Happy 85 to this guy!

So thankful to be able to celebrate my Opa's 85th Birthday with him!
I can only hope I look as fabulous, at this age, as he does.

Super. Exciting. News.

...well, maybe more so for me than for you, but maybe you can humor me here for a minute.

Yesterday, I found out that my work was mentioned in US Airways, In-Flight Magazine! I probably could have peed my pants, but considering I was at work, I chose not to.
You know, the one that flies around with bored people who read it only because they're trying to ignore all of the other annoyances of flying, including the gregarious stranger next to them!? Yes? That one!
So pick one up on your next flight, tell the weirdo next to you to that you don't care about his kids, or his grand-kids, or his grand-kid's kids.... I mean, really? And brush up on some fun spots in my sunny-ass city!
Or see the online version of the magazine here on page 40. 

The article is called, "Where the Locals Go."

Do you see it!?
Yes, the "popular '602' silver necklace," is mine!

That is all.
I can only hope that your Friday is good to you and that you have the most wonderful weekend.
Take a minute from the hustle and bustle to enjoy the simple things and to breath some fresh air.
xox.

Our morning routine's pretty simple around here.

We’re all tiny robots functioning in one small space.

The dogs don’t even respond to anything but this anymore.

They’re programmed and apparently content.

I, however, usually complain about it, but even that’s a routine in itself. I don’t even think I care anymore, really.

I wake up, long before the sun, Austin, and the dogs.

I work out, come home, take a shower, and stir up Indy and Frankie.

Boil a pot on the stove and fill up their food bowls.

Frankie eats like she’s never seen food in her life, and Indy waits.

There’s a 15 minute time window where Frankie lays, eyes magnetic to Indy’s full bowl of food, and prays that he spontaneously gets sucked up into outer space.

He knows the drill just as well as she, and he stands there, still..

He watches me, he’s patient.

I pour a cup of warm coffee. The blacker the better. I pair it with an egg and some greens.

When I sit, I tell him, “Eat your food, baby,” and so he does.

There’s something unspoken between us. A bond thick and humble. We share a heart, me and him. And I think he recognizes so. 

He agrees to wait for me even when I tell him to go along, when I want him to have a chance to eat before I hurry out the door. He wants the company, and so I wait for him too.

I imagine us old. Waiting for one another. Enjoying our first meal of the day. Enjoying each other. And feeling full. 

In our minds, we're the best friends to have ever lived. 

I think these photos say it all.
People, I am officially out of my rut!

Antler, druzy, rough kyanite, and sterling. All I could think of when I made this piece was the findings of winter. The shed antler laying beneath the melting snow (the druzy- do you see it? Icy layers of white winter under sparkling night sky). Small leaves of hopeful budding life peaking from a blanket of crystal. The birds returning and the cacti looking a little more green with breath.

Do you know that sound of spring? The feeling?
Maybe it's something I've made up in my head.

The noise the sun makes as it kisses everything in its arms.
That newness is something wonderful.
The hope.
THE T-SHIRTS! I love t-shirts.
Simple. Soft. Light.

This piece would really look great with the simplest, loose, white v.
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p.s. this chain is new new new and we're engaged! True love, my friends.

Because in one heartbeat my soul can be torn.
With one glimpse of shade.
With one promise of a thunderstorm.

I have found myself weary, wounded and weak.
I have found myself unknowing and shy.
I have found myself sorted and unalike.

I've awoke from willow covered sorrow
and sagebrush burns.
I've lost every feeling in my lips.

Arise from the dark of dreams.
From the capture of unconscious thought.
From the time of instinct.

Hold fast.
and I'm already home.

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I wouldn't exactly call, what I've been having lately, "nightmares," but they certainly are not what I've come to think of as "dreams."  They're just enough unpleasant to need filing in some other, unknown folder.

They make me feel as if I haven't slept at all. Keeping my mind busy and my body from rest.
Some things simply mean nothing.
Brain vomit.

Maybe it's bad grapes.

The studio's a mess.
Last night, the ceiling rained and flooded the garage.
Toilet-water tears graced much of my beautiful equipment.
I'm an unhappy camper.

So, since I feel like my blog has been somewhat neglected... a full week with no posts- I figured I could share a few shots of Austin and my trip up north.

It'll be a short post, Frankie, locked up here in the bedroom with me while the landlord fixes things (I have to add this: I just accidentally typed "lardlord" and nearly fell over laughing.. if I hadn't caught that and left "lardlord," oh man... now I wish he was fat so I could start calling him that), anyways, her incessant crying has my nerves hanging by strings.

