Two days to go...

And it's raining
drinking coffee
raindrops?
Shit
Out on the porch
cover the couch
bring in the cushions
and rugs
wet socks
hummingbirds dance
cool breeze
blows through the door
chat with a girlfriend
far away
yearning
for you
fly to me.

Peace

Hot off the Bench

I do manage to get work done occasionally.  I've been hard at work trying to get these done for their debut at the Sierra Festival of the Arts in downtown Grass Valley today.

This is an expensive line, glass enameling is costly in both materials and time.  I've been working on some smaller and more affordable pieces, the necklaces are a good example.

I can't wait to see how they go today, being there will give me some feedback.

Anticipating...

The count down...three days to go...

...before my girls are here!

This will be Georgia's second airplane ride, the first she took to Florida for her Grandpa's retirement party.  She will be coast to coast before she's six months old, that's my girl!

I can't wait to rub my face on that soft baby head and hug my beautiful daughter.

I can barely keep up with the joys in my life right now.

Last night I stood outside in the moonlight dancing through the trees and knew she was smiling at me. Thank you, Great One, for so many blessings.

Peace

Me and GBelle

Do I love being a Grandmother?

GBelle says, "Hey! Let's party!"

Only five more days and they are here, woot!

Smiles

Pensive

Today I'm thinking about the people in my life.

The ones who hit hard and in the merging left little parts of themselves and took little parts of me.

Men and women, very few, they can still make me cry but not from pain or sadness.   They filled my well with cool, clear water and can again make it overflow, washing away the everyday dirt, leaving clarity and joy behind.

When I hear from them the time apart just disappears and we are again having coffee on the patio or scenting the cool ocean breeze, agonizing over costume colors, steaming up the truck windows, shivering in an ice rink, laughing, crying, so much love, so much.

Now, here in my happy place, I realize that I can imagine you here, that I've created a setting that you would know and love, one that would embrace you as I do.

Suz

Words

Profound - Having intellectual depth and insight.  Synonyms: abstruse, arcane, esoteric.

Postulate - To assume or claim as true.  Synonyms: hypothesize, premise, presume, suppose.

Prestidigitation - Slight of hand.  Synonyms: conjuring, legerdemain, magic.

Puissance - Strength and power. Synonyms: Energy, firepower, force, horsepower, might, muscle, potency, vigor.

I know, it's weird but you should try living in my head every now and then.  The colors are really pretty and things float around, sometimes begging for attention, sometimes just hanging there, shining, waiting.

I love words and their meanings, they are the balsamic vinegar of life, the essence of basil in the nose that spills from the tongue to fill the ears with it's fragrance.

Imagine it all mixed up, colors that burst in the mouth, textures that stroke the visceral insides, emotions that paint the eyes, sounds that swirl like dust devils around my body, that silken feel of skin, the cerulean sea.

It's cool this morning.  I shivered when I got up.  The coffee tasted fine.  The boys are ready for a good long walk.

We go.

Donner Lake

Sitting on a public pier with my boy, talking about music and life, basking in the sun, doesn't get much better.

Peaceful days

Riot of fun

My son flew into town last Friday and so far it's been non-stop fun.

Friday we stopped to see his Grandparents first thing and later went out for beer and ended up in Nevada City at the Crazy Horse for some really good blues music played by local folk.  I can't tell you how happy I am that the Crazy Horse is open as a bar/music venue again.  I was dancing there in my early 20's and now I see my young friends enjoying it there.  I guess the only rant I have is the men my age trying to move in on my 21 year old housemate and her friends, really?  WTF?  Don't they realize how creepy they are?  And they also didn't realize how close they were to getting stomped, first by me and then by my son, but we played nice and ignored them for the most part.  I'll expand on this sometime in another post.

