learning

'i am always doing that which i cannot do,
in order that i may learn how to do it.'
- pablo picasso

my experiments with polymer clay are continuing... the first night i decided to try darker clays & was thinking i was going to have something called pearl-ex to use as a highlighter... however, at the two craft stores i went to, they didn't have it... from the depths of my mind was something whispering 'alcohol based ink'... i figure that had to have come from reading a post by heather at humblebeads or lynn at llyynn ... because they really are the pros... so i went back to the craft store and got some of them along with some lighter colored clays... i applied some different colored inks to some of the darker clay beads to see what would happen... the blue bead in the upper left corner has slate on it, the one under it has the meadow green on it...

when i applied the inks to a lighter clay bead, it put the light color into relief... the inks have a watercolor type finish the way i did it using a felt pad... some of the beads are just testers to see how the ink colors come out after baking... and what they look like on different base colors... they got much more subtle... so i am wondering if i should be applying them afterward sometimes... i am not sure if i like the green... & the different effects you can get... i like the way they bleed... my favorites are from the top two rows... zoa art today had a post showing a current mag containing an article on polymer clay, so i think i will try to grab that...
these beads happened when i applied ink to the rubber stamp itself... then i added some extra color to the one on the right... i do like the kind of distressed look they have... the middle one was a thought for the abs challenge this month - then i realized it's the 29th already!

re: a cube - that was trickier than i had realized as you have to push into the stamp to get the imprint... as you turn sides, it got sloppier - i was ok with how it was by 3 sides, sometimes... am going to keep at this... just to see what happens...

did you do anything different today?

this is what started it...

this unassuming intake valve that most people never see... it's all my brother's fault! he brought us pieces of his vw van's engine that he rebuilt/restored so that the kids could understand the engine hands on... yeah, he's pretty cool! i saw that original vw symbol and wanted to be able to make an imprint... it distracted me most of the day...
my stream of consciousness way of thinking led me to luthien and cindy pack... luthien has been posting about her work with polymer clay - i really love tutorials and appreciate the time it takes to put one up... she has even gotten to the point of opening another etsy shop for that work... good luck, luthien! cindy and i go back - thanks to blogger i now have the privilege of knowing her - i was a customer and really admired her work... the picture above is from my stash... don't you love that medusa head? i worked with the clay about 10 years ago or so, making stuff for my kids that they could play with, creating number pins for them to wear to school on their birthdays, teaching them how to use it for school projects...
but now... i admit, i am wanting to see what i can do for my designs... so, i went to a craft store last night 'just to see' ... and i found this awesome stamp that has so many different textures on it... i am envisioning making cubes with different patterns on each side - i don't know if this is going to work or not, but i will give it a try... of course, then there's the whole getting-the-right-color thing ... always the details! :o)

this is of course occurring during a visit from my brother who i haven't seen in a year... and also having to get ready for a show on the 12th (for which i want to do some work with silver like i have been with copper)... but, as leann's post was just about, perhaps the pressure will yield rich rewards...

thought this was a great quote regarding inspiration-

'the artist is a receptacle for emotions that come
from all over the place; from the sky,
from the earth, from a scrap of paper,
from a passing shape, from a spider's web.'
- pablo picasso

on becoming

this quote came to my attention as i was reading an article about social change and global warming:

'we must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools. we are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. for some strange reason i can never be what i ought to be until you are what you ought to be. and you can never be what you ought to be until i am what i ought to be.'

