Two is easier than one.....

I can't tell you how many times I have heard my friends say that two children are easier than one. The common conception is that they can keep eachother entertained thus freeing up valuable time for the parents. Well, my husband and I adopted Kai, a beautiful English lab, about a year ago. He was wonderful! Sweet, playful, beautiful, easy to train..... and loved to be as close as possible to his mama (me) at all times! Well, as much as I adore Kai, it got pretty difficult to get work done. He would sit at my bench and whimper and whine until I stopped and amused him with a squeaky toy, a ball of yarn, a good stick.....

When Kai turned about six months old my husband and I got to thinking..... if two children are easier than one then two dogs must be easier still......

Well, the thing they don't tell you is that when you are blessed enough to have that perfect child the first time, don't tempt fate!!!! Stop there!!! Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00, just thank your lucky stars!!!

My husband and I adopted Maya from the Atlanta Dog Squad about six months ago and as sweet and lovable as she is; She is a handfull of Trouble!!!! Every problem that we never had with Kai, we have had with our darling Maya. She jumps on strangers, chews up furniture, farts out loud and in public, chases the cats, steals items off counters and tables.... need I go on?

Don't worry, we adore her and she knows it..... but we were thinking.... perhaps if we adopted another dog it could train Maya for us.... what do you think?

It's All About Texture

A friend of mine loaned me her rolling mill a few months ago and believe it or not I've barely used it! I decided that this year I really wanted to experiment with creating texture using the rolling mill. I have always added a lot of texture to my work but have rarely used the rolling mill to do so. In my quest to find ways to fabricate beautiful jewelry but also to increase production so I can expand my business I find that this has been a real mistake. This is one of the first pieces I fabricated using the rolling mill to add texture. I crumpled up an old paper Starbucks bag and rolled the metal through with it. You can actually see some of the creases in the metal from the paper. It's interesting to me how an old crumpled up paper bag can add so much visual stimulation to what would otherwise be a boring ring. It really completes this particular piece. My studio mate, MG, is going to bring me a whole slew of different papers and I can't wait to play with them. I think I will create a sample board with the papers and a small metal chip so I will know how to acchieve what I want in the future.

2008

At the top of my list of things to do for 2008 is to create and maintain a blog. This has been difficult for me though I have no idea why. As someone who has never had trouble writing, I have found that I really have a lot of trouble writing about myself and my work. It's difficult to know how writing in a blog contributes to the heavy flow of traffic on the world wide web. However, as this is something I feel is important for any indie artist, I will struggle on.

I often use words in my jewelry and try to find ways to inspire women in a positive and constructive manner. As I have found it so important to find the strength to live the life I want to lead I feel it's equally important to help others strive to find the same perfection (not that I am perfect)! My goal in life is to find a balance between pleasure and work. My mother has told me many times in the past not to forget to enjoy the journey. I finally heard her and realized that if I didn't start living my dream NOW, I never would. It's so easy to let each day slip by and think to yourself that you will begin that new project or take that new class tomorrow...... However, there is always a new to do list and responsibilities tend to grow rather than shrink. If not now then when?

I hope to share a little bit about my thoughts and my work and perhaps find a way to share my experience with other indie artists and lover's of the arts. How often do we get to know one another really?

Words of the Day: She who seeks to find happiness must begin her quest within.