Saturday we went to breakfast with family again and then to the Range to see Frank Whaley's new ultrasonic gun cleaning machine in person.  And of course I had to bring in something to be cleaned, wow!  It's pretty slick.  If you want a really clean and oiled firearm this is the place to go.  We also did some target practice.  Later we wandered up to the Independence trail for a nice stroll down to Rush Creek, saw lots of newts in the water and several different wildflowers, the fairy lanterns were in abundance.  Then home to clean up and back to Nevada City to Lefty's Grill for some really good food.

Sunday - Mother's Day - A family gathering, first large meal on the new deck, bubbly and oj, fruit salad, Goat Cheese Egg Bake and Grant's famous apple pannekoeken.  What a heavenly way to spend a couple of hours, surrounded by young and old in a beautiful setting.  I didn't even have to do the clean-up.  And then I took a long nap.  In the evening we drove to Sacramento to Harlow's to see a group called Yo La Tengo, which to my musician son was intriguing, he called them one of the pioneers of Indie Rock.  I can't say I loved them but after their first slow set they did a rockin' second set that made me like them a lot.

And along the way I've gotten to hear the entire new album from Little Radar, which is not out yet but will be I think by early August.  It's incredible.  I hope I can get to Austin for the release party.

Today we're sleeping in and will go to Truckee for some exploring.  I have an ulterior motive in this because Truckee has the only good bagel place within two hours of here.

Tomorrow he goes back and I will start missing him again.

Peace

Enameling - Colors Bracelet

I'm really proud of this piece.   It doesn't really have a name yet but that will come to me.

My son brought me his good camera and hopefully soon my pictures will be better.  I like this very simple quick shot, more artistic is down the road.

This bracelet feels so good, heavy and cool and colorful.  I always test drive new stuff to look for flaws and problems.  I wore this to dinner the other night.  Every now and then I would look down and get absorbed by my arm candy.  It's fairly big but can be smaller by removing a square.

The other two bracelets are gone already, this week I'll be back to make more of those in different sizes, what fun.

Success!

Enameling - Finished

At least these two are finished.

I think these are two of the most beautiful things I've ever made.  The white specks on the top bracelet is sunshine glinting, even in the shade they pick up the light.

The top is called "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and the bottom one is called "Moon Dance".

I feel like I'm electric.

Art for Life

April 23, 2013 - Brad Carter and Fred Hodgson are hosting the third annual Art for Life–a Spring Garden Party and Art Auction at their home in Grass Valley on Saturday, May 4 from 1 to 5 PM to raise funds to help provide essential services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Nevada County.

Carter and Hodgson have been developing their 1-acre native plant garden for ten years. The garden, which is not irrigated, comes into peak bloom in May, after the end of the rainy season and just as warm temperatures arrive. It is a lovely venue for a garden party fundraiser like Art for Life, which this year will feature the work of more than thirty local artists who are donating their work for the silent auction. There will also be self-guided tours of the garden, live music, an assortment of delicious appetizers and a tasting of local wines. The cost of admission to Art for Life is $50 per person.

For reservations to attend this event or more information on how to support this event, call Fred Hodgson at (530) 272-8900.

I just do my small part by donating something pretty for the silent auction. This is one of my forged fine silver necklaces, with a gorgeous big focal bead and earrings to match.

This is a pretty nice party too.  Fred and Brad are amazing hosts and the garden is spectacular.

Hope, courage, compassion.

Looking backward

Blog stats are an interesting thing.  While I don't know who is reading I know what is being read and I often go back and re-read that post again.

I've come a long way baby, from uncertainty and pain to contentment and joy.  It's not easy to leave a long settled life and move on to another.  I certainly made a lot of mistakes along the way.  I caused others pain which I regret. I'm still trying to make up for that.  I'm working to build a new relationship with my children, to continue to support and nurture them while making my own mental and physical health a priority.

It's that selfish thing, sometimes you have to be selfish to survive but at some point that isn't necessary anymore, deciding when is the hard part.

