Tending The Flame

Last week, I talked about my creative fire and how it was in some serious need of attention. I have been using the analogy of how I light our home fire each day and linking it (look, there is my word!) to my creative life. So far I have swept away the ashes of the last creative fire, and started to gather kindling for the next fire in the form of signing up for a new class and I have been having fun revisiting some of my favorite bead forums.

Visiting the forums is something I haven't done in ages!! While writing my book, I wanted to put myself in a bubble so that I was sure that all my ideas were my own. I wanted no unconscious influences... know what I mean? But, the forums can be such a huge inspiration. There are so many individuals sharing so many ideas, it gets your own ideas going. You see one thing and think... hey, what if I changed that up? what if I do it like this? what if I used different colors? Then, once in the moment of creating, even more ideas come. It is awesome.


So anyway, last week, once the ashes were clear and I had some kindling ideas, I struck a match, literally, and lit my torch. I have to tell you about a conversation the hubby and I had a few weeks ago. He commented on my lack of bead making of late... to which I responded "it has been so long since I made beads, I have no idea what I want to make." Do you ever get that feeling? Too much time away from something and you forget how to do it or where you should start? There was so much more to the thoughts going through my head when I said that to Ron that I can't really articulate it. He told me... just do it... just make anything.

You got to see the results of last week's torch time on Friday. Today's photos are the results from torching Saturday and last night. I can't tell you how long it has been since I was up at 6am and the first thing I did was race to the kiln to see my beads. Seriously. There has been a major lack of anticipation round these parts and I am excited to have it back.


These new beads are miniature paintings. I had the idea that I wanted to take the flowers I create in my mixed media pieces and give them life on the surface of a bead. There are so many layers that go into one of these. Each one takes at least 30mins to make (some longer). That is a long time to hold your breath while doing line work, LOL. I am completely in love with these new styles of beads. In LOVE. They have me kicking my kids out to the bus as early as possible, flippin' that kiln on the minute they are gone, and losing track of time until they come back home later in the afternoon.

Now, all these thoughts are swirling around the analogy of lighting a creative fire, right? What happens when you first light a fire? Y'all know this. You get a big burst of orange and you think things are lit, but, BUT, if you aren't careful, the fire burns itself out in seconds. Am I right? You have to keep feeding it or you end up having to start from the beginning all over again. Let's hope I can keep this spark alive and really get this creative fire blazing.