I have a passion for jewellery, blown & vintage glass, books, travel,
the list goes on and on…
Recently, I had to suspend my efforts at designing
jewellery. My Mother's health has rapidly deteriorated (severe Alzheimers
disease) and we had to move her into a new home where she will receive
appropriate care. That whole process involved countless consultations, phone
calls, correspondence, doctor evaluations and lots of stress. In my case, this
process lasted only 7 months, but I have heard horror stories about other families
spending up to 2 years or more to make things right.
Before I decided to return to designing more jewellery
pieces, I decided (again!) to renew my efforts to try and get "my house in
order". Not just the jewellery components stored in my home and in my
garage, I mean cleaning and editing everything in every room. Whew! My daughter
made a comment the other day that I have been cleaning my house since she was
10 (and she is now 30 years old and a new mother). Twenty years may
seem like a long time, but I find that I am still hard at work trying to get “my
house in order”.
So, the last thing a recovering hoarder like me needs, is even
more issues and "stuff" to deal with. I know how important
it is to take action to reduce stress (like meditation), but I also realize that it is just as
important to devote some of my time and effort to doing something that is
creative. Designing jewellery makes me feel good, provides me with a sense of
accomplishment and I find that it is also helps me to reduce my stress level. How
great is that! Performing this one activity gives me 3 benefits.
I love making jewellery because it provides me with a
challenge, provides me with opportunities to learn new things and because it helps
replace my stressful worries with happy and creative ideas. I love to learn and
I am always trying new techniques.
In my next few blog entries, I thought it might be fun to
record what it is like when I am designing and making new pieces of jewellery.
This will likely take more than a few weeks, since I wish to share as much of
the process as I can with you.
My jewellery can take many forms. I like using pearls,
crystals, gemstones, beach stones, metal, driftwood, bone, ... you get the idea. I may design pieces based on tribal influences, or I
may design a period piece that evolves the Roaring Twenties, or perhaps something
that is simple and elegant that would remind you of someone like Audrey Hepburn.
Some jewellery pieces may look like I just walked down an
alley or down a beach and picked up pieces of "stuff" that spoke to
me. Sometimes I spend hours poring over beads and components in a very well
stocked bead shop like K & S Jewellery in New York because I am just looking for an
inspiration. At other times I simply get out my tools and design my own components.
My jewellery may contain found objects, ready-made items or unique
components that I make myself using silver, copper, bronze, glass, wood and
clay. Usually my creations are developed organically, almost as if by trial and
error. I am definitely not someone who fabricates jewellery, based on using a
ready-made kit, where I just follow instructions that someone gave to me.
I sometimes favor a design criteria that seems to be in
excess. Some of us believe that if a little is good, then more is better. But I
may have to work on restraining that urge in me. Using lots of large and colorful beads
may be good, but so is the idea of using fewer components that are smaller, intricate
and more delicate.
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More To Come...... -
