Pluggin'

Just plugging along at a snail's pace. But making it nonetheless. All photos are images from last week's work- 100% handmade! I didn't melt any silver and I am pleased with the end result. It's taken a while to post because the weekend ended up being an endless stream of parties, family visits and prepping for some new felted projects I hope to start work on...oh, that's right...yesterday. Arggg.

A new show is coming up in May (info will follow) and that will be nice as Main Street Festival in Franklin ended up being swallowed up by a deluge. Bummer...

Stackable ring set.

4 piece set

New pendants.

New idea of playing with painted resin.

Stud earrings.

One new pendant and one completed order (at least once I attach the earwires).

A Continuation of Yesterday

Today was just a continuation of yesterday. I did all the finishing of the pieces I made earlier in the week and began playing with the colors. I think I am headed in a good direction. This is a shot of the board in all its messiness. Good day. Can't wait to check on it all in the morning and see how it turned out. I am hoping I don't have to backtrack and salvage anything. When I left, it looked OK but when I checked on it about an hour ago, I began to have a few niggling doubts. I know I am rushing myself and I must stop doing that! We'll see tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

The Day of the Dome

Today was all about the dome- earrings, a couple of bracelets, a ring and a pendant. Now they need a little polishing and the final resin steps. Fingers crossed these turn out as I see them in my brain (or at the very minimum something equally appealing).

I only worked for a couple of hours today. I am trying figure out the balancing of my two lives- work and home. I want to work. I need to keep the house and children somewhat clean. So, I go to work and have great intentions of coming home and getting right on the straightening and laundry but when I see it, I feel very uninspired. Luckily all my cleaning out has made it so that total mayhem is just not a possibility anymore. And today I had the wonderful excuse of being thwarted by the loss of the brooms- both the big broom and the dustpan broom (thank you, children). But it really is a bit disconcerting that they can just up and lose them- never to be seen again. I mean, really.....how does that happen? And though I do not exactly enjoy cleaning in general, I do like a clean floor or at least the option to have a clean floor. And it does make me a bit nervous. I feel obsession coming on. I just want the option- that's all. Where, oh where, are the brooms?

Note that this could be a ploy to get out of cleaning by the children. Brooms last seen being used by children on Sunday. Are they teaching us a lesson? If we ask them to assist with the cleaning, will they hide all cleaning supplies? Are they actually making an attempt to outwit us? They had better be too sweet for that. Hmmm...I am a bit suspicious...

Back to Work

Finally, after two weeks away from the studio, I am back at it. During the two weeks away, I was almost completely unproductive artistically. The almost was thrown in because I was able to crank out some drawings in preparation for my return. Today, I began making a few of the items I had drawn. The above picture shows the items made today. Full-on silversmithing has commenced. Today's work consisted of a set of 5 stackable rings (back right), a graduated pendant made of circles (middle row left), 2 circular pendants with attached bezels (middle row right), a small pendant of various sized bezels(front row middle) and a 4pc set which includes a ring, a pendant and a set of earrings (front row left). I also began attaching posts to some of the previously made items from weeks past.

Overhead view.

I was worried over the past few days about getting back into the studio. I am never sure if I will lose my momentum and, really, I just get intimidated. I don't know why. So being back is great.Though I am still very tired from this past weekend, it felt great to start up again. I was really beginning to panic. I don't do so well without the creative outlet. I suppose I am glad I got out of bed on this dreary day and vetoed the Gossip Girl rerun watching (or some other equally mind numbing show). That's right, I said it, Gossip Girl. And I'm not ashamed. OK, so maybe I am a little bit.

I am also happy to report that the yard sale went quite well! All the family came together with what appeared to be our entire lives of hoarding and rocked it out. Truckload after truckload, it was tons of work and we were all very tired. We made a ton of money for our cause and we still had a uhaul truck full of extras to deliver to goodwill. So we not only raised the money we wanted but we also got in some much needed charitable acts to throw into the good karma column.

i've been

So, I've not been on my game with this whole blog thing. But so much has been going on around these parts that is has been busy, busy.

I forgot to post these new prototype earrings last week. Lots of new stuff will be coming out at some point. Colored resins are among some of the new stuff.

Our newest bundle of joy...the iPad. Get one! They rock!

