Snorkeling at Black Rock

This is the Black Rock area as seen from the right side of our balcony.  The snorkeling area is all along the rocks out into the water. 

 

 

The island of Lana'i can be seen in the background of this photo.

 If you're feeling more adventurous, you can even swim around the first point and into the cove on the other side.  Here are some paddleboarders making that trek.  Being that I had a child with me who had never done this before, I opted to stay closer in.  There were definitely some currents farther out on some of the days we were there and I didn't want to deal with them.

After first giving our snorkel gear a test run in the condo's pool, we were ready to make our first attempt.

Here's Ryan giving me the "everything's okay can we please get going" pose.

The first thing you notice is the amazing clarity of the water.  Even with lots of people around (the only downside to this location), the water remained unbelievably clear.

 

 

Close in, this location is a sandy bottom with rocks to the right.  Not much live coral due to too much human impact on the environment, but once we swam out a little farther, there was some coral still alive.

 

 

This is probably my favorite photo that I took underwater out of all the places we snorkeled.  I have a whole new appreciation for all the underwater camerawork on the Discovery channel, Animal Planet, etc.  If you think land photos are hard...try bobbing up and down while holding your breath and trying to capture a moving target that swims faster than your digital camera can take a pic!  At least this gorgeous, bright orange Slate Pencil Urchin held still long enough for me to get the shot.  I did have to free dive down to do it, but it was worth it. 

 

This was the only Trumpetfish I managed to find out of all our dives.  Apparently, they go through a phase where they are solid yellow, but in this phase, they are olive green until almost the tail and then you get a black with white spots section and a bright yellow tail.  Sadly, the next day, I watched a spearfisherman get out of the water in this location with two of these gorgeous fish that he had killed.  They are so very narrow that I can't imagine they make good eating so I can only figure that he took them just because they were so pretty and unusual looking.  Kinda hate that.

 

 

 

 

 

Also hanging out in the coral area were quite a few of the Hawaii state fish.  Known as the little fish with the big name, it's called a Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.  In English, it's known as a reef triggerfish.

 

 

 

Here's another shot of this guy with an urchin in the lower left corner.

 

 

 



I thought they would mostly stay by the rocks, but I caught this one racing away over the sandy bottom.

 

 

Other fish that seemed to prefer the sandier areas are these Sergeant Majors (striped) and tangs (solid). 

 

 

 

The Sergeant Majors seemed fairly comfortable with all the people in the water so I managed to get a close up of this one.

 

 

 

 

 

These Cornetfish were all over on the sandy bottom, but you had to look closely because their skinny silhouette and uniform coloring make them look like shadows or blades of grass.

 

 

 

 

This guy was so fast.  I chased him all over the place trying to get a good shot of his amazing colors, but this was the best I could do.  This is a Yellowfin Surgeonfish.  He's mostly blue with bright yellow fins that look like a bird's wings flapping when he swims.  There's also a bright yellow stripe just below the dorsal fin on his back and white ring around his tail.

 

 

This was another fish that led me a merry chase and who has phenomenal colors that I couldn't capture.  Brilliant scarlet and lime green, this Christmas Wrasse was one of the most colorful fish we saw.

 



Moving back over to the coral area, I caught this lone Longnose Butterflyfish.  I thought it was odd that it appeared to be all alone, but I never did see any others like it that day.

Another singleton was this Yellow Tang.  Every day that we went to Black Rock, I saw this same single fish hanging around this same rock.  Normally, they come in schools so I can't figure out why he was all by his lonesome.

 

 

On the other hand, there were lots and lots of these Lowfin Chubs hanging around.

 



 

 

I wish I'd been able to getter a better side view of this Orangespine Unicornfish to show all its brilliant orange and yellow coloring, but I was getting the "enough fish...it's time to boogie board" signal from the kid so had to pack it in for the day.

 

 



 

 

Notice that all snorkel gear has already been removed.  I barely got him to hang around long enough to take this last photo.  He was excited to do the snorkeling, though.  He kept forgetting I couldn't understand him with the snorkel in his mouth and would yell out under water when he saw something interesting.  Then I would smile and break the seal on my mask and water would leak in and we'd both end up on the surface spitting out water and laughing.  It was awesome.

 

Stay tuned to see what we found at some other locations around the island.

 

KJ

 

 

 

 

Why Everything is Better in Hawaii

Okay, maybe not everything, but so far I've only been able to come up with a few things that AREN'T better in Hawaii:

1.  Skiing.  Skiing is not better in Hawaii (although they do get snow on the volcano sometimes)
2.  Ummm...

Okay, so ONE thing that is not better in Hawaii.

And here's why...

