Aaaaaagh! My Arm!!!!

There are at least a million ways to avoid housework, and the studio isn't always where I feel like screwing around. Case in point: after agreeing to lend a hand face-painting at the elementary school's costume-sale fundraiser, I got tired of bats and pumpkins. Started craving something a little creepier. Went to town on myself. Not until I got home!! Too much for the under 10 set, at least, according to the school's Halloween rules (no blood! no weapons! no wounds!!)... I am ashamed to admit I got the ulna and radius reversed, though. So close!!!

More Little Shiny Things

... little earrings for my friend Kristin, which she requested after seeing the ring for my niece on FaceBook... so there IS a use for FaceBook besides wasting time-!

Also finally got a memento mori made for my nephew (containing my brother's ashes). I like the embedded iron wavelength- trying to suggest to the young guy that his uncle might remind him to be strong if for no other reason than that he is lucky enough to still be around...

Looking back & forward...

The studio has been lonely- missing me!- for the last couple weeks! Thank god for my trusty "student" Sasha, who gets me out there for at least a couple hours at least once a week... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have been getting really involved in my running (a race this weekend went brilliantly) and some amazing coaching opportunities that have developed, so the marks I've made recently have all been dusty footprints and sweat stains. Fair enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I am today looking back at where I've been going and want to post a few pictures of the pendants I've been making for moms. Instead of the stamped kid's name on a disc (that you see everywhere-) I'm creating symbols based on
the meanings and root words of the names, and
incorporating them into an heirloom piece for the
mom to wear. I absolutely love the research
part, and since the design is up to me the
process is up to me, which makes D a happy
metalsmith. Still working on a website to focus
on this service exclusively... for now, though, you can visit
my ugly but functional Artfire studio to read the stories and
names behind these pieces:
www.artfire.com/users/DeannaWebster
(look under the "Gallery" tab~)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Forgive me the really weird set-up of these posts and pictures... this website gives me fits when it comes to controlling how posts will look- I do my best!

What I'm Wearing...

I posted below a few of my favorite pieces I made for myself in the last year or so... a necklace that speaks of the things we pray for (maybe, growth-equality-inspiration-perspective-healing... or whatever you see there)... the river ring... and process marks tablet ring...

Just keep breathing...

It has been a CRAZY week. Sometimes it's just impossible to make time for yourself. I managed to make time for my niece, who quit smoking just a few weeks ago. I told her if she made it to a month I'd make her a ring... of course she was successful! The ring is in the mail as I write so I haven't heard yet how much she loves it... but I will :) There is an inscription on the ring shank that reads " breathe * bloom "

Motivation

Amazing how easy it is sometimes to go into the studio and bang something out... literally. Not invent something amazing and new... but still. It will bring a smile to a friend. EWOP= Everything's Working Out Perfectly
(fine silver pierced cuff)

One Step Forward...

I did it! I made another mark!! Have also been working on a FaceBook "Page" (which is for your business, as opposed to social networking-) to launch with all this other stuff, but running in circles trying to figure out... ummm... once I made it, where did it GO? Could not find the thing!! A brainstorming session with friend Tawsha yielded success and now we BOTH can find our Pages... it's progress!!!
So. A shout-out to the ladies who keep me afloat and inspire me with their determination and beauty... Deb @ www.coloradoaerial.com and Tawsha @ www.mybigdayplanner.com ~ We're doing it!!
And now... time to go DO something in the studio...!!

First Entry!!

...a big night... spent more hours than I want to admit finally getting something up as a website, a place to post photos of recent work (made in the last year counts as "recent", right??) so that someone might be able to buy them, and I might be encouraged to make more... I feel strangely unhappy!!! I should be psyched! I should feel proud! I am well aware that this awful feeling is part of an old pattern I am done with! And so I am posting a blog, publishing a webpage, and refusing to let perfectionism stop me cold. I am finally, finally, beginning to be happy with the metal things I make. I love the process marks... still getting used to loving the process in other aspects of my life...
Ah, well!! Check it out... http://www.artfire.com/users/DeannaWebster