Reading those early posts, feeling that raw hurt is good for me now.  I still feel that tightness in my throat and I often cry, brushing tears away, sitting silently thinking of then and now.  I wish I could go back and tell me that it's worth it, that the journey is rocky and difficult but also filled with wonder, love, discovery, fulfillment, awareness, knowing and simple fine living.

I think I know more about what's good for me.  I've discovered that I love life.  I love waking each day in my dream house, wandering out to my sunny kitchen for a hot, strong cup of espresso with my furry companions racing around at my feet.  I've got great funny and creative friends who make my life more interesting than I would have thought possible.  I can pick and choose my spare hours, walks and musical events, feeling comfortable going to the pub alone, knowing I'll find someone to talk to.

I'm learning to choose quality over quantity, refining my life down to the essentials.

I've opened my heart to learning new ways of loving, with less restriction and fewer societal rules.  This journey astounds me with it's limitless possibilities.  Don't get me wrong, there is a learning curve involved and I imagine I'll stumble more often than not, but it's worth it.  Worth trying to be a better person, more loving, less afraid, ready to accept what is offered in it's purest form.

I often say Peace at the end of my blog entries.  It's sums up the general feeling of my day to day life.  However, I find others come to mind lately and I'll be using those.

Don't be afraid to Ask for what you want, throw it all out into the universe and see what comes.

Grace

Enameling - Part Four

Here's what's happening on my bench.

The squares on the top are going to be a bracelet, which is almost done.

The rest will be earring components except for the bigger flower things, they will eventually become a statement necklace or bracelet.

I promise better pictures, this is still in progress.

Enjoy

Enameling - Part Three

This time I'm doing less wet packing and more sifting, which yields a nicer coverage.  It's like almost anything, you have to learn all the different methods so you know which one to use when.

These little guys are just coming out of the kiln and are cooling.

Here they are again, many coats of enamel on both sides, then joined with the small rounds.

This is so much fun.

But, time for bed now,

Peaceful dreams

Next round enameling, part two

Here are my assorted blanks, drilled, textured, shaped, smoothed and ready to go.  I have a few older pieces of PMC Fine Silver that I want to add enamel to, the big medallion has 24k gold applied.

You need to keep careful color records, so I've got the pieces on a sheet of paper and will make notations as I go.

Next is to start picking some colors.

This is where it gets really interesting and fun.  I'll fire up the kiln and start playing with color.  I scored a couple of boxes of old enamels from a friend, there are quite a few things in there I think I can use, we shall see.  I haven't had any of the opalized colors.

Did you know enamel is a catch all term for applying glass to metal?  The various techniques include cloisonne, basse taille, champleve, sgraffito, grisaille, plique-au-jour, limoges and guilloche.

Most people are familiary with cloisonne and often call all enamel work by that term.  Cloisonne is French for cell.  This technique makes cells, usually from wire and then the enamel is filled into the cell with many applications.

More later...

Enamel - Next round starts

Here we go again, cutting, shaping and texturing metal, getting ready for the next big round of enamel work.  I'm hoping to show more of the process this time.

This is fine silver, which is gorgeous along with transparent enamel and needs only minimal prep before applying the enamel.

I've got to drill the holes, file and sand the edges, shape some of the pieces with my dapping tools, all before the fun stuff starts.

More later,

Peace

Googly Eyes

A few pics of things going to Art Works today.

Fine silver with enamel.

They will be on the website too.

Enjoy!

Rhodies

Bumpy flight, all the damn way home.  I don't like it much.  I prefer it to be smooth so I can half snooze and listen to music.  I'm surprised at little it really bothers me anymore.  I picture the plane a really big boat skipping over the waves of air and every now and then it hits the wake from another boat and WOO! here we go.  They even had the flight attendants strapped down for a good part of the flight.  It's interesting how one pilot cannot even be bothered and the next is hyper cautious, maybe it's from the reports of other planes.     I've been in chop that bad and they never even turn on the seatbelt signs, strange.