We arrived on Maui about mid-day thanks to the time difference.  After wasting time at Costco (don't ask me why we needed to shop there for only 3 people), we made our way over to the Ka'anapali area of West Maui to our condo.  This was a new property for us since there were no vacancies at our regular Marriott timeshare.  I had my fingers crossed that the photos and reviews on the internet were accurate and luckily, they were.

This is a view of the island of Lana'i looking a bit to the right from our balcony.

And this is the island of Kaho'olawe looking a bit to the left from our balcony.

The property also had a gorgeous koi pond complete with a cute little bridge.  The nearby grassy areas were great places to watch doves, mynah birds and an occasional stork every day.

Here's a photo of the kid sitting by the koi pond patiently waiting for the SLOW adults to get their act together and get him to the beach already.

And boy did he have fun when we finally made it there.  Just down the beachfront path that winds in front of all the hotels in Ka'anapali is an area known as Black Rock.  It's located in front of the Sheraton hotel and is perfect for snorkeling, paddleboarding, boogie boarding or just enjoying a swim.

The white building in the background is the Sheraton hotel.

After a little bit of time on the beach, it was time to get cleaned up and head for dinner.  Here's a shot of our first sunset taken from the koi pond bridge.

And another shot of sunset (with boats) taken from the Hula Grill restaurant (best Lava Flow drinks on the island!) located right next to our condo in Whaler's Village.

 

That was our first day.  We spent most of the next day getting our snorkel and camera gear rented, hitting up the local grocery store for gluten-free food options for my mom, and exploring downtown Lahaina.

After that, it was on to snorkeling!  Ryan had never done it before and I had never had the advantage of an underwater camera so we were excited to play at being Jacques Cousteau.  Stay tuned to see what we found!

KJ

 

 

 

 

Back from Outer Space

Oh, my poor little blog.  I've had to leave it to languish all alone and lonely for the past few months.  On the up side, it means I'm more engaged with my REAL life and not wasting spending so much time goofing around on the internet.  On the down side, I sure do miss having an outlet for my thoughts, jewelry, etc.

Most of the last few months have been consumed with work, kid stuff, and household repairs.  No jewelrymaking and I can't even remember the last time I went on Etsy to buy new beads...I know, I know...you don't believe me, but it's TRUE!  Oddly enough, though, I have actually been SELLING quite a bit of both jewelry and resin beads.  Why it's suddenly happening when I'm paying less attention to the site than ever...I have no idea.  I call it my "un-marketing" marketing plan. 

Genius, LOL!

We did manage to get away for a long weekend in late July.  Mom won a free weekend at a Dana Point beach condo in some charity silent auction thingy that she went to so our whole clan schlepped over there for several days.  We had a great time - the surf was huge and somewhere on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean are a pair of my swim goggles that I'll never get back after I wiped out pretty good in a sizeable wave.  The same wave made a valiant attempt at taking half my swimsuit, too, but I managed to hang onto that...which was a fortunate thing for both me and for anyone within visual distance.

Here's a lovely photo of the sunset on our first night showing the view out the condo's bedroom window:

This is Saltwater Creek beach - famous surfing spot and located right next to the Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Our real vacation is coming up this next week.  We're headed to Hawaii!  I lived on Oahu as a young child for a few years so my earliest memories (and probably my love of all things beachy) stem from that time.  I've been jonesing to go back since my last trip 13 years ago and am thrilled that we are going to Maui this summer.  Ryan has never been so I'm looking forward to taking him to a luau and teaching him to snorkel, etc.

I bought a waterproof camera and hope to get some shots of the coral reef, fish, turtles, etc.  Of course, I'm still kinda skeptical that this whole "waterproof" thing is actually going to work, but I have a receipt and a warranty so am hopeful that I can return/exchange it if there are problems.

I will definitely get the photos posted here if I'm able to get some.  Maybe they'll serve as inspiration for some new jewelry because I could sure use that!

Aloha!

KJ

New Earrings

One of my goals for this year was to get back to making jewelry.  I don't think I'd even touched my work surface or tools since sometime last April or June.  All my energy (creative and otherwise) was being focused at work and apparently, I only have so much of that mojo because I had nothing left to give when I got home.

 

For me, creating is sorta like sex.  Sure, I can force it and it's decent enough, but it's not nearly as much fun as when I'm really in the mood for it.  Hmmm...maybe that's TMI?

 

Anyway, I still don't feel like I really am back to where I was creatively a year ago or so, and I definitely didn't feel I was up to taking on a necklace or a bracelet, but I figured earrings were a good way to start trying to get my groove back.  None of them are rockin' the high bar on the creativity scale, but it did feel good to take at lease a few tentative steps back towards something I really love to do.

