Creating in the Land of Chaos

I create in the Land of Chaos.  Do you live there too?  The dictionary meaning of chaos is "complete disorder and confusion."  This was my day.  I've never been the most organized person, so when you add the mix of kids to pick up, laundry to do, crock pot in the sink to scrap, and working at home, it can lead to chaos pretty quickly.  I've been hard at work making these little charms.  I have always loved creating, and am so thankful to do so.  But this was one of those chaotic days when nothing seemed to cooperate.  My computer was slow, the USPS website wouldn't print out my shipping label, and the dear dog wouldn't stop barking.  

That's why I love sitting down and let the chaos kinda leave as I enter my little realm of creativity. The little heart initial charm above is new.   This box was made by my friend Rosemary.  Check out her etsy site here.

new little initial charm.

...the back with a glitter heart.

Ah the chaos just melts away when I go here.  How do you find peace when your day is chaotic?

Am I Still Creating?

Ever feel as an artist you've lost the spark?  What I mean is, have you started to turn your passion into purely a business enterprise?  I'm starting to feel that way.  I don't know if it's just this time of year or what, but the busyness of the season has me pondering this issue.  

I've always loved creating.  If I weren't spending my days soldering charms, I'd be knitting, cutting, photographing or painting.  Feel like you were born to create?  I sure do!  I know many of you are amazing artists.  It seems every time I venture into blogland I come across another incredible creation.  How do you keep your passion for creating alive?  One of the fears I had in doing what the magazines say "Turning your Passion into Profit"  was losing the excitement, love and just plain fun of creating.

When I first really started my business about a year ago, it was like the Honeymoon period.  Everything was fresh and new.  After getting my first online sale I freaked out, ran around the house screaming with excitement.  Someone actually liked what I made and paid for it, Alleluia!  This gave me the confidence to venture into my favorite store in Ventura, Garden Memories.  I got up the nerve to ask the owner (Barbara is now someone I can call a sweet friend)  if she'd consider selling what I made.  I tell you , that was so scary for me!  Bearing your art like that is an exposing experience.  I compare it to showing up to high school without any clothes on, like that weird dream we all seem to have.  Anyway, I thought the worst that could happen would be a "No."  But actually said yes, and my joy just blossomed!  I skipped out of her store like Dorothy entering the world of Oz for the first time.  

As they say, I think the Honeymoon is over.  Now I feel I'm into the working years.  Not that those excitements don't still come from time to time, but they are just different now.  Well, as I turn on the soldering iron, I just had to spit all this out.  I know those of you who make 100's or even 1,000's of goodies everyday can relate to what I'm saying.  At the end of the day when your back is broken, your eyes are strained and your head is sort of numb, can you still find joy in what you do?  Honestly, I do still love my growing business, but when kids are complaining that all they ever see of their mom is the back of her head, I start to wonder if I need to make some kind of change.  I've never been that great at finding a balance, but maybe now is the time I find it.

Take care,

Martha

Craft Show Craziness

Hi there!  So nice to have you stop by.  Well tomorrow is my first craft show since December, and I'm nervous and excited as always.  I guess if I were selling something I didn't make it would be better.  But I did make these darlings from creating the design, cutting the glass and soldering, to gluing on the rhinestones and ribbons.  They are a true labor of love, and I can't think of anything else I'd rather do, but with any passion the bad side comes out too.  I've cursed, cut myself, burned my fingers and legs, screamed at my family (I'm sorry!) and  battled severe migraines.  So sometimes it's hard to lay it all out there for the public to see and judge at a craft show.  I still get nervous and fearful, and think to myself is it good enough, should I have done more, or I start comparing myself to others, which is my kiss of death.  But like Betty Bender says, "Anything I've ever done that was ultimately worthwhile, initially scared me to death."  

So I just thought I'd share some of my feelings before I get back to work here.  If you're in the neighborhood tomorrow, please stop by and say hi to me.  I'll be getting up bright and early tomorrow at 4 a.m.  :)

I hope you keep your passion burning even when it gets hard, and face your fears too because that's when great things happen in your life. 

Take care,

Martha

Charmed I'm Sure

Like so many of you, I love creating, and really enjoy making charms.   I like jewelry to be very small and lightweight but if it's too big and heavy I find no matter how pretty the piece I'll never wear it.  So I wondered to myself how small I can make charms.  Cutting the glass, I came up with 1/2 x 1/2 inch.  I need to still grind the edges, and not my fingertips, so ended up with this size. Since they're so little I decided to make them into initials.  The front is embellished with clear crystal Swarovski rhinestones, and the back of the new charms are from Great Grandma's travel journal from when she went to Europe.  The whole collection is on my website.  Hope you enjoy.  

P.S.  Rosemary, yours will be in the mail tomorrow.  :)