Arwen

Arwen stuck her tongue out at the retreating figure of her mother. It was childish, she knew, and not at all like anything her namesake would do, and that's why she liked doing it.

What was the big deal about Lord of the Rings, anyway? She'd been stuck with the name; she'd had to deal with moony girls and boys in high school when the movies came out, and she'd just about had it.

She was not, she repeated, not going to have a Lord of the Rings wedding. No elfin flowers, no medieval wedding dress, no church decked out like a clearing in the forest. Her nuptials would be fun; she had the Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas booked already.

This Arwen was as stubborn as the first, and every bit as willing to defy her parents.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski crystals and pearls, freshwater pearls. Hand fabricated.

Wine Country

She gave the car a little more gas coming out of a gentle curve in the road, and laughed as the wind whipped her hair across her face. On both sides of the road were vineyards as far as the eye could see; rows and rows of grapes, winding their way up and around the gentle hills.

In the spring and summer, the vines were green; but now the leaves that were left were red and brown. The grapes had been harvested, and the new vintage celebrated. Just a few weeks ago, the roads had been clogged with tourists drinking their way through the Harvest Wine Weekend; today it was completely empty and hers alone.

Another perfect day.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Copper, crystals, seed beads. Hand fabricated. This piece won a Design of Distinction in the Use the Muse III competition.

Echoes of Angels

Karin was late again. It was the one thing she'd promised she'd never do again; he couldn't stand to be kept waiting, she knew that, and she'd sworn that she'd be on time tonight. Well, she could kiss that resolution goodbye. It just wasn't going to happen.

What was it about Geoff that turned her into a dithering fool? She'd never worried about her appearance with any other man, but with Geoff, she spent time she didn't have making sure that everything was exactly right. She loved how he noticed every little detail of her appearance; she loved the way he he put his hand on the small of her back and guided her into a room, subtly announcing that this beautiful woman belonged to him. She'd never had anyone expect so much from her before.

She'd always known she was beautiful, and she'd never had to do anything but throw on a pair of jeans and show up to please her previous boyfriends, but with Geoff, she felt the need to make sure every inch of her was perfectly turned out. He hated sloppiness even more than he hated being late. Time to go. Past time to go. She wondered if he would be mad, or if he would still be waiting for her. Sometimes he showed his displeasure by leaving before she arrived.

And then; quickly, obliquely, she wondered if that was what she'd wanted all along.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski Crystals, faceted vintage glass, lampwork by Melissa Vess. Hand fabricated.

Terra Firma

She scrambled up the last few yards, planting her boot in the dirt to gain a slight purchase with every step. The ground was loose here; not rocky or sandy, but soft clay, slippery and treacherous. It had slid recently, and it could slide again at any moment; she balanced her desire to move quickly with the need to test each step before making the next.

At last she reached a small ledge, just large enough to feel comfortable, and allowed herself to rest. Shading her eyes from the sun, she looked out over the valley and appreciated the feel of firm, unyielding earth beneath her feet.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Antiqued brass maille, lampwork by Melissa Vess. Hand fabricated.

Sea Foam

The waves came in like wild horses, pawing the sand, snorting and tossing their heads, their manes and tails flying in the breeze. Alison closed her eyes and felt them all around her, prancing, dancing, wild and free.

She was swept up onto the back of a pure white beast; she shivered and trembled uncontrollably as the water swirled around her feet and withdrew, leaving her suddenly bereft and buried to her ankles. Before she could mourn, a new wave came in and carried her away again; it left her buried deeper, and then deeper again.

How long could she stand there before she disappeared entirely?

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, sterling silver, Swarovski crystals and pearls. Hand fabricated.

Splash

She knew she shouldn't, but that made it all the harder to resist. He was asleep; asleep on a raft in the middle of the lake. She had no idea where he'd come from; she'd never seen him before. She should simply swim away and leave him to his slumbers; she tried mightily to resist. She even swam off twice, but she came back each time.

