Everyone Needs Art

A few months ago, I was lucky enough for the opportunity to teach eco-art to a couple groups of 8th graders as part of an outdoor education school trip.  Kids who come on these trips participate in chosen activities such as climbing tower, archery, boating, and team building activities.  Eco-art is one of many classes that the school can choose from.  For those not familiar with eco-art, it is simply a class that lets students take objects from nature to create their own two or three dimensional sculpture or design.  The first class I taught was awesome!  My students delved into the project with gusto, made cool natural designs, and even came up with profound explanations for them.  I felt like I was running a mini-art school class in the woods.  The second class I taught was also awesome, in a completely different way.  This group was much less enthusiastic.    As I launched into my passionate lesson about eco-art and art mediums that can be found in nature, I could sense a quiet air of disappointment that lingered over them for not getting to do something more exciting, like boating or ziplining, instead of something that had the word “art”in  it.  I steadfastly  led the somber group into the woods to gave them some ideas for how to start making their own artwork.  I watched students start an idea, only to abandon it to go in another direction.    Despite the lack of gusto, I saw how determined they all were to create a piece of eco-art.  All of them put some respectable effort into coming up with something, and I was proud of them for that.  Teaching in an outdoor setting like this has the added bonus of noticing small details in the natural world, that one can miss when simply on a hike.  One student picked up a beautiful chrysalis, and asked me what is was.  I was pretty sure that student had never seen one before.  At the conclusion of the class, I asked them what they found was the hardest part about this assignment.  Out of my very quiet group, one student answered “finding a place to start”.  As an artist, I can’t even begin to describe how much I relate to that statement.  Very often, the hardest part of any creative venture, is finding an place to start, and being willing to start over if an idea is not working.

Teaching this class of reluctant eco-artists made me realize just how much value the creative process is for everyone.  The basic exercise of coming up with an idea (without any concrete starting point), and expanding on it, is valuable for virtually any field of study. Art has the added bonus of teaching problem solving and how to deal with frustration. How important is creativity and art?  Imagine every field of study possible, from medicine and science, to business and engineering.  Now imagine each of those fields with a complete lack of creativity.  How can a scientist or business leader come up with an original idea without experiencing the sometimes frustrating creative process?  Art is not frivolous, and it is important for all to get the experience of practicing art in some form, for the wonderful lessons it teaches us.  I think fondly of my eco-art students when I am sitting at my work table struggling with finding a place to start.

Room to Grow

    So we have landed in our new home, and I have started to settle in to my new studio and let my creative juices flow again.  I have noticed with the few designs I have created this year, that my look is starting to change. My once frilly, Victorian, steampunk designs have morphed into earthy, bohemian, tribal inspired pieces.  This has led to an urge to re-hash many of my older pieces into new designs.  I still love working with found objects and vintage pieces, I am just exploring different ways to use them. Time off from selling and doing shows has given me much needed room to grow, and reminded me that change can be good.  I love the peacefulness of a still pond in the morning, but without some good rain every now and again to stir things up, the water can get quite stagnant.  I find the streams and brooks much more interesting as they are always full of energy and change, even if they can get dangerous with too much rain.  Stagnancy is not a fantastic thing, so I am embracing the new ideas and styles, even it is vastly different than what I started out creating and I end up having to create a whole new display setup to match!  I would urge you all to give yourself room to grow. Learn something new, change your look, rethink long held opinions, challenge the idea that something always has to be done a certain way.  Stay out of the stagnant pond and take a dip in the flowing river.  I can't wait to see where it leads me!

How a Major Closet Purge Helped Me Learn About the Slow Fashion Movement

Hello all!  It has been quite a while since my last blog post!  The primary reason for this is our up-coming move to Northern New Jersey at the beginning of the summer.  If you have ever moved at anytime in your life, you know that moving requires some amount of purging.  Outgrown toys, old papers, books read long ago, and many other things we tend to collect all come under scrutiny when faced with having to box them up and move them.  I was spoiled in our current home, to have a large walk-in closet which of course, was packed with clothes.  The house we are moving to has rather small closets, so a closet purge was absolutely necessary, and as it turns out, a really good thing for what it taught me.  The clothes that came out of my closet were mostly thrift store purchases as I am an avid thrift store shopper.  Like most women who love clothes, I am a bargain hunter. Paying as little as possible for clothing seems to have become a badge of honor.  Women love to share how little they paid for their clothing when someone admires an outfit.  "love your outfit", "can you believe it? $10 from Goodwill!" or "can you believe it, $15 from the clearance rack at X store!"  I well known discount chain actually encourages us to "brag about it" in their slogan.  I have been one of those women bragging about how little I paid for my clothes. Should we all really be bragging about being such incredible cheapskates?  I am going to make a bold statement and say that no, we definitely should not. Shirts purchased for $3 and skirts for $7 filled bags that went right back to the charity shops.  Indeed, I did feel good that most of the clothing I purged from my closet was second hand, thus recycled to begin with, but I did not feel good about having so much clothes in my closet that only made me feel "meh".