Max is the self proclaimed owner of the iPad. Not fair. He is a pad hog.

And so for my excuses section of this post. The part where I try to explain my absence from the blog scene.....

I am amazed at the amount of stuff we have gathered through the years. I used to subscribe to the idea that one should have no more than one could move in a day or two. Um, yeah. That went out the window. I'm not sure when. I was too busy gathering more stuff to be concerned with it when it did. So......now I am cleaning out my entire life! Yay! I have been in high powered "throw everything away" mode. Just in time for the yard sale this weekend at Granny White Market. I can't wait to be done with it all! Then, maybe my time will be freed up to get back to the creative side of my life. I must say, I am very proud of the sentimental part of me that is now ready to let go of it all. I just wish I had before and after pics. I feel very confident this will change our lives. Yippee!!!

Ode to Spring Break

I'm so glad I shrieked in my last post. Had I not, this week of Spring Break could have gone awry. But no. It has been awesome. Granted it has been tiring but I have loved having the kids home again. Since they've been back at school, I have really missed having them around. Since they got off the bus on Thursday it has been go, go, go. And had I not been so low on the creative spirit, this could have been a week of being torn between work and home. Instead it has given me a nice break and I think next week is going to be very productive!

Here's an overview of Spring Break up to now:

•Ethan kicked off his break with a bus ride and sleepover with his friend Tyler.

• Airsoft Party hosted by Max on Thursday. The funny story behind this is that I had no idea! Oman and Max concocted an airsoft party beginning at 4:30 (before Oman gets home from work! :)). They made invitations and all. I never knew. I was receiving calls from parents about this party before Max even got off the bus. Luckily, I was able to pull off the, "Yes, of course, we are so excited! Come by at 5 instead." I had not one fun food or drink in the house and had my own plans for fun with the children. The last child left at 10!

• Shortly after the end of the party, our beloved Allen arrived for a short stay on his way back to DC. Luckily, he was able to hang out for a couple of days this time though we are a little miffed about the absence of his girlfriend, Shasta.

• Friday was all about hanging out with Allen and the kids.

• On Saturday, my awesome husband and his sister won 2nd place in the Point to Point horse race!!! Yay for them! Oman has not ridden (in any real way) as long as I have known him (13years) though he used to ride all the time. I was quite impressed and oh, so very proud. I will say, though, that he now has no skin on his calves as he was low on horse riding supplies due to his hiatus. Sad state. And not too pretty either. After the races, Allen ended the fun by heading out in an effort to reach home for Easter.

•During the horse races, there were terrier races in which Maggie showed three dogs. She came home with first and third place ribbons for her efforts. It was so cute!

• A couple of hours later, we went to some friends' house for a dinner which I had forgotten to put on the calendar. Again, thank goodness for Oman's steel trap of a mind which is sometimes a curse and not a blessing (as I am sure you can imagine).

• Of course, the Easter Bunny made an appearance sometime that night as well. And I must say, I am not really pro on strange creatures breaking and entering in the middle of the night. When do these "little people" I live with become too old for this vandal who strews eggs and candy around the house and yard? At least he laid off of the shredded paper grass. Finally, a little sense!

•And since Sunday, we have had a steady stream of sleepovers here, there and everywhere, movie going, spring/summer clothes buying, and shuttling to and fro around Nashville and the surrounding areas.

•And the absolute CREAM ON THE TOP...the arrival of the new Balenciaga bag!!! Complete and total excitement!!! Words cannot describe. I know I have an issue. I've tried to get better about shoes and even jeans (to a very small extent as jeans are pretty much my uniform). Ask me to stray from my uniform, and, I warn you, I may cry to get out of it. BUT BAGS!!! Oh, bags. You will be my demise! I will sell my soul and lie to my poor husband (saying, "I promise...this is the last one." or "x -insert various names here- wasn't using it and let me borrow it.") All of this from ME- the person who regards omissions as lies! What has become of me? Even my partners in crime (the Xs of the world) have deserted me. It's a lonely place to be. Honestly though, the addiction leaves me feel unrepentant in any way. Must get better....must get better..............someday. :)

• And now we are up to date. It has been a great week and I hope we keep the momentum going.

spring break

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm scared!