Color Story: Gems + Jewel Tones (part 2)

l had so much jewel-toned goodness to share with you in part 1 of this color story that it overflowed into this whole separate post!

So you can continue to revel in jewel-toned art, nature, artisan goods, destinations, and DIYs.

Hummingbird with iridescent head feathers in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Hummingbird Aviary.

Also, I’ve put all the Etsy items from both posts into a Jewel Tones collection, so you can find them more easily. (I’m an Etsy affiliate, so you can click through one of the links on this page, buy something awesome, and you’ll be supporting the site at the same time!)

 

Painting of trees and shadows.

Gem intarsia box - center top: opal, sugilite, lapis-lazuli, and turquoise over four malachite stalactites; additional malachite, azurite-malachite, opal, and gold-in-quartz with 18kt gold hinge.

gem watercolor blank greeting cards

cheesecake with blueberry glaze

Still life painting of plums

1. Amethyst-colored feathers cover the heads of male Costa’s hummingbirds, like this striking fella, who was perched in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Hummingbird Aviary. / photo by @reenagiolaphoto (avid photographer of birds + her Australian shepherds) via Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

2. “Crystal Trees” oil painting by Erin Hanson. Its palette was inspired by lush springtime in the Texas hill country. / prints + textured replicas are available to ship worldwide

3. “The Sacred Garden Box” made by gem intarsia artist Nicolai Medvedev from opal, sugilite, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, and malachite. / H/T Western Spirit (“Scottsdale’s museum of the West”), which had an exhibition of his work in 2023. / Photo by Harold + Erica Van Pelt

4. A pack of 24 watercolor birthstone greeting cards (blank inside) by The Ritzy Rose.

5. Fabulous Cheesecake with Blueberry Glaze, a dessert re-discovered on a clipping from a 1975 issue of Southern Living magazine tucked into in a family recipe box. / via Food.com

6. Still life with plums, part of the Endless Summer series of 9 paintings by French illustrator Léa Maupetit. / Endless Summer has been exhibited in the artist’s home city of Paris at Klin d’oeil Boutique + Galerie and as far away as 1905 Re-creative Space in Shenyang, China!

 

Since 2018, Love Is Project has been partnered with Mercado Global to bring gorgeous Atitlán bracelets from Guatemala to wrists all over the world. / Three years ago, three sisters, Carolina, Claudia and Wendy began working with Love Is Project weaving LOVE bracelets. They were able to build an extra floor in their home from their earnings to accommodate their mother.

candle in a tin / Enchanted soy candle by A Bearden Project via Bee Hive.

Phoenix Chile festival

bouquet

7. LOVE bracelets, part of a project providing artisans worldwide with fair wages. / Pictured are Carolina, Claudia, and Wendy, three sisters from a village near Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, who earned enough money weaving these bracelets to build an extra floor onto their home! / via Love Is Project

8. “Enchanted” soy candle in a tin made by A Bearden Project. / sold via The Bee Hive, a boutique collective of independent makers in Atlanta

9. Phoenix Chile Pepper Festival attendees mingling as the sun goes down. / We went to the festival in 2016. Unfortunately, I don’t think they hold it anymore.

10. “Woodland romance” bouquet made from foliage with a mix of textures and tied with cascading ribbons. The flowers and other decor were inspired by the woodsy outdoor setting of a wedding reception. / flowers by Lace and Lilies + photo by Lori Kennedy Photography via The Perfect Palette

 

"We Are Star Stuff" by Frank Gonzales

Northern Lights in Norway (Aurora Borealis. Photo credit: Hans Petter Sørensen and FarOutFocus/Visit Norway. Via AFAR Media.)

Globe Glass Terrarium for Succulents Air Plants.

Since 2018, Love Is Project has been partnered with Mercado Global to bring gorgeous Atitlán bracelets from Guatemala to wrists all over the world. / Three years ago, three sisters, Carolina, Claudia and Wendy began working with Love Is Project weaving LOVE bracelets. They were able to build an extra floor in their home from their earnings to accommodate their mother.

Peacock Watercolor Print by Dean Crouser.

