Category: creative process

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Bite Sized Projects

buckeye moth leather barrette

My studio time was very limited this summer. My husband suffered a serious injury with a long and painful recovery time. Thankfully, he’s okay now. But my plate was very full while he was healing, and I just didn’t have time or energy for big projects. So I opted to finish up some of the UFO’s (AKA “Unfinished Objects”) down in my studio. 

This little buckeye moth barrette is one example. I abandoned it several years back because I couldn’t find just the right stone. Then I found this lovely jasper in my current stash.

It was so satisfying to complete these older works! I worked on these bite sized projects in short bursts as time allowed. It cleared out my studio and my head, even when I wasn’t able to work much.

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Gemstone Layering Necklaces

blue beaded gemstone layering necklaces

A pair of gemstone layering necklaces in cool blues, with sterling silver accents. Stones include blue kyanite, lapis lazuli, blue apatite, and faceted aquamarine. The hand dyed silk ties make these beauties adjustable from about 16″ – 26″. These will be included in my next shop update ~ date TBD. ⠀

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Leather Masks Revisted

red leather mask

In December of 2019, I put all of my leather masks and costume items on sale with the intention of liquidating my inventory. When the sale (and the year) ended, I chose a few pieces for my collection. The remainder was donated to charity, with the intention of starting fresh in 2020.

I expected to start the new decade with a brand new look and a brand new direction … with masks being much less of a focus. In retrospect, 2020 is probably not the year to stop making masks! With that being said, I’ve pulled a few pieces that I set aside for my own collection, and added them back to the site. You can find them here.

Over the last week or so, I’ve begun playing around in the studio again. In doing so, I came across a handful of special costume pieces that were not completed in time for Halloween 2019. Rather than letting them languish down there unloved, I’ve decided to finish them in time for Halloween 2020. I’m not going to make myself crazy with “production” work this year – but I do hope to finish a few of these special designs. These will be added to the site over the next couple of months, as they’re completed.

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Crystals and Gemstones?

quartz crystals and flowers

I’m thinking of adding a small selection of crystals and gemstones to the shop. My creative energy has been going to my garden lately, so my studio has been rather quiet.  With that said, this could be a fun addition while my muse rests and regroups. Let me know if there are special stones or shapes you’d like to see!

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Social Distancing & Creativity

We’re adjusting to this whole social distancing thing, and I hope the same is true for you and yours! May this update find you healthy, safe, and sane 🙂

When this shift began, I told myself that I’d just hunker down with my beads and my seeds, and do my best to create and grow my way through this whole experience. While that’s still the ideal, it seems that my muse (and my focus!) are currently MIA.

At first, I was angry with myself about this. I should be “using this time productively” and “finishing all those projects”! Now I’m just breathing through those expectations, and letting them go. Seeds are planted, and I’ve got creative projects on the table. More importantly, everyone that I love is still upright, and adapting.

My creative work is happening slowly, and I’ve decided to just go easy on myself, and accept that. I hope you’re all cutting yourselves a bit of slack right now too… you don’t HAVE to start a new project, or knock out all of those chores. Just breathe. Love your people, stay human, stay home, and be well.

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Creative Hibernation

semiprecious stone beads and cabs

My creative energy seems to go into hibernation during the winter months. This used to frustrate me, but now I accept that I’m simply not prolific all the time. I’ve come to appreciate this time to rest, restore, and plan.

It may not look like I’m doing doing much … but below the surface, I’m dreaming, planning, and planting creative seeds for the year ahead.

My semi annual trip to the gem show always helps to kick start that creative vision. It’s a much needed dose of sunshine, family, friends, and rocks! It’s also an opportunity to hand select high quality materials for my work. Playing with these sparkling stones definitely helps to awaken the muse!

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Adding a few new pieces soon!

I quietly re-opened my Etsy shop in June, but forgot to make a whole lot of fanfare about it. Lots of folks found their way to my website during my Etsy break, which is where I prefer to do business anyway. This gives me hope that you’ll all continue to support my craft wherever I share it. So thanks to all who showed up, it encouraged me to get up and try again!

While I’d hoped to return with a slew of new work, life had other plans. I spent time with family and friends, played in my garden, and then went another round with that old back injury. That last part wasn’t so fun, but it’s in my rearview now, so that much is good.

All that to say that I don’t have a ton of new work, but I have managed to complete a few sweet little pieces. Photos have been taken and edited, and I’ll be adding new goodies to the site soon.

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Planting Seeds

A friend reached out the other day to check in on how I’m doing with that whole plan to “just create what my heart wants to”. I was embarrassed (and a little angry with myself) to admit that I have not made a damned thing since I decided to take this little pause.

And then I realized that I’ve made progress. I’ve made plans, and I am planting seeds. I realized that it’s ok for me to let go of expectations, and to just see where this road takes me. The results are still intangible, and the process is not entirely comfortable. Still, I think that this is where it starts. It starts with showing up, and being open to possibility. There is no (honest) shortcut to creativity.

Anyway, I’m rambling again. Just wanted to reach out and say that I’m still here, and still striving. Taking a bit of a social media break while I sort it all out, and hoping my friends will continue to hold space for me while I grow.

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Taking a step back, and pausing the Etsy shop.

Wild Fae Leather Headpiece

Friends, I’m going to take a giant step back in hopes that it will get me moving in a better direction.

To start, I’ll be putting my Etsy shop on pause as of March 31st, 2019.

So if you like to shop with me on Etsy, please do so this week before I put the shop in vacation mode! My website will remain open during this Etsy break, but I won’t be adding new work for a bit, and older designs will be retired as they sell out.

Last week I shared that I found counterfeits of my work on Amazon –

What I didn’t share is that this is the 4th time this year that I’ve found my exact photos, designs and/or writing reproduced by other vendors … and it’s only March! While it’s true that this is just an occupational hazard for online sellers, this ©rap is getting out of control. It’s simply unsustainable for my small business and sanity, and I need a minute to regroup.

As awful as that sounds, it’s been a big wake up call. This has forced me to really think about how this current version of my business aligns with my goals.

Somewhere along my Etsy journey (and through the recession years) my focus gradually shifted from creating work that I love and feel challenged by, to worrying too much about making “stuff that will sell”.  And apparently, that stuff is attracting the wrong element. So I’m taking a breather in order to refocus and realign.

It’s scary to just walk away from my primary source of income for a couple of months, but I really need to love what I do again. Otherwise, what’s the point?

To get to that, I’m taking a leap of faith and giving myself permission to make the things that my heart really wants to bring forth into the world. Hopefully the world wants those pieces too, and the *right* people will connect to them. Or maybe I’ll just fall. Either way, this has to change.

Thanks so much to everyone who has supported me along the way! And many thanks to my beautiful daughter (pictured) for her insight and encouragement in making this choice.