I think that life is finally on the road to recovery. I actually sat down and made a pendant out of one of my OOAK stones last night. I am pretty pleased with it, but I am not sure if it is the one that I will enter into the contest. I tend to always think that I can do better. That is either good or bad, depending on the circumstances. I think that I will have to do all three stones before I know in my heart of hearts which one I will enter. I haven't accomplished exactly what I was after in the design of the piece I did last night, so the challenge is on!
I hope that you are all having a most AWESOME Thursday! As for me, I am awaiting the end of a very long and tiring week. At least I am in jewelry making mode again and that, for me, is GRAND! I may or may not post pictures of the piece I created last night. I still have that superstitious thing hanging in the air. I guess we will all just have to wait and see...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Tired...Oh So Tired...
I really never realized the effect that seeing what I saw could have on me. I feel utterly detached from my everyday routine. I am tired; not tired in the way of sleepiness, tired in the way of complete exhaustion.
I visualize the scene of the house next door engulfed in flames falling to the ground in a storm of fiery boards and debris. I picture the white flash that looked like lightening filling the inside of the home~pushing and forcing its way at the walls until it found its escape right before the fire ensued. I picture the top of the house falling away like the petals of a flower opening up in hopes of receiving a drop of water. I picture the garage doors lying crippled and broken in my front yard and driveway, so far from where they once held out the cold night air. I picture my two little boys standing at my feet screaming to me that we were, "going to burn!", their tiny voices resonating over and over again as they stared at the fire that reached to the heavens. I hear the deafening sound of the two concussions of the explosion that caused the fire ball that emanated, filling the night sky with fear and devastation. I see the face of my husband as it distorted into a look of sheer terror as he bolted outside calling out to the people that luckily were not in the house. I have seen these very sights over and over again in my mind as the long day has progressed and the aftermath has unfolded.
I no longer feel as if my home is the safest place on Earth. I still shake as I re-tell the story to the curious faces that stop to see if I am OK and dare to ask what happened. I can't help but ask what is next and how bad can it get. Sunday, June 26, 2011 is a day that will forever be entrenched into the depths of my memory.
I picked up the Powell Tribune today only to read a misquote stating that I said something that I did not say about these people that have already endured more devastation in their lives than I could even possibly imagine. I went online to read a comment about what I had "said" that brought me to tears, a feat that is pretty easily accomplished these days, but my feelings were hurt none the less. I am disappointed and taken aback. I will be visiting the paper tomorrow to get them to rescind their statement. I only hope that it is enough to appease the appetite of the folks that want to tear me down, that think that I have nothing better to do than gossip about the neighbors.
When does my life get to be normal again? I am not claiming to have the most normal life in the world but for the most part, my life was pretty normal and hum drum before these last three days. I still have a hard time believing that it is Tuesday already. I did not go to work on Monday, as my children and I did not sleep at all Sunday night. Our night was filled with the sound of the radios in the firetrucks; voices echoing~directing and barking out commands. Our night was engorged with the bright lights of the backhoe as it dug to find the gas line that was feeding the brutal monster that claimed the home of the people next door. Our night was permeated with the constant red and blue flashes that lit up our stark white walls in the living room. Our night was filled with pounding hearts and silent tears trickling down our faces. It was filled with the constant tapping of my sons little hand upon my cheek begging me not to go to sleep because he was scared and he didn't want me to fall asleep leaving him to fend off the terrible night all by himself. The terror was real and scary and it invaded my little boys' lives as if it were a living breathing organism that was hell bent on taking over. To be honest, it invaded my life in a way that I will never forget.
I am still overcome by emotion when I find myself sitting still and trying to relax. Yes, I really can't wait until my life feels 'normal' again. Every morning, I have to get up and face the debris strewn lot that once was the foundation of a beautiful two story home. I have to walk outside and get in my car that once was kept in our garage, but can't be now because the explosion pushed the door in and dislodged the lag bolts from where they were once nestled securely. This is my life now, far from 'normal', far from the level of comfort that I have grown so accustomed to. This is my life and it is so, so surreal.
