Well Done Senora Perez

Another Hope for Oklahoma Auction purchase I made was this soldered necklace by Charlotte Perez. I like to think of her watching the children that were lost.

Senor Perez filled a large box with goods.

 Unexpected. Welcome. Deeply beautiful...

This Mirror Mirror she could see in my house by this other Charlotte piece I have.

I love her so.

 

Thank you.

 

Besos.

 

Best Me?

Having just returned from Silver Bella with a mound of supplies and incomplete projects, I have happily been re-entering my non-Silver, non-Bella life. I have been organizing these posts in my head, how to combine them, what order, which swaps, classes, friends, vendor night... I have been looking through the blogs and seeing pictures of beautiful friends, happy creations, just the best Silver Bella ever!

 

But before I get on with all that, all the beauty, all the good, I have to start somewhere and that would be where I am. Where I so often seem to be.

I was not all happy! all the time! at this event. I did deeply enjoy the people (most of the people) and really did laugh and love, connected deeply on occasion. But mostly, I struggled. Struggled being with so many people, often in tight quarters. I was sensitive to things people said. I was driven wild by barely having elbow room, vintage scraps a'flyin'.

I was prickly and irritable. I looked at people laughing, happily creating and wondered, "what is wrong with me? I have such a great opportunity here, why am I all yucky?" I finally broke down to two poor ladies. I was actually complimenting on how precious they were together, happy as two peas on a pink pod. I cried trying to get that compliment out. It was the last class, a crowded room with bags and knees suffocating me. I packed up and left. I returned to my room and cried. I got out my supplies and I thought I am going finish one freaking project!

I had placed a tiny picture of my 3 year old self in a rhinestone circle with the words "best me" underneath. I gathered myself. I did what I do which is retreat, get alone, get quiet where I feel less crazy. I started to copper wrap my glass. Smooth it out. I had a conversation in my head about how this blog post would look. I would wait and write it when it became true, when I deserve an award for being my "best me."

Then it struck me. I am my best me. I actively work on all these feelings of anger, resentment, agitation. I eat well, exercise, rest my body, write in my gratitude journal, tell people I love them, create, and on and on. I confront my fears. I open my big mouth and tell people my damn truth and you don't have to like it. I am prickly. I hemorrhage, and rage monthly. I am irritable. Robin needs a big circle. I feel crazy. Sometimes I act crazy. I take care of people. When my own family doesn't even ask about my dying mother but strangers at Silver Bella do, I love them anyway. I shake and quake and cry and laugh.

This is it. I am my best me.

I am just not what I expected...

How A Hot Tool Releases Stress

We all need to focus on meditative tasks that bring us to our center, right? Especially in turmoil and stress we must. I must. I have been working on it and there are a few things that make me feel better. I tend to project to someday how nice a vacation would be. Someday I would love to have a margarita and sunshine and time.  But, someday rarely happens and today is the one that needs help. Someday is just fine out there all by itself, dreamy and tan. Today needs the lift.

One of the things I do to find some peace is make lists of what needs to be done. Making my list clears the circling, disorganized thoughts. Marking an item off the list pulls that pendulum a little more to the middle. The other thing which helps is busy hands. Busy, creative hands especially. I recently learned a new skill and it has been so comforting. It involves a hot tool my friends, one very hot tool....

In March, my twirly, sparkle Kim suggested I take a soldering class with her. We did a whirlwind road trip to Dallas to Heather Ales' Soldering Class. Heather really knows her way around a hot tool. She knows how to work it and how not to get burned. She taught us like the well trained Madam of the Tool she is. Here is my first piece.

Oh and there's Charlotte Perez, vital, vivacious, a bit of a vixen. Oh I like her...

Of course home, alone, I struggled. BUT the great thing about soldered charm making is there are many steps. It only takes a few minutes to sit down with the images and blade (oooh, a sharp tool) and make small collages. Time and energy have been so limited around here that my wee collages themselves have been such a respite. You can accomplish something really sweet in such a little time.

I have had three soldering sessions and have come up with these charms.

Here are a couple completed necklaces.

Here is my favorite. I have always been drawn to chairs. Perhaps I just like sitting but mostly it is about form, function and textile.

I used images of my old button cards for the back and some encouraging words meant to be worn against the skin.

I hope I have made Heather proud. I know I am.

Thanks for the new skill Heather, what a pleasure it is.

That's what she said...