He Likes It!!

OK, my DH is my staunchest supporter and my harshest critic all at the same time. He is the master of the backhanded compliment that can sometimes really floor me and destroy my creativity. So...I was a bit reluctant to show him the finished enameled jewelry items that I had made for my friends for their Holiday gifts. I like them - I think they turned out really nicely...but I was unsure about his reaction. But he liked them - he was very complimentary. Even though he said that he never worried about my beadwork, that anything I made with beads was always excellent. But that in my jewelry, he loved my dancer (see picture below) but was often less than thrilled with my other jewelry/fabrication efforts. So...to have him love my enamel items really thrilled me.



I finished Sharon and Poo's items yesterday, as well as beaded snowflakes for my sister-in-law. I'll try to photo these quickly today or tomorrow so that I can send them on Monday. I have a small assembly job to do this morning for Michelle's gift and Maja's gift. Since I have no idea on where Maja is spending the holidays, I'll send them to her Texas address, but I'm not in a major rush. And then my holiday cards - if I'm really lucky they'll go out on Xmas Day. And I still need to finish up my DH's gifts - but I can do that Tuesday and Wednesday. Whew!! Nothing like cutting it close :-)))

Christmas Will be Late This Year!!

I really wanted to have my gifts in the mail today. Although I am ready for the final assembly of my enamel items for my friends Poo and Sharon, (and Michelle and Maja), I needed jumprings in a gague that I didn't have. I coiled up the jumprings last night before I left the shop and will cut them quickly this morning, but that means that the items were not assembled in time to make the morning mail run today. Add in the 3"-5" snowfall that I will have to shovel off the driveway this morning and things just won't get shipped until Monday . I'm very unsure about springing for Express Mail, although that is a possibility. But these are good long-time friends of mine and having the gifts arrive a day or so late is not a problem for them. (I hope - LOL.)

I am VERY happy with how the pieces look now that I've added the crystals. They are fun, colorful, and playful and I think I'll have some fun selling these too. I should have some extra available to put onto my ArtFire web store that will be open after the 1st of the year. I'll announce it here.

Happy Thursday - Crunch Time Is Here!

Here's something for you to watch. Just thoughts about creativity, artistry, and how it can make a difference in your life. I know that giving myself time and permission to explore my art allows me to feel alive and centered. Each item I make is a living prayer to my Creator and my Muse, and I am extremely grateful. Take a few minutes and watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EaUb4zk0Ow

I had such a GREAT studio day yesterday. Got the color onto my enamel disks - they're looking great. I had a new toy to play with for enamel application, and I have to admit that it was a lot of fun to work with. Now things are percolating for some enamel-inlay boxes that I have had in my mental list of "things I want to do". I think this little applicator will allow me to make this happen.

Assembling Jewelry in Czechoslovakia in 1937

But now it's crunch time. I have to get the items I'm mailing assembled and sent off. People may be getting their holiday gifts late and that won't make me extremely happy, but time is running out and I'm running right along with it. I haven't even addressed or sent my holiday cards yet. I'm SO bad. So, when I get to the shop today, I'll be working on the assembly end because DH's gift has a bit more time than the ones that I need to ship. It's all in the priorities. Any ideas on how I can make one more week appear before the holidays hit? LOL.

Holiday Countdown

Yesterday was a slow day at the shop. This is not good in terms of actual dollars collected - like many businesses out there, we could use more money in the coffer and we're going to be cutting every extraneous cost that we can over the next few months. But it was great in terms of being able to spend time working on the bench. I got my setting disks refined, shaped, polished and stamped. The final thing I did before shutting down for the day was to place one of the enameled disks into it's setting disk. I'm REALLY happy with how things are turning out on this project for my DH. I'm putting a lot of work, and even more thought, into the project and it's turning out. Today I'll set the two disks, LOS the stamped lettering, and start setting the rivets. That's the nerve-wracking time for me - rivets often don't work great for me. I'll just have to remember to take my time and not rush each hammer stroke. Then I need to figure out exactly how I want the panels to suspend on the neckpiece so that it won't flip, but will stay facing the correct direction. I also need to sign it, but that will be a bit harder to do.

Today is also the last day for my enamel items for the holidays. So I'll actually be spending most of the day at the kiln doing the patterns over the disks that I prepped last week. I love it when I can spend time on my enamel work. Having the kiln here at home is wonderfully freeing. One of these days I'll own a second kiln and then I can have one in each studio, OR I'll be retired, only have one studio, and everything will be in reach for my play time. Either way, I'm as happy as an 8-year-old who has been given free reign to play in the park for the afternoon. Just visualize me heading for the merry-go-round with my stuffed bear hanging from my left hand :-)

Countdown to Gifting

I hereby officially announce that I am RUNNING OUT OF TIME!! I have holiday gifts ready to go for my BFF Sharon and for Chickie. I have Poo's somewhere in my messy computer room, but will have to do some excavation on Wednesday to unearth it (or purchase replacement items on the fly). DH's project(s) are progressing actually fairly well. Today I get to finish the saw work on the silver setting, anneal, and lay out the Dwarvish text to have it ready to be stamped tomorrow. I also need to drill the skull. But I'm fairly certain that I may not actually assemble all of these components until he decides if he wants all three as a single piece or would rather have two separate neckpieces made. I can make him a third Dwarvish piece if he wants - my test piece actually is very useable, just has a slightly different-colored background.

And then there are my gifts for Michelle and sundry. I'm SO looking forward to one more day at the kiln tomorrow. The base coats are complete, so it's just a matter of adding color and pattern to the pieces. That's the fun part and I can hardly wait. At least I'll be warm. It's warmer today (above 0 F at least), but it's Minnesota, it's winter, and we'll be in the deep freeze until May - LOL. Have a wonderful Tuesday!!!

Snow Day?

Today is one which should be spent snuggled up in a blankie with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book. But today is one where I will be out shoveling snow in -15 F degree wind chill where the snow is over a layer of ice. I will then get into my cold car and make my way to the bank, then to the shop. I will leave later for the post office to drop off a mail order, and then back to the shop. My poor car will be very cold by the end of the day (she won't be happy at all when it comes to starting her tonight). I will also be very cold by the end of the day, and I wonder how many people will want to come and shop today even though it is less than 10 days remaining to Christmas. It would be such an excellent day to stay home.....