and a jar of maple syrup in the back of the car, said our "love you"'s, and started our journey west.

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We made our way through 9 states in 3 days. We left our little loft cabin in the woods and went from rolling hills to shimmering cornfields. We found expansive skies, dotted with huge migratory flocks. Horizons of glistening fields became snow-capped peaks as we turned left into our little apartment on the side of the highway. Prairie dogs and a stretching view of the Rocky Mountains greeted us. A new place, new people, new trees. Rainbow clouds for days. We traded white pine for ponderosa, and green for gold. Woods that hold you for plains that expose you. Rigid ways of thinking were broken down, making way for new thoughts to flow.

Two apartments later, two studios later, two jobs later...my studio and the woods continue to be my home. Tim is at his first day of work at a new job (!) and I'm sitting here wearing new socks, reflecting on the past year at the bench.

"But look at how far you've come!"

PAST: sweat soldering, etching temps, double sided, thicker gauges, torch tips, tools to save hands, elbows & shoulders (setting pendants in red pitch with a hammer), more oxidizing, more distressing, more details, window cut-outs & jeweler's saw work, split shank bands, spinner & sheet rings, cleaner bails & solder points, "nose-grease" as solder repellent, soldering jump rings closed & clasp to chain, silver solder inlay

PRESENT: depletion gilding sterling silver, 22k gold paint, links & handmade chain, blue-green patina, work hardening, rolling mill magic

ONGOING: flow, balance, craftsmanship (soldering, etching), organization (paper, bench, blog), bodywork to counter benchwork, heart space

FUTURE: more magic, more magic.