against the grain.

I dislike that the skin of a pear never fails to peel off with the sticker.
Have you noticed that?

It makes me think of a person pulling off a band-aid with the same result.
I think that thought every time.
It's a problem.

I don't think I've ever mentioned that I am part of an online club.
It's a secret club.
My secret, online club is filled with little metalsmiths much like myself.
It's a wonderful place where we share thoughts, ideas, new pieces, good news, how to's, videos. You name it, if it's metalsmithing related (or even just craft), we talk about it.
We also complain.
We lick each others wounds.
You know, the interwebular world can be rough. There's a lot more to it than a blog and a cute etsy.
A whole lot more.
What's best, we've all become friends.

Last month, one of our members suggested a "love parcel" exchange.
Every month you get a new person, this person sends a parcel to the person on the list below them. And that person, the one below them.
Whatever you want.
I think we're all hopeless romantics when it comes to snail mail.
Real mail, non-bill mail.

So we've done it.
And let me tell you...
It's glorious. 

THIS, is my parcel that I received yesterday. Picked out perfectly and bound up lovingly by Janice of Doxallo Designs.
After the kid-on-Christmas, deer-in-headlights reaction passed, I just couldn't help but take a picture so that I could share it with the world.
The picture of my things, from my secret club.

Gorgeous cabochons, including Janice's first that she ever cut herself (which on it's own, makes my heart melt), an original painting with, "go confidently in the direction of your dreams," written on the back, a button with my logo, a whole jar of black river rocks EEK!, and a sketch book with a matching gold pen.
Yes, I know, I feel like I've struck gold.
My metalsmith friend, if you're reading, you've made my whole month!
Thank you.