Doesn’t that sound like a great day? I have visions of riding along the California coastline with the top down in my son’s convertible. The weather would be nearly perfect and the scenery glorious. We actually did this once on a visit to see him and he allowed us to borrow his car for a few days for driving down the coast. Was is the fact that we reminded him of what we shelled out for his Rice education that made him let us take it? I really doubt it. He’s just a nice guy.

Regretfully, it’s not that kind of top down day here at the ranch. Instead it is that dreaded day ever few months when I start at the top (ceiling) of our timberframe house and clean the dust all the way down to the floor. If you haven’t been in our home, that probably doesn’t sound like a big deal. A timberframe home like ours, however, has a good deal of exposed wood and a very high ceiling that catches considerable dust. The following link shows a photo of this type home. this is NOT our house, but you can get the idea. (http://www.timberframe-houseplans.com/gallery/Lindsey.shtml ) By the time I have been on the ladder and worked my way down, I am pretty much covered in dust, but feel good about getting it done. I can only work on top down when the puppy is ousted to his pen with the other dogs outdoors. Bruno likes to take my broom by the head and go raising down the hall with it. Cute - - but annoying! At any rate, I’m finally finished and ready for some design time.

The photos of what I finished last night are more or less top down as well. This picture shows the very first sterling silver free form bracelet that I have made. I finally got the nerve to use this more expensive wire and managed not to mess it up.  This is a dimensional cuff with amethyst, sugalite and pearls. I just put it in my etsy shop for $42 and we’ll see how it goes.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/52292709/sterling-silver-gemstone-bracelet

The second bracelet shown here is copper (I’m stretching to say copper is “down” from silver). I’ve been trying to develop a new bracelet that would incorporate a cabachon in a bezel. I think this might be a winner and will be especially nice when I get up the nerve to make it in sterling silver. This copper one retails at $30.  If you have been reading this blog, you know that soldering bezels is new for me, but it is getting easier. Perhaps when I try this one out of sterling silver, I’ll really go to the top and also use a turquoise cabachon.