I visualize the scene of the house next door engulfed in flames falling to the ground in a storm of fiery boards and debris. I picture the white flash that looked like lightening filling the inside of the home~pushing and forcing its way at the walls until it found its escape right before the fire ensued. I picture the top of the house falling away like the petals of a flower opening up in hopes of receiving a drop of water. I picture the garage doors lying crippled and broken in my front yard and driveway, so far from where they once held out the cold night air. I picture my two little boys standing at my feet screaming to me that we were, "going to burn!", their tiny voices resonating over and over again as they stared at the fire that reached to the heavens. I hear the deafening sound of the two concussions of the explosion that caused the fire ball that emanated, filling the night sky with fear and devastation. I see the face of my husband as it distorted into a look of sheer terror as he bolted outside calling out to the people that luckily were not in the house. I have seen these very sights over and over again in my mind as the long day has progressed and the aftermath has unfolded.
I no longer feel as if my home is the safest place on Earth. I still shake as I re-tell the story to the curious faces that stop to see if I am OK and dare to ask what happened. I can't help but ask what is next and how bad can it get. Sunday, June 26, 2011 is a day that will forever be entrenched into the depths of my memory.
I picked up the Powell Tribune today only to read a misquote stating that I said something that I did not say about these people that have already endured more devastation in their lives than I could even possibly imagine. I went online to read a comment about what I had "said" that brought me to tears, a feat that is pretty easily accomplished these days, but my feelings were hurt none the less. I am disappointed and taken aback. I will be visiting the paper tomorrow to get them to rescind their statement. I only hope that it is enough to appease the appetite of the folks that want to tear me down, that think that I have nothing better to do than gossip about the neighbors.
When does my life get to be normal again? I am not claiming to have the most normal life in the world but for the most part, my life was pretty normal and hum drum before these last three days. I still have a hard time believing that it is Tuesday already. I did not go to work on Monday, as my children and I did not sleep at all Sunday night. Our night was filled with the sound of the radios in the firetrucks; voices echoing~directing and barking out commands. Our night was engorged with the bright lights of the backhoe as it dug to find the gas line that was feeding the brutal monster that claimed the home of the people next door. Our night was permeated with the constant red and blue flashes that lit up our stark white walls in the living room. Our night was filled with pounding hearts and silent tears trickling down our faces. It was filled with the constant tapping of my sons little hand upon my cheek begging me not to go to sleep because he was scared and he didn't want me to fall asleep leaving him to fend off the terrible night all by himself. The terror was real and scary and it invaded my little boys' lives as if it were a living breathing organism that was hell bent on taking over. To be honest, it invaded my life in a way that I will never forget.
I am still overcome by emotion when I find myself sitting still and trying to relax. Yes, I really can't wait until my life feels 'normal' again. Every morning, I have to get up and face the debris strewn lot that once was the foundation of a beautiful two story home. I have to walk outside and get in my car that once was kept in our garage, but can't be now because the explosion pushed the door in and dislodged the lag bolts from where they were once nestled securely. This is my life now, far from 'normal', far from the level of comfort that I have grown so accustomed to. This is my life and it is so, so surreal.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Crazy Night!
Last night was probably by far one of the worst nights of my life. Our neighbors house exploded! Needless to say, this post will be short today. Everyone is fine and there were no injuries, just a LOT of scared people. We are unsure what happened at this time, but we are just very thankful that everyone is safe and sound.
I will post tomorrow and hopefully I will have slept before the post. I really am running on empty right now.
Talk to you soon,
Janet
I will post tomorrow and hopefully I will have slept before the post. I really am running on empty right now.
Talk to you soon,
Janet
Thursday, June 23, 2011
I got my new stones today, but first...
I did get my stones today, but I felt that I should probably practice the design that I have floating around in my head before I actually put it to use on one of my OOAK stones. If you do not know what OOAK is~please read my last post.
I got some really pretty cabochons from here http://www.etsy.com/shop/cabbingrough. They are Malechite Azurite and I had to try the Liver of Sulfur technique before I actually did it for reals. All I can say is WOW! This pendant and chain turned out so nice! It is so renaissance looking, just the look that I was after. Do you want to see it? OK, OK, here you go...
Well, what do you think? Now I am really anxious to use the other stones and get just a tad more creative. I still have my idea and I really want to put it to use, especially now that I know I can accomplish this! This stone is so pretty though. I definitely will be going back for more. Just look at those colors!
