I’m a big fan of power tools…I have been since taking my first cut on a jig saw as a little girl.

Saturdays were always a day in the wood shop with my dad.  He had little projects for my brother, sister and me to work on and over the years he taught us how to use many of his tools (he has a lot…everything you would expect a carpenter such as him to have).Seashells:  Inspiration for a

Despite my love for a good power tool, I really only had a power drill…until now that is.

This fall I was inspired by seashells…particularly the Lettered Olive’s my husband and I found in Florida on our honeymoon several years ago.  According to Michelle Hanson in the Ocean Oracle, the lettered olive represents an ‘invitation to opportunity.’  I just love that idea as a central theme for this new collection..a collection to invite opportunity!  Yes!

Lori A Andrus with her new DBut adding such an item to my collections is a little tricky as shells typically don’t have little holes for slipping wire through and if there isn’t a hole, then I would need to make one…and that is not something I’ve done before.  My dad (the master of power tools) and I have speculated many times about how I could drill through beach stones.  “I think you could do it with a dremel tool and a diamond head bit.” He would say.  So when this inspiration hit I knew this was an ‘invitation to opportunity’…it was time for me to make the purchase.

Lettered Olives with drilled holesA quick trip to the hardware store and I got started.  It worked like a charm and soon I had perfect little holes in my lettered olives.  I was ready to take the next step in birthing this collection.   While I’m saving the pictures of the finished pieces for the launch of this collection I need to say I’m thrilled with how they are turning out.