Creativity

I'm known amongst many of my friends as being very creative. Last year, I learned how to use beads and found a new passion in making jewelry. Surprisingly to me - but apparently few others, my 'wearable art' found an immediate audience and I sold some pieces. Not enough to call it "making a living," but in numbers enough to make me feel validated as an artist. A REAL artist, not just a wannabe.

Last December, I decided to take a short break. After delivering the last few sets just before Christmas, I decided to take a little time to rest and concentrate on me. That break lasted longer than I would have envisioned.

At the turn of the year, it was time to get back into the production groove again, but somehow I had lost momentum. Between not producing on a daily basis and snowballing health issues (primarily the knee and foot although some of my other recurrent chronic issues are back too), I just couldn't get going. I had clients waiting on me, patiently I will add, but nothing. Nada. I just couldn't find it within me to complete anything.

I suppose in a sense, making jewelry is like any other business. The "go to" people are the ones that are already busy. They know how to put themselves out. Get a job done. I worried that I had left their ranks and had become one of the unproductive dreamers.

Fortunately, my state of lethargy seemed to abate a couple of days ago, and voila! I have completed my first set in two months!!!!!

This is a bead embroidered amulet bag of my own design. The backing and lining are lamb skin. The picture unfortunately does not adequately capture the glow that it puts off.

I think my favorite part is the partial fringe. Irregular in nature, it reflects nature itself which rarely sticks to a single pattern. It's a consignment piece and my intentions are to deliver it to it's guardian this evening.

My next piece is already designed in my mind. I need to get a draw-down done and I'll be at it tomorrow. Thank goodness. The lethargy is gone. I'm back.

Valentine's Day

Eric is such a romantic! Where those things that I lust after are purely functional, he's always looking for little luxuries to make my life easier. He says he's made it his personal goal to get me to be comfortable in accepting less than practical gifts.

He has a long way to go to achieve it, though. I live a somewhat spartan lifestlye at this point, offset by some very nice pieces that I managed to obtain while I was still a member of the traditional working world.

All the same, during our trip to Costco last weekend, I saw something that I wanted. Lusted after. A combination of form and function, it would be perfect to store the piles of beads that were out of control in my living room.

A seven drawer organizer cart. In chrome!

I really wanted that cart but knew that, with my impending surgery, that I didn't have the finances to buy it on the spot. But Eric, ever sensitive and generous, offered to buy it for me as a Valentine's Gift! And although I would normally turn him down because he is way too good to me, my sense of greed took over and I accepted. And so I became the owner of a shiny tower of baskets!

Eric offered to help me assemble it, but I made the correct assumption that any idiot could do it, so we went off to do other things. But that didn't stop me from immediately pulling it out of it's box immediately upon his departure.

A quick count of the parts enclosed, determining that everything that was supposed to be there was, and I was off. No thanks to my dogs, though. Sunny laid directly by the project and slept.
Cosmos at least kept his eyes open, but had parked himself on the sofa to silently supervise. I suppose I should at least be grateful for the silence.
The basic assembly was completed shortly.
I attached the wheels. Yes, on top of everything else, this cart can be rolled around! (Sorry about the sideways picture.)

Baskets inserted, it was ready to be put into service mode. It's now parked in my living room. The beading table is much more managable for this organizational system, and I'm trying to figure out when I can afford a second.

And, with my beads organized and accessible, I found the motivation to complete the front of an amulet bag that I have been working on. I still need to stitch (with beads) the lining to the back, attach the front to the back, and then add fringe and a necklace, but the major and detailed work is done.