My closet purge led me to a recently published book, entitled "Overdressed: the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion" by Elizabeth Cline.  She discusses the growing issue of our over consumption and how clothing has declined in both price and quality.  Many of my thrift store purchases came from popular mall chain stores, and when I researched some of these brands (not being a mall shopper), I was shocked at some of the prices, not because they were high, but because they were so cheap. My "bargains" were not really bargains at all, and some of them cost not much less than I would have purchased them for if they were new. The fast fashion trend is a recent development in the clothing world.  Trendy clothing stores aimed at the budget strapped millennials offer cheap fashion at increasingly low prices and rotate their stock every few weeks, offering new styles constantly. Their goal is to have shoppers buy more, and buy often, as they make it easy for women to justify such cheap purchases.  Many of these clothes end up quickly cast aside to charity shops, who are having an increasingly hard time re-selling the mountains of poorly made clothing they receive.

The slow fashion movement (yes, this is a real thing you can google it!), embraces the same ideas as the popular "slow food" movement.  Just as we should be suspicious of a carton of  eggs that cost $1.50, so we should also be suspicious of a new dress that costs $15.  Sewing is a valued skill, and garment construction once resulted in well made clothing that would last years, not just a single season.  It is easy to wag our fingers at the retail giants, but really it is us consumers, and our unwillingness to pay more than $10 for a tank top and $50 for a dress, that have helped drive the fast fashion trend.  I see this mindset in people shopping for jewelry as well, and I see where it comes from.  One popular mall retailer advertised trendy jewelry for $6, or "two for $10!".  It's no wonder some people raise their eyebrows at a $50 necklace.  Having gone through bags of "junk jewelry" for salvageable pieces, I can tell you that most of this kind of jewelry ends up in the garbage. Here is the thing that we seem to fail to realize: when we fill our closets with cheaply made clothing and jewelry that don't make us feel great, we are not getting a good "steal". We are being stolen from.  Slow fashion is not about having a boring, drab wardrobe, nor is it about running out and replacing your closest with every thing artisan made-organic-sustainable-fair-trade. It is about having less clothing and being more mindful of our purchases.  It means being willing to pay more for something well made that will last.  Indeed, as I cleaned out my closet, I realized that the clothing I most valued came from independent seamstresses, artisans, designers, and boutiques.  This was clothing I did not purchase at a "brag-worthy" price, but really were purchases more worthy of bragging as they will remain in my closet for years to come.  Adding up all the "bargains" I ended up not feeling great about and I could have purchased some better quality pieces that I would hold onto. Buying non mass-produced clothing also has the added bonus of not being easily recognized as out of style.  In other words, it's nice to wear clothing that a million other people are not also wearing!  Many small changes are what help make big changes, and being more mindful of both our clothing and accessory purchases can help our planet, bring clothing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., and improve working conditions in both oversea and domestic factories.  Think twice the next time you are tempted by that great bargain!

The Art of Friendship

     It has been a long time indeed since my last blog post (September!).  Since my last posting I have barely made any new jewelry, despite some of the ideas that keep floating around in my head.  The past few months have seen some stress in our family brought on by an upcoming move.  Instead of throwing myself into my work as I normally would this time of year, I found myself packing away many of my tools, and clearing out my studio in preparation for our relocation next year.  As excited as I am about our move and the new adventure that awaits, it is not easy to pick up and move to a new area, leaving behind connections and friendships I have made.  Life is not always a smooth ride, as everyone knows, and dealing with some hiccups teaches you invaluable lessons.  Some of the things I have learned from this and other periods of stress in my life are:

*exercise can be a great stress relief
* no matter how bad things seem, it could always be worse, and there are people who would gladly trade problems with you.
*happiness is a warm puppy (yes, I stole that from the peanuts cartoon).
*laughter can be the best medicine
*anger, resentment, regret, and bitterness, whether directed at a person, place, or circumstances beyond your control, are toxic emotions.  Don't let these things fester in your heart, as no good will ever come of it.  Try to show those may do you wrong forgiveness and compassion, instead of anger and hate.
*times of stress truly remind you of who really has your back and is there for you.
*and many other things too numerous to list......

    Occasionally through this period I have had a rare chance to pick up my tools and do a little creating.  To me, it just feels like re-connecting with an old friend.  Those friends you have who you can share a good laugh with no matter how much time has past. I am lucky to have such friends in my life and to have the person who is truly my best friend, my husband.  I may or may not be creating much, during the coming months, but I know it will always be there for me when I am ready.

