back to inspiration

ok, third time's the charm! i've started this entry two previous times, and let's just say i'm having a bit of technical difficulties...i spent a deliciously solitary day at the flea market last saturday instead of feeling sorry for myself that my husband had to work and i hadn't taken the time to see if anyone could come out and play. i've been trying to take a small break from incessantly stressing over promoting the shop by searching out some inspiration for new creations. i had a bit of success with the sewn-paper greeting cards, but am still waiting on the big breakthrough for my main creative outlet, which is jewelry. i've started to feel that my items for sale are a little bland, and much less one-of-a-kind than the ones i make and end up keeping fo myself, so i thought a search through the crazy mix of junk and treasure would be a good, wide-open start. the weather was fabulous, and it was a great day.

i started out by eating a hugemongous apple, sustenance for the shopping ahead...

there were lovely quilts and worn, weathered furniture,

and i searched through literally trailers full of incredibly cool wrought iron pieces from one of my favorite vendors.

as you can imagine, i spent forever trying to decide which strands out of this sea of beads needed to come home with me (they were all a temptation) and actually gave my business card to two ladies i'd been chatting with about jewelry construction.

in the end, here's what i came away with... my $20 haul!

the flowers are sitting outside on our new picnic table, the wrought iron cross is hanging near the woodpile, the three wrought iron hooks are going to be made into an entryway key catcher, and i chose a strand of minty-green sesame jasper and one of really beautiful darker green pearls.

completely by accident and in a moment of self-pity that i needed some focus and direction for my creativity, i stumbled upon the last 15 minutes of a midnight madness at our local a.c. moore. since everything would be 25% off, i picked up some new supplies in a mad flurry. i actually tend to make better decisions through this method of selection since i don't have time to agonize over every purchase and second-guess whether or not i really like it... it's sink or swim, live or die, love or hate shopping, and i always end up with the best stuff this way (it works well for shopping for clothes too, which is a whole other monster). i discovered, and stocked up on, a lovely new stone that i've never heard of called hami jasper. it's a beautiful dusty aquamarine color, with swirls of sandy taupe. i searched for pictures of it, but this is the best i could do. it's gorgeous though, and i've already used some of it to revamp an old necklace. i may have to go back and get some more, even if only to stockpile it like i do with all of the ingredients i have that are just too pretty to use. the other great discovery of that trip was the latest issue of belle armoire jewelry... some of their stuff can get a little too unwearably funky and ornate, but it was really interesting to read about some of the artists and their artistic process. i know it may take time to really develop a "voice" in the things i make by hand, but it's nice to hear that everybody who creates starts out completely unsure of themselves, and some can end up featured in this really cool magazine inspiring others.

though completely unrelated... i found out today that i will finally have to have my wisdom teeth removed, as one has completely broken apart. i'm actually relieved, because visions of root canals and crowns were dancing in my head, taunting the really irrational anxiety i always have when it comes to dental work of any kind. i've been stressing over it for the entire week since it broke, and it sounds strange, but i was so glad to hear they could just remove them and i wouldn't have to worry about fixing them at all... never thought i'd be glad to hear the words "tooth extraction" but i definitely was. i was so flooded with relief, i came straight home and took a nap (i'd taken the day off work because i thought i'd be going through hours of drilling and numb cheeks). it will be great to have an excuse to sit on the couch all weekend watching movies, eating nothing but mashed potatoes and smoothies, and taking top-shelf painkillers... all with a legitimate excuse. yessssss. i'm thinking of getting one of these little cuties to commemorate the occasion. may actually wear it right into surgery. i'm also intruigued by tooth soap.

all that to say, i'm exhausted from my "day off" and ready for a good night's sleep. stay tuned for my mother of all wishlists for crafting materials (someone found a new online shop, methinks) and perhaps a photo or two of a super special necklace i have in mind to make my mom for upcoming mother's day.