A Prisoner of My Own Making

I have been trying to figure out how to coil and make jewelry with the coils. I have seen many pictures and I am IN LOVE with this look. I have picked up my drill and attached a swivel to a hinge and then attached the hinge to a board and began the coiling process, but I still have a long way to go before I perfect this art that I find so fascinating. I have weaved a couple of things and I coiled a necklace night before last, but I want it to be better! I wish that I knew someone that could teach me... Oh well, I guess I have always been one that loves a good challenge. It took me a while to figure out the art of wire wrapping, I guess it will probably take a while for me to learn the art of coiling as well. I do have some ideas that I think I can manage without too much difficulty. I just gotta get the coiling with the drill perfected!
Here is a necklace that I weaved...

 And here is a necklace that I coiled...

Both are OK, but I really want to do more with both techniques. I have the will to do it, I just have to put in the time.
Have you ever done something that totally captivates you and holds you prisoner? This is how I feel about jewelry design. I don't mean that it holds me prisoner in a bad way, but rather that it holds me prisoner in other ways. Sometimes I am consumed by thoughts of a design that I just can't get out of my head, or my hands will not stop trying something until I get it right. This is what I mean by holding me prisoner.
I have dreams and aspirations and things I need to accomplish. All of them relate to my creative brain working overtime. The one thing that I can say is that I never grow tired of it. I never grow weary of the thoughts that race through my head. I never grow tired of sitting at my kitchen table for hours on end continually doing something over and over again until I get it right. Do you ever get like that? Where you just can't throw in the towel because you know that you are going to achieve your vision on the next try?
This is how my mind works continually, always striving for that exact moment when I get it right and the satisfaction rushing through my body like euphoria! I will get there with these designs, I just need to be patient and steady and keep trying. Keep watching because I will achieve what I am after...one of these days.

Where in the world have I been?

Hello Everyone, I am back!
Our hike into the Wind River Mountains was AWESOME! Kirt and I hiked for 3 days covering 20 miles and then spent another 3 days in Pinedale. We had a great time! Our little boys went to visit their grandparents and we all had a lot of fun on our own little excursion.
I took some fantastic pictures...like this one...

and this one...

Both of which were taken right outside of the lodge where we spent the night so that we could get up the next day and go right to hiking. We took off the next morning bright and early and here I am on the trail...

Isn't it breathtakingly beautiful here...even as the rain poured down upon us.

 

The MAN! Standing at the Bridger Wilderness sign...

And the clouds hanging overhead...

 I thought that this tree was super cool...

 

And these were just a few of the things we saw on the way to here...

Me sitting on the COUCH!

The flowers were INCREDIBLE! There was every color you could imagine. These pink ones were very pretty.

And this was our view right out the front of the tent. Not too bad eh???

And this is Kirt coming back from caching our food away from the animals...Marmots more than bears. Too many people for bears, but the marmots were frequent fliers.

This was the stream that ran right out the side of the tent. Who doesn't like to fall asleep to the sound of a fresh water stream nearby trickling over the rocks to sing you a lullaby?

Home Sweet Home...

This is Pingora, in the Cirque of the Towers. We hiked in to here the next day after arriving at camp. These are some rocky, rugged mountains.

Does this look man made or what? It is all natural though...falling to Lonesome Lake below.

 And here is a good picture of the Cirque of the Towers.

 And this is where we stopped to eat lunch. Sausage and cheese anyone?

And what a view right off of the rock we were sitting on. WOW!

And then we hiked back to our camp and spent another night at this gorgeous place...

And then we had to hike out. We stopped to take a little water break and rest the legs for a moment. It was rugged, awesome country!

 And it was absolutely beautiful...

 We went here the next day. Green River Lakes. Wow it was a great week! We had the best time and we can't wait to go again next year.
Our bodies were aching, we were tired, but every ounce of effort was worth the reward. We saw some amazing country and had a great time just spending some quality time together doing what we love to do. That is the meaning of life isn't it? I really hope so because it was truly meaningful... every bit of it!