Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Adobes done; lintels done. Bond beam frame tomorrow; monopour Friday.

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

I'm too tired to post more than the one photo shown above tonight. Suffice to say that they finished the adobes, got the last row up over the lintels, and it's starting to look like a house.

Tomorrow, they'll build the frame for the bond beam. The monopour is scheduled for 1:00 PM Friday, so we need to hope that the rain holds off long enough for them to finish. It'll have the weekend to harden; then Monday, they begin with spiral posts and vigas.

We need more hours in the day.

We also need shares. Shares of our YouCaring page via the widgets it provides, particularly the widget code from the purple box at the lower right-hand corner of the page, which gives you this: 



Shares of Wings's Web site, so that we can, with luck, generate enough sales to meet day-to-day expenses and continue to throw some of that toward the construction of the house. It was 41 when I got up yesterday morning, roughly at dawn. This means it's getting into the upper 30s overnight. I also means that we're in for an early winter, and probably a hard one. We need to keep the guys working straight through to get this done

I got almost no sleep last night, which means that I'm half-dead right now. I'm just going to say thank you to everyone one more time, and then I'm going to bed. I'll pick everything back up in the morning.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Water Spirits

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Water creates its own, birth water spirits that live in this world and only in the one that hovers just below the surface, a world into which you can plunge a hand but can never touch.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Holding Up the Four Corners of the Sky

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's one of Wings's newest works, just completed. It's one that evokes the world in which Buffalo and our other spirits play such a part, the hoop of the world and its spirits together holding up the four corners of the sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Final August Flash Sale: The Night Eagle

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Today's NDN Silver flash sale is our last one. Tomorrow, we move into September, and our August promotion will be over.

Accordingly, I've reserved a special work for this final flash sale: The Night Eagle. It's the embodiment of our spirit messenger, the powerful being whose feathers carry our prayers to Spirit. Normally, this necklace retails for $875, but until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it's 20% off. That lowers the price to $700 even — but only for today. Inquire via the site's Contact form.


All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

New Photos, New Timeline, New Share Requests, New Work in the Pipeline

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Well, it doesn't look like a drastic difference from yesterday, but they actually got quite a bit done. The most obvious change is the topping of the lintels and filling in the adobes around and above them.


Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.
What's not obvious from the photos are a couple of "invisible" accomplishments: The guys identified a couple of major problems with the blueprints, brought them to us, and walked us through the options for resolving them. In both cases, I'm actually getting what I ideally wanted, but was led to believe was not workable (when in fact, the plans as laid out are what's not workable). One of them involves moving the staircase to where I actually wanted it in the first place (but was told I didn't), and it's taking the shape I most wanted, but assumed was not sensible (it is). 

We were down one guy today (a different one from yesterday). hey also had to knock off an hour and half early because of rain. We're supposed to be getting a lot of rain tomorrow, so fingers crossed that they can get a lot done before it hits, because the bond beam is scheduled to go in on Friday. I think the vigas are being delivered then, too; he bond beam will have the weekend to set and harden, and then they get to work on vigas and the ceiling interstices.

Money. Out the door. On little legs, as fast as they can run.

So. One of my warrior sisters posted a diary for us tonight, emphasizing the need for shares of our YouCaring page. Please T&R and share it, too. I know people don't believe this, because if they did, they'd be sharing it, but Imma say it again: It really does make a difference when you share the link via the widgets from the YouCaring page itself. This is especially true of the widget code from the purple box at the lower right-hand corner of the page, which gives you this:


And it's not just Facebook; it's Twitter, and e-mail, and other social media sites and platforms.

We also need shares of Wings's Web site. This pays the bills on a day-to-day basis, and it forms the base of the funding for construction of the house (yes, the crowdfunding is necessary, but not sufficient). So please keep sharing them.

I will tell you frankly that I have been slammed all day, and I still have work to do yet tonight, even though it's after 10:30 here, and I am somewhere way past exhaustion out into the desert where you wind up punchy and mildly delirious. That's not gonna change for a while. So while we are profoundly grateful for all the help folks have given us thus far, I despair of getting enough time to myself to issue more concrete thank-yous in the short term. Please bear with me. Given the effect of the cold and weather on my autoimmune disease, I'm barely functional right now as it is. But I keep putting one foot in front of the other anyway, because there's no other option. 

