Sun & Snow

While there is word that it is snowing back home in New York, we (the kids and I) are in Virginia enjoying sun, friends, and celebrations. My best friend Kelley, I mentioned her here before, is turning a ripe and fabulous age she rather I not mention. I wouldn't miss it for the world! And now we are in the throws of one of the best spring breaks EVER.

Be home soon...

Osculate Makes Three

Have I every mentioned just how helpful a thesaurus can be when trying to name a new design? I really could kiss the person that invented the thesaurus, I really could. Which is kinda ironic since one of the definitions of the word I discovered to name this new necklace is "to kiss".

os·cu·late   /ˈɒskyəˌleɪt/ [os-kyuh-leyt]
verb, -lat·ed, -lat·ing.

–verb (used without object)
1. to come into close contact or union.
2. Geometry . (of a curve) to touch another curve or another part of the same curve so as to have the same tangent and curvature at the point of contact.

–verb (used with object)
3. to bring into close contact or union.
4. Geometry . (of a curve) to touch (another curve or another part of the same curve) in osculation.
5. to kiss.

I really couldn't imagine a better word for this necklace. Could you? You might recognize these beads from this piece created ages ago. I was in the studio today absolutely wracking my brain about what to make for the 3rd design needed to photography for jury slides. Do I make more hollows, do I make discs, do I make rings? I couldn't decided. So as the kiln heated up, I thought to myself, I better shoot an old piece just in case. One thing led to another and suddenly I was busting the old necklace apart and reworking it into this completely new design. It is LONG at more than 30in in the round. There are more than 20 cupped glass discs with glass headpins attached to tiny figure 8 hammered links which connect ginormous 10g sterling silver rings. And those big rings have each been wrapped with coils of colored copper wire. It took hours to make and I sawed into my fingers... twice... when working with the 10g wire. Yikes.

I seriously couldn't be more thrilled with the final result and seeing the three slide images together is just so satisifying. The top photo is the one I decided to use as the third slide. Below are lots of other attempts at getting the perfect shot. I must say, it is dang near impossible to squeeze 30in of necklace into one frame and still show details. But I think I managed it.

Slide 2 - Drizzible

I know, I know... you want to know what the heck "drizzible" is. Well, it is the word that came to me as looked out the window while descending the stairs in the bleak halls of the building where my studio is. I thought to myself... it is miserable out, and look at that drizzle, it is definitely drizzle... hey, it is drizzible out! And OH MY, that is it... that is the name for the new necklace!!! I have been working on this all week and pondered multiple names during that time. The minute this made up word popped into my mind, I just knew that was what the necklace would be called. I just knew it. And to me... when I look at the necklace, and think "drizzible", not only does it suit it perfectly, it doesn't *feel* like drizzle and miserable put together.

The top image there will be what I use as slide #2 to represent my work when submitting to art shows this year. I just love it. Below are lots of other eye candy photos for you to oogle. For those that have asked themselves "what do people do with glass headpins?" THIS is my answer! Yes, those are all my original lampwork glass headpins (similar to the Striplosion ones from a few weeks ago). I wrapped them an assortment of colored copper wires and linked with sterling silver hammered rings. I love seeing this image side by side with the image from last week. Oh how giddy I am at how these images are turning out!!

Sticky Thoughts

:: you remember this, yes? saturday i had a sudden inkling to move it.
:: moving and reorganizing a book shelf might possibly be the most soothing activity ever.
:: you see, it was there, in the background... now it is behind the torch station.
:: having the glass cubbie fit abso-freaking-lutely perfectly into the shelves caused me to be gitty.
:: granted, the stereo is a tad big for that bottom shelf, but i will pretend i don't notice it.
:: moving this might lead to moving other things now too... hmmm, and i really want a big solid colored couch too.



:: there are a bunch of goodies in the kiln that i am excited to get to tomorrow.
:: i have show applications due next week!!
:: the wind is blowing so fierce right now the chairs are moving across the deck!
:: today was our first day in the 70s of the season. so balmy.
:: i went for a run and blame my pathetic wheezing and chest clenching on explosive amounts of pollen, not my current physical condition.
:: so what if i haven't run in weeks, erp, months. ahem.



:: my godson, ben, turned three last week... i got extra special hugs at his birthday party yesterday, so sweet.
:: sometimes, i just can't be bothered to capitalize. who really cares?
:: saturday i am driving to virginia to see my best friend... can.not.wait.
:: i am clueless as to what we are going to have for dinner tonight.
:: nearly finished an orange sweater i started two weeks ago. i think you'll like it.
:: here is hoping my magnolia tree waits until i get back from va to bloom.

Crisis Resolved

Thank you so much everyone for your input on yesterday's post. I am seeing things today in a completely different light (literally and figuratively). Bare with me while I ramble on this afternoon... until the kids' buses get here anyway. I think yesterday's slide show shoot at the studio caused a slight identity crisis in me and I decided that the reason I was seeking so much validation (here, twitter, and facebook) was that *I* didn't actually like any of those shots. Yeah, that is right, deep down I think those shots all sucked.

You see, part of me feels like I have absolutely no freaking clue what I want to do with my "creative" life. Right, I just went from which picture do you like best to oh my stars what do I want to do with my life! I said it caused an identity crisis!! Do I want to write books, do I want to teach, do I want to do art shows? What the heck do I want to do? And for the past 5 or 6 years, I have been dabbling in all three of those, and then some if you count the forays into mixed media that I do too. Yesterday, I was knee deep in my "I-want-to-do-art-shows" mentality and that, my friends, is a place that strikes fear in heart. I instantly don't feel good enough. Putting myself out there to quite literally be judged and decided to be worthy or not worthy for inclusion in an elite community of fine craft artists leads to an inane amount of insecurity. So, what do I do? I put on a weird mask, in the form of black backgrounds and reflective surfaces, I stop being *myself*, and I try to conform to a standard that is quite possibly unreachable.

