Tracy Bell and a Surprise

I don't know whether you follow Tracy's blog but it's a great one and I've added it to the column on the right under "Blogs of Note".  Tracey is inventive and original.  I got to meet her once through a mutual friend (Chris Fisher) at Bead and Button while we were waiting for the teacher's night to open.  I'm sure she doesn't remember me but I remember her.  She has a brash yet refined way or working with wire and mixing in surprising things.  Check it out - Copper, Glass, and Recycled Trash

This past week I was lurking around on Tracy's blog and hopped over to her Etsy to see what was new and saw this great tutorial on a bracelet she made with the "Now That's a Jig".  I lust after one of these but it will be a awhile before one can magically appear under my Christmas tree.  I thought it was fascinating and could see many variations on that theme so I purchased the tutorial.  It's a great tutorial.  Unfortunately with all of this packing and Daisy training going on I'm not going to be able to get to trying for it quite a while. 

But boy did I have a surprise.  When I purchased the tut I got an immediate email from Tracy saying I was her thousandth customer and she had a surprise for me.  Whoa whoa - do I ever love a surprise.  I wrote her and told her how much I love her blog and how much I liked what she was doing and especially the new foray into what we mostly call "fordite".  It's the common name of paint slag that taken off the spray booth's at the paint plant for the cars.  This stuff is fun - looks like layers of stone or polymer when it's cut and polished up.  Isn't it great?

Well, Tracy must have skipped her scheduled item to ship and she send me some of the fordite.  Oh my oh my oh my.  It's incredible and I love it.  I haven't told her yet as I wanted to get this post done and get some pictures.  She must think I'm a slub for not saying thank you yet....I just wanted to make sure she gets the proper thank you and notice for her royally impressive deed of kindness.

This is what she sent - and I'm beyond doing happy feet.  I drew out some possibilities and I'm packing the stones with the drawings so when I get my bench set up in the new to us house it will be first up on my list.  With the colors that are in it I can visualize everything from a grayish sky blue pop of color to a red brilliant cut gem (which I think is going to be one of the stones I add to it in a tube setting.  Although I have to admit maybe taking the back off of stone skull that's black might be my choice for the second stone.  Wouldn't it be wild - all gray, black and red but in a classy silver setting.  So many ideas.

Thank You Tracy.  May the force be with you talented lady!