Looking towards 2009

I am not yet announcing any big resolutions, in fact, I'm not into resolutions - just the categorization freaks me out a bit. Messes with my head. Sounds like failure at first blush, and second glance, and third read - its no charm for me. So no resolution announcements are coming - at all.

But I do think goals are doable, and beneficial, and something I can think about - in fact I had started thinking about them a while back, about goals and intentions and benchmarks to quantify progress. The thing is, I didn't follow through - I had a good start and then things came to a screeching halt. No, thats not the truth. In reality, things fizzled out...slowly, quietly.....those ideas quietly took a backseat.

So, for starters, I am going to go back to my list and post it in several places - on my bedroom mirror, and somewhere in my car....and maybe at work. I may also post them on the sidebar of the blog. Anywhere I can get them in my sights. I lead a somewhat busy crazy schizophrenic life. . . if I'm going to follow through on some things, I'm going to need reminders.

Perhaps I need to continue to take inventory of my personality and lifestyle and formulate a plan to get the goals started on the right foot before I even set the goals and start working on them! (like a meeting to plan a meeting or a list of what lists to make...lol)

I love New Years. I love that its a definitive 'starting'....a man-made starting but a starting none-the-less. It seems so rich with possibilities, newness, fresh starts. I love that I stay home on New Years eve and contemplate. Quietly. For the past several years I have stayed home, putting my son to bed at just a little later than normal and then I sit.....I read, I listen to music, watch tv or a movie....usually in the family room - where the Christmas tree still stands, softly illuminating the dim room with the colored lights tucked in amongst the branches. Its so calm, so peaceful. I look back to the year that is coming to a close and I also look forward to the coming year. I stopped making resolutions quite a few years ago and have only half-heartedly made goals in the years since. But this year, this year I think I'm ready to really look not only at the year coming up but where I really want to be in 5 years, 10 years, and beyond. And plan. For the future.

I have talked over the past couple of years about creating a 'line' of jewelry. Something somewhat cohesive, in addition to the 'one ofs' that I love to create. But its never really happened. I have been so carefree and almost scattered in what I make because I've been so thirsty for new techniques and constant learning. Well its time to settle down and utilize what I know and see what I can do with it. Just in the past two weeks I've stumbled onto a design that I really really like. Something that I can see translating from the bangle that I made, into rings and earrings and beyond. And not just 'matching' items but slight variations - and they are all popping in my head all at once. And instead of the 'line' confining me, it is actually inspiring me! Who would have thought it?

Here is the bangle that started it all, and its so fitting since the prominent feature on the bangle is a series of lines!

I love the simplicity of the piece and the dark lines against the really shiney sterling.

Last night I sat down and created a ring which is a continuation of this bangle in a way. The shank is flattened 10 gauge rd. sterling wire and then I used half round for the top of the ring, similar to the half round used in this bangle. The lines aren't arranged the same, but they are there. Providing a nice visual effect against the super shiney sterling. I don't yet have a picture of the ring but will try to get one tonight and then update the blog. It's exciting to have something concrete that I'm working towards. I hope the pieces are well received, I really like them. :)

Sleek and casual - great for everyday wear!

~Janice