Cannot Think......

my daughter is outside on the patio singing her lungs out and I can't think. All day it's been 'don't do this/don't do that/if you do that again......' I'm a bit over it.

And she's only got 2 more days of Kindy left this year, then it's home every day for 6 weeks. I'm still not feeling great (will elaborate another time about that). We have an inspection tomorrow :(  So a few things to get done for that. I haven't really spent much time at the bench lately either. Still think about it every spare moment, but I haven't the get up and go right now. Though I did get a cuff finished this week! In my Etsy store :)

I have about another 8 lovely new labradorites that I'm looking forward to using. Has to be one of my fave stones. 

Today I got out to the bench, I've nearly finished a bracelet and I'm working on a couple of other pendants. It would be nice if I could just work in there for a few straight hours with no distractions ... maybe Friday :)

Last week I purchased a quick release hand piece for my flex shaft. I can't wait to get it working as it's going to make things a lot easier for me. 

It was our 11th wedding anniversary on the 1st of Dec and hubby chipped in to buy me this chair I just absolutely HAD to have lol

 

I didn't have my normal lens on, only the macro, so I couldn't get a full shot of it, but it's a sofa and it's absolutely stunning and I love it! Been looking for something like this for a very very long time.

Also I'm working on getting a new logo done for my jewellery. But trying to chose something is a nightmare for me haha ... if you want to see what I'm choosing from, head over to my facebook page and you can give me your opinion. 

Going to love you and leave you here :)

Em ♥

Wasting opportune time....

That's what I have done today. 

I took my daughter to her nan's for the day and I came back home and did ..... absolutely nothing. 

Actually I lie, I did do something. I lay on the couch and slept for over an hour.

Not something I ever normally do.

But I've been under the weather for a while now.

My brain is constantly on jewellery making. Constantly.

And I did intend on making something today, but just never got motivated.

I am SO motivated mentally. But so NOT motivated physically.

Nevermind.

Here are a few rings that I spoke about last post that I got finished and listed this week:

♥ SOLD ♥

Natural Garnet Druzy Size 7US

Laguna Lace Agate Size 7.25US

I have some new wires in to make a few cuffs and some wire to try my hand at making my own chain. I also really want to have a go at Etching. I've all the equipment now, though I'm not really sure on what I'm doing.

The year is almost at it's end. 

I'm almost at 100 sales.

I hope I can reach that before the new year!

Em ♥

Picked up.

I have picked myself up since my last post.

Still feel somewhat the same, but it resides at the back of my mind as I push on doing what I enjoy.

I am enjoying making rings at the moment.

This is the latest one I have made:

And I am working on 3 other rings.

Below are some pendants I have made:

And I finally made another Silhouette lady:

♥ SOLD ♥

All those pieces above will be available in my Etsy store sometime towards the end of this week. I think I will try and finish my other rings first.

I have been feeling a bit sick lately, so that hasn't been helping me get to the bench. New stones have arrived - Jaspers, Labradorites and Birdseye Rhyolite. I am focusing on making simple settings at the moment, at least until my creative flow comes back. It's hard to come up with new designs all of the time, but to still keep with your 'look' if you know what I mean???

Think I will sign off here and go get started on finishing those rings :)

Till next time 

Em ♥

....

I've left my title blank. 

I guess it resembles how I'm feeling at the moment.

There is so much to be done.

Knowing where to start is the hard part. Though usually I'm a list writer, I'm uncertain if a list will help me get organised right now, but it's worth a try.

It is 3 years at the end of this month, that I have been working with metal.

In celebration, I am having a 30% off sale through my entire Shop

to thank you for your support!

So back to why I'm feeling blank.

It's been 3 years since I taught myself to solder and quite frankly, I don't feel I have come far enough in that time. 

Obviously I've had other commitments.

I.e. my daughter.

She and her learning/growing/happiness/wellbeing comes well before mine.

Right now she has a question for everything, possibly in the realm of 150+ a day.

I know there are many other mothers out there who juggle a hobby/business and a family  (who have more than 1 child) and I don't know how they do it.

But can I have some of what you're having??!!!

I spend far too much time comparing my work to others and my skills to theirs and instead of getting over it/past it or doing something about it, I get despondent and critical.

Constantly saying to myself 'I wish I could do that '. 

or 'why can't I do that '

or 'they do that so much better than me'

This, as I'm sure you are aware, gets you nowhere.

I know this.

So why do I do it to myself?

I don't know.

I'm going to vacuum the house .......

and do the mopping too ...

 

So to cut a long story short. 

I know deep down how fortunate I am to have the means to make anything at all, let alone to whinge about it.

This stump I'm tripping over, I will eventually be able to jump.

It just would be nice to not go through this all the time.

It stunts my creativity.

It stunts the joy I get from creating, which is ultimately why I make things in the first place. It gives me incredible joy.

Mine is not the first post of this kind. 

I've read many like it over the years.

It's a common feeling many seem to go through.

Which is a small comfort.

My next post will be more positive.

I'll make sure of that.

Em ♥

Winters End.

It's lunch time and the last day of Winter :(

As I've been sitting here reading blog posts and oxidizing metal, I can't help but notice the birds are extra vocal. I haven't noticed it before, so I wonder if it's to do with the fact that tomorrow brings the first day of Spring.....or have I just been too busy to notice their constant chatter?

I am on my last sliver of silver.

My scrap has been sent off.

I have 2 pieces waiting to be polished and set. 

And I just had my 90th sale in my Etsy shop ♥

It may not sound like much. But when you consider that I hardly ever have more than 30 pieces in my shop at a time, it's a great achievement for me and I'm thrilled.

Whenever I am down to my last little piece of silver, I find I stumble and my ideas disappear. I know it will be a few weeks before my scrap returns some sheet to me, though I could just buy some .... I want to hold off ... but then again I don't want to be without sheet ...

I am stone hunting again. Though I really shouldn't be. But I look over my stash and feel bored with what I see. Stones I once couldn't wait to get my hands on and create with, stones that cost a small fortune. I wonder if this is why so many of us have such a huge stash of stones? Perhaps I should forbid myself from looking, hence to stop temptation. Honestly though, I don't buy that many stones, I spend a lot more of my time looking, than I do spending any actual money.

Here are a few things I have made lately:

The cuff is the first of it's kind I have made.  A little inspired by Amy who has been making lots of them lately. The stone is #8 Mine Turquoise and I have been pondering over what to make with it for months and finally I used it. 

Last week I had made a nice simple setting for a HUGE round labradorite stone. One of the ones I had to have ground down to flatten. It took a long time figuring out how it was going to be set, so it would be at it's best 'flashing' angle. Finally I sat down to set it and it not only wouldn't fit in - but it broke! I think somewhere along the soldering line, the bezel had gotten out of shape. It was only 1mm(ish) off. And I think perhaps because the stone had been ground down - that maybe it had been weakened - as it seemed to have broken on a fracture line. It was a small little crumb that broke off ... but enough to stop me from wanting to set it. 

I might see if I can't grind it down all the way around and reset it some day. But oh what a disappointing day that was. I was so excited to be setting it too :(

Well I am getting peckish, so I will head off to make lunch and finish some jewellery. I hope you are all having a lovely week so far :)

Em ♥