Waiting For The Wedding

It's Saturday morning. I've been to the nearest Starbucks to journal and write some notes for my MOG talk at the reception and now I'm back at the hotel, waiting for the wedding, second cup of coffee at hand while thinking about what to write in this post. I have been struggling with the newsletter... whether to continue writing it... whether to evolve it from less blog-like to more newsletter-like, which really isn't my style... whether to shift to posting once a month... or... I just don't know. With the YouTube channels, I can see the growth and interact with the viewers and therefore assume that the videos are of value to the subscribers. With the newsletter, the data doesn't present as well. Since I've always enjoyed writing and have blogged off and on for a really long time, the struggle intrigues me - that some thing can be THE thing and then it's not, or at least it's not the same any more. But what should it look like now?

At Starbucks, there was a lovely barista named Lux who obviously marched to her own drummer. Her presence seemed to draw you in - or at least it drew me in - and even though our styles are miles apart, I felt encouraged to be bolder and more colourful, to make sure I'm not in a rut but living life fully. It felt like a pivot point from which I needed to move differently... but how?

What is living differently, more colourful, more fully? Obviously that's a different answer for each of us. When my son... the groom... is asked what his mother does he says, she makes weird jewelry. That makes me laugh. For me, weird is far better than pretty. One thing I know for sure is that I want to embrace "weird". Earlier, I looked for a link to Sally Bass Jewelry on Instagram, and paused to watch this week's video on her component collection and process for designing earrings. I'm fascinated by how her mind works, the pieces she makes, and the unbelievable collection of parts she has gathered over a life time from around the world. My world bubble is much smaller. What does my collection have to say, to create?

If you look at Sally's jewelry, and Lynn Yuhr's jewelry and Genevieve Williamson's pieces, as well as my jewelry, they are all so different and yet there are connections that draw me to all of them. I can't be Lynn, Sally, Genevieve, or Lux. I can be the best me. I do wish my best me wasn't a moving target some times until I realize that's the rut... never evolving... always being the same. Without a moving target, there would be no living bolder, living more colourful. Apparently, it's something to embrace.

This week's textile video is part one of three about making a "thing" for my son. It features surface design and textile painting. When Kyle asked for a thing of his own, that made me happy smile right to my core... that he wanted some part of home in his new home. Even though him getting married, and having a wife and son now, will shift everything, it's a lovely shift. I'm looking forward to watching him mature and develop in this new direction. I find watching all three of my children "grow up" so intriguing. Children are 24-7, 365 days a year, for the rest of your life... even when they're adults.

This week's jewelry video is take two on the square beads I used to make the necklace for my wedding outfit. Six of them will be for sale in my shop and the seventh one I took in a different direction, making it into a necklace with a handmade chain. I haven't decided if it will be for sale yet. I'll see. It's the subject of next week's video so I have time to decide.

Although it wasn't a deliberate choice, I ended up making three part videos for each channel and getting ahead of my posting schedule which has helped with this busy period, but it's definitely not my favourite way of working. I prefer to make this week's video this week. That way of working feels more vibrant and fresh and that's important to the longevity of a channel, of anything, of living life bolder and with more colour. We all need to find our way of doing things and then our way of keeping that way growing, evolving, and staying fresh. After the wedding, my new grandson, along with my grand puppy, will be at my house for three nights. Astrix is used to being here but my grandson and I haven't spent that much time together before so I'll be learning about his way of doing things and finding our grandma/grandson rhythm. I'd planned for lots of walking the dog only the weather isn't supposed to co-operate. I hope "they" are wrong. Sunshine and walks are good for dogs and boys, to tire them out, to make life easier for grandma who is used to a quiet, empty house and grandsons that like to make things. He, so far, does not and I'm not sure if that will change. We'll see.

One of the things I want to work on is more handmade chains. I've been exploring different metals and watching link making videos and experimenting with scraps of wire and I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes. I'm not sure if I would sell chains... or links... individually but it's something to consider. Selling components would allow me to have a variety of products and price ranges for sale at any upcoming shows. I withdrew my application from this year's sale in September. I didn't have everything it would take to decorate a booth and I wanted the business to pay all of the expenses with no funds coming out of my personal account. AND... although I had enough inventory... I didn't not products under $50 which is the category with the most sales, which meant I wasn't confident I could recoup my expenses so... ... I decided to not only create smaller components between now and then but also to acquire everything that was needed for the booth. Right now, I'm working on the display items. I sold a brooch recently and used those funds to buy the four table covers and some connectors for wire shelving. I already have two tables. I need two more. I'll slowly check off the list so when the time comes, I'm ready and confident. This approach feels doable. LOL - feel free to check out my shop if you'd like to support that goal.

Making beads, chains, links, or other components is a way of working in series... of starting with the same idea and evolving it differently. As you know, I quite enjoy that. I want to make sure that I really push the edges and make some "weird" pieces that allow others to create their own authentic, unique, jewelry. YES YES! Have a comment, please email me at myrna@myrnagiesbrecht.com. Talk soon -