Road trip

Several days before Christmas I packed the kids and my parents into the van for a long day of fun - shopping at a discount Amish grocery store and my first visit to terrain. Ema served as my official photographer and here is a brief account.


We packed the back of the van with great deals from BB 's Grocery Outlet, headed to lunch at Andrew Wyeth's favorite lunch spot (portobello burger for me) and made it to terrain around 2pm. I had contacted the buyer hoping to meet her but unfortunately she was away. Samuel asked if we should be in stealth mode and I told him 'no' we weren't on an undercover mission... nor was I going to introduce myself. The friendly staff was quite busy, being 4 days out from Christmas.


The store is beautiful and amazingly cohesive, with no detail left to chance - think Anthropologie's earthy big sister with an emphasis on all things garden. I felt like I fit there visually with lots of green, grey and brown, concrete, wood and stone. Still, its a bit surreal.


I was very pleased to find a selection from D. Landreth Heirloom Seed Company for sale. Landreth's is the oldest seed house in America and is located just blocks from my house.

Slow down

I need a serious slow down. Between orders (finishing my 3rd wholesale order in a month), keeping up with etsy AND preparing for the holidays I am starting to flag. I stopped working the other night because my fingers were sore.


As always at this time of year I like to think about "re-setting" everything, putting things to rights to begin the New Year. I am going to have an after Christmas sale and then close for just a bit the end of January.

Weak in the knees

Sales of my work at terrain are picking up (hurrah!) so its time to order more beads for the etched pearl necklaces. Looking around and considering some other purchases here. I find beat up old beads very appealing. Archeology meets jewlery - whats NOT to like about that?!

Of course beat up old beads often come with a price. "Don't get too attached to that last strand", I said to myself. They are tile beads from Afghanistan thought to be about 2000 years old. A strand of 21 beads costs $120. Gosh - it would be like wearing a museum around your neck!

Time out

Beware the bareness of a busy life. - Socrates

Now...time to re-group because between school, household and my wholesale order from terrain I've been going 8am-8pm straight through every day.


Friday night was decidedly, deliciously, slow. Kyle and I practiced Christmas carols on guitar, mandolin and melodica, occasionally stirring a big pot of homemade applesauce that simmered on the stove. Saturday I played at making "magic stones" among other things.


If you are in Philadelphia stop by terrain at Styers in Glen Mills, PA and check out my jewelry!

A Short Story

210 white beads. It has been a long day. The end.