Generally, I find working with casts and molds to be the more annoying part of creating jewelry. But I've gotten a lot better with carving the molds than I used to. I guess I can thank my sharp new eyesight for that.
It's been nice to have people to make christmas presents for this year. I've got a new line I'm working on for spring, too. I might need to hire a helper again.
Of course the best part about living here in the states is taking advantage of all of these "Black Friday" sales on beading websites. I've replenished my stock of natural cut gemstone beads, wiring, and even picked up a few new charms and bead types that I've never worked with before. I'm actually a little excited to get started. Maybe I'll even buy myself this shiny new set of jeweler's tools. It seems about the right time to replace them.