A couple of notes:  Tomorrow, and probably Thursday, and definitely Friday, I'll have new photos of the progress on the house. Friday should be interesting. Also tomorrow, I'll be posting the first of some of Wings's new works, one that was completed only yesterday. He's slammed right now, too, with a number of commissions in the pipeline, plus the new work he needs to get out there. In this business, "the holidays" begin in October, and he needs to have the inventory built up sufficiently.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Tomorrow's Flash Sale: A Final Messenger

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Today's NDN Silver flash sale continues for about three more hours. You can see that item, one that features another messenger, here.

But tomorrow is the last day of August, and with it, our last one-day flash sale. For that occasion, I've reserved a work that embodies what is, in our way, perhaps the messenger, the one who carries our prayers to Spirit. This is a version for the darker hours: The Night Eagle. Normally, this necklace retails for $875, but from midnight MDT until 11:59 PM MDT tomorrow, it's 20% off. That lowers the price to $700 even — but only for tomorrow. Inquire via the site's Contact form.


All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Respite

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Blue ripples and sandy reflection, golden light and green ribbons fluttering outward on all sides. The water is her home away from home, her vacation spot, her spa, her respite



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Indigenous Arts: The Art of a Strong Heart

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's the final August entry in our series on Indigenous Arts. With it, we close out our exploration of animal spirits most closely identified with our peoples by looking at the role played by Buffalo, and the art of a strong heart.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Several of the works depicted have already sold, but several more remain available for purchase; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. And as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Today's Flash Sale: Hawks and Stars

Photo copyright Aji, 2016;
all rights reserved.

Today's NDN Silver flash sale features one of my favorite works among Wings's current inventory: Constellation. Made of sterling silver, hawk's eye, and indigenous African beads, with overlay and ajouré components. 

This piece retails for $1,250, but until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it's 20% off. That lowers the price to $1,000 even (+ s/h/i), but it's good for today only. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Wood Grain, and Share Requests

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Work today started late and ended early: a two-man crew, and rain at either end of the workday (and again now, for that matter). It wouldn't look to anyone else like they got much done, but they actually made some progress. One of the guys wanted to pull the existing lintels down and sand them; when the sander was insufficient, he went home and got his planer. Up there, you can see the result. There's a reason why it's called "red fir." The wood has an incredibly beautiful color and grain.

At any rate, all of the ground-floor lintels are planed, treated, and installed, save for those over the big bay windows. Those will come tomorrow, if the weather cooperates, and they still plan to be on the bond beam by the end of the week. 

We still need daily shares: first, of our YouCaring page via the widgets provided, especially the widget code from the box at lower right, which gives you this:


And second, of Wings's site, which is what pays the bills and also helps fund construction. Incidentally, he's got some new pieces coming out later this week, so watch his site and this space.

I'm beat, and I have a lot to do yet tonight, and a very long, labor-intensive day ahead of me tomorrow. I probably won't be online much between now and tomorrow night. But profound thanks to everyone who's given us a hand thus far. I'm plodding away at my to-do list, including more formal thank-yous, as I can cadge the time This is a long-haul project, and we're in one of the slogging phases right now..



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Tomorrow's Flash Sale: A Messenger Among the Stars

Photo copyright Aji, 2016;
all rights reserved.

I know it's early, but I'm beat, I still have a lot of work ahead of me tonight, and I have a loooooong day tomorrow. We have just under five hours left on today's NDN Silver flash sale, and you can find that featured work here, but for now, I want to post the sneak peek at tomorrow's item.

Beginning at midnight MDT, our flash sale will switch to another messenger and his milieu: Constellation. This piece retails for $1,250, but from midnight MDT until 11:59 PM MDT tomorrow, it'll be 20% off, lowering the price to $1,000 even (+ s/h/i). But that price is good only for tomorrow. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The Birth of a World

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

And it all begins anew, the birth of a world in one tiny bubble.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Today's Flash-Sale Work: A Tiny Messenger

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

Only three flash-sale days left at NDN Silver. As I said last night, we're going to end on a light note, with spirits of the air.

Today's featured work is a tiny being who embodies a powerful spirit: Messenger of Dawn, otherwise known as Dragonfly. This piece normally retails for $1,500. Until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it's 20% off, lowering the price to $1,200. But the offer's good for today only. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: A Strong Stance and a Great Heart

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for an unseasonally cold and rainy Monday. It's also a tribute to a spirit who reminds us always to stand strong, and to cultivate a great heart.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, the photo is available for purchase in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. Also as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Tomorrow's Flash Sale: A Light Spirit

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

August is almost over; only three flash-sale days left at NDN Silver. We're going to end on a light note, with spirits of the air.