He was such a tempting target.

He looked like a nice guy, actually; not too good looking, but not unattractive, either; not the sort who looked as if he would take himself too seriously and get really mad. But still. At the very least, it would be a rude thing to do. Mean, almost. He was sleeping so peacefully; what right she to wake him?

Regretfully, her better nature won out. She turned to leave for the last time, and found herself the recipient of a mighty splash. Drenched and grinning, she defended herself.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Sterling silver, 3mm amethyst. Hand fabricated.

Red Hot Mama

Cassie would never do it, of course, but it was fun to think about it. What if she did wear red lace under her jeans and T-shirt? Would the earth stop spinning? No, indeedy. No one would know except her; why was it so unthinkable to wear something so pretty and girly?

Resolutely, she closed the catalog and sighed. She opened it just a little bit, just enough to see those red lace undies one more time. Cowgirl pants, they were not. No way, no how. Likely, they'd ride up and pinch; goodness only knew where they'd get stuck after an hour or two on horseback. They were not practical; nope, not practical at all. Not her sort of thing.

With a sly grin, Cassie pulled her credit card out of her wallet, picked up the phone and dialed.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Gold-filled, brass, and copper chain maille. Lampwork by Melissa Vess. Hand fabricated.

Grab the brass ring

Serena had never believed in luck. Good fortune was made, not stumbled upon. She never read her horoscope, and was the only person she knew who liked fortune cookies for the taste. When other girls plucked the petals off daisies and were delighted or horrified by the turnout, Serena had always laughed.

So why was she suddenly looking for omens?

She'd gone as silly as any love-struck teenager, and she didn't like it one little bit. She'd lost her confidence, and she had no clue how to get it back.

What a ridiculous merry-go-round the world had become; she was more than ready to get off.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Brass Filigree, folded and soldered. Hand fabricated.

"I'm with the band"

She was underage, so she kept her head down and her arms full, blocking as much of her face and torso as possible with amplifiers, guitars, and drums as she went back and forth from the truck to the stage. She'd been told to keep her mouth shut and avoid eye contact; if anyone said anything to her she was to say as curtly as possible, "I'm with the band."

Last night she'd practiced exactly that; scowling, looking fierce, and growling out her one line. It had taken a few tries to get in character; even now she had difficulty hiding the grin that wanted to light up her face. Who'd have thought she'd have the nerve to do this? She was a roadie. Okay, not exactly a roadie, they'd only traveled a few miles from her home to get here, but she'd ridden in the back of the van, and she was unloading the band's equipment pretty much all by herself.

She ducked behind the largest amplifier and tried to look tough. "I'm with the band," she thought. "I'm really, really with the band."

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, crystals, pearls, gemstones. Hand fabricated. Pattern available at Jewelry Tales on Etsy.

Net options

She tapped the on button and waited, drumming her fingers absentmindedly on her desk as the computer made its usual thrumming and grinding noises; she knew the exact moment it would sing the refrain that meant "get to work." She took a last sip of coffee just before the first note, knowing that by the time she thought about it again, her coffee would be stone cold.

She began her research where she'd left off last night; one page led to another as she watched information swirl before her eyes in a wild dance on the screen. She quickly cut and pasted relevant bits into a scratch file to sort out later; she didn't believe in mixing gathering with comprehension. She would analyze and digest the information later; now, anything that looked as thought it might be relevant was simply captured and caged.

Penelope loved options.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, beadweaving, glass pearls, glass beads, button clasps. Hand fabricated.

Rock pool

She arched her back and let her hair fall back into the water; she stretched her arms toward the sky and felt the soft warmth of the sun on her skin. With no prior thought, she pushed off the rock and was gliding backwards through the water; she turned and dove deeply.

Her hair streaming out behind her, she swam until she was exhausted. Then, perched on a rock on the edge of the pool, her hair curling wetly over her breasts and back, she smiled.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals and pearls. Beaded Bead patterns by Jewelry Tales and Bead Origami. Hand fabricated.

