Patience

It is often said that patience is a virtue. Indeed it is. I am not flush with copious amounts of patience, unfortunately. It is a quality that I struggle with at times. Despite the struggle, I really want Patience to win. She deserves it, after all, being such a mellow gal.

Why do I mention patience? The last few weeks of glass bead making have been IMPOSSIBLE! I am in the midst of my first official glass testing experience and everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong. Exploding glass, torch head with flames shooting out the sides, sooty and blackened beads, wonky beads. It's as if I have forgotten how to work the glass. Ever had that happen to you? Good news is, I finally discovered why so many difficulties. One glass-exploding day a few weeks ago, some shards of glass took up residence in my torch head. It never occurred to me to check the torch head. I just realized it yesterday. So now I know why almost all of my beads have come out all smoky and gross. I have since cleaned my torch head and, finally, I am back in business. Sigh of relief.

Patience also has come in handy for my current metalsmithing class. Last post I mentioned the sawing difficulties I had been experiencing. Well, I put in a little practice time, watched a few tutorials posted online by my instructor and, I can truthfully say, my sawing has improved. A lot. Yay for me! I did learn one valuable lesson in class last week. Actually, two valuable lessons: 1) Never, EVER, get your finger(s) in the way of the saw blade. It may be teeny-tiny, but it can do some serious damage. No, I didn't need stitches and, yes, I left a blood trail on the way to get a bandage. 2) Never, EVER, get distracted while sawing. Save the chat session for those less risky moments in your life. That being said, my biggest concern that night was whether or not I got blood on my project. I didn't. I was elated that I was able to finish my sawing for the class that night! And my finger is mending nicely. It should be good-to-go come time for my next class!

The following may seem like a complete change of subject but, trust me, it ties in to our subject today. In the last several months, I have been busy bonding with my three new-ish cats. They are still technically kittens, but getting seriously large now. Two of them are Bengals- a fascinating breed of cat. They are part Asian leopard, part domestic cat (usually Abyssinian) and completely unique. I was told they would be "playful", "kitten-like all of their lives", a bit rowdy, good jumpers. These cats are anything but ordinary. They could be in the circus! They are incredibly acrobatic, full of grace, rambunctious, obsessive, sweet, skittish, somewhat destructive, and totally loveable. They keep me on my toes and require a large dose of PATIENCE to live with their non-stop antics. Not to be overlooked is my one sweet tortoiseshell shorthair domestic cat- just a garden-variety type of cat, looks-wise. Personality-wise, she is a force of nature, up to the task of garnering her share of our attention. (Photo in this post is of my male Bengal, nosing the camera lens!)

"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life."- Chinese proverb

"Patience is also a form of action."- Auguste Rodin

In Absentia

"In absentia" is a lovely Latin phrase. It literally means, "in the absence". This phrase conveys the thought of not being present, perhaps when one should be. Macabre as it sounds, I think it appropriate to use a dead language to define the idea of not being physically present. I also think the term is apropos to explain not being virtually present. I don't like to make excuses because they sound lame at best. So I will simply get down to business and write this post!

This year has been beyond busy for me due to circumstances beyond control. Finally, the dust is settling, things are sorting out, breaths can be taken. At least until the next time. In the interim, I have been as creatively productive as possible. Currently, I am taking a metalsmithing class. Just getting started, actually. I must say that I have a whole new respect for metalsmiths. Sawing metal is my biggest challenge so far. I had no idea that jewelry sawblades are so very thin! My sawing technique has a L-O-N-G way to go. The first night of my class, I broke eight blades. Eight of them. Meanwhile, the students on either side of me were doing an incredible job of sawing. One cut out a cute little flower shape. The other cut out a sweet little bird. And me? A misshapen oval and eight broken blades. I should note, however, that I am typically a slow learner when it comes to crafty things. But I do sincerely hope that I can reach a point where my technique does improve. Practice, practice, practice!

I remember when I took a glass bead class for the first time. The torch was absolutely terrifying to me. The hot glass wasn't my favorite feature, either. I was living on the edge! But I eventually got a feel for it. Interestingly, the torch in metalsmithing holds fresh terror for me. I didn't expect that. I am so accustomed to using a torch when working with glass. But it's all different with metal. One of the torches in the metal shop is nicknamed "Big Bertha". It is used to anneal large pieces of sheet metal. "Big Bertha" is intimidating. She breathes fire. She is potentially explosive. My synapses are firing away as I learn to wrap my mind around it. It is a comfort to me that the metal shop is full of ladies using hammers, saws and torches. Not a man in sight. The only men in the building are in a pottery class next door. Huh.

