Easter Weekend...Holidays?

For those of us who do not celebrate Easter, this is a holiday with no corresponding celebratory dates for the rest of us. There is no solstice, no equinox ... there is a full moon, but that is a common joy. It's ok - there is good food, friends, relatives, etc., but there is no corresponding Holiday. But, as I look around me and see that the bare branches of a few weeks ago are starting to look fluffier, and the birds are returning, and the sounds of the spring are increasing...well. There is my own holiday. Life and the joy of it is returning to my little corner of the world. I will celebrate the renewal of that life not by celebrating this "risen" god, but by celebrating the true miracle - the miracle of life and the continuance of that life that the Power allowed to happen in my part of this vast universe. I hope that all of you celebrate your weekend in whatever way is appropriate to you, and that you keep that all-encompassing and overpowering love of the Creator in your hands for the day. Live well, spread happiness, and while you are at it - grab your sketchbook and make at least one page worth of creative activity for your own soul's good.

Bumches of Holiday Celebrations

I am not a subscriber to standard "religious" beliefs. I consider myself a strongly spiritual person, but most people would place me in the Pagan column instead of the Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, etc column. Nonetheless, this weekend seems to be a confluence of many different religious beliefs into one overwhelming song of thanks to whatever Creator they may want to believe in. I can't consider that a bad thing. After all - positive energy can only revitalize people and kind words between people will go on and be passed to others, making a very nice day for many. So, even though it seems that the world is going to hell in a handbasket (always enjoyed that saying even though how or why hell would ever want to be in a handbasket...), I wish you - all of you - the very best of a Good Passover, a Blessed Easter, and whatever other religious celebration might be scheduled for the next few days that I don't know about. Celebrate with your family members and your friends. In my turn, I will continue my attempts to act in a positive manner, to encourage creative thought, and to help my local economy by eating out somewhere on Sunday.




I did indulge and purchased two books by Danny Gregory which were delivered yesterday - "The Creative License" and "An Illustrated Life". "The Creative License" works with a variety of techniques to allow you to be comfortable creating art of your choice. It gives you permission to be creative and to feel more comfortable with that choice. "An Illustrated Life" offers a look into the personal sketchbooks of a variety of artists, illustrators, designers, etc. By looking at these sketchbooks and reading the artist's words, an insight can be achieved about how they channel their own creativity. One thing I have already learned is that self-doubt is prevalent in these people also, and that they are simply brave enough to face the world with a sketchbook in hand. I think I need to work on this also, and I recommend these books to anyone who might be wanting to spread their own creative wings.

Accomplishments.....?

Well, yesterday was my "studio day" with a long list of errands to do before I could get to the studio. But the most important thing on my list of errands was to replace the APC unit that my computer plugs into and to put a carpet protecting sheet of heavy plastic (with totally wicked points that go into the carpeting) underneath my computer desk. My house is almost 50 years old. To some of my readers that will seem as if it was built yesterday - and truly it is not ancient. But the accoutrements are old. The carpeting has been dying for years and the money simply isn't there to replace it - especially not in the computer room. (The very idea of having to knock down the wall-to-wall computer furniture and desks in the room to replace the carpet would give me nightmares for months.) So the carpeting has been getting worn and a hole developed where my chair wheels would hit. I purchased the chair mat a couple of weeks ago but didn't have the time to put it down.

Because my desk opening is fairly narrow, I needed to cut the mat down by a couple of inches on each side. This necessitated good tools (don't all of you love tools?). I have this totally wicked 3-inch blade tin snip that I use for a variety of work and it worked great on this. Then I had to move everything around my desk out to be able to place the mat properly. That was a messy mess - but it got done and everything got replaced and re-organized while I was at it. The power unit sits on the very back of my desk so it necessitated a complete clearing of the desk. That was totally icky. But, after several hours that also was done with the appropriate craft items returned to the craft room, the books back in the library area, and many, many papers fed through the shredder or filed into appropriate "bills paid" folders. The only "artistic" thing that I accomplished yesterday (although a clean desk could approximate artistic in some definitions) was getting my enameled color samples hanging up in numeric order so that I can continue work on the transparent ones next week. It's good to have goals, and I am VERY happy with my clean desk and my new chair mat. Now I'll find out if my most recent computer issues are with the computer, or with the old APC. Answers will be forthcoming, and I will forge on in the search for inspiration and creative pursuits. Enjoy your Thursday!