-martin luther king, jr.

i completely understand the ideas of relatedness and interconnectedness that exists between all living things... and i find this quote to be profound for it reaches further than the personal journey we are on to attain the highest level of consciousness we can... from our practice of working upon ourselves, and then reaching out with ever more to give, the great challenges of our time can be met...

but to be honest, 'i can never be what i ought to be until you are what you ought to be.' made me stop... what do you think? on the most deeply personal level, aren't we supposed to be able to gain great insights through our own diligence? do we need others to attain our own enlightenment? does it help to be surrounded by those that are like minded? of course... but is it necessary? i don't know, i am still thinking about it - and i still have a lot of work to do... i suppose that is why dr. king wrote, 'for some strange reason'... as applied to the species, this statement rings loud and true... we need to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem... we can achieve more together if we are on the same page, working toward a common goal...

these earrings are about becoming what you ought to be... the lotus flower is one of the eight auspicious symbols in buddhism... the roots of the lotus are set down in the mud, the stem growing and rising up through the murky water until it reaches the surface, where the flower turns its face to the sun... the white flower is a symbol of enlightenment, of the purity of body, mind and speech... these earrings are made in 3 layers... the bottom is a paddled copper drop representing the roots... the center is a spiral headpin with moonstone representing growth and the flashes of insight gleaned with emotional understanding... and the dome shaped disc is stamped with the lotus flower itself... hammered and antiqued... i made all but 2 of the pieces - the split ring and the spiral headpin which was made by rocki at rockis supplies... in truth, i didn't realize how i was building these, how the 3 parts were symbolic, it only came later when i was finished...

imagine whole water gardens of lotus where each blossom represents an enlightened human
& what could be accomplished if those were to be...

all i know, all i know...

'...love will save the day'
- des'ree

'love is my religion.'- i have been ruminating over this sentiment written by tamekah & then reinforced by beth in the comments of that post... i have had ziggy marley singing in my head as well as des'ree... it's been nice, & expansive for my soul...



i think it is very easy to fall into thinking about love in solely the romantic sense... if that's not working out for you, & your heart is feeling a bit battered, it can taint your thinking... step back - i am surrounded by love... love of & for family and friends, love for humanity and the opportunity we have each day to make a difference... love for the creatures we share this planet with and love for the flora that also find their home here... i am a bona fide tree lover and i say that without shame!

i have been playing around with copper and trying to do more with it, as you know... having never been a 'heart' person, this is new and fun for me... i used a porcelain heart charm from nancy at round rabbit and made my own word charms - i love the way they sound when they touch, it's like music, a soft tinkling... then there are beautiful beads from bleu verre, maku studios, jubilee & linden avenue designs... the glowing labradorite dangle at the closure shares company with an open hand... keeping your hand open to both give and receive...

truly what else is there? what is the root of compassion, sympathy, forgiveness, charity? love... what are more songs, poems & plot lines for books, plays, movies about than anything else? love...

some people are easy to love, some more difficult... some you want to love up close and some we love from a distance... but we keep on because we need to & without it, no peace is possible...

the forbidden 's' words

in our home, from the end of school (late june) until about now, there are a few forbidden words... 'school' and 'september'... well, the time draws near... we have been avoiding the back corner of target since july (what is it about stores not getting the concept of being in the moment?)... but i was there yesterday and saw these pencil boxes... i loved the name on them and the colors & figured/hoped those things would help to dip our collective toes into the waters of the inevitable! the bus pass has arrived for one child already... we don't bother to do bts (those commercials are changed immediately) shopping as it is always hot anyway and they just wear their summer clothes...

so i guess i feel like it's ok to officially begin making jewelry inspired by autumn... i live in nj, where we have full change of season and i love it... autumn is actually my favorite one (though i appreciate the others tremendously)... it was a little weird to be doing this as i had just gotten in from a walk in 1000% humidity - not.even.kidding. in nj summers are hhh or hazy, hot & humid - and i was sweating profusely, pretty image, right?

one of my new loves is antiqued copper... i used some pond green spacers from mary ann at linden avenue designs for these ones... they are meant to be like branches, with leaves spaced randomly... the ends are paddled for a more organic feel...

these porcelain charms by mellisa at chinook jewelry designs have been accented with mykonos greek ceramic beads in different colors of changing foliage... i realized that the color of the charms was rather like the deep red-browns that will be arriving...