11. We Are Star Stuff acrylic painting by Arizona artist Frank Gonzales, whose art is also featured on a large scale in the terrazzo floor of the 24th Street Sky Tram station at Phoenix Sky Harbor.

12. The Northern Lights in Norway! / The photo comes from one of the Sustainable Susie comic books, where the titular character shares responsible travel tips for seeing the aurora borealis and exploring fjords. The books were created by the nonprofit United States Tour Operators Association. / Photo credit: Hans Petter Sørensen + FarOutFocus/Visit Norway via AFAR Media

13. Teal and blue blown-glass terrarium for succulents, air plants, or fairy gardens. / by Garden Outside the Box / mostly blue version

14. Large malachite gemstone in the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem + Mineral Museum, Tucson. / I took the photo when I visited the museum last fall. It’s one of Tucson’s top spots to see crystals, gems, and minerals all year round!

15. Rainbow Peacock Watercolor Print by Dean Crouser.

 

Beeswax Wrap

Boozy Jam Gems by Moxie + Sassafras

hand-knit socks

At Sky Bar in Tucson, a video that looks like space plays on the big screen

16. Guide for making beeswax food wraps, bee-less vegan food wraps, and snack bags, as reusable alternatives to single-use plastic wrap and baggies. / by Mountain Rose Herbs

17. Boozy Gem Jams by Moxie and Sassafras, a Tucson maker of small-batch macarons, alcohol-infused jams, and other treats with unexpected flavors.

18. Super colorful socks knit by the ever talented + creative Kelli Donley Williams!

19. At Sky Bar in Tucson, a video that looks like space plays on the big screen, while we wait for them to wheel out the telescope. They have nightly stargazing on the patio with volunteer astronomers to guide you and answer questions!

 

FLUORITE LAURENT

Dark Chocolate Mendiants

20. Fluorite and smoked quartz at the Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. It was found on Mount Blanc by crystal prospector Christophe Péray, who had lost his longtime collaborator Laurent Chatel on the same mountain range the year before. In his memory, Christophe named this specimen “Laurent.” / Photo by F. Farges via Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle

21. Dark Chocolate Detox Bites topped with dried fruit that looks just like the red fluorite in Laurent (from #20)! / The sweets are meant to be a healthier version of a traditional French Christmas candy, called mendiants (medallions). / by The View From Great Island

Dark Chocolate Mendiants

Color Story: Gems + Jewel Tones (part 1)

watercolor paper gems

Beyond just decoration, color is elemental.

Think of mineral pigments. The way a body of water takes on shades of what it carries – a cloudy blue glacial stream, a teal bay concealing a forest of kelp, a river that turns mud-brown with sediment. The hue of flames shifting from fuel and temperature changes. Or the impact of heat and chemical makeup on the color of lava, of aurora, of stars.

telescope image of nebula and stars - Webb Telescope image of Pillars of Creation composite image produced by NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI).

The rich, saturated colors of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and other gemstones are actually from trace elements within them. It’s those so-called imperfections that create the gorgeous palette we call jewel tones.

With Tucson’s gem show season beginning today, it seemed like the perfect time to explore jewel-toned things to make, places to visit, handmade items to shop, and nature to marvel at.

In fact, I found so many gems to share with you that there will be a Part 2!

 

Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, OR: The Museum’s main gallery, located on the lower level, contains one of the world’s finest collections of crystals.

Interstellar Collection: Handmade modern polymer clay space earrings by LittleRabbitJewelry.

dragon creature in a mural by Jessica Gonzales

Natural Fluorite Gemstone Tower - Crystal Obelisk

1. Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, as seen through Webb Telescope filters. / public domain composite image via NASA and Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) / in case you’re wondering: “How Are Webb’s Full-Color Images Made?” + “Where Colors in Telescope Images Come From

2.  Mineral from “one of the world’s finest collections of crystals” in the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, Oregon.

3. Interstellar Collection clay earrings handmade in Tucson by Little Rabbit Jewelry.

4. My photo of the fantastical Gila monster/Quetzalcoatl dragon mural that Jessica Gonzales created for Amazing Discoveries game store in Tucson.