Moonlight Lace

The moon was pale and soft; dawn was just beginning to lighten up the early morning sky. The streaky pinks and blues were barely beginning to glow over the eastern hills; they were more of a promise than a reality.

When was the last time she'd stayed up all night? School, probably; studying for some test, totally unaware of the beauty she now enjoyed. She eased off her shoes, rubbed her toes, and relished the feel of the cool air on her aching feet.

The moon hung low on the horizon, huge and seemingly translucent, showing its reluctance to disappear.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski Crystals, brass. Hand fabricated.

Lacy Lapis

Before she even knew what it looked like, she'd fallen in love with Lapis Lazuli. It was such a lovely name to say; exotic, poetic, and alliterative. It simply had to be the most beautiful stone in the world.

As a child, she'd been fascinated by archeology; that was where she'd first heard of Lapis Lazuli. It was, she felt, a kingly stone; why else would all those Pharaohs have had so many things made from it? She imagined it as the purest, richest of blues, with highlights of gold. In her dreams, her arms were always covered in fabulous bracelets; with stones as blue as the deepest glacial lakes.

Nothing else ever came close.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Brass, Lapis Lazuli, seed beads. Hand fabricated.

Edwardian Splendor

"Sugar or lemon?" Annalise just loved hearing that; it made her feel as if she were in an old movie. She'd watched hundreds of old movies; the black and white world of the 1930s pretending to be the early 1900s was her time and place.

Closing her eyes, she drifted into a world of urbane and sophisticated people, beautifully dressed, and utterly cool and elegant. She joined them in a Spanish garden, next to a plashing fountain that cooled the sun-drenched courtyard.

"Lemon."

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, peridot, brass button clasp. Hand fabricated.

Net of Dreams

Sophie had big plans. She wouldn't always live this way; no, she knew that one day, her ship would come in, and she'd get on it and sail away. She preferred to think about that day than to think about this one; today had most definitely not been a day out of her dreams.

She worked hard; she really did. But that didn't seem to matter to her boss; to him, she was a convenient whipping-girl. Whatever went wrong, it was somehow her fault; today, she'd been blamed for something that went wrong in a meeting that she hadn't even attended. She'd just stood there, mouth agape, listening to him rant. Getting through the rest of the day had been hard.

But she was home now; home alone, with her own thoughts and dreams.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, brass, vintage button. Hand fabricated.

Time and Tides

Geni didn't know which surprised her more: that the bubble worked, or that she'd actually needed it. But that was her luck in a nutshell; she was always doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. Buying the bubble had been her most ridiculous purchase to date; motivated more by a sideways look in a certain pair of dark brown eyes than by any practical necessity. "Face it," Bronwyn had chided her, "You're a sucker for a man with puppy dog eyes."

It wasn't just his eyes. Eugenia let her mind wander from the situation at hand, remembering the lithe shape of the inventor and the way his tongue had snaked out between his lips when he paused for thought. She'd have to look that one up again and thank him when she got back.

If she got back.

Snapped back to reality with that thought, Geni peered out of the bubble into the sea, watching abstractedly as several fish swam by. Her unplanned Flight of Fancy had apparently dropped her not on land, but fathoms under the sea. It was something that had been suspected by the small faction her inventor belonged to; for once in her life she was glad she was a sucker.

As the bubble drifted slowly skyward, Eugenia let her mind wander over all her memories of the occasion that had made this bubble a reality. By the looks of things, she'd have plenty of time to enjoy every minute of it all over again.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski Crystals and pearls, freshwater pearls, watch parts, brass, lampwork fish and disc by Melissa Vess, polymer clay face by Kristie-Lou Brigham of Sculpted Wndows. Hand fabricated.

Out on the town

Anjelica couldn't decide whether to dress up or down, so she threw on a little bit of both. Jeans, of course; skin-tight to show off her butt, and jeweled flip-flops. A plain white T? or a glam, vintage sequined top? The sequins won out, they nearly always did.