How to Live With a Creative Person Part 3: Appreciating Stubborness

     One of the most astounding and honorable features of many creative types is the ability to try and fail, and try again.  To some people, this could very well look a heck of a lot like stubbornness and be very annoying.  Others will see in them a most admirable form of resilience that that should be regarded with a deep appreciation for the ability to overcome endless rejection and failure.  The truth is, creative types are stubborn, and that is a good thing.  Creative and artistic people possess ideas that they feel a deep desire to share with the world.  It comes in many forms, from visual and performing arts, to writers and business entrepreneurs.  To hold true to any vision means to experience rejection and failure over and over again.  In the plainest terms, it means a general lack of any kind of instant gratification.  In a culture where instant gratification is often valued, stubbornness about pursuing an artistic endeavor or business idea, can seen pointless to some.  There is always an easier way. Always. If you live with a creative person, count your blessings, because this person, more than likely, possesses the very noble trait of resiliency.  It is the type of resiliency that allows writers to deal with countless rejections from publishing companies, performing artists to be turned down at auditions and still come back to try again, and  business entrepreneurs to fail at their ideas and still find a way to pursue their vision.  As a jewelry artist, this resilience is what gives me the ability to wake at the crack of dawn, pack my car, set up my tent display, return home with disappointing sales, and still bounce back and try again.  I include creative business types in this discussion because I am married to one.  Although my husband is not an artist, he an astounding ability to think outside the box to come up with ideas to connect with communities, and help grow organizations.  He has faced resistance as well at times, but has vision, and therefore resilience. It is a trait I deeply admire in him.. Whether you choose to call it resilience or stubbornness, I say, honor it, because it is an awesome quality .  It is what has given me the ability to learn things like bellydance and hoop dance.  I have awkwardly bumbled through learning my 3/4 shimmy and various hoop moves, and come out scratching my head when I try to teach people who only say "I can't do it".  So give thanks to your own stubborn mule.  Mules, after all, are pretty cool animals.

How to Live with a Creative Person Part 2: The Truth About Hoarding

     I must admit, I am not a big fan of the tend in reality shows.  I don't keep up with Honey Boo Boo, wealthy housewives that fight, or some family who created a fortune selling duck hunting tools.  I do however, have a weakness for the show "Hoarders".  I like to watch that show for the demented but very psychological reason that networks count on to makes these shows a hit: I watch it because it makes me feel better about my own hoarding tendencies.  I watch the people who don't have room to walk in their homes and think "well, at least I am not that bad!".  I do however, have to admit that I can relate somewhat to some of the cases on the show, minus the deep-rooted and sometimes severe psychological issues that always come up.  Take for instance, the show that featured the seamstress whose house was filled with fabric that she was going to use "someday".  I will freely admit to purchasing things that I will use "someday", but couldn't quite figure out what to do with it yet.  The above pictured necklace is the perfect example.  I purchased this beautiful mother-of-pearl equestrian pendant over a year ago at a flea market.  I has sat for that long until I finally found this little souvenir bracelet to pair with it.  Not every creative person is a supply hoarder, but many are.  There is just something about sitting down to create a piece of jewelry and having a bountiful array of tools, beads, findings and other materials at your disposal.  Not having that one little thing to make that you need to make that piece what you envision can be frustrating. I will probably always be a bit of a hoarder and my wonderful husband doesn't ever criticize me for it.  A great thing about being married so long is really being able to understand the other person and accept them for who they are.  He is the opposite of a pack rat.  He is a tosser.  Living with a tosser has helped me let go of things I haven't found a use for and balances out my hoarding tendencies.  Watching reality shows about extreme hoarders makes me realize I never want to be that seamstress with the house so full of fabric that it is a fire hazard.     So, if you live with a creative hoarder, be gentle and understand that they just want all the wonderful creative materials at their hands when they create.  If you have to clear a path in your home just to walk, perhaps it is time to have a chat with your partner, but otherwise, just leave them in peace with their creative clutter!

How to Live with a Creative Person Part 1: Understanding Creative Impulses

     Living with a creative person has its own joys and challenges, just ask anyone who has the privilege of doing so.  My husband and I are coming up on 17 years of marriage, which is a long time to figure out how the other person clicks.  Still, it takes a bit more delving into the artistic brain to really fully understand how we are wired.
     The first example is understanding the idea of creative impulses.  All artists have light bulb moments and also some form of writers block.  The latter can be frustrating.  Weeks can go by without feeling like I have one new creative idea.  The trouble with creative impulses is once you get them, you want to work on it RIGHT NOW!  This does a little to explain why dinner sometimes gets delayed in my house!  I have taken to writing ideas down when I get them, but to me, they always feel like delicate birds fluttering overhead and if I don't catch them they will fly away and never return.  The above pictured necklace was the result of one such creative impulse.  This one conveniently struck  let Thursday afternoon right before spring break.  Right before kids being home from school and a holiday road trip was when I finally had a new idea for how to incorporate these beautiful Victorian Buttons into a design I like.  If you are a creative person, you can probably relate to the crabbiness of having an idea and not being able to work on it RIGHT NOW!  If you are living with a creative person, this may explain to you the odd work hours they keep, stealing away a few hours on the weekend to work on something they needed to do RIGHT NOW!  So, be patient with your artist.  Understand that if he/she has cocooned into their studio or creative space, they are just trying to catch those fleeting creative impulses while they can!

