A Peek at My Workspace!

Every has places or environments in which they are most creative. It could be a favorite chair in a corner of room, that coffeehouse with free wireless that you visit so often, a nook in your local library, or if you're lucky, and entire space that you have dedicated to musing and working on your creations. For me, this space is a converted bedroom which stores all of my supplies and is decorated with keepsakes from the fun and fancy free years that I spent as a teenager. I'd like to share some of that with all of you!

My Creation Desk

This is the production line in my studio, where I comfortably sit (often with a small space heater at my feet) and bend, twirl and wrap wire into my favorite wearable works of art. The small image on the wall with the bars in it is a motivation reminder that by doing this, I'm investing in what I love and will someday be able to break through the bars of the typical 9-5 job that most of the world is telling me is "normal" (Pffff!), or simply to "break out of the box" and do things differently.

"Break Through Conformity!" Grade 12 art project

This is another reminder for me not to be afraid to do my thing, be who I am, and share what I love with the world. I went to a high school that required a uniform, and when I made this, the checkerboard base represented the way that my education seemed to consistently urge me to conform and do what I was told and be like everyone else. When you break out into your own thing it's a wonderful feeling of independence, but sometimes that sort of escape can leave a scar (look closely and you'll see the palm has been pierced by a shard of glass) I like to keep this sculpture around, and it's handy for holding some of my wires!

Small yarn sample!

Some of the things that I sell in my shop have been crocheted, you might recognize some of that yarn from my Lollipoppin's (brooches that look like lollipops). I always have some yarn and my hooks handy in case I want to play with some new designs. You never know when inspiration will strike!

*Maria

Persevere. Believe. Endure.

My kitchen Peace Lily finally bloomed.

I have had this peace lily for about 2 years now. When I bought it, I thought it was a few weeks away from blooming, after all, the others that kept it company on the shelf seemed to have their little white lilies peeking into bloom, this one couldn't be far away. It was so much fuller than the others which was why I chose it. I watered it and waited. I spoke to it and waited. I watched it and waited. After about a year, I started to think that maybe it wasn't a peace lily after all. Maybe it had accidentally gotten mixed in with the other peace lilies and was some sort of un-blooming mystery plant. Even with my misgivings, I continued to care for it until I almost forgot that it was a peace lily.

About one week ago, it bloomed.

Sometimes life will take you on a detour, or you will find yourself on a path you didn't expect to be traversing. Remember what your goals are, because although you cannot always control what happens to you along the way, you are the one who determines who you are and what you want. Hold fast to your goals, and even when it seems like they are still so very far away, continue to persevere and believe in yourself. There may come times when you think what you're doing isn't worth it, and no one will care, and maybe it was all just a stupid idea anyway. But see it through. Your peace lily will bloom when it's good and ready... and that will probably be when you least expect it.

*Maria

Everything is Connected

Photo by Kindra Clineff

Don't fight your connections, try to work with them harmoniously! I'm still working on how to make more of the ideas behind my creations accessible to my customers, and one of those main ideas is to understand and appreciate how interconnected and symbolic this world is and to realize that regardless of whether you know it or not, your are connected to a system greater than yourself. Your actions influence many things, and believe it or not, so do your thoughts and your attitudes.

The month of March is going to be one full of changes for me- time to find a job, time to book a number of craft shows, time to get my products in order and decide what and how much needs to be completed by show deadlines, etc... etc... Lately I've been getting that nervous-butterfly feeling in my stomach because I know these things are on their way, but I'm not fighting them. I'm trying to move with the current and let the changes unfold in their proper time. Not rushing or trying to force it, but not avoiding it or try to stop it. As I work on this, I want to encourage all of you to recognize your connectedness to your world- take control of the things that you can, and to keep your balance as you surf the wave of uncertainty about those things you can't control. Please enjoy this small excerpt from "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden (a book that has shown increasingly strong parallels to my life at this point in time...)

We human beings are only a part of something very much larger. When we walk along, we may crush a beetle or simply cause a change in the air so that a fly ends up where it might never have gone otherwise. And if we think of the same example but with ourselves in the role of the insect, and the larger universe in the role we've just played, it's perfectly clear that we're affected every day by forces over which we have no more control than the poor beetle has over our gigantic foot as it descends upon it. What are we to do? We must use whatever methods we can to understand the movements of the universe around us and time our actions so that we are not fighting the currents, but moving with them.

*Maria

Go Check Out Annie Dee's!

 

Erma Bombeck Quote Charm from jjbackman

This is an exciting morning for me! I've been featured on blogs a couple of times before or provided items for a giveaway, but this is the first time that I've had an interview to go with it! I'll be spending the day today vending at the Old Quebec Street Mall in Guelph, one of my regular Friday activities, and getting the internet there is hit or miss so this is just a little post today. Please go and check out the "Feature Friday" interview on Annie Dee's, and share it if you like what you see!

 

Annie Dee's Feature Friday!

*Maria

Wherever You Go, That's Where You Are

We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, 

going more or less in one direction

until we splash into something that forces us 

to find a new path.

-Sayuri; "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden

I love this quote. It reminds me that although consistency can be comfortable, sometimes continuing on as we always do can get a little stale and boring and before you know it, a year or two has passed and you've barely noticed. Spring is the perfect time to 'splash into' something! Shake up your routine a little bit, try something new, put yourself on a slightly different path in life and see where it leads.

We don't always get to choose what to splash into though. Sometimes things just show up and we have no choice but to hit them and wait and see how life will change. When those boulders and rocks shake up your path unexpectedly, I encourage you to embrace and explore the new path that you find yourself traveling instead of just trying to make everything return to normal. Sometimes you need to embrace a new normal. 

When you're trying to figure out where you are and where you're headed, just remember: wherever you go, that's where you are, so be present with that and don't waste your time and energy trying to be in a place that you're not. Set goals to help you direct your path, and dream dreams that you can work toward manifesting. Pay attention to where you are, because you never know when the river of your life will strike another rock in the hill and change paths once again.

*Maria

Spring Green!

A little bit of eye candy from my shop to help spring get sprung :)

Quantum Squiggle Earrings in Green/Silver

Papyrus Clothespin Earrings (green)

Deoxy Replication Necklace in Light Green

Rose Blossom Coffee Cozy in Blueberry

Quantum Rosettes in Emerald

Come out of your winter hibernation! What have you been doing lately to help encourage warmer weather?

*Maria

31 Day March Blog Challenge!

Folk Art Magnet from allisonstrine on Etsy

Hello Everyone! March is here and my little corner of Ontario is finally starting to spring out of winter. The birds are louder, the grass is getting greener, the wind has stopped freezing my face, and my jacket is no longer being assaulted by the road salts from my car. Life begins again, and what better way to welcome it along than with a refreshing challenge? I usually post on this blog at least once a week (Thursdays) and sometimes twice (on a Sunday or Monday). But this month I've joined a group of ambitious Etsians who are all being challenged to post on their blog every day this month. This month is already a challenge for me, I can feel lots of changes on their way in my life, and the best way to deal with it is to hit the ground running! So check back often, I'll be posting all sorts of goodies!

If any of you readers have blogs of your own and want to participate in this challenge, you can find the Etsy Discussion that started it right here.

*Maria