I am really tired, so I think I will be turning in for the evening. Be sure to check back soon to see the pendant I will be working with. I am not sure if I will be showing the finished product until after the contest though. I am a bit superstitious and I would hate to jinks myself.
I would really love to know what you think of this design. I don't honestly know if I will ever be able to do anything with shiny copper again. I LOVE the look the Liver of Sulfur gives, so I may just stick with it for a while, we will have to see.
I hope that you all sleep well tonight and that your day is bright and sunny tomorrow. May you all be blessed. Good Night!
I got some really pretty cabochons from here http://www.etsy.com/shop/cabbingrough. They are Malechite Azurite and I had to try the Liver of Sulfur technique before I actually did it for reals. All I can say is WOW! This pendant and chain turned out so nice! It is so renaissance looking, just the look that I was after. Do you want to see it? OK, OK, here you go...
I am really tired, so I think I will be turning in for the evening. Be sure to check back soon to see the pendant I will be working with. I am not sure if I will be showing the finished product until after the contest though. I am a bit superstitious and I would hate to jinks myself.
I would really love to know what you think of this design. I don't honestly know if I will ever be able to do anything with shiny copper again. I LOVE the look the Liver of Sulfur gives, so I may just stick with it for a while, we will have to see.
I hope that you all sleep well tonight and that your day is bright and sunny tomorrow. May you all be blessed. Good Night!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
No Stones Yet...
Well, I thought I might have some new stones to play with tonight but no such luck. I really want to see if my design idea is going to work. Have you ever tried to do something and have it turn out COMPLETELY different that what you have pictured in your mind? I really hate that. I see things in my head and when I go to create them, it turns out TOTALLY different than what I saw in my head and usually it does not look good at all. I can honestly say that doesn't happen to me with my wire creations very often. That is one of the reasons I LOVE to do wire work. I am a terrible artist when it comes to drawing or painting. I can totally see in my head what I want my drawings or paintings to look like, but when I put paint brush or pencil to paper, they NEVER turn out the way that I see them. Wire, on the other hand, turns out like I see it and I am so thankful for that.
I have this creative side of me that never turns off. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and I JUST HAVE to make what I can see in my head. If I could not channel that into something pretty or cool, I think that I would literally go crazy! I have to be able to create because it is so much a part of me. I do feel as if jewelry design is a form of art. Usually the designs are created in the mind of the creator and then that creator puts forth the effort to make those designs come alive. It is just as much an art form as photography or painting or woodcarving or anything else. This I know because every ounce of what I create comes from my heart and soul. I am just as proud of my work as the pencil artist that sketches the Victorian Lady in all of her grandeur, or the photographer that waits for the perfect light before snapping that shot, or the wood carver that looks for the perfect piece of wood to whittle away at until the miraculous piece that he sees with his minds eye is revealed. Art work~yes definitely artwork.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Blog Re-Design
OK...The re-designing of the blog is finished. What do you think? I LIKE it A LOT! Now I feel as if I can start posting about the jewelry and have that be my main focus. I am excited about blogging once more.
I am entering another contest with a new design. I haven't designed it yet, as I am waiting to receive my cabochons and wire from www.wire-sculpture.com. The contest is to design something using a OOAK {ONE OF A KIND} stone from Wire Sculpture. I have chosen a couple different stones so that I have a little bit of time to change my mind~if I want to. I think that I will use copper wire in my design and make it look old and tarnished. I love the look and I think that it will really look good with any of the stones I have chosen for my design. I really can't wait to get started, so I hope that my stones show up soon.
I am starting to do a little bit of the wire weaving and this is the direction I am leaning toward for my design. I have an idea and I am hopeful that I can pull it off. It is really beautiful...in my head. I just hope that it turns out when I try to put it into an actual design. I guess we will see. I will post pictures as soon as I get it finished. I really want it to be a head turner, so it may take me a while to get it done. In the meantime, here are some pictures of some of the things I have been working on in my absence from blogging...
This is a necklace that I entered into a contest. I didn't win, but I am still pretty proud of it. It has some beautiful stones incorporated into it.
