[Thistle motif choker center by René Lalique. Gold, diamonds, cast glass, and enamel. Freaking amazing.]

Well, I’ve been back now for a week and I have only slowly been getting back on my feet. My brain was still on vacation, I believe. But now it has returned (to much fanfare) and Gin & Butterflies is back in business for the new year!

I hope you all had a kick-ass New Year’s. I spent mine halfway between a hard airplane seat and the baggage claim; we sort of dully noted the passing of the decade as we schlepped along with our groggy child. It’s okay though. As soon as we got home, we dosed a glass of egg nog with a slug of bourbon and lived it up for about seven or eight minutes before passing out cold.

Some exciting things coming up for me (and you, soon) is I’m going to San Francisco to take a pavé setting course at the Revere Academy. I’m terribly excited. The image at the top is René Lalique’s choker centerpiece with pave diamonds set into the leaves.

After that, I’m off to the big Tucson Gem Show! I’m so so excited and have been making my list, checking it twice, well, many more times than twice.. I’m on the lookout for rose-cut translucent diamonds and sapphires of various colors, pearls pearls pearls (as always), and great big hunks of turquoise, among other things. Plus whatever else strikes my fancy (that’s a broad boat there..).

I’ll be gone Feb 3-7th and if anyone is interested in any unusual stones for a custom piece, now is the time to get a hold of me!