simple

'everything should be made as simple as possible,

but not simpler.'

~ albert einstein

we had a family function this weekend and my mama needed jewelry... she is fair with red hair - i love her in copper... isn't it funny how you can do lots of things to a piece of metal and have it look so simple? 

decided here to put the color in the leather rather than the focal... 

and having just purchased a bracelet mandrel, i had to make something round... i wear a bracelet that i bought from barbara lewis that my mom has been eye-balling since i got it... so now she has one... have a feeling i will be playing with the mandrel for a while... see that gorgeous raku bead? that was made by mak of maku studio... 

we saw 2 movies last week - 'inception' and 'scott pilgrim vs. the world' at midnight... 

trying now to focus and settle my brain - i have entirely too many things swirling around and need to pick a place to start... 

hint of sound

namaste

'when you are describing A shape, a sound, or tint; Don't state the matter plainly. But put it in a hint; And learn to look at all things With a sort of mental squint''

-lewis carroll

a comment in one of my blog posts got me to thinking... mellisa from chinook jewelry designs mentioned about my 'who will you find in the sea' bracelet that 'it looks like it might make a subtle little jingle when worn'... and she was right... i am a very visual person... in fact, if you asked me to name my favorite sounds they would be wind, rain, wind chimes, birdsong and waves... i think i tune out a lot(a skill i refined because of all of the background noise that comes along with kids)... but that comment set me to wondering - i try to be a mindful person, but i was missing things... i love when a suggestion can make you more contemplative, taking you deeper into awareness... a friend once told me that i jingle, and i had forgotten that...

so i am enjoying making non-traditional type charm bracelets... finding ways to try to keep it simple while integrating more... keeping to a feeling or idea... like a collage of beads, unified... and speaking of collages, there is a website to help you create word collages... beth at hint, my daughter has created a number of word clouds on wordle.net and is hooked! it is now making the rounds of familiy and friends... thanks for sharing that creative link!

this bracelet is a harmonious combination of a number of ideas, colors, and symbols... it takes the spiritual gesture of namaste - 'i honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, i honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. when you are in that place in you, and i am in that place in me, we are One.' - and attempts to make it a wearable representation...

symbols of the aum(or om), spiral, goddess, leaf & buddha are combined with colors representing the four elements... hung from an earthy vintaj brass double chain - 2 being the number of balance and harmony...

it will have just a hint of sound to keep you aware - better than snapping a rubber band on your wrist, yes?

adrift

'not all those who wander are lost'
the fellowship of the ring
j.r.r. tolkien

we go walking in a park where a stream runs through... there is even a wooden bridge that crosses it which makes me think of the one that christopher robin and company stand on to play pooh-sticks... trees filled with their warm weather garb form a canopy... your view of the bright blue cloudless sky is filtered through the branches and the leaves... when you look into the water, you see that same view reflected back on the shimmering water...
and then a soft breeze blows, rustling the leaves... some of the small dead ones from the forest floor are swept up and drop into the water, and they are adrift... swirling along with the water as it moves around branches and rocks... gliding along with the stream's curving path...
'not all those who wander are lost'...
we all need time to wander, to free ourselves from the over scheduled, task-oriented lifestyle we often find ourselves caught up in... wandering can be physical - going to the beach, a park, or on a walk - and we find ourselves rejuvenated by nature... but really, more important than where you are is your mindset while you are there... did you free yourself? or did you think about how long you can stay so you can go on to your next task? you can be in the midst of your office or home and as long as you can shut off the head static and let your mind go, you are wandering... go for it...
the metallic blue lentil beads with raku finish from blue seraphim make me think of leaves floating on water... and only mak's raku beads could compliment them... thank you both... and to jenn at blue seraphim, you have my apologies for not mentioning you in my first blog... i'm a newbie but getting better!