Monday, May 5, 2014

The goods

I've been thinking a lot the past couple of months, thinking about my work, where it's going, what I want to do, am I doing what I need to to make that happen.  I've realized, in all of my contemplation, that I've had my best work year ever.  The last 12 months might have been a struggle in a lot of other factions of life, but work has been truly wonderous.  I branched out this year, I started listening to my insides and I made what my head and heart wanted to make.  I let go of my fear of going big (both literally and figuratively) and as a result I've made work that makes me proud.  I find that most days I just cannot wait to get into my studio!

Now it's just a matter of balancing those big, one of a kind pieces with my more traditional, custom pieces, names, dates, initials, that kinda thing.

These last couple of weeks have been ALL momma, all day, all the time!  Nothing but Mother's Day!  Lots of names and birthdays of kiddos.  But when I can spare a moment or two I try to work on a few new pieces, part of that series I call Buoy.  I've been working up to a big shop update!  And while the custom order deadline has come and gone for Mother's Day, you could snatch up one of these today and I'll pop it in the mail to you tomorrow!

These pieces are what I live for.
Don't get me wrong, I love making everything I offer or I wouldn't, well, I just wouldn't.  But these are the pieces that make the wheels turn in my head, they are the ones that get me giddy like a kid set loose in front of bins and bins of candy.  I love the puzzle of what stone will go with what stone.  I'm excited to pour over words, songs, and poems, deciding what might pair so well with whatever stone, resin, or button concoction I've assembled that you wonder how they ever lived apart, that little lyric and that bit of turquoise...they just sing so beautifully together now, atop that silver ring.

I like to think about what people might fall in love with.  I know it is jewelry and on any day jewelry is a luxury.  But I do make jewelry that I mean to be more than pretty.  If I could have my way each piece I make would be a token of something to someone... This entire side of my work was born because I desperately needed something to buoy my spirits.  And because of that I hold dear each creation.

I'm feeling like I've been a bit long winded and verbose.  So I'm gonna go ahead and stop spouting on and on now.  I'll just leave you with these, a few more things to come out of the studio this week with Mother's Day, Father's Day, and graduation in the back of my mind...