 



 

 

These are your pretty standard lampwork + Swarovski crystal earrings.  A good place to start since these were some of the very first materials that drew me to jewelry-making way back in the Dark Ages of time (aka the early 90's).  I threw in some vermeil Bali-style spacers and bead caps and a few purple seed beads to play up that gorgeous color.

 

This design happened almost by chance as I opened some packages from different vendors and these materials just sort of fell out onto my beading board together.  I thought they all had that same antique kinda feeling about them like they just belonged together.  The rose beads are carved out of white shell and the dangle beads are tiny faceted Czech glass in a cherry/vanilla swirl color combination.

I may have gone a little off the rails iwth this pair.  I'm not completely sold that all the components work together, but at least it's very different than my usual design aesthetic.

I started with the gray, brown and cream swirled lampwork beads at the top and then wanted to add these cream lampwork rings.  I tried wire-wrapping them, but it looked too messy so I went with these large, brass jump rings.  Then, at the end, I decided the whole thing looked like a winter river scene:  snow, ice, river rocks and bare tree branches.  I need something to represent the water and punch up the color scheme and that's where the aqua crystals came in.  What do you think?  Does it work or not?

If you've been following my blog at all, you know I love all things pansy - they are my sorority's flower (shout out to my Delta sister Erin at Tesori Trovati) and plus they're just pretty :-)  I also "parle francais" and spent time living in Paris.  So when I found an artist in France selling ceramic pansy beads on Etsy...well, there was no question that I had to have me some of that.

I used brass wire to add some Czech glass leaves and flowers and a couple of pink and purple Swarovski crystals to these rustic pansy charms.

Awhile back, I picked up a gorgeous strand of teardrop agate beads whose colors ranged from earthy teals and browns through wonderful mauves and pinks.  I've been slowly working my way through using up the strand.  This of pair of teardrops has been wired to vermeil oval hoops and I've added on some faceted smoky quartz and vermeil bead caps.  The pink is not nearly this bright in real life but every time I photograph it, it really lights up.

Lastly, I had this pretty pair of Lillypilly shell disks.  I added white shell donuts wrapped with vermeil chain and the toppers are a pair of faceted Czech glass rondelles with a turquoise and picasso finish on them.

Out of all the pairs I made, I think I'm happiest with this one, but I'd love your feedback.  What do you think? 

Oh wait...if you totally hate them all...you don't have to tell me that LOL!  That can be your little secret.

KJ

Confession Is Good for the Soul (Supposedly)

Admitting the problem. 

 

It’s said that’s the first step to resolution.

 

So here I am.

 

Admitting it.

Yes, I have a problem.

And I know what you think.  You think this is about my bead addiction.  But you’d be wrong.  Oh, there’s no denying I have that as well, but the problem I’m about to admit to is much more significant, of longer duration, and more likely to have a lasting impact on my overall health.

 

It all started innocently enough back in college.  In fact, innocence may have been part of the problem.  I grew up in a family where there was no alcohol or smoking…heck, no one even drank coffee.  I made it all the way through high school without partying or experiencing alcohol so what did I know about chemical substances or the abuse thereof?  I didn’t even have my first taste of a beer until I was a freshman in college riding on a “beer bus” to the Rose Bowl for a football game.  I still remember thinking “this is what rat piss tastes like.”

 

I think that first taste was what allowed me to avoid any kind of a drinking problem during college.  Oh, I was in a sorority and did my fair share of partying, but I was a serious lightweight compared to almost everyone around me and I pretty much gave up alcohol entirely after college.  And, even though it was L.A. in the 80’s, I managed to avoid any entanglements with certain other substances that were prevalent on campus during that timeframe – you can only imagine all the insanity that was going on back then.

No, my actual problem was so much subtler than alcohol or illegal drugs.

I still remember the sorority sister who sent me down to the basement to get my first taste of what would become a life-long (so far) addiction.  At first it was just a little bit here and there when I was thirsty for it.  Then, it was at mealtimes and sometimes even took the place of a meal (all the better to fit into that cocktail dress for the next party, right?)  Eventually, I had to have it all day long.

Oh, I made all the usual excuses.  It helped me stay awake and alert so I could study.  It cured headaches and hangovers so really, it was “medicinal” when you think about it.  It helped with weight loss – and considering that the girl in the bunk to my right was the reigning Miss USA (literally) and the girl in the bunk on the left was the reigning Miss Los Angeles (literally), the competition to look good was FIERCE!  Besides, everyone else was doing it, too, so how bad could it really be?

