Rock 'N Roll

So, by now, everyone knows we just had an earthquake here in So Cal. 5.8 and epicentered in Chino Hills which is about 32 mile northeast of where I work. We felt it pretty strongly here and most of us dove under our desks just in case, but fortunately, no damage occurred to either people or buildings.

Having lived in So Cal since 1970, I've been through a number of quakes including the Sylmar, Whittier-Narrows and Northridge quakes. I'd say this one ranks below all of them on the strength and "scariness" scale as far as how it felt to experience it. It did seem to be one of the longer ones and had a gentle, rolling sensation to it. I know, I know, how can I describe and earthquake as "gentle?" Some of them start out with really harsh initial jerk or "whump!" and then shake violently. Others feel more like you're on a boat going over some waves - slow up and down motion.

This one didn't shake too hard - which is good. When they go on for a long time like that, though, you do start to get scared and think "okay, time for this to be over now."

Northridge was the worst because it had the big initial "whump!", the really violent and quick shaking AND seemed to go on forever. I knew immediately that it had to be a really, really bad one and that I was lucky to be in the OC and therefore probably far from where it was centered. But it was bad enough even at almost 80 miles away. This is the only one that I ever felt significant aftershocks from, too, so we had several days of "scary."

Whittier was bad, but I think it was magnified for me because I experienced it while in my apartment which was on the top floor of an apartment building on rockers. This magnifies the shaking experience. Plus, this is the earthquake that I was closest to the epicenter of and I was home alone when it happened

Sylmar was probably worse than I remember it being, but I was only 5 or 6 years old when it happened. I do still remember my bed moving across the room into the middle of the floor, though. We had just moved to California and I had no idea what was happening.

There've been a few other minor ones along the way, but nothing really noticeable except one that was centered in Big Bear in around 1990 or 1991. I never really felt this one because it happened when I was underwater off Diver's Cove in Laguna Beach taking my scuba exam. I did always wonder, though, if it had been centered off the coast and had caused a tsunami, what would've happened to us divers...

I do always wonder after we have one of these things...what if it shook just enough to put more stress on another fault somewhere and we're going to get a bigger one in the near future? Just one more fun part of living in So Cal.

But hey, at least we don't get tornadoes and hurricanes ;-)

KJ

Rivoli Madness

Okay, so now that I finally decided to join the whole rivoli craze, I can't stop making these Here's another couple pair that I finished this weekend:

The centers on this pair are rivolis in a color called "golden shadow."




This pair was a bit of a challenge - the rivolis are supposed to be "medium vitrail" but one has much more yellow, gold and rose in it and the other is more blue and green. I think the color coating didn't get applied evenly or something, but I decided to make them earrings anyway.

The fact that they don't really match doesn't bother my OCD/perfectionist tendencies at all.

Really.

I can barely tell the difference.

I swear.

And no, my hands are NOT shaking.

KJ

P.S. I got all the rivolis for the earrings in the last two entries from Rings 'N Things. I'm thinking about another, larger order because I can see a bunch of these babies all linked together as a bracelet which I think would be really amazing.

Oooohhh...pretty...and sparkley....

Hi. My name is KJ and I am a bead slut.

(Hi, KJ)

Okay, I admit it. I have a bead problem. Or rather, a bead buying problem. I just can't resist the pretty, sparkley stuff. I've often wondered if I was a magpie in a former life or something...

Anyway, here are the latest results of my addiction:

These stunning borosilicate lampwork spacers are from 5 Fish Designs. You can find them on eBay. Please go buy up all of their stock and save me from myself.

Then, of course, I cannot resist anything to do with pansies:

And, I mean, why even try when you get not only the pansies, but also leaves, buds and the cutest little ladybug I've ever seen. Oh and sorry, I'm not sharing the source on these babies because they are MINE, ALL MINE.

Now comes the part of my addiction where I attempt to justify the bead purchases by claiming that I make things from the beads:

This is my first attempt at beaing around Swarovski rivoli crystals using a technique I learned from an article by Bia Alessi in the December, 2007, issue of "Bead and Button" magazine. The centers are Amethyst rivolis surrounded by right-angle weave stitch using Japanese Miyuki size 11 seed beads and 4mm Swarovski bicones. These are meant to be earrings - I just haven't put the tops on yet because I'm out of stock on 14k gold filled French hooks.

Oh wait...guess that means I need to place ANOTHER bead order. And, of course, to make the shipping worthwhile, I better add in some more rivolis...oh and bicones...I'm out of those, too.

Are you beginning to see how this sickness operates?

This pair has light amethyst rivolis for centers (really, it does - it's just the scan that makes them look gold). The beading around the outside is done in dark amethyst bicones, amethyst AB and silver-lined gold seed beads. Again, missing the earring tops.

And last, but not least, the pair I actually finished:

These are black diamond rivolis with hematite and silver-lined clear seed beads, navy AB triangle seed beads and silver bicones. The tops are sterling silver French hooks. I think this is my favorite pair so far although I'm still working on a pair that's all shades of gold, cream and green and it's yummy!

That's all the addiction we've got time for today, but tune in tomorrow. Same bead time, same bead channel (perhaps I've been watching too many superhero cartoons with the kidlet?)

KJ