Be Amazing....

Amazing.... my favorite word.

Be Amazing. Even better. There is a special place in my heart for those who reach out across the plains of the universe and take hold of that which is greater than themselves. They take risks so dangerous that many on the sidelines gasp! This is life. This day is the only day like it. You can not re-live it, you cannot take it back and you can not change this day. It is what it is.... but yes, tomorrow is a new day.... and tomorrow can be anything you want it to be.

Take pleasure in this day. Fill it up like a cardboard box with anything you like and imagine that you are the star of the show, the queen of the night, and the hero in your own happy ending. I find that those who shoot for the snow covered caps reach heights far beyond they ever imagined even if they do not reach the stars. This is the brilliance that only you can offer and only you can bring....

There is something so special about the New Year! It is a chance to be anything you want to be.... to imagine the wonderous possibilities. Take ownership of this year! It is the most amazing gift I can offer for when you own it, you control it. You can determine the course of this year and where it will take you.

So though many of us have felt the cold set grip of fear this last year I beg each of you to release it. Let it go and capture something true to who you are. Realize that your deepest and darkest fear..... aknowledge it's strength and it's ability to change the course of your life.... then realize it as a change in direction and not the end of a universe. Let go of that which holds you in bonds and remember that being safe rarely brings the pleasure of an unexpected adventure.

There is no place you cannot go, no person you cannot be, no dream you cannot imagine..... you may have to work for it....... but it is there waiting for you to realize it.

Xo and Happy Twenty Ten!
From the one that believes in you!

The Board

Adapting the Vision Board...


I had a friend introduce me the concept of a vision board a couple of years ago. You create a board using magazines, articles, whatever you want to idealize where you want to be. I loved the idea and went out and purchased this board for the studio.


My board however has adapted over the last couple of years to something I find truly useful. I use the board to develop new work. The actual bulletin portion of the board is where I tack up work that is in progress. I put anything up that has not been finalized whether it is a piece that I like but have not finished, an idea I like but have not fully explored, a piece that is missing a component, or even things that I have finished but have not decided if they will work within my permanent collection.


The white board is always a mess. I use this side for renderings of ideas that have not yet been fabricated in metal, items I need to order, appointments or things I need to do, and of course whatever current mantra I am working within.


This board has really taken on a life of it's own and has really helped me to build on what is missing. I am a visual person so having these pieces up where I can view them while I work helps. I am able to problem solve throughout the day and in a relaxed atmosphere. It seems everything is able to come together in it's own time and nothing is forgotten. I have also begun using the board to put up the finished collection as well. I can immediately see if there is a missing hole that needs to be filled or if there is a piece not getting along with the others.


I thought I would share the idea because it has become such an important tool in my studio.

Restocking....

Restocking...

So Christmas is just a few days away and November and most of December just flew by. I always forget how hectic this time of year is and how quickly time escapes me. The days flew by as I filled Christmas orders and stocked the shelves of retailers carrying my work.

I always look forward to the months following Christmas, as this is time spent working at a peaceful and steady pace. I enjoy my work most with a little pressure but without the anxiety of more to do in less time than I can do it in. I find that I get a perfect rhythm going when I work steadily and I enjoy each stage; cutting, forming, soldering, filing, sanding... it becomes a dance.

I spent the last three months researching my new designs and am so pleased with the new pieces that will begin rolling out in January. Each has gone through every step of the design stage and has been perfected. There is an ease that comes after this stage and you move from research and development to implementation. I am so excited but just like last year, I plan to begin these steps much earlier next year.

I am always surprised by how quickly the year rolls by when you gauge its progress by shows, holidays, and seasonal market changes.