Freedom

Thank you, soldiers past and present for sacrificing your lives for FREEDOM.

Blessings,
Liz

Hello, 2016!

Happy New Year.  I wish for you to have your most productive and prosperous year ever.    I started purging little by little as I learn more about myself and my limits as a creative being.  I can't do all the fun things I encounter at the stores or on-line.  I try.  I buy.  I give away.  I must stop.

Yes, I am upset to mention I have limits, but that means I will be better able to focus on what I started.  Jewelry.  Ah... Jewelry.  Out go three bags of yarn even if it is soft and pretty.  Bye-bye clay. Then there are all the massive frames I planned on turning into earring holders.  I have even had to let go of some things I thought for sure would be successful, like making pendants out of antique 78 records or anagram tiles.  They haven't sold.  No matter how great I think an idea is, I have to face the facts.

I have been watching videos lately on Cratsy (www.craftsy.com), in particular Barbara Lewis' torch-fired enameling class (www.craftsy.com/class/torchfired-enameling-the-immersion-method/4875?_ct=sbqii-sqjuweho-dum&_ctp=11&rceId=1451941882852~fuz51yt7).

 Iron beads by Barbara Lewis

 I love enameling and haven't really found anything new and interesting until I watched, riveted (to
throw in a jewelry term) while I learned a new technique.  I paused the video more then once to order the supplies so I could start ASAP.  I am OK in the enamel department, but needed the Beading torch tip, long-nosed pliers, (Amazon had the best price on both), the beads Barbara used, and I got the MAPP gass from Lowe's.

I just got all my toys and have lovingly placed them in one spot in preparation for play time. Unfortunately, another obstacle has keep me from starting. The ceiling caved in on my garage studio. Long story. I haven't had the gumption to do the major cleaning until I got excited about the class and the projects floating around in my head. This fire in my belly is why I am purging, why I need to focus, even; shall we say, THE PURPOSE for a cleaning mentally and physically.

So, I renew my ambition to be a successful jewelry artist. Only fear is in the way. Fear isn't a good enough reason anymore.

Warm regards,

Liz

Texas summer

It is hot and hasn't reached the pinnacle of hot, yet.

We had a hot water heater leak in May.  This was the beginning of summer vaca and wasn't on my list of things I wanted to do this summer or in this life.  So, the people who are replacing the floors arrive in the morning.  The big move out of office occurred tonight.  I hated my evening.  I want to create after I feed the family, not lug books and mounds of crap to the hot garage.

I have no point to this soliloquy, just pointing the obvious.  It is summer, it is Texas and it is hot.  On the bright side of things, the office will have a fresh look soon.  And, yes, it will still be a Texas summer.  Hot.

Best regards.  Create.

From Chaos to Creativity

I get distracted easily, an understatement to be sure.  With my creative endeavors strewn all over 2000 + square feet, two children, three dogs and a husband, my wheels were spinning and I was frustrated ‘cause I couldn’t settle down to work without looking for something or tripping over a mammal from my household.  If I was in the bedroom working, inevitably I would need a thingy in the office on the opposite side of the house.  Then I would forget what the heck I was looking for by the time I arrived in the office.  Ugh.

Enter my friend, neighbor, and fellow jewelry artist, Jean.  I will call her simply, goddess of get-it-done.  She offered to help me make a studio in the garage.  I thought she was crazy.  She is just one of those people who enjoy helping the overwhelmed people do the undoable.  So, when she arrived with her get-it-done crown on and her words were, “There are only two things that should happen in a bedroom”.  I guessed correctly that making jewelry wasn’t one of those two. We got buzzy.

I was already parking my car outside the garage so I could store my curbside “treasures” that I was going to restore/repurpose into wonderful objects of beauty and awe.  Needless to say, the garage was full and no projects were completed. The first step was to create the creative space. Since I already had my big-girl pants on, I loaded up my mom van and gave the treasures to charity.  On the way home, I felt lighter; a van load lighter.  Space created, check.

The kiln and a work table were already in the garage.  Everything else, everything, was taken from all over the house.  After a solid eight hours, Jean left me with the bones of my new studio and a sense of accomplishment.   I wouldn’t say all my stuff is arranged, but every day, I organize.  Every day I find something I was looking for and/or find two of what I was looking for a month ago.  Everyday I have a place to go to that is mine.