Tomorrow's featured item is light in other ways, too. It's a tiny spirit whose real-life counterpart appears in soft colors and with almost no measurable weight, and yet it's an exceptionally powerful being: Messenger of Dawn, the spirit of Dragonfly. This piece is one of my favorites, and normally retails for $1,500. Starting at midnight MDT and running until 11:59 PM MDT tomorrow, it'll be 20% off, lowering the price to $1,200. But the offer's good only for that 24-hour period. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Glass

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

And water? 

Water breaks.

Like glass.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Sunday Share Requests


I am beyond beat, and pressed for time even tonight. So no extra photos this time around (although we did finally get to see our ibises; I might post photos of them later in the week).

Work starts up again tomorrow. We'll be down by at least one man, and probably two. This week is also crammed with other appointments, as they decide whether to go forward with Wings's knee replacement even though his labs came back fractionally above their zero-tolerance max line. In the meantime, this project has to beat the weather, and fall's HERE. [Sigh] and at some point, Cree's hoof needs attention, too.

So I'm going to be posting and running most of the week; I just don't have the resources, of any sort, to do more right now. What I need from folks is shares: shares of the link to our YouCaring page via the widgets on it; shares via the widget code from the purple box at lower right, which gives you the above image with the running tally; and shares of Wings's Web site, which is what's paying the ordinary bills AND contributing to construction.

Many thanks to everyone who's given us a hand thus far. I'm in the middle of a full-scale autoimmune flare (nights in the high 30s in freaking August will do that), and neither of us has bounced back yet after last week's events. I'll be a straggler for a while yet, but I'll also keep plodding along. Please just bear with my slowness right now. 



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.


Today's Flash Sale: Sacred Number

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

Yes, I'm very late today. I'm running on fumes, and even leaving aside my energy levels, there just aren't enough hours in the day. 

Today's NDN Silver flash sale is another ring: Four, a tribute to the sacred number in a form that's really four-in-one, one band made of four separate strands of heavy sterling silver triangle wire. As I noted last night, even at its normal retail price of $195, this one is priced far lower than the norm for Wings's work; it's an old piece, a prototype for a potential commission long ago. Until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it's 20% off, bringing the price to $156 (+ s/h/i). As I also said then, you'll never find something this solid, substantial, and silver-heavy by Wings at a price this low, but the price is good for tomorrow only. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Little Fire

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's Wings's tribute to the Firebird, and to her transformative spirit. I had planned a week ago to feature this work today, and right on cue, we were visited briefly this morning by elemental spirits of the skies, far off their usual path.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Waiting on the rain; trying to beat the snow.

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

That's what we're doing right now. The weather map shows the leading edge of a sizeable system just reaching us. Of course, the guys have been off today, and will be off tomorrow, too, but come Monday, the weather becomes a factor again: We'll be down at least one, and possibly two members of the crew until Tuesday, and as Ned Stark would say, Winter is coming.

It is, you know. Fall's already here and then some. Most mornings, it's all the way up to 42 or 43 by sunrise, which tells me that we're getting down to 38-19 at night. The stands of aspens and cottonwoods across the road began turning yellow at the first of the months; there are sections of trees that are truly gold-colored now. 

In August.

All signs point to this being an early winter, and a hard one, which means that we need to be able to pay the crew to keep working as consistently as possible over the next few weeks. It looks like a lot of progress now, and it is, but there's a LOT more to go before this place can house anyone. Bond beam, support posts, vigas, second story, roof, windows and doors, interior walls/wiring/plumbing, all he necessary fixtures . . . AND a whole new septic system, relocated with a whole new leachfield.

That means we need shares of our YouCaring page. Daily. Shares via the widgets on it. Shares using the widget code from the purple box at the lower right-hand corner of the page. Shares that will post this:


Shares of Wings's site. Sales. Sales keep us going, and they also fund the house. Believe me, the amounts we've been raising are far from all that we've sunk into this project; they allow us to keep it going, but they're nowhere near enough. Our usual sales are the baseline, without which nothing else happens.