She rummaged around in her jewelry box, looking for sparkle. When she was done, bangles marched up and down her arms, and every finger sported a different type of ring. Her earrings brushed her shoulders, but the only ornament around her neck was her own skin.

She grabbed a slouchy leather backpack, tossed in her evening essentials, and was gone.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Brass, seed beads, rose quartz. Hand fabricated.

Orchids

Eleni tied her sarong around her hips and added a bit more kohl to her eyes. This was not the time to be subtle; she was on vacation and free to do whatever she wanted. He skin glowed with color from her afternoon on the beach, and her hair was freshly washed and silky soft. She smoothed frangipani scented lotion on her skin; a splurge in the hotel gift shop, but one she would never regret.

On her way out, she impulsively put one orchid behind her ear; as she'd noted earlier, this was no time to be subtle.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads. Hand fabricated.

Tide pools

She struggled to keep her balance, and mercifully, she succeeded. Hopping from rock to rock while waves crashed just inches from her tennis shoes was probably not one of her better ideas, but she couldn't resist. She hadn't explored tide pools since she was a young girl; just the idea had made her feel twenty years younger.

As she had so very many years ago, she kept a running list of her finds in her head. Sea anemones were by far the most common, followed by the little clams and hermit crabs. It still startled her to reach for a pretty shell and have it run off; or worse, poke out a leg when she picked it up. Kelp, certainly. But she had also seen a couple of starfish, and some shells that she could not identify.

As she worked her way across, her balance improved. She still had it.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Sterling silver, lampwork by Donna Millard of Donna Millard Art Glass Beads and Jewelry. Hand fabricated.

Itsy Bitsy

Betsy stood in the dressing room and laughed. It was either that, or cry; and she was tired of crying. No one, absolutely no one, felt sorry for her; everyone thought it was funny that even size 000 jeans hung on her like a sack.

Betsy was tiny, and that was putting it mildly. Barely four feet ten inches on tiptoe, and very slim; if she could just resize herself about ten or twenty percent larger, she'd be happy. She stuck her tongue out at her reflection in the mirror and wondered if she would ever fit into adult clothes. Not this week; nope, she may have celebrated her sweet 16 last week, but her birthday money would be spent in the children's department.

Again.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, rubies, swarovski crystals, gold-filled. Hand fabricated.

Lagoon

The water was warm; it felt soft against her skin as she left the shore and slowly worked her way past the stones and plants that kept the timid out. The night was cool, but the shallow water had stored up the heat of the day and felt good. Waist-deep; she bent her knees, and felt the warmth slide over her shoulders and up her neck.

In the moonlight, the surface of the lagoon glowed; beneath the water, all was dark and hidden. She dove deep and disappeared.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Cech glass, Swarovski pearls and crystals. Strung on sterling silver wire. Hand fabricated.

Geode

Marina walked along, looking at the ground beneath her feet, repeating to herself, "round, egg like? bumpy . . ."

She wanted desperately to find a geode, so she picked up every likely candidate and dropped it into the canvas bag that she had slung over her shoulder. It was getting heavy, so she took a moment to set it down, swallowed a slug of water from her canteen, rubbed her sore shoulder and decided to try the bag on her other side for awhile.

When she filled the bag, she got back into her car and drove home; tomorrow she would take them in and get them sliced. As she drove, she imagined a wealth of crystals revealed by the lapidary's blade.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, crystals, glass pearls. Hand fabricated.

Sweetness and Light

Peggy stretched and realized that she was hungry. It was time for a break, and she'd brought in a basket of cookies that she'd baked last night. As she headed off to the break room with her basket and her coffee cup, she noticed that she was gaining a following. As she passed each office, the scent of chocolate and butter was drawing people away from their desks.

She set the basket down on the table, and, with a cheery, "Help yourselves!" she went to the coffee maker and filled her cup.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, freshwater pearls, Swarovski cyrstals. Hand fabricated.