Lucky Charms

                                                                           

 



          Whenever I am searching through old jewelry (which is often) , I am always struck by the large number of "lucky charms" I come across.  Some are religious symbols of various faiths, some are secular symbols we are all familiar with such as horseshoes and clovers.  Collecting and putting these charms aside for a necklace gave me a chance to ponder the meaning of luck and why people are inspired to carry around such symbols in hopes they will bring good fortune.  Luck is a funny thing, and often goes hand in hand with faith (although not necessarily religious faith).  For the center focal point of this necklace, I chose a vintage souvenir charm from Las Vegas.  If ever there was a place where people desire to believe in the power of luck, this is the place.  If you have never been to Las Vegas, I highly recommend visiting sometime.  My husband and I were lucky enough (no pun intended) to go there a few years ago.  There are fabulous shows, fountain displays, shopping, hotels with live lions (in a safe enclosure, of course), roller coasters, and aquariums.  There is, however, a darker side to this city.  Liquor stores and pawn shops are plentiful on the outskirts of the city.  Large casinos are intentionally devoid of windows and clocks in hopes to draw gamblers in to try their luck and lose track of time.  I gambled a grand total of one time during my time there.  I put $1 in a slot machine and promptly lost it.  That was the end of that and we had better things to do than depend on luck to win some money.  Yet, it is easy to see why people can get drawn in.  There is such a thing as luck and being in the right place at the right time.  It is possible to go to the racetrack place a winning bet on the long shot to win.  You can place a bet in a roulette game and win a heap of money.  There are stories sometimes heard of some famous actress who was discovered by some Hollywood director while waiting tables at a diner, or someone who picked up a discarded lotto ticket that ended up winning the jackpot.  Luck certainly does exist, but too much belief in luck can leave you throwing your money away in a windowless casino.  Wear your lucky charms so that you may go out in the world and try to make your own luck!

Finding the Key to Happiness Part 5: Surround Yourself with Other Happy People

                                                                               

  I am writing this blog at the end of what is typically the most unhappiest month of the whole year.  Holiday festivities are over, sales are low, it's cold, there is ice, snow, polar vortexes, delayed and cancelled events due to unfavorable weather.  My sandals and sundresses sit lonely in the closet taunting me with thoughts of warmer weather.   Yet, despite a rough start to the new year, and some really cold weather, I have had some time recently to reflex on what an awesome month this really was.  I had a chance to get together with a good artist friend to chat about art, life, business, marriage, etc....  I had the chance to get together with a small group of artists in the area to share ideas and swap supplies.  I completed a two day training to become a Hoopnotica Certified Instructor and had the chance to connect with a really fun group of people.  I attended a bellydance student performance salon, where dancers with all different personal styles, and ability levels, performed a solo using a mix of improvisation and choreography.  At all of these events I was struck by what an amazing sense of fellowship and joy there is in finding other people that share your passion.  People who spend time doing things that they love tend to be pretty happy, so it makes sense I am not around too many downers.  We all have known a few downers at some point.  Those people who seem to thrive on being miserable, complaining, turning every positive into a negative, and constantly being stressed out about something.  They are people to avoid since they always seem intent on bringing others into their misery.  I feel like just handing them a hula hoop and saying "here, try this, it will make you feel better!".  This month has made me realize how lucky I am to have so many wonderful people in my life, from a phenomenal dance and hooping community, to my growing community of art friends, and to my close friends and family, especially my husband, who always looks on the bright side.  All of them have made this dismal month full of hope and joy, and for that, I am very grateful.  I has inspired my  hoop weekend to upcycle  bangles using wire, sari fabric, vintage buttons, and various found objects.  Each one is unique and has it's own beauty, just like every person has their own joy to share.  So go find out what yours is, and share it with others!

Finding the Key to Happiness Part 4: Exercise

     It's that time of year again.  The darkness has set in and the holiday cookies are everywhere.  We are not out and about hitting the beach or throwing the ball around in the backyard.  We are holed up in our houses eating cookies and watching "Elf" for the 90th time. There has been a lot written about exercise affecting your mood, increasing your sero-something levels and giving you that famed "runners high".  Given all the research out there on this and the benefits of exercise, you would think people would be hitting the gym as much as possible.  Somehow, for many people, exercise is something still viewed as a chore.  For artists and crafters, we spend long periods hunched over our work in concentration, then go to craft shows and spend long hours sitting in a chair (although setting up and taking down your display is a workout and never let anyone tell you different!).  With jobs, kids, and the many other responsibilities we have, exercise seems to just be another thing we "just don't have time" for.  I have noticed that exercise programs. like diets, seem to follow trends. The south beach and paleo diet seem to be poular, alongside the spin and zumba classes.  Here is my advice of today, though: just find your own path and don't worry about what everyone else is doing.  Exercise is important, but more imporatant than what exercise you choose to do is just getting out there and doing something.  If you have a dog, this should be easy.  Every dog will treat a meager stroll around the block as the highlight of the entire day.  So get out there and walk your dog, even on colder days (although I'll admit to skipping this one more recently as icy conditions have set in).  If. like me, the thought of riding around on a stationary bike for an hour in a group class sounds dismal, then do something else (I mean no offense to spin classes, or spin class instructors, everyone needs to find their own path).  I do believe what they say about exercise affecting your mood.  If I haven't had time to do anything else, spinning my hula hoop around in the basement and working up a sweat for twenty minutes will work wonders to chase my glum mood away.  Practicing my shimmy while cooking dinner will do the same (which may explain why I tend to overcook things).  I have been attracted to belly dance and hoop dance because they are creative forms of exercise and always provide new challenges and goals to shoot for, which keep me motivated.  That, however, is me.  Everyone has their own path and my advice is to truly find what you like to do and just do it.  Bike riding, dance, skateboarding, hula hooping, kickboxing, walking, prancercisizing, dance walking, rollerblading, shooting hoops, spin classes, zumba, crossfit, and on and on.  I can not even begin to list the possibilities.  Just find something that you like to do.  Dance in your living room.  It will make you feel better, I promise.  It can be formal programs like at the gym, or just trying to walk for a little bit each day.  I have even brought my hula hoop to exercise on Main St. while my daughter was taking art classes (for more on this see my last blog on not caring so much about what others think of you).  Whatever you choose to do, just do it!