It was the first time ever that Austin and I have gone on a snowboarding trip without some other company. It was wonderful. The hotel was disgustingly terrifying, but luckily we had a large blanket that we usually keep in the Jeep for the dogs, so we laid that out on top of one of the beds, t-shirt covered our pillows, and hoped we wouldn't be murdered in our sleep.

The weather was phenomenal, and we boarded both days in our sweatshirts. I love warmer boarding days. It beats the cold wind any day.

By the suggestion of a friend, we headed up to Payson, taking a different route than usual. This way, took us through Miami, Arizona. Have you ever heard of it? Have I ever heard of it? Does anyone besides the people who live there even know that it exists? No.
And there's good reason for that. That reason? Well, because it's tiny, disgusting, rundown, and covered in cops just waiting to make Miami an even worse town than it already appears to be.
This sounds terrible of me, and I do apologize if you live there, but wow. Miami, you need some serious attention.

We went home our usual way.
And then we broke-up with our friend and left his awful suggestions behind. (Ok, no, we didn't).


Now, back to plaster mess and toilet water.

Happy weekend.
Stay vibrant.

Be prepared. You are about to see the most random collection of findings that your little eyes can handle.
The Tucson Gem Show was amazing... I kind of want to go back already. Even though it was incredibly overwhelming.

African Beaded necklaces and amazing (insanely heavy) old coins.

"Artifacts" as the bowl was labeled (bones), fossilized walrus teeth (yes, more), and turquoise in a whole bunch of different forms (hey, sometimes you just need a skull bead, am I right?)....

Lots of gem stone beads.

 ...and lots of gem stone cabochons.

Also,

these. 
Freaking juicy.

I also collected a happy amount of new hand tools, a nice leather sandbag, and some beautiful wooden necklace forms for my retail booth.
I may have also bought a whole lot more.

But shit, now it's looking glutinous and greedy. I'm not admitting to anything!


I foresee a lot of new work in my future... are you ready for it? What's your favorite? I'd love to hear from you.


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Oh, and I almost forgot!

I awoke Saturday, in Tucson (yes, Arizona), to snow!
It was gorgeous.

So of course, me and my little niece collected snowflakes on our heads and enjoyed the chilly white.

I've been up and down lately.

I've changed a lot in my life in the last year and as insanely happy as I am about some of the new things I'm up to... I've had some moments of extreme heartache. I've had some terrifying nightmares. And I've woke in a cloud of anxiety that overwhelms with every filling breath.

I accidentally saw the aftermath of a terrible accident a few weeks ago after a trip up north. It was unexpected and it shattered me. My heart broke, my veins withered, I felt something for an unknown other that made me so fully aware, yet so deeply hidden. My chains, pulled, tangled, drawn. I cried. I mourned the rest of the way home... and now even as I sit here, telling the world, I'm struck again.
(Indy is now trying to climb my body to fill me with his kisses. He hates when I cry. He offers every part of himself to aid me in emotional recovery. I love him for that. The world gave me him for that reason, I just know).

I do have to say here though, some of my heartache is unreasonable. Last week, I wished that my sister wasn't married yet, only so that I could relive her wedding. It was one of the happiest days of my life and just thinking about it being over, being done, all of the memories, the seam-popping amount of happy, it made me cry my whole way home from work. I was completely full that night. Happiness, love, joy to the brim.
I don't know if I convince myself that I will never find that feeling again, or if I'm just overwhelmed with the idea that life can hold such days of treasure, but sometimes it leaves me lost. Quiet. Dreaming. Hurting. I'm thankful for you. For reading. For making me feel like there's connection. Hoping that I'm speaking to others that may know this deepness of feeling. I can only hope you've had days as sweet as these.

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Changing the tone here a little, and having to do with this feeling of thanks, the winner of my instagram contest:

Congrats!!
Please send your info to hello@ashleyweber.com
I am so thankful for your submission!

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One last change of pace here before I rest for the night (there's a huge, busy, buzzing day waiting for me tomorrow) I just came home from the annual, amazing, largest gem show in the world (literally), the Tucson Gem Show and I can't can't can't wait to show you what I've found... though I'm having a little regret that I didn't drop a little more dough of some beauties I saw the first day, but I came home with a crazy array of mouthwatering lovelies.

Super-duper-quick-post.

I'm doing a giveaway on Instagram for a free pair of these puppies:

Little sterling skull posts. 

To be entered to win:

Instagram a photo of yourself wearing a piece of atg. jewelry- follow me and tag #ashleyweberdesigns  (this is my user name)

If you don't yet own a piece, snap a shot from any site of mine, of a picture of my jewelry and tag it with #iloveatg and #ashleyweberdesigns

Best of luck!
Please feel free to share with friends that you think may want them!

Thanks! + Happy February, right!?