From Phoenix we flew over to Los Angeles and cut right up the central valley.  Having an ocean view for a bit was really very pretty, then it was Bakersfield, Visalia, and other places best seen by air. The big fields look like a crazy patchwork quilt of greens and browns.

Here's what greeted me as I drove up to the cottage.

My rhododendrons are blooming!  The azaleas are all budded, the flowering dogwoods are starting to unfurl and the peonies, which were just starting to pop out of the leaves, are now up to my knees, yikes!  I can't believe how exciting the yard is, lots of pine needles to rake up still, oh well.

The boys were very happy to see me.  My housemate has been taking them running.  I know, just picture the two corgis trotting along if you need a laugh.  She says they do fine, especially Bode with his limitless energy.  Dandy just does it because you want him to, he'd rather play frisbee.

Time for clean up, house, dogs, car and then hopefully back into the studio in a day or so.  I've got ideas galore for enamel pieces and a couple of custom things to get done.

My son will be here for Mother's Day and my daughter and Gdaughter later in May, this is going to be a wonderful couple of months.

Enough for now, got things to do.

Peace

Baby time

I'd forgotten how incredibly awesome and how incredibly annoying babies can be.  One minute they're smiling and cooing at you and the next they're screaming in your ear with that supersonic scream that makes you want to stick pencils in your ears.

We do not give parents enough credit for surviving each day and for allowing their offspring to survive each day. 

Take a young couple, they've had years of school and work and learning to take care of themselves.  Often they are barely able to do even that, which is where parents come in, nagging a bit here and there.  Got car insurance?  Check  Got a job?  Check  Feeding yourself something reasonably healthy?  Check  Going to have a baby?  Check, wait, what?

OMG!  A baby?  Really?  Ok, we can do this, you can do this, can we do this, can you do this?  Yes, let's do this, full speed ahead, find a place to live, fix it up, furnish it with baby things, prepare and plan...

And then she's here and she's fabulous and my daughter and her guy step up and become these amazing parents.  They make some mistakes along the way, seriously, get the damn pacifiers.  They wade into strange territory and do this great job raising this little person, who is thriving in the most beautiful atmosphere of calm and reasonableness and love and laughter and chickens (love chickens).  I wish I was this baby.

I don't think I could do it at this late stage.  My patience isn't really there anymore, I've moved on to more selfish living.  And yet, there are grandparents who step up to raise a child, sometimes more than one.  Those people I stand humbled before, speechless and awed that they have taken on this exhausting job when they've already been there, done that.

I get to wallow around in babyland, nibble toes and make a suggestion here and there.  Actually I don't remember much.  Naps?  Sure, I think, not sure how long, not sure how well.  

And then I get to go home, where I will wake up the first morning, realize she and her mother won't be there to say good morning to and cry.  And then I will toodle along the rest of the day, doing what I want when I want, checking the calendar for how many days it is until I see them again.

And immerse myself in my passions, metal and glass and sticking the two together in interesting ways.

This time they will come to me.  I can hardly imagine sharing with my friends.  And seeing my Dad and Mom with their Great Granddaughter, what fun.

Peace to you and yours.

Beautiful

My boy and my granddaughter, both stunning.

Peace

Sneak peek

Happiness is listening to Little Radar's new music in the practice studio.

Seeing my son in his element.

Kissing the soft head of my granddaughter.

Hugging my beautiful daughter.

Peace

The obsession continues -

I'm leaving for Texas tomorrow.  A good thing, my fingers are cracked and bleeding from glass cuts and enamel (which is glass dust) and endless rounds of applying the enamel to the metal, sliding it into the kiln in two minute increments and doing that over and over and over.  I spent 14 hours one day.  I could not stop.

It's heaven.

This is the first batch, now at Art Works Gallery, waiting.

In the enameling world these are crude examples even if the metal work is good.  This is one of those skills that you can pick up in a day and spend the rest of your life getting good at.