'to be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind
than to be hopelessly in love with spring.'
- george santayana

'breathe' made manifest

a follow up to my last post ~ and for the wonderful comments received, i thank you...

one always feels better when something gets done after a hiatus of creating ~ am i right? you wonder if all inspiration has deserted you... it's there, just needs the opportunity, i guess...

here's how i used the tiny little charm that kept me centered... it keeps wonderful company with a stoneware link from mellisa at chinook jewelry designs, four different lampwork glass beads from mary ann at linden avenue designs & an ivory glass bead from cate at zippybeads... united with copper chain and wire that i antiqued to soften the effect... paddled headpins were made because i felt they had better 'flow' with their unbroken line... earthy, rustic, understated, natural - just like breathing...

thich nhat hanh, the vietnamese buddhist monk, teaches a practice of mindful breathing and has a meditation poem to go along with it...

in, out
deep, slow
calm, ease
smile, release
present moment, wonderful moment

rock steady

'the more intensely we feel about an idea or goal,
the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious,
will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.'
- earl nightingale

'we can never obtain peace in the outer world
until we make peace with ourselves.'
- dalai lama

the past few weeks have been especially capital 'I' intense for a number of reasons... in that time, i have been unable to do any of my creative venturing, except for one little experiment ... & i am currently in withdrawal and hoping this week provides an opportunity for some 'me' time... this small copper charm is the single thing that was worked on... but has had more meaning than i had realized... it's been sitting on my table since i made it and viewed on a number of occasions just as a prompt for calm...

the importance of breath is a subject that is often discussed for many reasons... in anticipation, we 'hold our breath' or 'take a deep breath and jump'... these things create tension ... after having gotten through something difficult, we 'heave a sigh of relief' or exhale... this has a more relaxing effect... when we are trying to settle ourselves we inhale deeply and exhale slowly...taking 3 deep breaths can make you feel more aware and awake... being mindful of the breath can help you to be present... it is pretty amazing how quickly you can feel the physical change that accompanies the different types of breathing...

being present is where i need(ed) to be, being mindful of my breathing helped me through some 'challenges'... emotions become more calm and balanced, thinking is clearer, & even a moment of peace can be found... definitely an almost daily practice...

retrospectively, i think it was interesting that 'breathe' was the first word i choose to imprint into metal (with physical force - hammering it into my psyche?)... finding peace is a journey for me (& you i am sure) and this goes hand in hand with it...

two nights ago, i picked up the current copy of shambhala sun and was drawn into an article titled 'ready, steady, go'... it discusses how focusing the mind can have great advantages... it is very interesting and my ten word description pales if you are interested in the topic... 'the approach to harnessing our mind is by using the wind, or the breath.' ...

wind horse by beth hemmila

the author also shares info about tibetan warrior teachings...a concept called windhorse relates to vitality... while reading i immediately thought of beth's charm at hint... i have such respect for her ability to communicate a concept so simply and eloquently... i really could have one for all of my moods... but my lotus is a treasured friend... (i know material things are not supposed to have great significance, but i admit to my human frailty & tell you now i wear it daily)... i can feel in this charm, the meaning of the article, the power of the mind that can carry one forward in life when properly harnessed...

we enter the world with breath, we leave with its absence, and all of those inhalations & exhalations in between are opportunities to learn, helping us to find the inner peace that we so desire...

reflecting - already

'deep breath' seems to have struck a deep chord, the same one that zinged in me as i read akilah's post... it is something to rejoice about and something to mourn... i am happy that you have now thought more positively about embracing your Selves, sad that we drown in the negative voices inside of us that warn against such acknowledgment...

we are not talking 'shout it from the mountaintops' daily pronouncements... we are talking about feeding ourSelves a positive diet devoid of derogatory thought, of listening to a soft voice that whispers that we are valid, important entities in this world, going thru it with the attitude needed to create and perpetuate change... to be a part of the Solution & not a part of the Problem...

we are willing to take the time to read labels on foods to eliminate trans fats, exercise or diet to take care of our physical selves... seriously, how much money is spent per year by the populace on weight reduction/exercise programs? and yet we leave our real, our inner Selves so neglected...

very... BIG... problem...

