Smile a day: spoiling myself

#smileaday Spoiling myself. I bought myself a birthday present this year. (It's not my birthday yet, but sometimes I celebrate early). One of my former students from Nome now makes jewelry using fossilized ivory and mammoth bone set in beveled metals (among other things: he's also a musician). It's very Alaska meets the Southwest, which come to think of it, is what he's like too.

I know teachers aren't supposed to have favorites, but this student was always a special one, and I love hearing about the interesting life he's living now. And now I've got something beautiful he made. I love that the shape of the piece itself reminds me of Kodiak Island, another of the homes of my heart.

I'm not much of a jewelry person over all. But I do love a piece that means something to me. Happy birthday to me, a month or so early.