an unexpected gift

my office neighbor flagged me down as i was headed back after lunch.

he's a tough-looking man so i was totally caught by surprise when he pulled out a couple boards with handmade earrings hung on them.

turns out he's been making jewelry in his free time, and wanted to get my take on them.  i really liked many of his pieces, and was super stoked when he let me choose a pair to take home.

now if there is one thing i could totally get behind, handmade jewelry is it.  the fact that much time and care that has gone into each piece makes me feel like i'm paying for much more than a pair of earrings.

i ended up choosing these:

it was the half moon shape that got me.  i love how it feels simultaneously architectural and tribal.  i think these would juxtapose nicely with a sleek black shift dress.