Finding the Key to Happiness Part 3: Stop Worrying So Much About Other People Think

     We all share a deep rooted need to be accepted into our current peer group and therefore conform to certain cultural norms.  This has been true for many years and remains true today.  In fact, one of the worst punishments throughout history was not necessarily death, but banishment.  Nobody wanted to be trotted out to the woods all by their lonesome with a big scarlet "A" on their chest.  We are social creatures and need human interaction and acceptance in order to survive.  So, we all conform to the rules, which is probably good so nobody is walking around naked or going to a business meeting dressed like a clown.  However, too much conformity isn't always a good thing and can hinder our road to true happiness.  Many of the great artists, scientists, and innovators would probably be considered non-conformists, because in order to truly come up with original ideas, designs, inventions, or whatever, one must not be afraid to bend the rules.  We also have in our culture a deep fear of being ridiculed and laughed at.. I guess our fear of actual physical banishment has been replaced by a great fear of social banishment.  Nobody wants to be the outcast.  I read a great book recently called "The  Eighty Dollar Champion" by Elizabeth Letts.  It is the true story of a Dutch immigrant in post-WWll era New York, who bought a horse for $80 off a truck bound for the slaughterhouse and discovered, quite by accident, that he had a great talent for jumping.  When he first started showing up at the prestigious east coast show jumping circuit, people laughed at him.  People laughed out loud in front of him where he could see them.  They laughed because the world of equestrian show jumping oozes with money and privilege, and Harry and his plow horse stuck out like a sore thumb.  Why was he able to ignore them?  Because despite his humble appearance, Harry was a talented horseman who saw something in this horse that others did not.  Of course, as the story goes, people stopped laughing when Harry and his horse, Snowman, went on to defeat Olympic riders and horses worth thousands of dollars to win the most coveted show jumping titles.  How different would his story have been if he didn't try because he knew he would be laughed at?  I do believe that kind of fear very often keeps us from pursuing our own happiness.  I often hear people say they don't want to try dance classes because they will "feel stupid".  So what?  Even if you feel like you are the worst one in the class and everything makes you feel awkward, so what?  If it is something you really want learn, do it.  We only have one life, might as well make the best of it.
One of my own non-conformist moments cam last week, when I broke out my hula hoop and practiced my hoop dance moves on Main St.  Why did I do this?  Because I have been trying to practice more, I was busy that day, and my daughter was taking an art class nearby, so I had a bit of free time, but had to stay close by.  Now, I live in a somewhat conservative town, so the sight of someone hooping on the Main St. is not exactly common.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw some people staring out their car windows and quite frankly, I was so wrapped up in my hooping that I just didn't care.  Some of them probably though I was really weird.  Don't care.  It can be very freeing to just not worry so much about what people think.  I challenge you to try it.  No, don't go to your business meeting dressed in a clown costume, but don't be afraid to be yourself, be a little different, wear something a little different, or stray away from the crowd.  You will feel happier not being so afraid to do what you truly love, and live you life to the fullest.

Finding the Key to Happiness part 2: Pay it Forward

     It should not come as news to most of you that one of the things that has shown to improve well-being is doing good for others.  Helping out a friend, volunteering, practicing random acts of kindness, and other good things can all lead to a more fulfilling and happy life.  One thing I always try to impart on my children is that doing good has it's own internal rewards (I am somewhat critical of our current culture of rewarding kids for everything).  The act of doing good should never be because you get a gold star next to your name or it looks good on your college application.  Paying it forward means when people have done good things for you, you should in turn do good for others.  I have been fortunate to have had some success in selling my jewelry creations, and for that  I am very grateful.  Anyone who makes and sells art knows how difficult and frustrating it can be.  One of the biggest difficulties is that what I am selling is truly a luxury item.  Nobody really needs jewelry.  It is not as if am selling a luxury necessity item, like artisan bread or handmade soap, what I am selling is truly an indulgence.  It is for this reason that I am extremely grateful every time someone makes a purchase from my booth at a show.  Very often, people come in and admire something, then say something along the lines of" I just can't afford it right now".  I can say very honestly that I understand.  I have been on an extremely tight budget before and I know what it is like to barely have enough money to pay your bills.  Even now that we are somewhat more financially comfortable, there are always vacations, retirement, college funds, house projects, car repairs, and many other things (not to mention those wonderful unexpected appliance failures that always seem to happen in threes!) to save for that make buying a $50 piece of jewelry a real indulgence.  It is for this reason that I have not once been upset or looked down on someone when they spend time looking in my booth but don't make a purchase.  This is why I feel truly blessed when someone does make a purchase, and because I have been blessed, I like to pay it forward and purchase art from others.  I have spent $60 on a piece of jewelry that someone made because I know they loved creating it, and by purchasing from them, I am helping them pursue their dreams and keep doing what they love.
    However this translates to your life, just do it.  Putting good out in the world is never a bad thing when there is so much ugliness, and you will feel better for doing it.  If you do it for others, they will be inspired to do good for someone else, be it purchasing art, mentoring someone, letting that harried mother with the melting down kids go in front of you at the supermarket, offering a listening ear to a friend in need, what ever it may be, just do it.  Pay it forward.

