We had another snow yesterday, which started as rain around noon, turned into falling slush, and finally became powder in the evening. It was a perfect day for staying inside, with an inviting wood fire chuckling and humming, and the roof dripping rain and snow melt from the eaves.

I’ve had this whole week off since Tuesday, and it has been a week of catching up on reading, sewing, writing, and other handicrafts, and spending time with family. With the rain and slush yesterday, it was so relaxing to be able to finish some jewelry and work on a denim skirt that has been sitting on the ironing board for a couple of weeks because I’ve been procrastinating. And of course, with the Generations with Vision podcast in the background, or history lectures, it was a well-spent day.

Mom and I ran into Keystone on Thursday so I could pick up some garnet beads – The girls and I have hunted garnets for years in dry creek beds, and panned for them some, and I’ve always thought they are some of the prettiest stones. So dark they are almost brown, but red-to-purple in the light. Pleasantly understated. Until the girls and I and some friends stopped at the Rock Shed a week ago after cleaning church, I’d never seen garnet beads before! They made a nice necklace-and-bracelet set.

And with my soft-spot for historical fashion, I strung a necklace of coral beads as well, and strung the matching bracelet just a few minutes ago. The beads were originally meant for some historical doll jewelry, but I guess I didn’t turn them into doll jewelry fast enough. Ever since I was probably 10 years old and read the American Girl Felicity books, I’ve thought coral necklaces were simply lovely.  They were common during the Regency era, and through the 1800s as well.

Strung-bead necklaces are probably not much in fashion these days – But, in my opinion, the simplicity of a strand of beads is not only versatile, but timeless.