Round and Round

"Round and Round I go," Tricia found herself humming that song again. She shook her head, trying to rid it from her mind. It wasn't that she didn't like the song; it was just that that particular line of it was far too apt these days. She was constantly doing the same thing; and, worst of all, without any different results.

"Didn't someone say that was the definition of insanity?" she put her hand over her mouth, realizing that she'd spoken the words out loud. Talking to oneself was another sure sign; that's it, she was becoming deranged.

She laughed; whatever else she was, Tricia was always quick to see the absurdity of life.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, garnets. Hand fabricated.

Wireless

She grabbed her iPod and was out the door before anyone saw her. She sent a quick text from the front porch, before going out of range, to let Jaime know she was on her way. There were lots of open wireless networks between here and there, but she figured she might as well take advantage of her home 'net.

Earphones in place, she swung her bag over her shoulder and was gone.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Onyx, seed beads. Hand fabricated.

Flight of Fancy

Eugenia always held her breath when the pressure started to build; although Bronwyn laughed at her, she really did need to silence her own respiration in order to hear the steam from the tiny boiler fill the pipes. She knew every pop, ping and wheeze; the engine told her when it was ready. All she had to do was keep the fire going, and listen.

Time. She needed more time; she wasn't going to have enough time. Very, very gently she fanned the fire, urging the water to boil. The grounded ones were nearly upon her; she could hear them in the middle distance, the cadence of their engines indicating speed, the song of their steam mocking her own efforts. They didn't know how to make flights of fancy, and she wasn't going to be the one who gave up her steam to change that.

Bronwyn would give her grief for not filing a flight plan; but truly, she did not have time to plan this flight, let alone time to let anyone know she was going. She grinned; heck, even she didn't know where, or when, she was going. She would have to take her chances with space and time and work out the details of getting back when she got wherever, or whenever, it was she went. If she had enough time to leave, that is; she was hopeful, but not at all certain. She listened carefully, resisting the impulse to drum her fingers against the boiler to make some noise. At last it began to build: steam, steam; beautiful steam; pop, ping, wheeze.

Eugenia held her breath, set the dials, and vanished.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, brass, Swarovski crystals, vintage watch parts. Hand fabricated.

Diamond Dreams

Unlucky at cards, lucky in love. How many times had she heard that? She looked at her hand and sighed. Too bad her love life wasn't any better.

"Fold."

She tossed her cards down on the table and allowed herself to daydream as the rest of the players played out the hand. Wouldn't it be fun to see a fan of diamonds . . . in her hand, on her hand . . .

Deal.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, sterling silver, Swarovski crystals. Hand fabricated. Tutorial available on Etsy.

Woodland Treasure

Big Sur was probably her favorite place on earth. She loved everything about it; the drive up the coast was inspiring enough, but turning away from the ocean and entering the forest was even more wonderful. The trees towered over her, making her feel safe and protected. The mosses and lichens were tiny worlds unto themselves; she felt as though she were comfortably in the middle; just the right size.

From far away, an owl called; dusk was upon her.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski crystal, gold-filled, lampwork by NValentine Studio. Hand fabricated.

Caribbean Sea

She turned her face into the soft sunlight, relishing the breeze that gently lifted her hair and caressed her body. It was hard to believe that just yesterday she'd left snow on the ground and sub-zero temperatures. The water here was so blue; blue in shades that she'd never seen anywhere else.

As she stood on the sand, she felt warm for the first time in months. She stretched languorously, feeling the sun on every inch of her skin. She started walking, slowly at first, then faster and faster as she was drawn, inexorably, to the sea. Without a worry in the world, she let herself slide beneath the gentle waves.

She was home.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski crystals, lampwork by Melissa Vess of Wearable Art Glass by Melissa Vess. Hand fabricated.

Fissures

She'd learned a long time ago not to try to fill in the cracks. Maintaining a veneer just wasn't worth the time and effort; she was what she was, and anyone who minded could just go whistle up the tracks. She cared deeply, and all that caring left deep fissures in her soul; crevasses in the rock of her being, rough places that she took a certain pride in not hiding.