I'm going to be behind for a while. The days that I had set aside to get caught up were overtaken by events utterly beyond our control. The aftermath of it has wiped us both out, and it'll be a while before we're caught up physically and mentally, much less in the practical terms of our respective to-do lists. The change in the weather is exacerbating that, particularly for me; the sudden switch to cold and damp, interspersed with muggy heat, is playing hell with my autoimmune disease, and I'm not young enough just to bounce back anymore. Please know how grateful we are for all the help so many folks have given us, and please bear with me a while longer.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Tomorrow's NDN Silver Flash Sale: Four In One

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

There are just about three and a half hours left on today's NDN Silver flash sale, on one of Wings's anticlastic finger cuffs. You can see it here, and it's a really good deal.

For tomorrow, though, we're going to feature one more ring: Four, a tribute to the sacred number in a simple, elegant form, and a style that's a four-in-one, made of separate strands of heavy sterling silver triangle wire. Even at its normal retail price of $195, this one is priced far lower than the norm for Wings's work; it's an old piece, a prototype for a potential commission long ago. Beginning at midnight MDT, and running until 11:59 PM MDT tomorrow, it will be 20% off, bringing the price to $156 (+ s/h/i). You'll never find something this solid, substantial, and silver-heavy by Wings at a price this low, but the price is good for tomorrow only. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Infinity

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Water will birth you and kill you and show you your face as she does it.

She will show you smiling, no matter your pain or your terror or your ennui at he whole thing. What else is reflection for, if not to show you those faces of yourself you’d rather not see?

But water is infinity.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Today's Flash Sale: Trailing Thunder

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

Today's NDN Silver flash sale features an unusual piece: the ring shown above, called Thunderhead TrailIt's forged in an anticlastic style, and it's not your ordinary ring, but what's known as a finger cuff, giving it greater adjustability. 

This piece normally retails for $255, but until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it'll be 20% off. That lowers the price tag to $204 (+ s/h/i), but it's only for today. Inquire via the site's Contact form.





All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

The Power of the Winds

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a tribute to a small (some would say unlikely) spirit who nevertheless carries the power of the winds. Eagle is not the only spirit of the air, and smaller beings still have big roles to play.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now, with the crew working all of next week to catch up and beat the weather), so shares of the site links are much appreciated. 



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Tomorrow's NDN Silver Flash Sale: On the Trail of the Storm

Photo copyright Wings, 2016; all rights reserved.

Just shy of four and a half hours remain on today's  NDN Silver flash sale, featuring the ring shown at this link, called Spreading Stardust. It retails for $275, but until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it's 20% off, lowering the price to $220 (+ s/h/i). 

For tomorrow, we have another ring, the one shown above, which assumes a somewhat unusual form known as a finger cuff. It's called Thunderhead Trail, and it features an anticlastic band, with a gently sloping shape and greater adjustability than ordinary rings. This one retails for $255, but starting at midnight MDT and running until 11:59 PM MDT tomorrow, it'll be 20% off, reducing the price tag to $204 (+ s/h/i). Get it while you can; inquire via the site's Contact form.





All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Drops

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Drops are powerful, especially when they band together.

But alone, they are only drops.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Lintels! And links, and a few share requests.

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Yes, the lintels are going in! 

They were scrambling to beat the rain and didn't quite make it, but they made a lot of progress. As of an hour into the work this morning, we're back to a three-man crew again, and they were at it hard all day.

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Here's a close-up of the work; they chip away at the adobe with hatchets to fit everything in closely. It looks wild and careless, but it's actually precision work by guys with long experience who are skilled enough to do it freehand. 

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

Speaking of doing things freehand, my warrior woman and spirit sister kishik has a diary up for us at the GOS right now, and she's featuring a pair of earrings that she commissioned from Wings. Please go T&R the diary and share all the links, because she's included in it all the ways to help support our effort to have a house again after almost six years without a real one

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

More precision work. That's the window of what will be our utility room: water heater, washer, dryer (when we replace our old one that just died a few weeks ago), and shelving. I'm finally going to have natural light everywhere again. 

They'll be working all next week, instead of the usual three days. Why? Because up next is the bond beam, the spiral support posts, and the vigas. And fall is not looming; it's here. Temps in the high 30s at night, 42-43 when I get up in the morning, trees already yellowing fast. it's going to be an early winter, and we need to beat the weather.

So please go share the links to our YouCaring page via the widgets on it, especially via the code from the purple box at the lower right-hand corner:


Please also share the link to Wings's site, which is our source of income for both daily expenses and the construction, too. Besides, he has a fabulous new masterwork up, just completed today.