why have we been so conditioned to believe only the self-destructive thoughts and not the self-affirming? my doing this exercise challenged the very deeply ingrained 'don't toot your own horn' message (even to my own Self) that was blaring in the background... i fully believe in listening to your gut, i think we lose the innate ability to respond to things on a very sensitive level... but this message did not resonate from the gut, it came from the mind...

it has obviously been hovering in my subconscious as i have been creating pieces with affirming messages... but as usual, i have to sometimes be whacked upside my head with a stick to get it... t. allen-mercado writes incredible, thought-provoking posts... and one of hers really got to me lately as well...

we have to learn to listen to our inner voices... stop shutting them out... we know what we need and, really, how could anyone else know better than we?

this challenge came at a very critical time for me... because once the negative pulls you down to where only your eyeballs are above surface of the pit of muck and mire, it is a lifetime journey just to get out of it... don't you want to use your life for more than that? the women i have had contact with in this community are gifted, savvy, smart and have so very much to offer... what a waste it would be!

i have heard the phrase 'thought is power' so many times... it is now time to listen!

'by choosing your thoughts,
and by selecting which emotional currents you will release
and which you will reinforce,
you determine the quality of your Light.
you determine the effects you will have upon others,
and the nature of the experiences of your life.'
- gary zukav

peace...

and i am waiting...

to hear from you!

joy

cindy pack of cindy's art and soul is having a huge summer giveaway! you should shoot over to her blog to check it out... she is offering a $50 gift towards finished jewelry or components... all you have to do is answer her question -

'what brings you joy?'
(besides winning a giveaway!)

deep breath...

first of all, i have not lost my mind~

akilah at execumama issued a challenge, a challenge to speak about the things you love about yourself... maybe you should meet her and read about her challenge before going on ahead here... my initial response for her was, 'good for you! you are all of those things and should be proud and pleased that they are all facets of your Self'... but when faced with doing it for me, i faltered... as she says, words like arrogance, narcissism and gloating begin to swirl about your head... we are hard on ourselves - doesn't mean it's not ok to work on things, or find areas you would like to expand upon or improve - i am talking about the not-even-being-your-own-friend kind of hard... we need to remind ourselves of the good in us and what we bring to the world's table...

sometimes i cannot get over how the universe works... i have 2 pieces that have been accepted for publication... but they want a picture - of me... and that has held me up... when i read akilah's post the other night, i decided enough was enough... how could i hold myself up at this opportunity just because i wasn't a beauty queen?

so the first part of this was a revealing of the physical self - at the end of the day, no make-up and not a hair day... just me...

i found some quotes that reinforce the wisdom of my execumama friend...

'self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.'
-william shakespeare

'don't forget to love yourself.'
- soren kierkegaard

i love (heart pounding) my green eyes... okay that one was easy because i just came assembled that way...

i love that i am named after my grandmother... my given name is mary jane... i became maire, because she called me that (she didn't like me being called mj jr, my grandparents believed in the uniqueness of each child)... but the spelling became an issue... my 7-yr-old Self was not content to have it spelled 'mare' because that was a female horse, and i did not want to be associated with the rhyme 'the old grey mare she ain't what she used to be...' i am grateful to the little girl who foresaw that and came up with a solution... and for all of the understandable times that people think i am marie, i am completely ok with that...

i love that i am able to maintain my composure under the most difficult of circumstances - i pass maya angelou's test of how people handle a rainy day, lost luggage, & tangled christmas tree lights... for example - a couple of years ago, at 10 pm while my daughter was finishing an extensive project of making a 17th century diary using candles, calligraphy ink in a bottle and a quill, our kitten jumped up onto the table, sliding across all of the laid out papers and supplies, sending blue/black ink flying everywhere... as my daughter was in hysterics, i was telling her that the woman back then could have spilled her ink one night, not to worry, it would look more human, less perfect... wouldn't you know, there was not one drop of unwanted ink on her tea-stained pages, but her face and arms were covered... she proudly wore her ink stains to school the next day...

i love that people find it easy to confide in me... i don't know why, but it happens... i don't always even really know them... maybe they just need someone who can listen patiently... so i guess i love the fact that i am able to listen...