Part of making the studio a place for designing, is having color, inspiring books, pictures, words, and meaningful tchotchkes around me. Walter Soza has a print called “Barcelona, Espana” (https://www.etsy.com/listing/78562413/barcelona-espana-24x36-framed-print?) that would hit the color aspect. I enjoy the way the colors overlap each other. And, under my inspiring words category I would love to have the print, “Don’t put off being creative” (https://www.etsy.com/listing/86407106/dont-put-off-beng-creative-letterpress? by Brandon Griswold of Honeycomb Print shop.  My point is to construct a space that is a reflection of me, for my spirit.

Last Thursday, my mission was to get a TV in the garage so I wouldn’t feel like I was missing my shows, mainly Dallas Stars hockey.  I got a huge-ass TV for cheap from CCA and picked up a set-top box.  Mission accomplished. The kids have watched more on the TV than I have, but now I am not missing anything. My studio is perfect for me.

 

Today, I sit at my desk in my studio typing this post.  I have music on, a dog by my feet, and my coffee cup close.  I am sure this is Heaven for me.  Check back in the summer, I may be singing a different tune.

Time does fly.

The Start of The Season Market was on the 15th of September. I really enjoyed the venue, the organizers were on top of it, and there were PEOPLE shopping!  Can I tell you how exciting that is?!

It was a one-day show and seemed like a couple of hours went by and then it was done.  I shoomsed a lot about what I make and how it comes to be.  The Winston School art teacher came by and said my items were orginal.  I glowed for the rest of the day.  She even "got" my question mark enameled pendant.

 

Check out the new logo designed by my friend, Shy.

Love it.

 

 

What I take from this experience is to keep going, keep signing up and showing up. But, most of all, have fun while doing it.  Then time will fly... in a good way.

P.S.

I did sign up for Retailr at http://creativeinputbyliz.retailrapp.com/ .  The reasoning is that people (YOU) can purchase directly from Facebook or Twitter.  I am still working out the challenges.  I will be buzzzy setting it up while preparing for two more shows before the new year.  Yeah!

The show must go on...

  I was so excited about this handmade show and worked really hard to create and finish beyond what I had accomplished before.  I did meet my own expectations to get ready and I am really, truly proud of that.  However, the organizer of the One of a Kind Market disappointed most of the vendors with little to no advertising and absolutely no social skills.  She didn't even introduce herself or offer any condolences. 
  By 2 p.m. on Saturday, vendors were packing up and walking out with a storm cloud over their heads.  Personally, that kind of negativity makes me nervous.  I stayed because I was doing what I signed up to do.  I went back on Sunday.  Seventy-five percent of the vendors did not return.  Still the organizer did not address anyone.  My heart went out to two very talented ladies at their first show.  It was just downright sad. 
   Popping back from a dismal show takes some self-confidence and a lot of faith in my talent.  Sigh.  As I sit and write, I want to cry about it but that does no good.  I seem to have a need to create, to reuse forgotten items, to give a new life a piece of metal, to dream.  With that said, I continue to believe and look forward, NEVER behind (except to bring forth the lesson into my today). 
   The great news is, I have another show on September 15th at the Winston School at Royal Lane and the Tollway.  They are calling it The Start of the Season Show.  This is a juried show, which means there will be judges awarding certificates to artists.  This means, also, that the organizers are serious about attracting solid vendors and, secondly, they are vested in getting people to attend.  I will be ready in mind, body and spirit... and jewelry!
  Create for the joy of it!!

One-of-a-kind market, Pinterest, etching copper, anondized aluminum, and enameling

One-of-a-kind Market begins on Saturday, June 23rd at the Richardson Civic Center.  I have been preparing by destroying the house with various jewelry making methods.  Last week it was a blissful day of enameling.  The week before it was stamps, dyes, and aluminum coupled with etching copper. 

I also joined pinterest.  OMG, it is so addictive and so very different from anything else.  You create boards that reflect your interests while getting lost in the maze of other peoples interests.  Love it.  So, I made a board of making anondized aluminum.  Check it out.  I hope you likey!

http://pinterest.com/creativeinput/making-anodized-aluminum-jewelry/?timeline=1&fb_action_ids=3501269365258&fb_action_types=pinterestapp%3Apin&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=10150402389062165