Claiming the title of Artist

I love to make pretty things, (yeah I know, eye of the beholder and all that) I also love jewelry thats been made by someone, a craftsperson, an artist, yeah like ME. I hereby claim the distinction of ARTIST for myself. I am full of myself today, GOOD!

My work is original, maybe a bit raw for some, but it's beautiful, and I love it. All of the pieces are one of a kind, even if I tried to duplicate it, I dont think I could, as they all seem to shape themselves. Some of the work is rough around the edges, but it speaks to me that way.

The whole process is incredible-from choosing the wire / sheet/clay, sawing, bending, forging, drilling, polishing, torching, patina-ing or not and adding beads or some other touch to make it flash.

It's amazing to me that because I make it myself, it's termed 'costume' by so many people. As if unless it comes from Mayors or Zales it doesnt rate as real. The work is precious metals, semi and precious stones, loved and labored over. I am not a costumer, I'm an (dare I say it again?) ARTIST!! So that makes it ART Jewelry.

My blog pal Nic has the same issue, she had a great run in with a Dentist, who said that her (dentist) work was technical, inferring that Nic's work required no great skill. If that was so, then why was said dentist insisting Nic re-open her shop, if it doesnt require skill, could she not have done it her own dentisty self? with all her technical know how? By the way, Nic is an incredible prolific jewelry ARTIST (http://www.muranosilver.etsy.com/)

My nails look like I've never had a manicure, my hands are sore and not without cuts and scars, but I get to make lovely things

I was playing around this weekend with some beach glass I found, and made a couple of lovely dangles, the idea worked, just needs some refining...so it's off to get some more bezel wire....I know, I know...any excuse ;-) pics of the new ART soon. Boy that feels good to say that.

Love- Me

The Fib

This is Evan with my brothers dog, MTWD (Myer the Wonder Dog) a few months ago.
My son told his first real fib. He & I were in Toys R Us (arrrgh!) and his eyes fell upon a Sigma Six Delta Force Duke with all the accompanying flamethrower, saw, and laser attachements for the gun (which was as big as the action figure) I mean this thing is the Mac Daddy of GI Joe guys. Evan is COMPLETELY into GI Joe, Completely. We discussed it and decided it was not appropriate for him at this point, and that we would revisit it later.

Well, he went shopping with Nee Nee, and she bought it for his birthday (April). I find out later that She had asked him if he & I had discussed it, he had told her "I dont remember".
Well..........I know he remembers, this child remembers everything.

So Nee Nee returned it, and when I went to get him at school yesterday, he comes flying out the door, chattering up and down about this GI Joe. Sigh. I let him finish, then we sat down on a bench, and
I said- softly and with my arm around him "Did you tell Nee Nee you didnt remember if you & I had talked about it?"

He said- softly "Yes"

Me "Do you remember talking to me about it?"

Him - lip quivering "Yes"

Me- heart breaking "So did you fib to Nee Nee?"

Him- tears falling "Yes"

Me -trying not to cry "I asked Nee Nee to take the GI Joe back to the store, you told a fib my love, and there is a consequence to that, I'm sorry baby"

Him- crying "I'm sorry Mama, but I really really really wanted it"

Me- crying too and hugging him " I know baby, but if you had come to me and we had talked about it again, it may have been different, we dont fib, But I am so very very proud of you for telling me the truth even though I think you knew what was going to happen- We will talk about it again after your birthday, OK?"

Him- still leaking-" OK Mama, thank you for still wanting to talk to me about it, you're a good Mama"

Me- also still leaking- " And you are the best-est boy"

So the damn thing is in my office (its being discontinued) waiting for a possibly appropriate time to give it to him AFTER his birthday. Sigh........

Today I am grateful that love can be so strong, for tears and lessons hard learned, and for my Mom who taught me how to be strong.

A Necklace

I like this piece. It was my first PMC 'construction'. When I first did the patina, it was blue & purple, reminded me of the bubbles when you are snorkeling or diving in the Keys. Now it looks like snorkeling or diving in Lake Okeechobee-LOL. I still like it.