i love that i am a detail-oriented person who can see the big picture or a big-picture person who can attend to details... this was a little revelation for me the other day... you know how you kind of try to figure out what kind of a person you are, in different ways? as i child i would make dioramas and houses, not for dolls but just because... i would use anything i could find around the house to make tiny little pieces of furniture, phones, decor... it would absorb me for hours, days... the greater scheme began to develop later on... big picture, detail-oriented, either, or... i am both... i am also a libra so maybe that explains it... but it helps me with my appreciation of art and with life in general...

i love that i am a trusting person... yes, i may get hurt sometimes but the odds are worth it... i have met a lot of really kind and interesting people because of it...

the singer des'ree (you know the 'you gotta be' des'ree) has a song called 'i ain't movin' ' & it includes the lines

'loving self can be so hard, honesty can be demanding.
learn to love yourself, it's a great, great feeling.'

akilah started something for me... something i think about but realize i need to devote myself to... how do i raise my children to love, respect and honor their own Selves if i cannot? to embrace their You-niquess? i spend my time talking about what to do for others - and will continue to do so... but you can't get water from a dry well... so it's time for a change...

now...

i challenge you!

award

barbara lewis of jewelry of distinction and sandra of marbella designs added me to their list of people to share this award with... i thank you both... each incorporates into their blogs works they are creating and things that interest them... a perfect mix... each kind of post intrigues me as i always love to see what people are up to and how they are pushing their boundaries... i also love when nature shots are shared (it's like getting to see through someone else's eyes), or i get to see a different part of the world or country, or even learn about new music! the blogging community has helped me to expand my horizons - and i am really grateful for that...

so-

five things i love:

the first night of getting into newly laundered sheets
getting to read without having a set time limit
when things feel free and easy
overcoming a fear
the first time you notice the crisp air of autumn

for those who are interested in participating, i pass this along to these 10 people; it is also understood that this is a very busy time of year, so if you can't... :

rocki of rocki's rock'n blog
luthien of pimp & paint
mellisa of what's new at chinook jewelry
leann of summers studio
mary ann of linden avenue designs
cindy of cindy's art and soul
marie-andree of bleuverre
nicole of nvalentine studio
mak of makustudio
tzbrink of tams

rules:
refer back to blog that gave you award
share 5 things you love
extend the award to 10 others!

don't worry....

'bout a thing, cause every little thing, gonna be all right...

- bob marley 'three little birds'

for a couple of months, i have been wanting to make a bracelet inspired by that bob marley song... 'legend' is my any time, any place album, always able to help me get centered... and some of the songs just get stuck in my head... i wanted to be able to present this message to yo-0-ou!

so i had the mental percolator going, waiting to figure out how to present '3 little birds' without be overtly obvious... desiring them to be beautiful and subtle... i was on mellisa's chinook jewelry design site and saw her birds in the 'things with wings section' ... so i contacted her and she ever so patiently worked with me, varying the shapes and colors and making these wonderful charms... the circle is also her creation... cindy pack works with metals and creates beautiful tags - this peace tag in fact! there is also lampwork glass by mika at pinocean and mary ann at linden avenue designs...

i was concerned about it finding a home because it was so intention specific, but i hoped it would eventually... hours later the bracelet was purchased by a woman buying a gift for her best friend... apparently her friend always tells her that everything is gonna be all right... it touched me because the message was received... she also ordered a pair of earrings, lucky me and lucky friend! the beautiful pond green glass is made by mary ann and cindy supplied the hand fused copper rings and ear wires...

these pieces are my first steps wading into the pool of greater involvement in my work... i did some wire working (besides the usual pigtailing) - making my own clasp and doing my own antiquing... very rewarding even doing these small things... although my boys would disagree with how rewarding it was bringing liver of sulfur into our home!

'hope is important
because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear.
if we believe that tomorrow will be better,
we can bear a hardship today.'
- thich nhat hanh

have hope, keep the faith, find peace...