Connect with your Muse

This month's Etsy Metal team blog Carnival topic is ......

"20 things to do to kick start Creativity"

I thought that it would be fun to try to list some tricks of the creative process....here's my list- randomly...off the cuff...

#1- Do an assignment in a random, off the cuff way....LOL

#2- make ridiculous limitations to your process, like drawing with your feet or writing when you're really tired (like I am now)
#3- make something intentionally ugly.
#4- try using a new material
#5- take a "walk" or go skipping around the block (it's impossible for me to skip without laughing)
#6- read a random part of a reference book
#7- stretch and drink a glass of water (we are often dehydrated here in Arizona)
#8- set a time limit on your current work (get it done and out of your way...there are so many creative ideas just dying to come forward!)
#9- write a poem
#10- do a bit of gardening- be tactile- smell the soil
#11- watch a favorite movie- notice why you love it
#12- Road trip! Go see something you've never seen before in your area- even if it just means driving/ walking/ biking etc down a new street.
#13- go to the library
#14- make random stuff with your scrap materials-
#15- realize that you might not be making a masterpiece, and get over it
#16- take a nap
#17- go to the hardware store and pick a few materials that you think might be fun to play with.
#18- Try to make a list, and put it on your blog
#19- don't erase/ delete your "mistakes" -sometimes the irregular is more interesting!
#20- when all else fails....Chocolate. (maybe that should be the first one!)

well, that's my list for tonight- I'm sure I'll think of more- (including the exact perfect one that I'll be kicking myself for forgetting) Here are the other Etsy Metals team members who have created a list...

  (There are 15 other Etsymetal metalsmiths blogging on the same topic today. Please go and check out their articles, they will all be sure to get your creative ideas flowing!!)

http://www.chris-parry.blogspot.com/ - Chris Parry

http:
//www.sarawestermark.blogspot.com/ - Sara Westermark

http://www.kmjewelrystudio.blogspot.com/ -Katie Miess Kohlhagen

http://www.amandaconley.blogspot.com/ - Amanda Conley

http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com - stacey

http://www.evemmetalsmith.blogspot.com - Esther Eve

http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com/- 2Roses

http://www.fluxplay.blogspot.com - Maria W

http://cosmosmoonjewelry.blogspot.com

http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/ - Victoria Takahashi/Experimetal

http://lunatic-art.blogspot.com [Berenice Schaltegger]

http://brookemedlin.com/blog (Brooke Arin Medlin)

http://metalriot.blogspot.com (Thomasin Durgin/Metalriot)

http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com - Beth Cyr

http://catherinechandler.blogspot.com/ - Catherine Chandler

Enjoy!- Maureen BZ

Vacation in Tucson

yes, I've been spending the past few weeks with my family, on vacation..

I'm eager to get back to my studio and get some of my new work started.

I have LOTS of new ideas! (hooray- my synapses are working!)

I have no new work to show you, but I thought it would be fun to

post a couple of pics of the beautiful parks I went to during my winter break...

Sabino Canyon

Jan 3, 2009

on the east side of Tucson

in the Catalina Mountain range

Me and Cosmo at Catalina State Park

Dec 25 2009

on the North side of Tucson (just outside city limits)

we love both of these parks, lots of great friendly trails (I do "nature walks" not hikes..I'm a wimp)

Have a great week everyone-

ciao for now- Maureen

Gifts for the Metalsmith

Gifts for the Metalsmith

As holidays are coming up, I have been thinking about gifts.

Every year my husband struggles to figure out what he wants to get me for a gift-
he is baffled, as I really do not need anything traditionally girly..
and he knows what kind of reaction he would get if
he hung up his brain and went to Kay Jewelers
to get me a (yikes) heart solitaire locket
or some other commercial crapola..

Metalsmiths have lots of hammers, so you can guess what the
outcome would be...something would get ...forged. :-)

So I was thinking of helping all of our significant others, giving them a sort of master list to look at for Metalsmith Gifts... and I'd love to have your input! I'll gather a list of our wishes, and post them on this blog later in December- (and I'll announce it on the Metalsmiths Unite! facebook page)
Both practical things like tools / books and ideological things like world peace are welcome on this list

I'll give it a start-

1. world peace/ the end of hunger
2. really good hand cream
   
3. a cool apron for the shop
4. a bench mounted band saw
5. a coupon for 100 solitary hours at my bench

I could go on and on...but I'll let You have your turn- to add to the wish list simply leave a comment on this blog, or if you want to do it privately you can message me on Facebook and I'll cut and paste it (anonymously) to the master list.
then..
I will publish the list in December- and will announce it on Facebook -
Have fun with this,( I look forward to seeing the end result.)
happy 'smithing everyone!
ciao- Maureen BZ

Flying Solo- quitting my Day job

let’s see, what have I been up to lately?
Things are going well here- I have started to upgrade my studio (and drain my bank account) so that I can teach small workshops there (3-4 students). More info about workshops and teaching will be posted soon- I plan on moving into this new realm starting next year...

I am also getting prepared for an open studio event, an art show, and a holiday sale: all being held between now and Dec 15th.

In my studio I've been playing with fabricating and casting pewter- Also... I'm working on a collection of new bracelets and pendants in sterling and mixed metals-

And at home I have been getting our gardens ready for the arrival of winter and the onslaught of winter visitors....

also also also!

With all of this on my plate, and with the prospects of many other opportunities and responsibilities I decided that I had to make a decision on how I was spending my time- and my conclusion was that I needed to have more focus on my own business during the weekdays, so that I could keep my weekends free to be with my family...so.....

Last week I gave notice to my goldsmithing job at Krikawa Jewelry Design- I am working there until Christmas break- after which I will be there only as an emergency goldsmith (if they get backed up on their orders).

It was a difficult decision to quit, because I really love the work environment there and the people as well- However, I found that I was not able to focus on the opportunities that have been coming my way....I simply needed to clear my desk and work on my own projects. Thankfully the owner of the design company that I worked for is a friend of mine and completely understands my need to go solo.:-)

I’m looking at this time as a period of accepting challenges- I know there will be times when I need to take a bigger jump, and times when I will feel defeated or victorious-
I believe this is a turning point for me- I feel the support from my family and my friends and contacts in the “real” world and online and I’m ready to let go of the edge!

Throws hands in air..

Metalsmithing, Etsy, Business, Craft, Art, Balance, Project 365..

it's all too much to juggle and have a healthy family life!

So, I'm giving up on project 365. Taking a photo a day was an interesting idea for me however it didn't take very long for me to realise I don't need another project in my life right now. 

I found that I was mostly taking images of my jewelry during the week and my kid during the weekend. Pretty much what I always do, except that there is an obligation

 behind it. ( there have been a couple of boring quick shots taken indoors at night... nobody needs to do that in my Opinion)

In the theme of simplification, I also have made the decision to delete my Artfire account. It wasn't getting many views and I don't have the time to promote it properly. This was a hard decision especially due to the fact that Artfire is located in my city (Tucson). 

I'm continuing to organize my days and business in order to find 

a good system. Meanwhile, I will continue to find time in my day to create more new designs for my galleries and etsy shop.

(Here is an image of one of my latest pieces I completed this week)