I think it's the color.  Sometimes you don't know exactly what the color will be until it's come out of the kiln.  And then it's like some weird old instant film, you take the shot and sit around waiting for the magic to happen. These come out of the kiln molten hot and you have to watch it cool and wait for the real color to emerge.

I love it.

But, now I'm packing and looking forward to heading to the beautiful Austin and my divine Granddaughter and her entourage.

Peace

Up to the Mountain rerun

No one should ever forget the powerful beauty of this song, written and dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. by Patty Griffin.

Take a minute, listen, weep, smile, be renewed, inspired, feel all that is necessary in your life.

Peace

Enameling - I jump in with both feet.

I don't think I've had this much fun in my studio for a long time.  A long time ago I took an enameling class and ever since I've been dreaming of adding enamel to my silver jewelry.  Because I work with a lot of fine silver the process is a little easier and in my opinion much more beautiful than the usual copper/enamel combinations.  To spend a huge amount of time applying enamel to a cheap copper base seems pointless to me and the end result of silver is so beautiful.

Now that my studio is functional and everything is organized it was easy to pull out the enameling box and jump right in.  I bought a sample box of powders and spent one evening sorting and washing a large selection of blues and greens.  You don't have to wash them ahead of time but it really cuts down on the mess to have your colors ready to use.

Yesterday I fired up the kiln, got out my welding glasses, the long fork, the trivets, the powders, the brushes and whatever else came to mind.  I set the kiln to ramp up and hold temperature for three hours and that was it.  Enameling is mostly patience combined with some skill.  Luckily I'm fairly skilled at preparing the metalwork base which is crucial for the project's success.  I've heard that this is one of those skills that's easy to do but you can spend years perfecting those skills.  I can see that.  These are really pretty crude but at the same time they are very appealing.  The colors are heavenly.

I chose several different styles to work with, a fold formed leaf and some simple textures circles.  I've seen this style done many times but each person puts their own stamp on the piece.  I'm going to do a lot more in different styles and colors.

There will be lots more to show in the future.  These are my first pieces.  One sold about five minutes are being posted on Facebook.  They look like googly eyes, the top ones are before Tequila and the bottom ones are after a few shots, ha!

Peace and colorful days to you.

Random snapshots of my day

Camellias on our morning walk.

Trees bursting with bloom in the market parking lot.  Looks like snow, doesn't it?

Up into the sky from my couch on the deck.

What lies beyond my deck, state forest.

A mosaic piece by my friend Susan Crocenzi, she brought it over because she likes my strongly colored walls for background.  I get to keep it for a few days until it goes to a gallery.

Peace

Wearin' of the...

Outside

Having coffee right here, right now, enjoying every second of this fabulous place.

Dreams do come true.

Last night we were drinking beer at the Old Republic Brewery in Nevada City while enjoying pies from An Honest Pie, the incredible pie truck filled with sweet and savory pies.  I was trying to figure out how I'd get the pie truck to park outside my place so I could have a party on the deck.  I guess I'll have to stick with grilling or homemade pizza.

The Brewery is beginning to become a Cheers sort of place, you see the same people and they're quite happy to give you a hug and share their pizza and some nice conversation.

This is exactly the kind of atmosphere I crave, fun and informal, if your friends can't make it there are still plenty to people to hang with.

Everything is good, the house feels good and the outside landscaping just might get done this summer.  Should I or shouldn't I repaint my bedroom?  I want a lighter color in there that goes well with both the warm winter golds and the cool summer blues, such a dilemma.

My friends tease me by calling me Martha Stewart.  I cannot believe there are people in the world who don't know what Marimekko fabric is, which is probably a leftover from my years of quilting and enjoying textiles in general.

My studio is once again the oasis of calm and beautiful functionality that I require.  It's better than it was since I dumped all the old furniture and put in a big industrial bench.  Now when I hammer and punch metal the bench doesn't move, very nice.

It's all good and only 11 more days until I head to Austin again, baby time.

Peace

TA DA! Here it is...