5. Fluorite Obelisk made from natural crystal by Liz Creation Studio.

 

butterfly mosaic

people throwing beads during Mardi Gras in New Orleans via MardiGrasNewOrleans.com

Caramelized Balsamic Goat Cheese Pasta via Half-Baked Harvest.

cooked beets for pasta dish

6. Monarch butterfly mosaic made on sustainable birchwood by Lantern Press Artwork.

7. Tossing Mardi Gras beads from a balcony in New Orleans. / via MardiGrasNewOrleans.com / History of throwing trinkets to Mardi Gras crowds.

8+9. Balsamic goat cheese pasta with roasted beets. / via Half-Baked Harvest

 

Decorative, gem-shaped theater ceiling with chandelier in the center. / Looking up at the ceiling and chandelier of the Byrd Theatre, Richmond, VA. Photo by Florence Womack.

fruit ice cubes in tumblers / Fruit and Tonics via A Beautiful Mess.

Indian Sari Silk Cushion Covers via TheCraftmanship

Printable watercolor paper gems (free!) via We Are Scout

10. Looking up at the cut-gem shape of the ceiling of the Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. / photo by Florence Womack

11. Fruit and Tonics: Recipe for giant, fruit-infused ice cubes that will give your drink more flavor as they melt instead of watering it down! / Add to gin and tonics, plain sparkling water, lemonade, or a pitcher of sangria. / via A Beautiful Mess

12. Sari Silk Cushion Cover made from vintage fabric in Jaipur, India by TheCraftmanship.

13. Free printable for making watercolor paper gems. / via We Are Scout

 

Desert Forager prickly pear drink

Traditional Palestinian Costume book

Lanterns

bottle wind chimes

BIRDLOVER. Silk Hand Embroidered Women Huipil Blouse with Bird Design by MayanArtisans.

14. Prickly pear juice handcrafted by Desert Forager’s John Slattery. / At Tucson Meet Yourself, he was hustling to ring up beverage orders on one side of his booth while selling and signing his book, Southwest Foraging, on the other! / Return the jar your drink is served in for a discounted refill.

15. Traditional Palestinian Costume: Origins and Evolution by Hanan Karaman Munayyer, a beautiful book I borrowed recently.

16. Lanterns to celebrate Buddha’s birthday (Vesak Day) in Seoul, South Korea. / via Huffington Post

17. Hand-cut glass bottle wind chimes made by Bottles Uncorked. / You can order a set of all 10 colors or choose a single bottle.

18. BIRDLOVER Guatemalan Huipil Blouse, handwoven and embroidered by Doña Juana, a Mayan weaver in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala. It was a 6-month long project! / via Mayan Artisans on Etsy

detail of hand-embroidered Guatemalan blouse


Photos link to their sources. This post contains Etsy affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases – at no extra cost to you! Win-win!

Sonoran Restaurant Week Pairings

We’re right smack dab in the middle of Sonoran Restaurant Week, when around 100 (!) restaurants in Tucson and surrounding cities offer special prix fixe menus for $25, $35, or $45 (plus tax and tip). The price often includes several courses that would regularly cost more.

breakfast food
Breakfast at Maynard’s.

The idea is to encourage diners to try restaurants they haven’t been to, as well as revisiting old favorites. You many need to ask for the Sonoran Restaurant Week menu if you’re at a participating place and don’t see one. Find participating restaurants and menus on TucsonFoodie.com.

View of Tucson
View of the city from inside the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson.

I’ve paired 7 of these Tucson restaurants with something fun to do (relatively) nearby that complements them.

state park picnic tables
Phillip and Quijote scope out a picnic area at Catalina State Park.