I can hear a voice in my head right now. It is that of a very good friend of mine (and I am sure she will recognize herself right away). She is asking me "what is it that makes you feel fear about shows", "where is the fear coming from" and "what about you feels like it isn't enough"? She is so good at making me stop to think about that I am doing without thinking. Meaning, I am letting myself feel and act without thinking about it. I need to stop and think about what I am thinking. (my stars, that is heady) Such a good friend, even when we are having a conversation in my head that she isn't privy to. To the voice in my head, I think... the answers to those questions would take too many sentences to write, but in my heart I can *feel* the answers. Do you ever have that happen? Where you don't need any words to tell the answer to something... it doesn't need to be articulated... you just know it through and through? It is something I will try to put into words for you at some point, but for now... let's just stick to the slide pictures thing.

I started to settle into a different place mentally last night. I spent the evening helping another friend (not the voice inside my head one) get her blog set up (I'll share it soon!)and we were chatting about the slides. I told her how in my gut, I really wanted to shoot the pieces on my usual white backgrounds, but so few people do that and what if it blinds the jurors that look at slide after slide that is set to a dark background... She was totally on board with white and encouraged me to go for it. SO, I did...

This will be one of the slides I use to apply to shows in 2011. I still don't know for sure what the answers to those first questions I asked myself are... the ones about what I want to do with my creative life. But I do know this... if I am going to enter art shows, I want to know I was accepted (or denied) being true to myself and my work. And I am feeling OH so good in that decision. I am also going to apply the same thinking to a booth redesign too! I want to simplify and streamline my displays, make them more *me*, and in doing so take some of the pressure to make-so-much-stuff-to-fill-my-current-set-up off. It is really invigorating. And I can't wait to share more of my path down this more thoughtful approach with all of you... thank you readers, for being here with me. 

Help Me Pick One

Oh my, it is that time of year again... the time when I fret over shooting new images to be submitted to juried shows. For some crazy reason, I feel the need to have new slides each year. So, yep, I am at it again. I just finished this new necklace design called Orbital. I would love it if you left a comment today telling me which shot you like best!! And heck, if you think they are all duds, tell me so. I have time to take plenty more images...





These are options 1, 2, and 3. You'll see the first is off center with the clasp open. The second is centered with the clasp still open. And the third is a slightly brighter image with the clasp closed and necklace centered.




These two are the vertical shots I took. Which I like, but I think the second might have you wondering if it is a necklace or a bracelet. Ugh... it is so hard to decide!! If you are wondering at all about the necklace itself, those are gigantic hollow beads wired to ginormous 10g sterling silver forged rings. The rings are connected by sterling and glass headpins and the clasp it an open ring that interlocks with the last. *sigh* It is wild, and I love it.

Please help me pick one!

Oh and if you are interested, you can view slides from pervious years: HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Calendar Flip

Phew, finally. After a week of being under the weather, and throwing the rockingest party ever, I finally, finally, got to spend some time at my torch yesterday. Oh how I have been missing it. I have a few orders I am working on and really should have pulled the rods to make those beads, but something else was whispering to me. New ideas were at work. So, through the grey and rain outside the window, I listened closely to the little whispers and followed my heart. I can't wait to get back to the studio this morning and see the beads waiting in my kiln. It's one of the best sorts of feelings I know... that sense of possibilities, of unknowns, of anticipation, of creating...

Hello April, Hello Spring...

How To Have The BEST 8th Birthday EVER!

Step 1: Build a runway. Oh yes, the best "Sweet & Sassy" style parties MUST have a runway. Borrow curtains from a friend and ask Daddy to build a small platform. Cover it in fabric and the more twinkle lights the better. (You also might want to lock the cat in a room because they will attack the fabric and twinkle lights.)

Step 2: Invite your friends, but also invite your Gee and Aunt Bonnie and Aunt Bonnie's friend Jenny too. This is very important. These girls got glamore skills and they will doll the guests up. Gee does nails, Jenny does SPARKLE make-up, and Aunt Bonnie will style everyone's hair however they wish. (special note: girls with straight hair will want theirs curly, and girls with curly will want it straight.)





Step 3: Make fascinators for as your party craft and TUTUs are the awesome-est party favor. Okay, so the fascinators might not want to stay in your guests hair, but you can quickly turn them into corsages or add them to the waist band of your tutus.

Step 4: Turn the DANCE station on Pandora and R.O.C.K.I.T.O.U.T!! OH YEAH!! (group hugs are a must)





Step 7: Choreograph a sweet show for the parents when the return at pick up time. And your group routine should have a conga line, best friend catwalk pairings, and individual pose striking too.

Step 6: Take lots of photos and video! A video mash up of the party photos and videos makes for a really special thank you note.

Time To Spring Back

Just popping in to share a few snapshots from the week. I didn't mean to fall off the face of the blogging universe. We celebrated Lauren's 8th birthday on Wednesday!! (and I was down and out for most of the week sick as a dog) This morning I was greeted with a bit of returning energy so Ron and I have spent most of the day outside waking up the garden beds. What a lovely time. How is your weekend going?