Almost the weekend

This is my sweetie. He has grown 2 inches in the last four or five weeks, he has not stopped eating in the same amount of time. And-most exciting of all (drum roll-please) he has his first loose tooth, which has been hanging on for 5 weeks, the other one is already coming in behind the loose one, Dentist says he will probably have a shark tooth for awhile.

His smile just lights up everything around him.

I'm jealous today (not really, just a teensy bit), he had no school, so he was with Nee Nee this morning and with Daddy this afternoon, and I'm here blogging about it, isnt that productive? Actually, he & daddy are at the pet store, they just called wanting to know what brand of dog food to get for Ria the moose-dog.

The pet store is dangerous.........Please please dont let them bring home another creature....... we have Ria-a 75lb Yellow lab (moose dog) Arthur-a 7lb siamese cat and 4 turtles all named 'Tabby the Hamster'. Evan named them after a hamster he had in a toddler class at Montessori about 3 years ago.

Evan is dying to get another dog, a smaller one, and another cat, so that Arthur wont be lonely in the daytime. Do I need a livestock license to have any more critters?

Have a wonderful weekend, I know I will.

Today, I am grateful that Nic reads my blog and for her funny and wise comments. Also for my terrific mom and tangerines

Howard Ikemoto

"When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college- that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared back at me, incredulous, and said, "You mean they forget?"
~ Howard Ikemoto


Yes I guess we do. We forget to be joyful and unashamed and free in our expression of creativity, whatever form it takes.

My son makes the greatest drawings, he is free and intent and full of purpose, and sometimes when he tells me the story of a drawing in our semi weekly kitchen floor art shows, he cant remember what it was originally and invents a new story to go with his vision. He's the real artist, I learn so much from him, every day- so maybe the pendant I envisioned when I started a pmc project didnt come out the way I expected, I have learned to give it another story. How cool is that?

Will's New Car

Been away a few days from posting, had other stuff to catch up on, yucky stuff like taxes, shredding old documents, grocery shopping- dont worry, it's not like I actually caught up on my laundry or finished that sterling bracelet (it's looking good though) or anything.

My husband is a 'road warrior' for a high end cutting edge technology company, and goes through cars like Evan goes through shoes-well, maybe I am exaggerating a little- anyway we had to go and do one of the things I like the absolute least in this world...buy a car. Dont you just cringe thinking about it?

I dont know why I dislike it so much, I seem to have gotten quite good at it. The secret is I really dont care if we buy the car or not, we do our homework, get financing dealt with ahead of time, go in with every possible question already answered, and are willing to walk away if it's not what we want, there are lots of cars out there after all. We're not looking to screw anyone, just dont want to get screwed ourselves.

When we were taking Evan to Nee Nee's for the day (absolutely no point in torturing him with a day at the car dealer), he asked daddy "why does Mommy have to go with you, why can't she stay with me?" Daddy told him it was because he didnt like to negotiate for cars, and that I was going to help him, besides he needed me to make the car salesman cry. Evan thought that was hilarious. So we're at the dealer, made a killer deal, we're happy, the salesman is upset, his manager is really pissed, and the finance girl is a twinkie, and my phone rings, it's Evan wanting to know if I made the salesman cry. "Did you make him go WAH WAH WAH mommy?" Yes I said and his boss too. "You're the best Mommy, Good Job!"

When we got back to my mom's (Nee Nee) Evan runs out to see the new car "WOW WOW WOW, this is the coolest car ever ever!!! You guys did great! Awesome!" Now with praise like that from him, maybe car shopping isnt so bad after all....

Today I am grateful for the wonderful Dremel set my mom bought me for Christmas with the drill press and the flex-shaft attachments I am having SOOOOO much fun with that. For Evans warm sleepy smile this morning, and for cantaloupe, with or without proscuitto & lime