Net options

She tapped the on button and waited, drumming her fingers absentmindedly on her desk as the computer made its usual thrumming and grinding noises; she knew the exact moment it would sing the refrain that meant "get to work." She took a last sip of coffee just before the first note, knowing that by the time she thought about it again, her coffee would be stone cold.

She began her research where she'd left off last night; one page led to another as she watched information swirl before her eyes in a wild dance on the screen. She quickly cut and pasted relevant bits into a scratch file to sort out later; she didn't believe in mixing gathering with comprehension. She would analyze and digest the information later; now, anything that looked as thought it might be relevant was simply captured and caged.

Penelope loved options.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, beadweaving, glass pearls, glass beads, button clasps. Hand fabricated.

Rock pool

She arched her back and let her hair fall back into the water; she stretched her arms toward the sky and felt the soft warmth of the sun on her skin. With no prior thought, she pushed off the rock and was gliding backwards through the water; she turned and dove deeply.

Her hair streaming out behind her, she swam until she was exhausted. Then, perched on a rock on the edge of the pool, her hair curling wetly over her breasts and back, she smiled.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals and pearls. Beaded Bead patterns by Jewelry Tales and Bead Origami. Hand fabricated.

Moonlight Lace

The moon was pale and soft; dawn was just beginning to lighten up the early morning sky. The streaky pinks and blues were barely beginning to glow over the eastern hills; they were more of a promise than a reality.

When was the last time she'd stayed up all night? School, probably; studying for some test, totally unaware of the beauty she now enjoyed. She eased off her shoes, rubbed her toes, and relished the feel of the cool air on her aching feet.

The moon hung low on the horizon, huge and seemingly translucent, showing its reluctance to disappear.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, Swarovski Crystals, brass. Hand fabricated.

Lacy Lapis

Before she even knew what it looked like, she'd fallen in love with Lapis Lazuli. It was such a lovely name to say; exotic, poetic, and alliterative. It simply had to be the most beautiful stone in the world.

As a child, she'd been fascinated by archeology; that was where she'd first heard of Lapis Lazuli. It was, she felt, a kingly stone; why else would all those Pharaohs have had so many things made from it? She imagined it as the purest, richest of blues, with highlights of gold. In her dreams, her arms were always covered in fabulous bracelets; with stones as blue as the deepest glacial lakes.

Nothing else ever came close.

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Brass, Lapis Lazuli, seed beads. Hand fabricated.

Edwardian Splendor

"Sugar or lemon?" Annalise just loved hearing that; it made her feel as if she were in an old movie. She'd watched hundreds of old movies; the black and white world of the 1930s pretending to be the early 1900s was her time and place.

Closing her eyes, she drifted into a world of urbane and sophisticated people, beautifully dressed, and utterly cool and elegant. She joined them in a Spanish garden, next to a plashing fountain that cooled the sun-drenched courtyard.

"Lemon."

© 2009 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel

Seed beads, peridot, brass button clasp. Hand fabricated.