Bon Voyage

Making Room for Making Art is on it's way.  Or, rather, it should be arriving at it's next destination today as I sent it to Kim, the Queen of Arts herself, two days ago.

Now, I'll admit, I didn't read the whole book.  Just the parts I felt were pertinent to me.  It gave me a lot to think about.

Right now, making room for my art is not so much of a problem as I only work 40 hours a week or so.  However, in about a week and a half, school starts, so I'll be working 40 hours a week plus going to school full time.  I'm not going to lie.  It'll be tough, but I think I can pull it off. :)

Thank you to Jamie for turning a giveaway into a traveling gift for many rather than just one.

Let's try this again...

Ok, I'll admit it, I've been slacking off in the blog posting department.  Life seems like it's been especially busy for me this summer.  Yes, I'm working, but less hours than I was before I lost my job this time last year.  I guess you could say I've been a little preoccupied... with school, with marriage... with art.

I've already revealed my discovery of ATC's and Swap-bot.  I'm thoroughly addicted.  I've posted a few more pics on flickr.  I say I'm addicted, but I haven't made all that many.  My problem is, I think, that I'm not sure where to start a lot of times.  I see things that I like, and that I'd like to emulate, but I have so many thoughts and ideas bouncing around in my head that I have trouble starting.  Unless I'm prompted, that is.  Most of the ones I have completed have been the result of swap prompts.So... if anyone wants to offer up any ideas to get me going, my poor concentration would thank you.

On to other things.  First, I have no offering for the month of July to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks.  I haven't even started, really.  I know what I'm going to do, but I think I'm afraid to start.  I just know that if it doesn't come out as I hope, I'll be heart-broken..Hopefully, it'll turn out fantastically.  That being said, Lisa's sketchbook is on its way to Stephanie with a page missing.  July will play catch-up.

Now, maybe a month or so ago, I received in the mail the Traveling Book, which has it's own Sisterhood.  It came to me from Teresa of Poppy Place Pdx.  I had started reading the book, "Making Room for Making Art," but then I got sucked in to my own art that I had trouble making room for reading this great book.  I'm back on track now, and before school starts next month, it's be on it's way.

Finally, the Bead Soup Blog Party.  I had debated briefly about participating this time, but then I thought, "Who am I kidding?"  Of course I'm going to participate!  If you make any jewelry at all and are interested, check out Lori Anderson's blog Pretty Things for more info.  Sign-ups are August 1-3.  It's really fun.  I highly encourage any fellow beaders out there to consider it.

It's that time again...

Just a short note.. I'll elaborate later on... Or, if you're the impatient type like I am, click the "Bead Soup Blog Party" tab :)

It's that time again...  Time for the Bead Soup Blog Party, created and hosted by Lori Anderson of Pretty Things!  Soooo exciting!  This'll be my second.  Sign-ups are from August 1st-3rd, with the party itself being on September 17th.  All you jewelry makers out there should definitely check it out... that is, if you don't already know about it ;)

M.I.A. Once Again

It's been a little while since I posted last.  I've had a lot on my plate so to speak.  The biggest thing is work.  My job that I've had for nearly 3 months now takes up a lot of my time.  Plus, I've discovered a new web site, a new obsession, and a new (to me anyway) art form.

The web site is called Swap-Bot and it is my newest obsession.  The gist of it is, you sign up for swaps that interest you.  Swap-bot then randomly assigns you a partner.  Based on the parameters of the swap, you will be sending a package of some sort to your partner.  In return, you will receive a package from whomever was assigned to send to you.  It's quite addicting, but you get to collect things from different parts of the world.

Because of Swap-bot, I have become enamored with Artist Trading Cards.  I have not made very many, but the idea appeals to me - working with such a small space.  It's less intimidating when trying something new.  I'm trying to take pics and post them on Flickr, but so far I only have 2 uploaded.

Finally, I've joined the EtsyBloggers Team on Etsy.  I hope that this will goad me in to posting more often.

2011 NC Maker Faire

This past Saturday I participated in the 2011 North Carolina Maker Faire as part of a group called Triangle Jewelry Makers.  What the Maker Faire is, is an opportunity and venue for "Makers" to demonstrate and show off their craft - whether it be hand made jewelry, "yarn" spun from paper, or fighting robots.  It was tons of fun.  There were lots of activities for kids and adults alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed demonstrating the things I made.  Plus, it was a tremendous confidence booster.  I tend to be self-conscious around other jewelry makers that have been doing it longer, or do something different, but today steered me away from that a little.

Like I said, it was tons of fun.  I hope there's one next year.

Another AWESOME Giveaway...

from Lori at Pretty Things!  She brought home tons of loot from the Bead & Button show and is lookin' to share, so check it out!

Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks - June 2011

Well.. June's not even halfway over yet, and I'm ready to reveal my contribution to Andrea's sketchbook.  For me, June is all about strength... all because one Saturday 6 years ago, I learned that I can climb mountains.

See, six years ago, I was a geology student at North Carolina State University.  The very last requirement for graduation was a 5 week field camp in New Mexico and New York.

My sketchbook spread contains the "Reader's Digest" version of my trip.

Of Proud Moments and Lessons Learned

See, I've never been one with much physical strength...

flat feet, bad knees and tendonitis-weakened shoulders saw to that...

However... in the summer of 2005, I proved to myself that I was stronger than I thought...

in more ways than one.

I took a trip that summer.. a field trip for school.

Myself and 14 others, along with our professor and his assistant, left Raleigh, NC, EARLY one May morning.

Two and a half days later, we were 5 states away and 7000' higher than home ina tiny town called

Abiquiu, New Mexico.

We hiked relentlessly for three weeks over varying terrain - 

hills, arroyos, rock faces, open land.

It was NOT easy.  It was hard WORK, and more than once I wanted to quit.

And then there was Pedernal.

Cerro Pedernal is a beautiful, distinctively shaped mountain that we could see from our campsite.

It seemed to be calling to us - to me.

So we climbed it.

All the way to the top at an elevation of 9862 feet.

The going was rough - STEEP hills with sharp switch-back turns.

Then a ten foot climb with the help of my classmates and

I WAS THERE!

I DID IT! I CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN!

Looking down at the landscape nearly 3000' below, I realized that I'm much

STRONGER

than I had given myself credit for

- mentally and physically -

The mountain in my drawing is Cerro Pedernal

- my mountain -

My source of strength when things get tough.

If I can climb a mountain, I can do 

ANYTHING

You may notice that my drawing is creased.  What I have done, rather than try and reproduce it in Andrea's book, is to make it a fold-out by gluing it to the page.  This creates a pocket in which my sistahs will find photographs of Cerro Pedernal in real life.  All but one were taken by me. This one wasn't...

My and 2 of my classmates.. I'm the one in the middle : )