Tucson Tamale (on Oracle) + Catalina State park

Pick up Tucson Tamale’s picnic-ready Sonoran Week Fiesta Box from their Oracle Road location and head to Catalina State Park – only 10-15 minutes away! Throw in some water bottles and you’re ready to go!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $35 (feeds 4)

Park Fee: $7 per vehicle

On the Menu

Tucson Tamale:

Sonoran Week Fiesta Box includes…

  • 8 tamales (they have meat, vegetarian, and vegan options)
  • 2 sides (choose from salads, rice dishes, beans, Mexican slaw, etc.)
  • salsa and chips
  • 4 cookies
  • serving ware

Catalina:

Hours

Tucson Tamale: Monday – Saturday 10am-7pm / Sunday 11am-5pm

Catalina: 5am- 10pm daily / Visitor center and park store 8am-5pm

Locations

Tucson Tamale: 7286 N. Oracle Rd.

Catalina: 11570 N. Oracle Rd.

 

Art assemblages from found objects.
A few pieces from the outdoor portion of the Sonoran Quipu exhibition.

Coronet Restaurant + Museum Of Contemporary Art Tucson (MOCA)

After perusing contemporary art in the former fire station turned airy art gallery that is Tucson’s MOCA, you can stroll on over to the Coronet for dinner. While the Coronet’s decor is classic and the building itself was built in the 1860s, the menu features contemporary faire.

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45

Museum Admission: $7

On the menu

Coronet: Southwest greens with roasted root vegetables, wild boar bucatini, chocolate truffle.

MOCA: Sonoran Quipu, an assortment of locally-found materials tied together in a site-specific installation, is on exhibit in the Great Hall until October 1.

Hours

Coronet: Thursday – Monday 5–9pm

MOCA: Thursday – Saturday 11am-6pm / Sunday: 11am-4pm

Locations

Coronet: 198 W. Cushing St.

MOCA: 265 S. Church Ave.

 

plants at botanic gardens
Vegetable garden planters at Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Feast + Tucson Botanical Gardens

Feast is located just south of the Garden District. Full of vegetables, fruit, and herbs, their restaurant week menu should pair perfectly with a day in the garden!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45

Garden Admission: $15, advance purchase recommended (or free with a Culture Pass)

On the menu

Feast: Choose from several options for each of 3 courses.

  • 1st course choices (abbreviated): cauliflower en mole, chestnut risotto, or truffled meatballs.
  • 2nd: heirloom tomatoes, roast chicken, hanger steak, or udon noodles with pork.
  • 3rd: orange-anise cake, plum parfait, or pandan sweet rice cake.

Tucson Botanical: Art exhibitions at the Gardens this week include All at Once, Enchanted Garden, La Calavera Catrina, and Power to the Flower.

Hours

Feast: Tuesday – Saturday 11am-8pm

Tucson Botanical: daily 8:30am–4:30pm

Locations

Feast: 3719 E. Speedway Blvd.

Tucson Botanical: 2150 N. Alvernon Way

 

Proper Shops celebratory backdrop

Playground Bar and Lounge + Proper Shops

Just across the street from each other at Congress and 5th Avenue, Playground Bar + Lounge is also a restaurant and Proper Shops is a collective of local merchants and artists that also has a bar inside!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $25 per person

On the menu

Playground: Choose from 3 starters and 3 entrees.

Proper:

  • Current merchants include Reap + Sow eco-boutique, Willows Bazaar clothing, Tucson Gallery, and several others!
  • Sept. 15, 6-8pm: Meet local artist Andrea Rodriguez in the Tucson Gallery.

Hours

Playground (restaurant hours): Fri 4-10pm / Sat 12-10pm / Sun 10am-8pm

Proper: Thr 3-8pm / Fri 3-9pm / Sat 11am-9pm / Sun 11am-5pm

Locations

Playground: 278 E. Congress St.

Proper: 300 E. Congress St.

 

Tuxon Hotel
Via Tuxon Hotel

Tuxon Hotel Pool Bar + Tuxon Hotel Pool

You don’t have to be staying at the Tuxon to relax poolside there. Anyone can enjoy food and drinks at the Tuxon’s poolside bar. You can even purchase a pool pass and jump in!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $25

Pool Passes:

  • Day Pass $45
  • Cabana Rental (4 day passes, shaded cabana with daybed seating, complimentary bottled water) $75 Mon-Thr / $150 Fri-Sun

On the Menu

Sonoran cheese crisp, enchiladas, barrio beans, mezcal mule.