She liked to think that the structures she'd built across the ravines made them beautiful; that the tears which had brought rivers and cascades to her landscape had also nurtured the abundant wildflowers. She'd decorated herself from adversity; she wasn't pretty, but she had a presence that was undeniable.

Every blow had made her stronger; she loved them all for that.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski crystals and components, ceramic by Lean Dog Pottery. Hand fabricated.

Scarlett Sings

Her nerves were gone. Just like that. No more anxiety; no apprehension at all. All week, her fear had been building to a fever pitch; she had been certain that tonight she would collapse like a soufflé, her insides runny and sad, the rest of her crumpled into a heap. But no. Mercifully, she was intact. Intact and unafraid.

Scarlett looked at herself in the mirror and was sure. She was ready. Everything in her life had led up to this moment; every day had been only a rehearsal for this night. She ran through a vocalise for confirmation; her voice was rich and easy. She smiled; a dazzling smile of pure joy, and opened her dressing room door. Carefully, she walked out to the wings; her cue would come soon. The orchestra swelled, and her heart rose with the sound.

She was on.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Brass filigree and chain maille, seed beads, swarovski crystals and pearls, cubic zirconia. This necklace won first place in the Use the Muse contest. Hand fabricated.

Spring Fever

Katinka stretched, opened her eyes, and knew. It was here. No doubt about it. She flung open her window and laughed; the morning air was cold, cold, cold, but spring was definitely here. She sang in the shower and danced while she did her hair and makeup. Getting dressed, she went straight for the brightest colors she owned; this was not a day where she could be content to fade into the woodwork.

Fruit! She suddenly craved some; she cut up the mango she'd bought the other day in anticipation of spring, and felt her knees go weak with its juicy sweetness. She ate ravenously, recklessly; the fragrance of its flesh filling her nostrils, and its soft, slippery pulp sliding down her throat.

Looking at her bare feet in their strappy sandals, she kicked up her heels and laughed. Spring. Finally, finally, it was here.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Hand fabricated from seed beads. The flower is based on a pattern from the April Bead and Button Magazine by Melissa Grakawsky.

Floating

She closed her eyes and pretended that the whole mess simply didn't exist. The angry teenagers exchanging unpleasnatries weren't hers, the living room did not look like a tornado had struck, and she didn't live in a suburb outside of New York city.

She was floating on gentle waves on a Caribbean sea. Supported by the warm, salty water, she felt her body go limp, as every muscle was soothed and massaged by the constant motion of the ocean that cradled her. The only sounds were the wind and the waves, with a lilting reggae tune coming from far, far away.

In her heart, she danced.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Sterling silver, lampwork by Gail Kops of Beadles. Hand woven in the Saraguro style.

Embers

It was late. Very late. The fire had died down to almost nothing; she hadn't been paying attention, and, with a sudden start, she realized how very cold she was. How could she have let this happen?

Berating herself for not noticing, she pulled out some kindling and made a careful structure above the last remaining embers; she laid each piece carefully so as not to smother the few precious bit of fire. When she had laid the last one, she blew very gently on the barely glowing red coals; they brightened, and she was hopeful.

Gently, gently, she blew again.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed bead bracelet. Hand woven. Based on a tutorial from Jubeads Box.

Searching for spring

Christmas was over, and she was ready for spring. That was one of the pleasures of living on the west coast; spring would arrive when the northeast was still snowed in. But it wasn't here quite yet. Impatiently, she haunted hardware stores and nurseries; still the same old mix of discounted (and sad looking) fall flowers and leftover holiday pots.

The bare root roses offered a promise of summer; she had already bought a few and planted them in a sunny corner. A couple of them were already showing green buds where their leaves would be; she couldn't wait to see them unfurl.

Maybe next week.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Sterling silver earrings. Hand fabricated.