I am also an official glass tester for Creation is Messy! This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to participate in the testing process. I received my package of glass ( a boxful of rainbow! ), sorted it out and got started playing. I have to say that I am a huge fan of Creation is Messy glass, a.k.a. CiM glass. They have colors in their glass line that are completely unique, with more streaming out constantly. They are particularly interested in pleasing their many customers, a wise business practice. I will be reporting some of my CiM glass observations in future posts.

Pictured in this post is just one of the sample beads I have been working on throughout the testing process. Beadmaking has been a bit frustrating lately. My bead release (a clay slip used to make bead removal easier after firing) has been failing me non-stop lately! I keep a bowl of water near my torch to "kill" beads that are not working out. The bowl is full of shattered glass right now, with the death toll ever mounting. Perhaps the high humidity we have been having locally is a contributing factor. I don't know. I will just keep trying!

"Never give up. Never surrender!"- from the movie, "Galaxy Quest"

"Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul."- Douglas MacArthur

"Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working."-- Unknown

Fractal

In high school, I took Geometry, as most students do. Up till then, every math course I had taken was not too difficult for me to master. But Geometry was a whole new set of rules, a different brand of logic. Postulates, theorems- nothing could be assumed. Nothing. I had to back up every assumption with proof, show how I had arrived at that proof and make sure all was logical. It was a tall order for a creative thinker. No matter how hard I tried, I simply could not get a better grade in that class than a 'B'. Well, I wanted an 'A'. Badly. I decided that, no matter what, geometry was not going to get the better of me. Not this girl. I worked HARD, harder than I ever had before and, finally, in the last semester of the school year, I got my 'A'. Well, technically, it was an 'A-', just barely. But it was good enough for me.

I got so much out of that class, so much more than I expected to. I have absolutely no recollection of how to solve a geometry problem, but I did retain valuable life lessons: 1) Never, ever assume anything. 2) If something is important to you, the work to achieve it is worthwhile. These lessons have remained with me through out my life. I try to live by them and pass these values on to my own child. Was all that work really worth it? You do the math. I'm done with geometry, no more sweating through tests. However, I, like everyone else on this planet, must daily face conundrums and struggles of various sorts. What to do? Never, ever assume anything. Make sure of the facts and use those facts as your guide to answers. And don't be lazy. Work your little hiney off to achieve your goals. Once reached, those achievements may not be exactly what you hoped for in the end, but they will be adequate to satisfy you if you did your best.

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."- Henry J. Kaiser

(The one thing I still remember from geometry is the beauty of geometrical fractal patterns. They are mind-boggling. They take my breath away.)

(The bead pictured in this post is for sale in my Etsy shop.)

Concoction

When whipping up something new, it is always good to come up with a fresh twist on the familiar. Simple as this sounds, it is incredibly challenging to actually accomplish. I was watching one of those cooking reality shows at my mom's place the other day. Normally, I am not one for reality shows which, as you know, are about as real as a politician's honesty. However, this particular show WAS rather amusing. It was a bit like Project Runway (another "reality" program), but with food instead of clothes. I have to admit that I was intrigued by the chefs' inventiveness. They would be given a theme (like 'Japanese') or a flavor, etc., and have to come up with something dazzling in short order if they wanted to advance in the competition. Well, sometimes pressure can crush a person into dust and, sometimes, produce diamonds. The diamonds make the cut (or, get the cut?). Anyway, wordplay aside, my point is that challenges can spark our creativity to rise to new heights. I recently visited with a jewelry designer who feels somewhat stuck in her work. She was questioning her ability as an artist because she finds it difficult to be innovative in her work. From what I can see, her ability to create beauty is unquestionable. Maybe she just needs a bracing challenge to kick her creativity up a notch, to give it an undeniable "BAM!". Have you ever thought of having your own, private version of a reality show challenge? Give yourself one word, one color, one texture to work with and see what you can come up with. The necklace pictured with this post is a piece I am still working on. My challenge was figuring out how to meld the teardrop beads with the barrel beads in a pleasing manner. I also needed to make the neutral tones of the piece have a little bit of 'POP'. So far, I am loving how it is developing. I added in a lampwork bead that I torched especially to coordinate with these beads. The client is pleased and I am, too.

Custom pieces especially seem to present these types of challenges because the artist has a 'judge' to please (the client) as well as him/herself. The process can be intimidating but, when successful, oh,so rewarding! You just have to be willing to take a risk. After all, what's the worst that can happen? You waste some art materials or time? You have to take your work apart and start again? Well, that surely won't kill you. And, as the saying goes, 'What doesn't kill you will make you stronger' as an artist. Just don't do anything dangerous, OK?