Hours

Bar: Lunch 11am-3pm / Happy Hour 3-6pm daily

Pool: daily 1-10pm

Location

960 S. Freeway

 

Flora's

Flora’s Market Run + The Loft Cinema

Flora’s restaurant week menu might be the best deal I’ve seen so far! Once you finish dessert, it’s just a 4-minute drive to The Loft. Sounds like an ideal dinner-and-a-movie date to me!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45 (for two people to share)

Cinema Tickets: $10.50 (regular adult admission)

On the Menu

Flora’s: Southwest salad, elote pizza, chai choco taco sundae

Loft: Special screenings this week include…

  • Sep. 13, 7:30pm: The French Dispatch (The Films of Wes Anderson: Part Two) – regular admission
  • Sep. 14, 11am: Rebel Without a Cause (Hollywood Classics Series) – regular admission
  • Sep. 14, 7:30pm: The Big Lebowski 25th Anniversary Movie Party! – $12
  • Sep. 16, 2pm: ¡Agua es Vida! A Celebration of Water in the Desert (Short Film Showcase) – regular admission

Hours

Flora’s: Mon-Thr 7am-8pm / Fri-Sat 7am-9pm / Sun 7am-6pm

Loft: See screening times.

Location

Flora’s: 2513 E. 6th St.

Loft: 3233 E. Speedway Blvd.

 

flower gardens
Entrance to Tohono Chul.

Wildflower American Cuisine + Tohono Chul

How you can check out Tohono Chul desert gardens and gallery, but avoid being out in the hottest part of the day:

  1. start early
  2. explore the gardens first
  3. as it heats up, move inside to the galleries
  4. browse the shops on your way out
  5. cool off with a late lunch at Wildflower.

Or, if you’re still at Tohono Chul at closing time, you can head to Wildflower for dinner.

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45 per person.

Garden + Gallery Admission: $15 (or free with a Culture Pass)

On the menu

Wildflower: 3-course meal (starter, entree, dessert) + glass of wine

Tohono Chul:

  • Walk in the Gardens tour daily at 10am.
  • The exhibit in the Main Gallery is Día de los Muertos (now through November 5).

Hours

Wildflower: daily 11am-9pm

Tohono Chul: daily 8am-5pm

Locations

Wildflower: 7037 N. Oracle Rd.

Tohono Chul: 7366 N. Paseo del Norte

 

coffee and a pastry
Coffee at Flora’s Market Run.

An Artisan Market on Tucson Summer Nights

Jessica Melrose Art

 

The Summer Night Market is starting up again, so I’ve updated the links and info in this post. There are now over 60 participating vendors! The Market happens from 6-10pm the last Friday of the (Tucson) summer months – May through September.

2023 dates are May 26, June 30, July 28, August 25 + Sept 29.

—S


Jordana Saletan of Little Rabbit Jewelry
Jordana of Little Rabbit Jewelry

Tonight is the monthly Summer Night Market at the Mercado San Agustin (MSA) Annex here in Tucson. (You may have seen it on the summer Happenings List.)

Dramaburger x Melrose Art collab
Emily lighting up the Melrose Macramé booth (more of Jessica’s macramé and Emily’s lights in the top/featured photo)

A few dozen vendors bring their handmade goods and set up around the shipping container shopping center – along with food trucks and a DJ. Of course, the regular shops, restaurants, and bar stay open too.

Ricuras de Venezuela food truck
Ricuras de Venezuela food truck
Tap and Bottle pop-up Bar
Rebecca tending the Westbound pop-up bar

I wrote about all the food and beverage options over on Tucson Foodie, so I  hope you’ll go check that out!

moxie and sassafras booth
Moxie and Sassafras booth

For now, I thought I’d share a few photos from the Night Market in June.

BYNDbooks booth
Nicole and her friend Paola at the BYNDbooks booth

MSA Annex Night Market

Pottery booth
Joanna Hennigan Pottery

Updated May 2023.
Originally posted July 2021.

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Color Story: Deep Teal

Updated March 2023.

Originally published January 2020.


While Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year is Classic Blue, I feel like I’ve already explored that in my 2018 Blues color story. Instead, what’s been on my mind – colorwise, at least – is teal.

It’s a tricky one to define exactly.

Teal resides at the divide between blue and green, undulating from one to the other, like waves over the border between sea and ocean. The side it falls on depends on who is seeing it and how.

Detail of an element of ‘Craters,’ a mosaic work by Sonia King.

You might find dark, dramatic shades of teal in a flowing river, in paint and pottery, in flora and fauna. Maybe it’s made its way into your home.

Teal can feel tranquil. Like a deep breath. Like that time after the holidays but before you’ve completely resumed your regular routine. Like the peace we need more of in 2020.

For now, maybe we can start by simply taking a moment to breathe deeply and take in some gorgeous teal tranquility.

Stucco paint by Kromoxi in a shower.

Diving kingfisher photo by Alan McFadyen.

VisionShift mosaic by Sonia King.
Mudstone font demo
Eucalyptus leaves

1. A dramatic shade of natural stucco paint made with minerals sourced in Europe. / via Kromoxi (H/T A Girl Inspired)

2.  Diving kingfisher near Kirkcudbright, Scotland. / One of over 720,000 photographs Alan McFadyen shot during his 6-year quest to perfectly capture the birds’ dive into the water. / via Daily Mail 

3. Detail of VisionShift, Sonia King’s mosaic installation for the HALL Arts complex in Dallas.

4. Mudstone font sample. / I’m not sure whether this festival actually exists, but I kinda hope it does. / via You Work For Them

5.  Tips for making a eucalyptus leaf bundle to hang in your shower. (Or purchase a ready-made one.) / Photo via Healthline

Prickly pear earrings by Australian artist Amelia Marks.

Tiled steps at The Dreamcatcher Guesthouse in Ocean Park, Puerto Rico.

DIY tropical wreath

ceramic tiles in shades of teal
camper tea towel

Monterey, California

6.  Prickly pear cactus earrings created by Australian artist Amelia Marks. / via e.g. etal

7. Tiled steps at The Dreamcatcher Guesthouse in Ocean Park, Puerto Rico. / via BLDG 25 + Dreamcatcher on Facebook

8. DIY tropical wreath with paper foliage by Lia Griffith.

9. Ceramicist Gwendolyn Yoppolo shows the lovely variation from different glazes and firing techniques.

10. Hand-printed vintage camper tea towel by Cara Hibbs. (Her Etsy shop, ohlittlerabbit, is taking a break. More fun, hand-screened tea towels here.)

11. Sea lions and pelicans enjoying a sunny day at Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, California. / I took this photo when we were there in 2012. We stayed in a cute little vintage camper that looked a bit like the lower right one on the tea towel above.

 lacinato kale

Vintage pendant lamp by Doria Leuchten | Germany | 1960s Brushed metal via VNTG

Embroidery by breezebotpunch

Watercolor and photo by Heather Day via VSCO.

Vintage Turkish Over Dye Rug via The Home / Photography: Lisa Zhou
Herringbone square planter by Elizabeth Benotti.

12. Lacinato kale + recipe for kale and sausage skillet via The Rainforest Garden.

13. 1960s brushed metal pendant lamp by Doria Leuchten via VNTG.

14. “You Belong Among the Wildflowers” embroidered Tom Petty lyrics wall hanging by BreezebotPunch on Etsy. (Currently out of stock but you can get on the waitlist or request a custom order.)

15. Abstract sketchbook painting of the Smith River in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (Northern California) by Heather Day. / Her work is more about sensory experience than the literal represensation of a scene. She camped + painted in a spot overlooking this river in 2017. / via VSCO

16. The Vintage Turkish Over Dye Rug by Cadrys is one of the accessories “Interiors Addict” Jen Bishop selected to help your home feel cozy over the winter. (H/T The Home)

17. This adorable little square planter is handmade in Maine by Elizabeth Benotti.

Teal + blush in Venice, Italy.

Teal we meet again!


Photo sources: the Monterey and Venice photos are mine. Others are as cited.

This post contains Etsy affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases – at no extra cost to you. So shop away!