New Work and New and Old Friends

I had a couple of bad days this week. Not that anything bad happened. It's just that I was down in the dumps, feelin' the weight of the world, all of that. I think my mother would characterize it as feeling sorry for myself.

A cheerful 70s brooch complemented with
ceramic and glass beads and vintage faux pearls.

A day like that messes with my motivation. It derails all my plans to get things accomplished. Suddenly I feel like all I can do is the bare minimum, go through the motions.

So I taught my students, I went to my metal fabrication class, and I practiced guitar once or twice. At night I read a little and watched Downton Abbey on Netflix (I've just started watching the first season). I didn't make any jewelry at all, so the pieces I'm posting today were made in the last few weeks because I just didn't have it in me this week.

And Tuesday and Wednesday were kinda just dragging along. I just felt lonely and useless and stuck in this house, and . . . well . . . you know the feeling, right?

But in the course of those two days, here's what else happened.

Tuesday, my buddy from Rhode Island calls. He and I have been friends for 30 years and we spend way too much time on the phone talking about politics, relationships, music, you name it. He can converse on almost any subject fairly well and we, usually, enjoy one another's company immensely.

Rustic and romantic with rose quarts and glass beads on a leather cord.

Wednesday, one of my dearest and oldest friends calls from further north of here. She's another one I talk with regularly. I confess to her about how the last couple days is going for me. She doesn't berate me, she doesn't try to motivate me, she just listens to me and then tells me that some days are like that and she understands how I feel.

Wednesday night rolls around and the phone rings again, and it's my new friend who lives in southern Ohio. Since he's kind of a new friend, I don't burden him with my troubles, but we're talking about this and that and he suddenly says the sweetest thing in the world and I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. After a couple seconds of silence, he sensed something and commented that I must be in deep thought. I managed to laugh and told him that I was just struck by how sweet he is.

An amber earring anchors this charm necklace
filled with vintage baubles.

So Thursday rolls around and I wake up to the sun shining in central Ohio. If you live anywhere near here, you know how long it's been since the sun shone for any length of time. And I'm still kinda feelin' sorry for myself, but I manage to get up and get moving, get some work done and head out the door to buy new glazes for my ceramic pendants.

And as I'm getting through the checkout line with six new pots of glaze--all cheery Spring colors, I promise--my phone rings again. This time, it's a new friend I met on Block Island last summer. And his voice is joyful and soothing, encouraging, affirming, and grateful. He makes me smile and I am forced to realize that I have such wonderful friends who care about me and want me to succeed and be well and be happy and I have no good friggin' reason to be feeling sorry for myself.

So enough of that! Let's make some more jewelry!

An old key, tigers' eye and czech glass hanging randomly on a ribbon.

I'm calling these my buttony-button wrist wraps. 

These will be my summer staple.

I'm off to glaze ceramic pendants with cheery Spring colors!

A vintage brooch combined with contemporary glass beads.

I'm springing over to these fine ladies' parties:

The Dedicated House Make It Pretty Monday

Winter Bounty

There are those who feel that being deprived of sunlight during the winter months makes them depressed and generally unable to get motivated.

As you might have guessed, I am not one of those people. Instead . . .

I find the cold winter months to be exhilarating!

I get to use my 4-wheel drive in the Jeep, I am forced to bundle up in order to walk the dog or shovel snow, and I get to relish indoor work like making soups and hearty one-pot dishes that warm the body and comfort the soul.

Another reason I am energized by winter is the fact that I love snow. Yes you heard me right . . .

 

I LOVE SNOW! 

There is something incredibly energizing about waking up to a blanket of snow on the ground. The light it reflects, even when the sun is not out, renews my spirit and motivates me in a different way than the sunny summer days do.

Today in central Ohio, I awoke to another new dusting of snow on top of a couple inches we got yesterday,

so I'm a happy girl!

This past month I've kept myself busy indoors cooking, baking, and creating new jewelry pieces for my upcoming show. But I remind myself to take time to go outside and enjoy the snow. Having a dog that loves snow and doesn't mind cold is a gift and it helps me remember how much I have always loved this time of year.

Whether you are one of those people who enjoys winter or not, I highly recommend taking time to enjoy the quiet wonder of the winter season.

Daisy's little paws get packed with snow after a winter walk.

Daisy and I on a winter hike at our favorite Metro Park.