another MRI

Well, I'm back from the SNAG conference in Phoenix, (which was amazing) and am faced with a long hot summer.

Tucson reached 107 today- a cloudless sky, hazy with smoke from nearby wildfires.
It's a day when motorists know the rules have changed...we notice our fellow drivers with their windows down and know that they are driving without air conditioning.
Summer in Tucson rule #1- Cars without a/c get the right of way.

I was driving around town today - dropping Cosmo off at his performing arts camp, going to starbucks, driving to the pain institute- noticing the desolate landscape of pre-monsoon desert. Dusty, searing, sparse.

At the pain institute I am a new patient. After a short exam and discussion the latest theory on the origins of my pain is that I have ruptured another disc or two in my neck. My insurance company is going to be so thrilled to see that they have requested another MRI- this time a post surgery MRI on my neck.
This means that I will not be able to go ANYWHERE this summer and beyond- until we get to the bottom of this dismal chapter in my life.
yee haw.
:-p I'm earning my way to a nice vacation after this is all done. Maybe I'll come to see you? LOL you never know when a shrimpy metalsmith will come knocking at your door.....
ciao- M

Musings...

Heading to the hand/shoulder
expert on Monday-
cross fingers they will figure this out
ASAP.
Meanwhile, it's ice
every night and most of the day.
I believe I am turning into permafrost
or the tundra,
but where are the stinkin' reindeer?
*









Maureen Brusa Zappellini
Creative jewelry for creative people
http://cosmosmoonjewelry.etsy.com

play with your food

Such a Saucy little root veggie! Shake that money maker!, a photo by cosmosmoonjewelry on Flickr.

it's fun, you'll always eat with your friends, and they don't scream too loud when you eat them.
xo-M

Made By Survivors

In the spirit of giving back to the community I have donated a portion of my Orchid / Ganoksin
Rio Grande raffle winnings to a wonderful organization "Made By Survivors" http://www.madebysurvivors.com/

I first learned about this organization through my friend Dianna Badalament- a talented and lovely metalsmith from California who is a metalsmithing instructor for the program.
Please take a moment to check out their website to see this incredibly valuable mission that is empowering victims of human trafficking and slavery. And while you are there, maybe make a donation...a little bit from everyone can really make a difference! ♥ M

Drinking Ironic Tonic

Well, the universe has a sense of humor. You may know that I've been struggling with chronic pain in my left shoulder and neck for the past year and a half, and how I've recently decided to try taking a break from the studio in order to really search for a cure and give my shoulder a break...

Now, I will admit, keeping me from the studio has proven to be almost impossible- One of my great joys in life is the hours of studio time I fit into my day. (In fact you could say I fit my days into my studio time..) I have come to realize that in order to keep from getting too depressed about my condition I really NEED to be in the Satori mind- the creative process and creative spirit support me: they are as vital to my health as breathing.

So- I've been puttering around my studio, but only doing no impact (no hammers) work....I was starting to think, "I can just make things that my body will let me make" and have been putting together a group of 8 pieces, which are almost finished..(image shows one of the pieces) I made them with almost no handtools, because my shoulder won't let me do much with my left hand.

Then, very unexpectedly, I won the Orchid Raffle!

What is Orchid?
Orchid is the social media (email q+a and discussions about metalsmithing) of one of the original metalsmithing websites, " Ganoksin.com "- I have been using this site since '98, when I first discovered it (I looked up how to make granules for granulation, an ancient metalsmithing technique)
Ganoksin is an incredible resource for the metalsmithing and jewelry community- It must have close to a million pages by now.... If you have never spent a few hours looking through Ganoksin I encourage you to try it- It's packed with information and eye candy.
"Orchid" is the name of the email forum in Ganoksin. 

Every year they raise funds by having a raffle- and every year I buy one or two tickets. I really love the metalsmithing community and believe in supporting our core services. This year I bought a ticket "early", in November, when flooding was at it's worst in Bangkok, Ganoksin's base. And this year...I won!

I ended up winning the grand prize, a very generous gift certificate for Rio Grande - one of the largest sellers of tools and supplies for the metalsmithing world!

And I still am in pain, and I still cannot do hardly anything- Whatever tools I get with the winnings are going to have to take me to a no impact studio. I'm thinking electro forming and torch- No stakes for me- I cannot use them now- (not even to kill vampires)

All the tools you want and no ability to use them now?
Karma is feeding me a little Ironic Tonic.
In any case, I am truly thankful for my incredible luck. The raffle winnings are a dream of any metalsmith- I am filled with Gratitude. Thank you Ganoksin! Thank You Rio Grande!!
and Thanks to my friends and family who have been so supportive
ciao- Maureen