Flocked! with turquoise interlude

Ciao!
 I promised to post pictures with flocking and now I am here to deliver.  I have to be honest - right now my brain is full of mush since I have spent a lot of my time worrying about my application to the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition.  Now to wait for a reply... and back to why I originally was here to post (geez, I'm so easily distracted).  Story time.  I bought three pieces of turquoise back in 2004 on a trip to New Mexico with my dad.  On the plane ride there I found $40 next to the buckle of my seat belt on the airplane and I used that money in a casino that night and won all my spending money for the trip (woohoo!)  My dad and I ended up going to every Museum and Gallery that exists is Albuquerque and Sante Fe (I was obsessed with Georgia O'Keefe in high school, so I was basically in hog heaven).  While at the Turquoise Museum  I spent a half hour choosing from a collection and ended up with three pieces.  The others I used fairly quickly.  

The first I used to create a wave necklace.

Then I decided since it was such a memorable trip for me that I should keep a piece of turquoise for myself and I created this ring. 

Then the last piece of turquoise sat in a cupboard for a long time. Until a few weeks ago when the idea for this piece popped into my brain and I was so excited to finish making it.

It is interesting to note that the first and last pieces of turquoise pictured are both from the same mine (now exhausted called "Number 8" in Nevada).  

My work is continually influenced by how people attach memories to objects and trying to objectify memories.  I am so happy with how this brooch came out.  Lastly, since this post was originally supposed to be about flocking (holy turquoise tangent batman) I should point out that the bright blue and cream area of the piece is flocked!