Finding the Key to Happiness Part 1: Gratitude

     There has been so much written about happiness and what makes some people live in a perpetual state of contentment, and some people constant grumps.  In reading these articles, and through my own experiences, I see a common thread that really shows us the best road to living the happy life.  Let me just preface this with saying that I am not necessarily a "happy all the time" person.  I have days when I feel sad, frustrated, angry, overwhelmed, and any other negative emotions that come my way.  However, I am not a constant grump either, and if you've ever run into someone like that, you can't help but to feel sorry for them and the miserable cloud they seem to live under.  Negative emotions are part of life, and part of who we are as people, so I don't think you can totally run away from them, but with practice, there are ways to change your way of thinking to allow more sunshine into your life.
     One thing that I see listed time and time again on the traits of happy people is gratitude.  It is recommended to list things that you are grateful for everyday, even if this list is as simple as a roof over your head, a safe place to sleep, and food on the table.  Our culture and perhaps human nature in general gives us the inclination to be very self-focused.  Our daily problems seem less significant when you stop to realize that whatever you are dealing with that day, an unexpected big bill, problems a with a co-worker, hurt feelings, major traffic on the way to something important, etc..., someone, somewhere has it a lot worse and would gladly change places with you.  Sometimes you just need a little perspective.  I am not trying to sound preachy.  Believe me, I grumble about the small stuff, too.  One of my frustrations is lack of time to work on the things I would like to work on, so I get frustrated with things that consume my time.  I found myself grumbling about having to take my car in for an oil change. Is it really some great burden to hand my car keys over to someone who will toil over it in the heat of the day while I sit in an air-conditioned waiting room and page through an outdated magazine or two? Another thing I grumble about is grocery shopping, which some people seem to really enjoy but I simply do not.  Do I really have any right to grumble about having enough money in my wallet that I can go in this gigantic store full of food I buy what I'd like?  Sometimes, it really does take I little bit of thinking adjustment to keep that sense of perspective.
     In the world of art, there are many frustrations, and things that can get us down.  We spend a lot of time trying to learn a new technique, only to have failed results.  We can wake up at 5am, truck all of our wares to an all day show and sell absolutely nothing.  The list could go on and on, and it is easy to let these things turn us into grumps.  We must always take a few moments to realize how truly lucky we are.  My way of dealing with my lack of time frustrations is to be grateful for my creativity and the fact that I have any ideas at all, because it is far better to have too many ideas and not enough time, than to have too much time and no ideas.

Dare to Dream

    
This necklace was inspired by the famous dancer Mata Hari.  I have long admired women who had the courage to live their lives without apology and be true to themselves, no matter what hardship was thrown her way.  Her story is a tragic one.  Escaping an unhappy marriage to a much older man, she managed to reinvent herself as a dancer, and made quite a name for herself in Paris.  In 1917 she was executed by firing squad on charges of spying for the Germans during World War I.  It has been said that she refused to be blindfolded as she bravely faced her death.  I'm sure that some people will always believe she was a spy, but many historians now believe that there was simply not enough evidence.  We have a long history in many cultures of holding women who made their living independent of men (like dancers) in great suspicion,.  This, I believe, was her real crime.  At a time when women's options were so very limited, it took great courage to try to live her life as she wanted, not in the way that was expected of her.

     We all still face a metaphorical firing squad when trying to pursue our dreams.  That line of critics ready to fire away at our heart with doubt, discomfort, self- criticism, and frustration.  Do we put on a blindfold and cower in fear, or step bravely forward and face the onslaught?  Art takes courage and the ability to venture out of your comfort zone to take a few risks.  As for me, I am trying to keep my blindfold off.