 

Now, here I am almost 30 years later and I find myself having to not only admit that I have a problem, but also facing the real possibility that I FINALLY HAVE TO STOP if I want to preserve my health.  Heart palpitations, weight gain, potential issues with blood pressure and blood sugar levels are all things I don’t want to be dealing with…especially with the big 5-0 birthday looming on the horizon in a couple of years.

So, here I go.

 

Yes, it’s true, I am addicted…

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

…to Diet Coke.

Help me.  I can't stop...

KJ

New Year's Bead Porn

It wouldn't be a new year with a new start to the blog without a least a soupcon of bead porn and here's the first installment. I plan to sprinkle a bit more off and on throughout the year as budget and time allow. I'm still hoping to get actual finished jewelry pics taken this weekend, but the weather is looking kinda sketchy so far...we'll see what happens. In the meantime...BEAD PORN!

 

You know you missed it ;-)

 

 

I was thinking spring when I picked out this cute, yellow patinated brass hummingbird and flower pendant from Patina Worx.

Verdigris-patinated flower and leaf links from the same shop.

I also got a pair of these lovely gold/blue patinated bird charms from Patina Worx.  I thought the colors were so pretty on these.

These large, textured and patinated metal teardrops are from Miss Fickle Media.  I had originally envisioned them as earrings with multiple strands of tiny chain and a few small beads hanging in front of them, but when they arrived, they are so heavy that I think they will work better as pendants in individual designs.

Textured and patinated copper rings...

...and an amazing floral embossed bracelet link are both from Kristi Bowman.

Turquoise floral clay links...

...and dark blue floral links both from Karen Totten at Starry Road Studio.

I've already used these hearts in a design which I posted about here and have listed on Etsy for sale.  Hearts perfect for Valentine's Day...

...or a wintry design are both from Slate Studio Supply.

She also was the source for this pretty blue and green flower pendant...

...and this heart-warming sunburst pendant.

Rebekkah Payne from TreeWings Studio makes these darling polymer clay bunnies and other animals.

Which reminds me that I saw the first bunny rabbit of the season last night at dusk.  They are usually all hibernating now, but they sometimes come out right before rain is expected to get a little grass-munching done and then go back into their burrows before it gets wet.

More exquisitely detailed polymer clay - this time a golden seashell-themed charm from Gwydion's Garden.

Spring green poly clay hearts with matching beads...

...a wonderful Pari-inspired heart pendant...

...and a plaid butterfly with matching beads are all made from polymer clay and come from Menagerie Studio.

I keep telling myself that I have enough lampwork for me and about 500 other beaders and I don't really need any more...and I keep sooooo not listening to myself.  This vibrant pair of daisies on black with turquoise scrollwork is from I Make Beads.

Sky, sand and ocean lampwork pair...

...and this bright floral set are also from I Make Beads.

Half-n-half hollow lampwork beads are from Alisha White.  She says the colors in these beads are "Atlantis Blue" and "Poison Apple Green."  LOVE those names!

This gorgeous set is from Radiant Mind.  The photo doesn't do it justice because the colors in it are amazing in real life.

That's it for the year's first installment of bead porn.  Keep watching this space for more installments in the future.

KJ

Playing Catch Up

Thanks for sticking with me through my little trip down memory lane vis a vis last summer's vacation.  I promise that not all my posts will be quite so mind-numbingly boring, but I needed something to get the blog going again while I continue to play catch up in the background and get things back on track.

Item 1 on that list (well, not really #1 but it is on the list and had a quick turnaround time) was getting my Etsy shops updated.  I created a whole bunch of new resin last year, but never did get about half of it uploaded to the shop.  Made a start on that last night with a number of new Paris and Eiffel Tower-related designs so if you're into that sort of thing, be sure to check out my Be Resinable shop.  More updates to come later today and this week as time allows.

There are actually still some pieces from last year that have been left all lonesome and forlorn on my work station waiting for a second resin pour to finish them off.  I had hoped to get to them this weekend since we were having a warm spell (80+ degrees!) which is much better for doing resin than colder temps, but it seems I was overly optimistic about my work schedule returning to normal just yet. 

Plus, it was Ryan's birthday party (he turned 10 on Jan. 14th) and the NFL playoffs and car repairs and a doctor's appointment and by the time all THAT was done, I had a choice of what to do with my remaining free time 1.  movie & pedicure or 2.  resin.  I went with #1 and saw "Argo" and then got the pedicure.  With 80 degree weather here all week I had to bust out the sandals and flip flops so the feet needed to get a little TLC.

"Argo" was awesome and I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it yet.  I'm still not sure why it got an "R" rating as it wasn't nearly as violent as I had expected.  A lot of the "F " word in it, though, so maybe that's why.

More shop updates to come and maybe bead porn by Friday if I get my act together :-)

Happy Tuesday!

KJ