Friday, February 8, 2013

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

25 comments:

  1. I know what you mean. I have been down in the dumps with this winter darkness. Yesterday was pretty though and I got out for a 20 minute walk. If I could remember to just talk to people more it would help me but I tend to isolate. I'm not much for talking on the phone. But I do love to blog and reach out to people that way. I do love your jewelry - it's beautiful!

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    1. Thank for stopping by, Patty. I thrive on getting out and talking to people, so when there's a lull in that kind of activity, it can get me down. Next week I have a couple new projects starting plus a craft show next Saturday so, things are looking up, even if the weather isn't!

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  2. love your cute jewelry. Its beautiful. Im also a new follewer. Come visit me sometime...www.lifeawayfromtheofficechair.blogspot.com.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lisa! I just came back from your lovely blog. Following back!

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  3. What cute jewelry, Peggy! I'm following you back. Do you live in Columbus? I read your post on St. Agatha 's. We grew up in Columbus, married and all four of our children were born at St. Ann's.

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    1. Thanks, Kitty! Love your blog! Yes, I live in Columbus. What a small world!

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  4. Love your jewellery, I have made a few necklaces and lots of earrings! Thanks for visiting my blog, I love it when people respond to what I do. I love buttons too!

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    1. Thanks, Faye! I feel the same way about buttons and comment love. Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. very beautiful creations. I like those made with buttons. Tina

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    1. Thanks, Tina, for the comment love. I'm very smitten with the button thing right now.

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  6. That key necklace is wonderful and I love the button bracelets! Looking forward to following your posts!
    Marium
    www.decoratevintage.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Marium. Following you back. I love vintage so we should get along great! Thanks!

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  7. I think this winter has a lot of us in a funk. Aren't you lucky you had friends call and send you on the path to feeling better? And we can't underestimate the power of a good, sunny day! Your jewelry is gorgeous. It shows a lot of creativity and inspiration. Here's a smile from NC!

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    1. Thank you, Linda. Yes, the sun coming out makes all the difference!

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  8. Hi Peggy,

    I think we all get down at one time or another during the winter months. Your creations are very beautiful. Thank you for stopping to visit me and I am following you back. Happy Valentine's Day!

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    1. Thanks, Donna, for the comment and for following. Glad I found your blog! Have a great day!

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  9. HI! So happy to meet you. Yes, your friend is right because we all are likely to have a day like this......
    I love your jewelry especially the necklaces. The heart is darling and my favorite. Thanks for following, I'm now you latest!
    Hope your day is wonderful.......

    Hugs,
    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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    1. Thanks, Emily. Welcome to the party and thanks you for your kind words of wisdom. How would we know the "up" days if not for the down ones, right?

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