"Gems may be precious, but friendship is priceless"...

The title of this post came from an unknown author, but I really loved it and it was very fitting for what I'm going to write about. Thank goodness for friends. They are the rock's that stand by you through everything, good or bad. They, like Mothers and Sisters, don't judge. They just listen and let you cry when you need to (Like yesterday, thanks Sarah, Ann and Ally!). 

I've been going through a little bit of a rough patch lately. A few posts ago, I mentioned that I have a blood clot in my liver. After much testing and blood work, the doctors have finally gotten all the results in, that THANKFULLY are negative for any sort of disease. Everything is functioning as it should, however, this is a mysterious clot that had just popped up out of nowhere and it has to go before it does some more permanent damage. The treatment for it... blood thinners. Injected in my stomach, twice a day. YIKES!!! I'M.NOT.HAPPY! It hurts. And so I cry... to my friends (and my parents, and my husband, and my sister), and they all let me. Good people.

I love to make jewelry for the special people in my life... my friends and my family. It makes me happy. And there are some people who I design matching pieces for (Ann), one for her and one for me. It's fun to have "Friendship Jewelry".  My sister and I have some matching things, my Mom and I have some too and this time it was Allyson's turn. 

Ally and I met MANY years ago, while working for the bank. We were kind of inseparable. Then just like life changes, so do jobs, and people move away from each other, get married and have children. Sometimes it's hard to stay in touch. After 10 years, we found each other again on Facebook, and it's like we just picked up where we left off! It's awesome! She has a beautiful 5 month old baby that I just LOVE, and we spend a lot of time together. So today, in an effort to make myself feel better because I've been down in the dumps, I made us some "Friendship Jewelry". Matchy Matchy, because that's how we do it! :)

 

Ally's Necklace:

 

And mine:

I've named them "KRISTAL Paradise". Get it? It's got both of our names in it. :)

The only difference is the two beads near the clasp. I alternated them so we would know who's was who's. I used these GORGEOUS Bali Silver Toggles (To die for!!) and Catherine Ondrey Glass beads that I've had and didn't want to part with (But I don't mind sharing). There are Swarovski Crystals in Erinite and Pacific Blue Opal (My Favs), genuine Tourmaline donuts and briolettes, and green seed beads that are lined with blue (like they were made just for this). Bali Silver, of course, and a whole bunch of support from my friend who sat looking on, occasionally picking up her jaw off the ground. Then reaching down to help me with mine! LOL! 

Friends...They truly are a Godsend. Thanks to all of mine who are, and who have always been there for me.