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."- Bernice Johnson Reagon

"Anything unattempted remains impossible."- Unknown

Delicacy

I have been a busy little beaver lately. I am exploring some new jewelry design ideas that have been swirling around in my head. I have a veritable mountain of beads and a need to USE them! The necklace pictured with this post is my version of a bib-style necklace. It is feminine and modern, with a delicate sensibility. I love it! The colors just speak to me. The subtle floral theme is flirty. I am quite satisfied. Please feel free to browse in my Artfire shop for more equally satisfying selections.

I have also been hard at the torch recently. I have a number of custom orders to fill. For some reason, though, I am just a bundle of nerves. Maybe I need to cut back on the coffee. I sure thought that earlier today when I spilled a full cuppa joe all over my desk, including my laptop. I'm glad no one was there to witness it. It wasn't pretty. Thankfully, I didn't ruin anything (though my PC smells vaguely of Starbucks and the keys sound a tad sticky). No wonder I'm kinda jumpy!

"Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with." (not your laptop) - Drew Sirtors

"A morning without coffee is like sleep."- Unknown

Atmospheric

I am working on a new series of focal beads that I refer to as "Atmospheric". I get so excited when I work on one of these beads! They always make me think of intense weather brewing overhead, thus the name. I love a good storm! An early memory of mine is being home alone when I was about 7 years old. It was a dark and stormy night, really. My mom had left me there alone because my brother had injured himself and had to be taken to the hospital. Mom wanted me to inform my father about the happenings (no cell phones in those days). So, I waited for my dad while a wild Texas thunderstorm raged outside. The power went out. I was totally freakin'. Finally, Dad's key turned in the door. Never have I been so happy to see anyone! I was crying, shaking and twitchy. But I made it through. And, strangely, ever since that night, I LOVE thunderstorms. The wilder, the better. Go figure.

Back to the beads: every one is unique with organic patterning and lots of interesting reactions in the glass. One of the glasses used in these beads is called Anice White. It causes a curdled look to appear in the glass, like curdled milk, minus the smell. Thank goodness!

The patterning in these beads comes from allowing the many layers and colors of glass to melt into a great big goopy glob and then using gravity to move the glass around until thoroughly swirled. That is my layman's description of the creation process! Hey, I'm an artist, not a scientist.

These beads look a lot like stones. I often have people ask me what type of stone they are. I think they are perfect for a masculine jewelry design, as well as any very organic, natural pieces. These will be a regular feature in my Etsy bead store. I make at least one whenever I sit down at my torch! So irresistible to make.

"True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist."- Albert Einstein

"Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm."- Unknown

(Bead pictured in post is available in my Etsy shop.)

Sparkle

What puts a sparkle in your eye? What are the most valuable gems in your mental jewelry box? Life is full of so many priceless and multi-faceted treasures. Have you ever stopped to make a list of things you hold dear? I did, just for kicks and grins. I included a lot of little, somewhat obscure observations that touch my heart. It was an incredibly pleasant exercise for the old 'positive' muscles. Here's a sampling of the jewels I prize:

1) Seeing a rainbow. 2) Holding your newborn baby for the first time. 3) A purring cat, curled in your lap. 4) The delighted belly laugh of a child. 5) The smell of fresh-mown grass. 6) The profound silence of a deep cave. 7) The crackle of a campfire on a chilly, dark night. 8) The split-second flash of a meteor in the night sky. 9) Live voices joined in harmonious song. 10) Surveying my collection of colorful art supplies. 11) When someone you love tells you they love you. 12) A hug of true forgiveness.

I could go on and on. My point is, take a few minutes today to reflect on those small but precious moments that give your life real meaning. This type of reflection is enriching. It swells your heart with appreciation that can then be translated to other aspects of your daily life. To live life with an attitude of gratitude is truly fulfilling. After all, life is a gift. How do you treat the gifts you receive? Do you carelessly rip open the packaging or gently and slowly remove the tape and save the gift wrap? Do you save the box, recycle or throw it away? How about the contents of the box, the actual gift? Do we use it, store it and forget about it, re-gift it, or throw it away?

Some gifts or treasures we value more than others. What we value is really quite a personal choice. I am on this ramble due to a discussion with my kid today about what we should value in life. What we value is a true reflection of who we are or who we may become. Definitely something to think about and, when necessary, to re-assess. Why not make your own list of "jewels"? You may surprise yourself with what you come up with.

"Try not to become a man of success. Rather, become a man of value."- Albert Einstein

"When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier."- Roy Disney

"A jewel should be judged by the light in a lady's eyes."- Anonymous