The greatest Christmas gift we get at Felice Designs is the month of January. Although Felice and I love working up a sweat during the Christmas holidays, we enjoy retreating into the quiet first month of the year. There is time to brainstorm and experiment on new creations. For example, Felice has been making a radically different, delicate and detailed kind of bead. As seen right, the beads look like fishing lures.

Caviar bracelets and long, dangling earrings as seen to the right, as well as pastel necklaces and all new heart beads as seen below are all January babies as well.

We also had time this month to devote a morning to the kids at the Chataqua School where friend Megan Mahoney teaches. Their January was dedicated to "art," and we were fortunate to be a field trip destination. The children were overwhelmed by the colors and shapes of the jewelry. Intrigued by Felice working over her torch, the kids shouted colors and Felice made beads from their requests.

Weekends free from shopping and parties are also treasured in January. Six of us hit the slopes of Sugar Mountain, NC and shared a condo at the base of the mountain for the weekend. Felice and I were able to enjoy each other's company outside of work along, with Felice's husband Hume, my boyfriend Chris, and friends Megan and David. Skiing all day and cooking together at night was a free weekend spent well. However, after a nasty fall I missed the last afternoon of skiing. Instead I spent the afternoon in a cardboard and duct tape splint watching Nick and Jessica on TV. Time well spent......?