I'm thrilled, it's perfect and of course, it's raining.  We still have to wait for the final inspection on Monday but that's ok because it's ready for the spring for sure.

Another vision comes true, what fun.

The best part of all this was working with Frank Whaley of Whaley Construction.  I've spent years and years involved in projects on houses, dealt with dozens of builders and contractors and have learned to appreciate those that will truly work with their clients to get a final project that makes them happy.  Frank is one of those that goes out of his way to help you realize your vision, even when you're not quite sure what it is.   His craftsmanship and imagination are amazing.

Peace

Workshop Bliss

My revamped studio is almost perfect and very functional which makes me a happy girl.
These simple forged bar bracelets are the perfect everyday jewelry piece.  I wear my own almost everyday.
Much more to come.
Peace

Deck with overheads

My Contractor, Frank Whaley Construction, bolting the overheads together.

When we were trying to find a product that would span the 18 foot deck without central supports we rejected engineered wooden beams as too heavy and too expensive.  Thinking outside the box Frank wondered if we could use Trex under deck steel support system for a decorative but sturdy overhead.  I'm thrilled, it has exactly the look I was hoping for, clean and elegant but with some substance.

WOOT!

Peace

Connections

I've been on a major rant, haven't I?

Do I write more and better when I'm happy or when I'm not?  I've been sprinkling words on this page for two days now and keep starting and stopping, deleting and re-writing.

What do I really want to say?

I'd give up but there's something in my head that I need say.  Maybe I just really need to organize a feeling into thoughts.  Have you ever heard about people who think to speak vs. people who speak to think?  My Dad is a think to speak sort of person.  He'll cogitate on something for days and then the answer comes on fully formed, or at least his take on it.  I need to throw all my thoughts out onto a big invisible blackboard and then arrange them and re-arrange them in pretty groups and patterns until I get to a final product.  Often the end result isn't even on the board in the beginning.

I need people in my world.
People to listen to.
People who listen to me.
Someone to hug.
Laughing is good.
Bitching is always a plus.
Feedback.
Am I right?
Am I wrong?
Could I do better?  (Of course)
What's the right path?
Connections.
Someone who cares that I'm alive.
Someone who would know if I wasn't.
A cheering squad of one or many.
Sharing the joy.
Stretching minds.

Not feeling like I live in a black hole.
Spinning around weightless.
Nothing to bump into.
Words and thoughts disappear.

Simple human connection.

Well, I think I'll go and move some things around in the garage.
It's enough for now.

Peace

Robin Roundup

The robins are here in mass,
big fat robins,
drinking from the fountain,
eating the red berries,
flitting about,
scratching in the leaves,
being robinish,
welcome back.

And now two Stellars Jays,
inky indigo blue,
keeping track of the robins,
making sure they don't get anything good,
not wanting to miss a handout,
noisy but beautiful.

Peace

Cranky

I'm cranky, crabby, cantankerous, crazed and slightly depressed.

Bad time of year, bad time of life,
trying to find a sunny day in my gloomy weather report.

I just read a withering report of a musical event someone wrote on her blog, it's so damn great I could stand up and cheer.  I'm not as articulate as she is and rarely love or hate anything with quite her intensity but it sure is fun when someone has a bad mood that matches my own.

What's with clothes on dogs?

Why would you bring your stupid little dog into a salon? Worse yet, into the facial/waxing/tweaking part of the salon?  Do Chihuahuas need waxing?

Do not bump me with your cart in the grocery store.  Can you not see that you've parked your cart right in the middle of the aisle?  Does being old make you special?  However, yes do ask me to get things off the high shelves for you, really.

Strollers, ack!  Yes, we know Mommy's precious is hard to carry but at least recognize that you cannot get said GIGANTIC freaking stroller into some places.

Back to dogs.  I'm making my dogs behave while you walk by with yours.  I am not waiting just so you can let your out of control pooch rush over to "say Hi!".  Ask me first please, mostly because my two are going to overwhelm your one and the leash tangles are nuts.

