Stepping Forward

 2013 is my year of new adventures. So I'm starting off with one thing that is scary to me:  I've signed up for an "intermediate-advanced" jewelry fabrication course.

Here's the description:

"Jewelry and Metalsmithing students who have already learned the basics and work independently will learn the tips only a professional can teach how to get gallery quality results in less time. With a small class size, students receive personalized attention for their specific needs in design, advanced fabrication, clasps, stone setting, touches of gold, production techniques, rolling mill, tool maintenance, soldering tips and tricks, wax carving for casting, metalsmithing techniques and other demos that students request. Most students work on their own designs with an emphasis on one or more of the demos shown during class."

Sounds good, no? Then why am I nervous about it? Because it's pushing me out of my comfort zone. Right now I have a small stock of things I can do (almost) without thinking about them. I did say "almost".  :)  Over the past year, I've gotten comfortable with quite a few techniques. Now I want to start learning SO many more, but it means beginning at the bottom of the skill set again.

I also want to understand design better, and add my own "voice" or style more into what I create. So I'm a bit anxious, but looking forward to creative challenges!

Circle of Love Necklace

This pendant was definitely a challenge for me. I don't often design in concentric ways, or in symmetrical shapes. But I was intrigued by the idea of taking the jagged mosaic bits and keeping them within the boundaries of a circular shape. This pendant required a LOT of finagling to make sure the pieces were equidistant from the center of the circle, and from each other, and also that they formed a rounded shape on the outer ring. 

I also set the garnet so that the bottom overlaps into the inner circle, but I didn't solder it to the back plate fully:

it's hard to see against the dark stone, but the bottom of the garnet is supported only by the outer bezel and has no back plate inside the circle. A bit challenging to set as I raised the stone, but it wanted to "tip" over toward that open bottom when I set it. I'm not sure I'll do it again, but it was a satisfying challenge.  :)

Anyhoo, I went to class tonight and it was better than I imagined. Better than I could have imagined. I suspect it will be most beneficial and I will be counting the hours until next week when I get to go "be a sponge" (as my husband says) once again. I'm so ready for all this learning and I think it will be a career-defining - or at least very career-enhancing - choice.  :)

One last photo, because you can't see that yummy red garnet color in the first two!

Impatience..

is my Achilles' heel.

 apple jasper

Until this week, I haven't touched my Etsy supply store, bpsupply, in months. Pretty much since I set it up in September, before I was inundated with festivals and everything else that seems to ramp up in the fall. And what was so nice about that? Sales kept trickling in...not a ton, but enough to make me pleased and happy, especially since I'd all but ignored the store for several months.

Side note: why do I have an Etsy supply store? Because I am a hoarder of beads. And that mischief has been going on for many, many years. And now I'm not even using them...they're tucked away in little plastic bags, in little plastic drawers. It's time to let some things go. Beads out, cabochons in...there is a method somewhere in all this, y'know.

Of course, now that I've got more time on my hands, I've been actively working (for the last two whole days, mind you!) on the store like crazy. Photos. Photo editing. Listings. Descriptions. Measurements. Dry, dull, unexciting stuff...and of course right now I feel like NO ONE is paying it a bit of attention. Not one tiny bit.

So what happens? I feel frustrated, ignored, and bad about myself. I must not have what people want. Or I'm not offering what I have at the right prices. Or I'm just not smart enough to figure out what's going on. Or I just don't deserve any success...see where this path leads?  All. The. Damn. Time. The Hack Voice is coming through loud and clear.

abalone toggle clasps

It's the unending battle - and this isn't even a product I make, but instead something I have no personal investment in.  :)

But I think I know what the problem (or at least, part of the problem) is: I've been doing all that dry stuff, without any creative efforts to balance it. What did I talk about previously? The best antidote is to make stuff. It's my own personal therapy! I did try, earlier in the week, but it went so horribly that I had to give up before I got really agitated. And I haven't been back at the work table since...but guess what I'll be doing on Monday?

I'm ready for big changes this year and a bit...impatient...to get started.  :)

1/10/13 update: Three sales so far this week in the shop. I guess people *are* paying attention. Thank you!!  

New Adventures

 “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”
― Neil Gaiman

source

This pendant wasn't supposed to have a turquoise drop. I accidentally drilled the holes on the top and the bottom. So I had to do something...that's just one of last year's mistakes. At least this one was salvageable  :)
 

This year's goals include having lots of new adventures. They may not be huge adventures, but they begin with moving forward toward new delights. There will be mistakes. I know it. But I don't kmow of any better way to learn than to learn from them and add that to the knowledge base. Last year's work with stones and bezels taught me that. So this year is going to be full of even more time devoted to my craft and developing a broader range of skills.

 

I have three full months ahead of me with no festivals. I have a glorious amount of time to explore, to design, to create. To work toward achieving the dreams and goals for my business and myself. 

I'm SO excited!!

Today began with five minutes of meditation (I know...getting all new-age-y, but I keep reading about its benefits...and I feel like I keep reading about its benefits because I'm supposed to pay attention to those little pokes). It went by quickly and painlessly, though I'm not sure I reaped any major benefits from it just yet - and now I'm drinking lemon water and getting my mind ready for the day, which includes...cardio. Of which I've done absolutely zero since the end of September. 

I'm so NOT excited!!

But it's time to get back on a routine. It's good for me physically and mentally and really...thirty minutes a day three times a week (okay, it might be twenty minutes twice this week.) is really nothing to complain about.  :)

And it's time to get back to (or start) a new work routine too. One of my jewelry goals is to create a piece every day (or, if I don't finish one every day, at least BE in the creative process daily), and get it photographed and online more quickly than I usually do. Shouldn't be hard with all this time on my hands, mmm?  

I wish you all the best as you pursue your own goals and endeavors this year!