Much gratitude to everyone who has given us a hand thus far. We are both struggling to gain our footing after the events of last weekend, and I'm way, way behind on literally EVERYTHING, but I'm working to get there, believe me.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Life . . . In the Light of the Four Directions

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

I've taken the rare step of publishing a second post today at The NDN Silver Blog: It's a feature of Wings's newest work, completed only a couple of hours ago.

Wings rarely creates stand-alone pendants (usually, he turns them into necklaces). Creating a cross? Even rarer still (it's been three full years since his last one, and that was a cast piece that was a special commission; before that, I honestly can't remember when he made his last one). But this one is exceptional. I explain it all in the post (and, no, this one won't be featured in any of the remaining flash sales for the month). Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Today's Flash Sale at NDN Silver: Silver and Stardust

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

For today's  NDN Silver flash sale, we're offering the ring shown above, called Spreading Stardust. It's wrought in a classic Southwestern Native style, one that's big and bold and can be worn equally well by a man or a woman. It also bears a simple but powerful traditional motif.

Normally this ring retails for $275, but until 11:59 PM MDT tonight, it's 20% off, lowering the price to $220 (+ s/h/i). It's a lot of silver for that price, so get it while you can. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: From Stone to Sky

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a small incarnation of a spirit messenger who flies from stone to sky. This one is one of my all-time favorites by the carver who created it, and the feel of the stone is irresistible.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Tomorrow's Flash Sale: A Lot of Silver, a Little Stardust

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

A little more than three and a half hours remain on today's flash-sale item: Hoops of Earth and Sky, one of Wings's more turquoise-heavy coil bracelets that retails for $325. Until 11:59 PM MDT, it'll be 20% off, making it only $260 (+ s/h/i).

For tomorrow's flash sale, we're switching gears just a little bit, although the emphasis on "sky" will still be there: the ring shown above, called Spreading Stardust. This rings is wrought in a classic Southwestern Native style, one that's big and bold and can be worn equally well by a man or a woman. It normally retails for $275, but from midnight MDT until 11:59 PM MDT tomorrow night, it'll be 20% off, lowering the price to $220 (+ s/h/i). It's a lot of silver for that price, so get it while you can. Inquire via the site's Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

First Day Back; Progress.

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.

First day with the crew back at work since the events of last Saturday.

We were down one man today; one of the guys on the crew had personal business to take care of in Santa Fe. The other two were here right on time, and made some real progress on the walls: 

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.
I gather there have been some questions about the construction. Adobe is a much older architecture, far older than wood-frame housing, and is found in indigenous cultures in many parts of the world. Wings's people are masters, having pioneered (pardon that terrible term in this context) its use on this continent more than a millennium ago. Not a lot has changed with regard to to the form and method of such construction, actually.

The bricks are semi-stabilized (you can get them wholly stabilized, but they're not as nice, in that they're more commercial, or you can get them unstabilized, which are the form made and used in the old village, but they're more fragile). They're just shy of four inches high by more than 13.5" long by 10" deep, and they make for extremely thick and extremely well-insulated walls. They do not need wood frame support, except insofar as the house is being made according to more modern amenities; the wooden "bricks" you see scattered here and then are known locally and colloquially as "gringo blocks" (for their light color), and are inserted into the masonry anywhere something will need to attach to wood (e.g., electrical outlets, etc). Some people cut corners in terms of time, labor, and convenience by using cinder blocks instead of adobes, but this is the real thing, which is vastly more energy-efficient (and far better-looking, too). There is no comparison between the two. Once the walls are up, they will mud in the surface and plaster over it to create the smooth float you see on old traditional adobe homes.

This is the view from inside, looking eastward out the front and side windows of what will be the living room: 

Photo copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved.
The guys are currently planning four more layers of adobes; then they'll install the lintels. At that point, they'll build the frame for the monopour to create the bond beam. That's tentatively slated for late next week. Thereafter, they'll install the three spiral posts (upright supports) in the interior.

Then come the vigas.

Then we get into the major expense of the roof and the interior work, including plumbing and electrical.

It's a lot of work, compressed into what is actually a very short time frame. It's also going to be a lot of expense. So we're still going to need shares of the link to our YouCaring page to keep pace with it. Please use the page's own widgets, particularly the one from the purple box on the lower right-hand corner of the page, so that you get this:


Please also continue to share the link to Wings's site. Sales from it are our day-to-day income, and also go to fund construction.

Many thanks to everyone who has given us a hand with this project thus far. After the last five days, we're both pretty thoroughly wiped out, but things still have to get done, and we'll be hard at it all weekend.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.