Best Buy, two days before Christmas and she hasn't a freaking clue which Kindle she wants to buy.  How about doing some research before you stroll in and monopolize a sales clerk for 45 minutes being INDECISIVE.  Kill me now.

Merge people, merge.  I know you probably didn't have a CHP father teaching you to drive.  He said, "Find a spot and get in it."  Which means you've got to be going close to 55 before you reach the end of the on ramp.

If you have the red light and want to turn right, stop first, look and then proceed when it's clear.  Do not roll through it and then look surprised when I don't or can't get out of your way.

Flicking your cigarette butt out your window.  Or throwing anything of of your car window.  This more than anything makes me want to shoot out your tires, then grab you by the neck and make you pick up the stupid trash and eat it.

My Dad also said that when you lose your temper you don't make anyone miserable except yourself.  I say that writing it all down makes me feel really good.  And then I feel sort of bad because none of it is really that bad, just sort of annoying.  Except for the trash part, that's bad, really, really bad.  And dangerous in fire country.

Good stuff:

Kisses from Dandy.

Really kind people, those that smile even when they are having a hard time.

A friend who texts R U OK?

Hugs from anyone, unless you're contagious, then back off, because it's only...

36 more days until I get to push that GIGANTIC stroller around.

Having my Dad and Mom stop in to say hi and check out the new deck.

Strapping on a gun belt and blowing holes in things.

A pile of pillows and a really warm comforter.

Smiles and tail wags from Bode.

Remembering this is my bug-a-boo time of year and being ok that my energy level is really low.

And a million other things,

Peaceful dreams.

Kitty girl loves the night

My Valentine present to myself, painted by Sheila Cameron.  Sheila has a unique and beautiful view of the world and how we individually see, experience and process it.  She spent years in the fast moving SoCal entertainment industry and now she lives with us in our small but rich corner in the woods.

This says so much to me on so many different levels, none that I can articulate.  I just knew I had to be able to look at it everyday.  Loving the night, a glowing heart, wildlife and flowers, transformation, love, gratitude, serenity, solitude, thankfulness, beauty, it's all there.

Peace

Deck update

So, the deck is getting it's deck, how cool is that?

Now we're planning the railings, which will be made of wire cattle panels.

And finally the steel beams will go up overhead, which will allow me to hang all sort of interesting things, lamps and string lights and whatnot.

And then the couch will come out, all ready for some star gazing.

It's much better than I thought, I'm so lucky.

Better pictures tomorrow.

Today was highlighted by doing some custom work for a really nice lady.  We discovered we both have had major life events that have changed us in good ways.  We celebrate waking each day to living our life on this incredible planet.  It's a good thing, being thankful for today, knowing that tomorrow is not guaranteed in our contract.

Peace

The Deck

Sounds sort of simple but this deck is going to expand and improve my life tremendously.  Our weather is so nice for the majority of the year this becomes another living space, one that is almost twice as big as my living room.  It will have room for a table and chairs and my big sectional outdoor couch.  I will be drinking my coffee out there in the morning and sitting around with girlfriends sipping wine and whatnot and stretching out to do some star watching late at night.  I think it will need a hammock too, why not sleep out there on warm nights?

Woot!

They call us Makers, people who make things.  Now I get to watch this Maker do his thing, crafting this great space from lumber, it's so much fun.

The old steps are torn off and the footings have been dug and poured.  Bode is helping by annointing everything new, gotta keep him away from the tools.  Dandy wants to help with whatever is in the lunchbox.

That fast the beams go up, way up, gotta have lots of space to put the metal pergola over top.

Peace

Busy Bee

ZZZZZZZZ!

Catching up on a million things that haven't gotten done while I was in Relationship Land or maybe I'm trying to occupy myself so I don't think about Relationship Land, you choose.

Either way, it's really good to get some things done, nothing too terribly exciting but little project victories are really gratifying.