The Art of Puttering

     Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines the verb putter as "to move or act aimlessly or idly; to work at random; tinker.  Personally, I have perfected the act and state of  working aimlessly.  It is the thing I do when my house gets overwhelming and I can't seem to focus on one certain task. When this happens (which is often), I resort to aimless puttering.  Start by sort that pile of papers on the kitchen counter (oh, there's that school paper I was supposed to send in yesterday!), I end up finding an important paper which needs to be filed upstairs.  Going upstairs to file that important paper will result in me noticing I need to organize the computer desk.  Organizing the computer desk, I notice some CDs I put in my iTunes library that need to be put away.  Putting away the CDs will result in me noticing we still have Dora the Explorer VHS tapes stacked by our TV (my daughter declared herself too old for Dora a while ago).  I put the Dora tapes in a box to go in the garage ( until I get time to putter in there).  While in the garage I notice something else, and so on... You get the idea.  It begins to sound like a grown-up version of one of those "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" books.  Yes, it is aimless, but certainly not idle.  Running up and down the stairs to put things away is very far from idle, and always makes me realize the ludicrousness of those StairMaster machines.  Even if the act of puttering lacks a goal, I still actually get things done.  I find things that are lost, fill up our recycling with outdated papers and magazines, and things eventually start to look just a little bit neater and under control.
     The same thing happens from time to time in my studio when I feel unfocused and overwhelmed and I'm not sure what to work on.  I putter in my studio and start going through old jewelry I haven't gone through in a while.  I find things that were lost, and think about new uses for things that have been laying around.  These earrings are the direct result of aimless puttering.  They are comprised almost entirely of recycled vintage and newer jewelry.  Things that have long been discarded by its original owner get a new chance to come back as something else.  Even the chandelier components where once multi-strand necklace connectors.  Each one of them becomes like a little puzzle I have to put together to make them just right.  I have made and sold many of these earrings, and each one I've made I've been tempted to keep because I love them so much.  They are truly original and one of a kind.  So my advice is to indulge in a little aimless puttering every now and then.  Sometimes the result can be pretty cool!

Time Flies

 

     Time flies.  Isn't that always the truth?  It is fitting that I write this on my daughter's eighth birthday, as nothing possibly reminds you of the quick passage of time then the marking of age.  It is true that those eight years seemed like a whirlwind, but when I really stop to look back what has happened in her life during those years, they seem way too full to have passed that quickly.  She has learned so many things in this short time to grow into the wonderful person she is becoming.  Yes, the years have flown by, but they have been years full of amazing things.  The same feeling applies when I look back on the last eight years of my life and celebrate all that has transpired.  I have watched my children grow, go to school and become more independent.  I have traveled, developed my jewelry business, learned a wealth of new creative skills, learned to bellydance, read many great books, met many amazing new people, and have been published in a national magazine.  My advice is to not worry about how quickly the time goes, just enjoy the ride as much as possible.
     I made this necklace using one of my new skills, metal etching.  The centerpiece was made with a rubber stamp.  I hangs on a beaded necklace with some extra chain pieces draped in the background.  I loved the way this came out so much that I had to make a similar one to keep for myself.  It is a great reminder to take advantage of the time that is given to me.

Spring Fever



     It's that time of year again!  It's that time when even those die-hard fans of winter start dreaming about warmer days ahead.  I've always enjoyed the spring the most out of any of the seasons.  There is just something about making in through the cold winter months and seeing those first few buds bloom on the trees that gives a deep sense of appreciation for the cycles of life.  I've never believed in making resolutions on the new year. It's still cold and dark in January that the only thing I want to do is stay inside and eat more chocolate.  Spring always seems a time of renewed hope and fresh start.  It's a time to clean out the closets and try new things.  I have been trying to use some more color in some of my designs.  After working so much in the sepia tones, I think just as I am craving the sight of the first crocuses, I am needing to add more color in my creative endeavors.  My favorite new piece is the necklace on the far left with the purple fairy.  I wear it with some of my neutral toned clothes and, just like the first flowers of spring, it adds just the right surprise of color.   I know that everyone is complaining about the first day of spring being so cold, but I know that warmer days are ahead.  It's still enough for me to know that within the next month will come days when I can shed jackets and replace my boots with sandals.  Even though Phil lied, keep being patient.  Spring is coming!

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

     I recently started reading Twyla Tharpe's book " The Creative Habit".  It explores the challenge of making creativity a habit and getting through "writer's blocks" and other such difficulties.  I have only just begun it so I still have a long way to go.  At the beginning of chapter 3, there is a questionnaire called "your creative autobiography" which asks you to explore your creative history in order to understand your "creative DNA" (I'm not going to explain this, just read the book).  Anyway, the first question is "What is the first creative moment you remember?"  This was a very hard question for me to answer for I have to go way to my childhood, before I even thought of myself as a creative person (that has only been very recent).  The moment I came back to had to do with my Breyer model horse collection.  Being a horse crazy kid, I had a healthy collection of them that I loved to play with.  One day when I was in the toy store with my mother, I saw the great barn set, complete with tack, fences, jumps, and probably anything else you could possibly think of.  Basically, it was a deluxe doll house for toy horses.  Of, course I pointed it out to my mother for a possible gift. Never got it.  I pointed it out to my grandmother. Never got it (and you know if grandma didn't get it for you, nobody would).  I don't know why nobody bought it for me.  Perhaps it was tremendously expensive or looked poorly made to my mother, but whatever the reason, I am thankful that nobody purchased it for me.  If they had I would never have spent an entire rainy Sunday afternoon constructing a barn and fences for my horses out of cardboard boxes, and saddles and bridles out of cloth and elastic from my mother's sewing stash.  This was the first time I remember creating something without help, directions, a kit, or any other guidance of that sort.  I simply created what I so desired out of the resources I had available to me.
     This is how it sometimes goes with the creative process.  Often the desire for something very specific sparks the fire of innovation.  I know many people who have gotten into beaded jewelry making because they wanted a certain color or style of necklace to wear with a special outfit.  So it went with some of the belly dance accessories I have created recently.  The first tribal fusion headdress I made came out of a need for something to go with certain costume pieces.  I have since made two costume bra tops, and many hair accessories.  Some very special pieces I have sold to other dancers and have enjoyed watching them perform with something beautiful that I created.  This last piece I made is also for sale, and I'm sure it will look fabulous on the lucky dancer.  It was made with love out of up-cycled jewelry pieces and vintage ribbon and lace.  As I continue to become more involved with the dancing, I'm sure I will have many other creations to add to my collection of belly dance costume accessories.  Stay tuned!