This necklace took me 7 hours to put together. It is 5 ft. long and I wire wrapped each section individually. I also hand beaded the C bead sections. This necklace is GORGEOUS!! I designed it so that the wearer can wear it long, or wrap a few wraps as a choker and let a long section hang down, or wrap it evenly around one's neck. It is very versatile and very Victorian~very much my style.
And these are a few of my big chunky Wings, Fleur De Lis, Crosses, and Stars necklaces. I LOVE doing these. They are very fun and I love the BIG of them. FUN, FUN, FUN!
I am doing some things with crystals and cubic zirconium too. I will post some pictures of those pieces later. This is what I have for now, so I hope you enjoy looking...
I am entering another contest with a new design. I haven't designed it yet, as I am waiting to receive my cabochons and wire from www.wire-sculpture.com. The contest is to design something using a OOAK {ONE OF A KIND} stone from Wire Sculpture. I have chosen a couple different stones so that I have a little bit of time to change my mind~if I want to. I think that I will use copper wire in my design and make it look old and tarnished. I love the look and I think that it will really look good with any of the stones I have chosen for my design. I really can't wait to get started, so I hope that my stones show up soon.
I am starting to do a little bit of the wire weaving and this is the direction I am leaning toward for my design. I have an idea and I am hopeful that I can pull it off. It is really beautiful...in my head. I just hope that it turns out when I try to put it into an actual design. I guess we will see. I will post pictures as soon as I get it finished. I really want it to be a head turner, so it may take me a while to get it done. In the meantime, here are some pictures of some of the things I have been working on in my absence from blogging...
This is a necklace that I entered into a contest. I didn't win, but I am still pretty proud of it. It has some beautiful stones incorporated into it.
I am doing some things with crystals and cubic zirconium too. I will post some pictures of those pieces later. This is what I have for now, so I hope you enjoy looking...
How do I come back?
I really don't quite know what to say to you all that have come here to read about the latest and have been left hanging with no new news. I am truly sorry. I guess that there is not much I can say other than that. I have been away for so long and I have pretty much given up on getting published...for now. I received my rejection letter and it really took the wind out of my sails. I have re-written this book many times to re-submit, but it just feels as if it is not meant to be right now.
I do have something else taking up a TON of my time, so I really don't even miss the book. I have become JKC Creations and it has been very fulfilling. I create handcrafted jewelry and it has been a journey in and of itself. I have done some shows and even did my first juried show in Billings on June 11. I believe that I may start an Etsy shop and start selling online. I think I may have to change this blog again so that I can come and write and tell you all about the wonderful things I am creating and selling. I hope that you can give me another chance.
I have some great pics of some jewelry pieces I have made. I plan to post some soon. After I post, maybe you can tell me what your thoughts are on an Etsy shop. I have been looking into getting a website as well, but have not decided yet. I can tell you that jewelry design brings much happiness to my life. I have a lot of fans that really like my work and that is very rewarding. I have a lot of people that buy my stuff and rave about it every time I see them. I love it!
Well, I guess that is it for now. I hope that you will come back to me and begin following once more. All I know is that it feels good to sit and write. I haven't done it in so long and maybe writing about jewelry is what I need to do. I plan to change the look of the blog too. I want a different feel for the whole thing.
Stay tuned to see what I come up with!!
I do have something else taking up a TON of my time, so I really don't even miss the book. I have become JKC Creations and it has been very fulfilling. I create handcrafted jewelry and it has been a journey in and of itself. I have done some shows and even did my first juried show in Billings on June 11. I believe that I may start an Etsy shop and start selling online. I think I may have to change this blog again so that I can come and write and tell you all about the wonderful things I am creating and selling. I hope that you can give me another chance.
I have some great pics of some jewelry pieces I have made. I plan to post some soon. After I post, maybe you can tell me what your thoughts are on an Etsy shop. I have been looking into getting a website as well, but have not decided yet. I can tell you that jewelry design brings much happiness to my life. I have a lot of fans that really like my work and that is very rewarding. I have a lot of people that buy my stuff and rave about it every time I see them. I love it!
Well, I guess that is it for now. I hope that you will come back to me and begin following once more. All I know is that it feels good to sit and write. I haven't done it in so long and maybe writing about jewelry is what I need to do. I plan to change the look of the blog too. I want a different feel for the whole thing.
Stay tuned to see what I come up with!!
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