I found a bunch of old picture frames, cleaned them up and painted them white, eventually they will become cork boards to hold gemstones.  It's so much fun to take a mismatched group of old things and unify them with paint.

I realize now that my studio has felt pretty dismal for the last year or two.  I was so lucky to have a fine and beautiful space in Minnesota.  I looked out big windows to lush green lawns stretching out to a thick and beautiful forest.  The flower beds were so wonderful, big, dense clumps of daylillies, iris of every color and masses of purple coneflowers, carpets of creeping phlox and sedum.  It was a heavenly place.  I would take my morning coffee and sit in the hot tub, watch the cardinals and other birds flit about.  The furry boys would hang out, sniff and chase the kitty around on the lawn.

Now the kitty lives in Texas, chasing her chicken friends.  The boys and I are here and up to now I haven't had a really appealing studio space.  I really liked working around a bunch of other artists but the space just wasn't what my head needed.

It needs to be beautiful.

I forgot that.  That's my first requirement for any project, the most important quality for anything that surrounds me.  Taking the time to make the space beautiful means my head is in the right place when I work.  The rest is easy and fun.

Peace

Fifty Thousand

Fifty Thousand page views coming up, with 2000 of them coming from other countries, thanks!

I'm in major transition right now, immersing myself in projects both planned and new.  I can't wait to get into my new studio though I'm almost afraid to actually sit down and work.  Of course, I don't have a chair to sit down on, the new bench is taller than I've had in the past, but that will be remedied soon.  I'm itching to tackle some enamel.  I'd like to add some color to my fine silver.  I wish I could just dip the silver earrings into molten glass.  And the flowers and twined silver vines will begin to expand.

The deck will progress tomorrow.  I'm such a Pollyanna sometimes.  The permit process sucks big time and everyone told me to forget it and just build without a permit.  I can't do that, especially since I spent so much time house hunting and saw so many houses with unpermitted improvements, it's just not worth it.  But I definitely understand why people say to hell with it.  The permit cost me over $700 dollars, with another $950 going to the Engineering company that did the site plan, which has to go in to the County for the permit approval.  WTF?  One Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty dollars for bureaucracy?  That's just crazy.

I'm going a bit Grandmother crazy, she's growing and changing everyday and I'm missing it.  I get pictures almost every day and the sweet knowledge that I'm being majorly appreciated makes me smile.  I thought they didn't need me anymore, it's nice to be wrong.

I was walking out of the market last night and couldn't believe how beautiful the night sky was, streaked with pink and yellow and orange blended with popcorn clouds.  The air was cool and clean and I smiled and thought how lucky I am.  For years and years I yearned to live here, to be a part of this foothill mountain community and now that I am here I rejoice every day.  It's ten times better than I ever imagined, so much a part of who and what I am.  Early morning cups of espresso, late night glimpses of starry sky peeking through tall trees, friends and art and laughing in between, it's all good.

Up ahead I start volunteer training at the Empire Mine, then blacksmith apprentice training after that.  I can't wait to get dirty and pound some metal.  Another trip to Texas.  Spring will come after that which will bring the farmers market and river swimming and all the great summer things.

It's good, peace to you and yours.

Winning...

My way through way too much.

Joy, intense, all consuming joy.

Too much thinking, about babies and daughters and sons and lovers,

Too many projects, traveling, and the holidays and tearing out and moving my old studio and creating a new studio space that both works and is beautiful, building projects inside and outside.  The big deck finally in progress, holes dug in the ground, anticipation of mornings outside with coffee.

Emotions, crying and laughing and wishing for more time.

Grief, leaving them in one way or another, waking up 2000 miles away and knowing that rubbing my lips on that soft head wasn't going to happen today.

Fear, is it even possible?  Can I?  It doesn't seem so but I keep hoping.

Planning for the future, a new gallery soon, ideas bubbling up, almost there, almost ready.

Security and comfort, gained any way I can, dogs with big soft ears on my lap easing the burning smell of an engine always running too fast.

Peace.