Creative Life - Week 22

I've gone and gotten behind again...

Once again, i have been quite busy. I was in Charlotte/Greensboro again last week - i made it to one of the rock shops in Greensboro and got some really cool, unusual stuff. I can't wait to make something really wow with these pyrite roses i picked up. And the owner was super cool and full of knowledge and it was just all around a great experience.

I went to this great local place in Gastonia that was an old theater while in NC- Webb's Custom Kitchen. The food was SOOOO GOOOD.. :) 

I taught my fold formed bracelet class this past Saturday and we had a great time. It was one person's first time and she took to it beautifully- her bracelets turned out pretty amazing (see below).

And i've been working on adding some more display space to the shop. I've gotten in a lot of new stuff and i will be bringing in beads soon since the bead shop that used to be just down the street has moved to midtown (i think).

I made a couple of things recently too - including this lovely set for a very dear friend. 

Creative Life 2016 - Week 19

I missed weeks 17 and 18. and by missed, I don't mean to say I wasn't making- thankfully this time. I just missed posting. And sure i could go back date a post, but that kind of feels like cheating.. so I'll just say that I made some awesome stuff last week (because I did- I made three epic bracelets as a custom order for someone) and I traveled last week (to Greensboro NC) and the week before that I was just pretty overwhelmed.

I went to an amazing Full Moon sacred woman's circle on the 22nd- it was epic- and it actually coincided with the full moon in Scorpio. I got some guidance from the experience and it gave me the nudge to start working on it. The Navigating Negativity group meeting the following Monday (25th) drove the point home even more. I have to let go of the habit of comparing myself to everyone else- as an artist, as a friend, as a person. I constantly berate myself because so-and-so is a better metalsmith than me, so why do I bother? Or this person is better at putting their words to paper or that person is more energetic. I have to stop tearing myself down. It doesn't help me, and it doesn't help the people thatI'mm supposed to be helping. Because i really do feel like my path in life is to help people, to teach people, to be kind to people and protect those without voices. (and to help/protect critters and nature)

So i spent week 17 working on that- and i guess technically, it's still part of my Creative Life journey- not everything i do, everything i achieve, has to have a physical result to show off.

I created my samples for my class coming up in June at the MBG- I'm going to teach folks how to make spiculums and stuff! it's pretty neat to take a flat piece of metal and have some pod, flower, weird things at the end of a few minutes of hammering. (the lotus took more than a few minutes...) i can't wait to add enamel to this stuff.. whole new level awesome.