Finding your Own Petite Trianon

     I was very blessed to have the opportunity to take a brief trip to Paris, France just last week.  It still remains my favorite city.  Of course, no trip to Paris would be complete without a visit to the splendid Palace of Versailles.  What was most interesting about this visit was the opportunity to visit Marie Antionette's Petite Trianon, which was completely closed the first time I was in Paris.  This small palace was given to her by her husband Louis XVI as her own personal retreat from palace life.  This building was still quite grand and not at all "petite" by our regular living standards but compared to the main palace one can understand the name. On the grounds and gardens behinds this little palace, lay the remains of what looked like a little peasant village, which was in fact, a regular working farm that she like to stay at to escape life at Versailles.  It is endlessly amusing that one could live in a palace with all the adorable shoes, fancy clothes, and grand meals you could possibly desire and still need such an escape.  On the other hand, I get it completely.  We all get busy and overwhelmed with our lives and need to escape and simplify.  Life at Versailles, as grand as it was, must have been very overwhelming at times.  I think I would want to escape it sometimes too.  One thing that I always notice when I travel to Europe is is how much simpler they all seem to live.  They just don't seem to fill their lives with as much extra"stuff" as we do here in the states.
     This bracelet has nothing to do with Marie Antionette or Paris, but I created it as a reminder to find quiet and peace in life.  One does not need a little palace, or a house in the Poconos to find your own Petite Trianon.  Finding and making time to do things you enjoy is important,and shouldn't always be put last on the priority list of life.  Make time in life to read a book, tend a garden, learn something you always wanted to learn, take walks, or just take a moment out of your day to write in a journal.  Do this and you will feel rich enough.  This bracelet is a mix of two of my favorite techniques, metal etching and resin.  The collage at the center made out of a discarded watch back.  The etchings on the copper piece were made with my favorite collage stamp.  It is my hope that any future owner of this bracelet be reminded to slow down, and not get too overwhelmed by the loudness of our lives.

Confessions of a Reformed Scrooge

        Yes, it's that time of year again.  Time for the frantic to-do lists, retail frenzy, and endless errands.  I admit that until recently, I really got bogged down with all the Christmas hoopla.  I didn't enjoy walking into every store to be blasted by Christmas music and prepackaged gift boxes featuring combinations of jewelry, perfume, and earmuffs.  It all just seemed so excessive.  Nor, I admit, did I like just buying gift cards for everyone, because what is the point of that?  Why don't we all just keep our money?   I am the first to admit that I was a scrooge, and my dear husband was very good to put up with my complaining through the holiday season.  I am proud to say I've gotten over my scroogeness by following these simple rules:1. buy from local stores and artisans as much as you can, 2. let yourself of the hook, and 3. don't worry so much.   I've found that by following these three simple rules, I enjoy the season a great deal more.  When you purchase something from small local businesses and artists, you are really giving two gifts.  You are giving something to recipient as well as the person or business you are buying it from.  Your purchase at a small local store this season may have helped them pay that extra bill that needed to be paid to stay in business.  When you go to a craft show and make a big purchase from an artist, you may have made their day and helped them to stay in business and continue to do what they love.  Sure, the big box stores need your business ( and they always manage to get at least some of mine), but it is the local stores that really need your support this season.  So this season please support us struggling artists and shop owners who rely on the season for your support.  Oh, and about the other two rules....the world will not end if you don't make award-winning cookies and send out Christmas cards.  Just try not doing it one year and see what happens.  Just relax, let yourself off the hook and don't worry so much.  And here is my shameless plug:  I have many unique jewelry designs still available if you would like to stop by and check them out.  Also, I have many designs for sale at Creative Genius Art Gallery in Medford, NJ, so stop by and check them out when you are shopping in downtown Medford ( which you really should be this holiday season).  Online, non-local people, there is still time to ship for Christmas, so check out my etsy shop, facebook page, and blog and find that perfect gift for that unique person in your life ( even if that person is you).  Happy Holidays!