Thinking of Influence

Today would have been my Mother's 97th birthday. The photo is what she looked like at approximately age 40. She was stunningly beautiful. Since she died several years ago, obviously she's not celebrating today, but I am remembering her and thanking her for being an intensely creative influence in my life. I know I've written about her in the past, but she was an amazing artist in her own right. She was a graduate of the music academy of Vienna, Austria in the early 1930's. She was a pianist and taught piano here in the US for many years after she moved here in the 1940's. She was an accomplished seamstress and a fashion designer who sewed and designed her entire life. She was a wonderful interior decorator - changing colors, wall treatments, and furnishings regularly and always effectively. She purchased top-line furniture and had them recovered as necessary (an upholsterer's dream client). She also tried her own hand at reupholstering, but after one fully-covered arm chair, she decided that wasn't the direction for her. And in her spare time, she created art through many vehicles. She did mosaic, stained glass, jewelry-both beaded and precious metal fabrication, she painted, and she drew. She was always working on something creative.

The best thing about growing up with her was the opportunity to participate in each of the creative activities that she did. So I did mosaic. I painted plaster. I did complex braids with leather. I did jewelry, and of course, I sewed. I wish I was better at sewing, I could really use her expertise and talent when it comes to making my Renaissance Festival outfits and finery. But, I remember my Mother often when it comes to creating my own art. Even in her last days, as she was dying a living death from Alzheimers, she painted. I have a photograph of the last piece that she painted and I treasure it. Even though her vision was seriously restricted and her mind was also malfunctioning, she still managed to create beauty in her world. That's a daily goal for me and I have her to thank for it. Thanks, Mom. I love you.

Errands Stacking Up

Well, it's Tuesday and we're cruising towards Wednesday. My errands list for Wednesday is increasing exponentially - all of these errands are cutting into my studio time, so I'm starting to begrudge them. But I have to do them. There is a repair on a bracelet of unknown metal. This is something I'm too hesitant to put a torch near, so I'll take it to my friend in Minneapolis who has equipment that I don't, and I'll let him do the repair. It's not a big fix, but I'd feel more comfortable if he did it. Then there is the banking that I need to do, and the small shopping things. But I want to be at the kiln by noon. We'll see if I can succeed at that.

Today is supposed to be a day off for my Manager. My Assistant Manager and I are always a bit more efficient and certainly a bit more joyous when he is not around on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But he has a shipment to check in so I know he'll show up. That means that we'll have less fun and the atmosphere of the store will be a bit more "down". Sometimes things can't be helped, but I rather wish he would just take his day(s) off. What people don't know we have available - they can't ask for. We could manage without the last few items for another day or so. But that won't happen, so here we are... It will require us to be even more "up" and "bubbly" to overcome the small amount of negativity... It's do-able. I think I'll drop by the hardware store this morning to pick up some S-hooks for a project. That would start my day off on a positive note. And maybe I'll start the plat drawings for my drawbench. I need to get that going so that I can make some tubing. Hmmm.....the possibilities!

Here is a wonderful picture of some winter branches for your inspiration today. Look at the patterns of the silhouettes. Beautiful!

Buying in a Tight Economy

Yesterday was the spring "wholesale" Gem & Mineral Show. This is a GLW show for those of you familiar with them from Tucson or other smaller venues. The basic requirement for entry is a copy of your resale (sales tax) license and a business card or check. Since my state gives out resale licenses so easily and does not charge for them or have expiration dates on them, a lot of my customers also attend the show. This can make for an uncomfortable shopping experience.

I went because I did not go to Tucson this year. One of my vendors exhibits both in Tucson and here and I hadn't purchased from him in more than 2-1/2 years. My stock was VERY low. So I went to shop with him and then to see what I could get for my own work. I got what I needed, and found some nice druzy free-form cabs to play with, along with a few lower-end (but nice) gemstones to set. It was a successful day, even though I didn't spring for the Pariba or the nicely colored Tourmaline that I also wanted. It did seem that the numbers were down and that people were being much more careful about what they were buying. Several people mentionrd that they would not be attending the fall show (which I always miss because it comes during the Renaissance Festival season). A few also mentioned that they thought this show would be their last unless the economy (i.e. their own sales) improved. So things are still hurting for people. And that is sad. But I do have faith that people are resiliant and they will pull back and land back on their feet. It's a rough sea right now, though.