A heartfelt Happy New Year to you! I hope you manifest your wildest dreams this year. I hear the planets are willing! My astrological friend, Lisa Zimmerman, says it’s a time for great beginnings, creativity, starting something new. Â How about taking a little chance on your own intuition, and create something from inspiration, rather than what you think you should do? Feel it, rather than think it?
Just last night, I taught a mother-daugther duo how to make their own silver rings, in their own styles. How inspiring was this pair? Let me count the ways! No fear, no worries, no competition, no regrets. They just did it, and left with lovely new rings. Rings that adapted to the situations they were in, and came out perfect!
I forgot to take pictures, and so I was pleasantly surprised with I received a text from Janet, the mom-student, that contained a picture of her ring. It’s pretty! It fits! It came out perfect!
I’m reminded that I love to teach a willing student whatever they wish to learn. And, at the same time, I am still a student of the world. I love the give and take, the offering and receiving, that this sets up in me. A pretty sweet existence, and a great kickoff to 2013.
While it’s great to reflect on accomplishments of 2012 – and I will – I’m much more passionate about possibilities. And I feel it’s going to be a great year to create them. In order to grease those skids, I’m getting my intentions and plans in line with that. All with a generous amount of wiggle room thrown in so I can take advantage of unexpected opportunities, happy accidents, and windfalls of good along the way. That’s where creativity comes into play.
Creativity happens when we take the ability to prepare for many eventualities, get ready, get set, then let go! I hope that appeals to you in 2013, and that you’re able to take advantage of some creative opportunities in your life. And let me know about them – I’d love to hear from you!
Tag Archives: silver
There will never come a time when I forget about Sally Field’s famous acceptance speech when she won her Academy Award.
You LIKE me! You REALLY LIKE me!
She was sweet and genuine, no matter that it was a little corny and borderline needy. Haven’t we all been there? OK, I’m laughing now. Some of you have not. But I have and these are the only eyes I have with which to view the world, so. I digress.
“Like” has come to mean a whole new thing. In the Facebook world getting a “like” means a friend or stranger is giving your thought, image, or business a virtual thumbs up. With 845 million or so active users*, explaining a “like” seem kind of pointless, because unless you are there, you probably aren’t gonna make it over here, to my little homemade website with my slow-cooked jewelry and sculpture.
But talking about “like” is my sneaky little way to bring up the “like” subject and to ask you kindly to visit and “like” my page there.
Why did I do it? Facebook rules state that one may not change their business page name. And, because I would prefer to be known as an artist, rather than as a “business” or bricks and mortar building, I felt strongly compelled to create a whole new Facebook page as Nancy Lee Designs. What I wish to accomplish with it is to spark quick dialog between you and other lovers of handmade things, say a little about me and what goes into my work as it is happening, see progress shots and photos of finished work straight from my camera phone. I will announce shows, talk about tips, tricks, and metalsmithing techniques for those of you who are interested.
All in an effort to continue to build a bridge to you, the person who has found your way here, and about whom I care. So, I do hope you “like” it. Really “LIKE” it! (that is now 5 times I have hotlinked “like” to my new page – SHAMELESS!)
As always, seeking ways to enhance lives and share beauty.
(Check out “Simple Care for Sparking Silver Jewelry“, my first note on my new page.
*http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/facebook-has-over-845-million-users/8332
I’d like to share this list of “10 things to make a metalsmith smile”, directly from the Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist Newsletter called “Flashcard,” written by the amazing and inspirational Helen Driggs. If you every make anything at all, you can be assured of a few trials and tribulations. There is celebration when things go right, and here are ten little causes for celebration, plus two of my own!
1. When the hammer hits exactly where you intended it to, with exactly the right amount of force. And it’s a brand new hammer, too.
2. The bezel really fits and you aren’t in denial.
3. You find a 2†x 6†sheet of 18-gauge silver you forgot you bought. (this actually happened to me in December!)
4. No firescale.
5. The ring fits the finger you made it for.
6. No scratches.
7. You put exactly the perfect size solder chip right where it needed to be.
8. The eagle eyed cat looks right at the 3mm faceted stone you just dropped on the floor until you pick it up.
9. The sawblade doesn’t break when you know it really should have.
10. The phone call that results when your best friend e-mails you a photo of the piece she just finished at exactly the same time you were e-mailing her a piece you just finished.
11. Helen Driggs is Managing Editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine, and an accomplished metalsmith, toolhound and teacher, and I’m a big fan. I love her Flashcard e-mails. I’ve made some of her projects (see bracelet image, right). Her is often the only newsletter I consistently read, word for word. I always learn something, and often get a smile just from Helen’s down-to-earth, soul-filling writing style.
12. Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine is the mother ship of Flashcard. It’s a hold-it-in-your-hands paper periodical full of tips, tricks, inspiration and techniques for lapidarists and jewelry artists of all skill levels. Metalsmiths and rockhounds covet issues the way some covet the beautifully photographed and written National Geographic magazines. In particular, the January 2010 issue contains so much good stuff that my issue is already dog-eared, bent up, underlined with ink multiple times and highlighted for good measure. I’ve thought of placing it on my forehead before retiring in the hopes of awakening the next morning, imbued by osmotic effect with all the wonderments of knowledge contained in the ink.
It’s a great day when a metalsmith can appreciate any one of these ten + two things. What makes YOU smile?
- 1
- 2