A New Day

I wish I could post something like:

It's a new day and I feel GREAT!!

That wouldn't be the truth. It IS a new day. And I do feel pretty good.

Definitely not GREAT - but 'good' and for sure better than the past couple of days.

I do need to thank everyone who commented here or on FB on in email.

THANK YOU!!!

And thank God for grace and mercy and never letting me go.

And thank God for all of YOU!

I really am so appreciative for all of you who take the time to read and better yet engage with me - via comments or email or FB or Twitter or wherever! I am a busy person so I really appreciate the time and the efforts, no matter how small it may seem to you - its big to me.

really really.

I get email notifications of comments and today I had one from an older post of mine, asking about my engravers ball/block. I posted back in the comments but will also note here that the block either came from Creative Metalworks or Contenti (contenti link to econo model but they have others).

As I was looking at the comment on that older post, I saw one that I had forgotten about. It was a blog award. !!

And so timely................its the Sunshine Award!

How ironic!

When I was feeling LEAST 'sunny' that I would be brought back to that old post where Odin was giving me a sunshine award. Life is strange. But good. Even when I'm not. :)

Thank you Odin!



I'm supposed to award 12 bloggers...but since I haven't even awarded the full number on the last award I received...I'll just say thanks to ALL of you!

Phillipians 1:3
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Seriously.

I really am thankful for you.

Some of you have been a constant presence since I began this whole jewelry journey and began blogging

For instance -
Chris Kerr (website)
and blog who I feel like has been here since my beginning and she still comments and encourages me!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!??

There are too many of you really to name you all - and I would hate to overlook anyone just because my brain isn't making all the connections at the moment. But I really need to send a shout out to Evalie -- I appreciate you my friend!!!!!!!

In addition to those I know and love - there are over 800 subscribers to this blog! Blows me away.

And the page hits are well over 3000 a month (another constant surprise) .....and visitors from SO far around the world. I LOVE that about blogging. All of the interesting people, from different walks of life. I don't get caught up in numbers but I do have a tracking system on my website for business reasons and it carries over to the blog for free, so occasionally I will glance at the geographic origins of hits on the blog - amazing. While I don't know who comes from where, I can't know WHO is visiting, its interesting nonetheless - in the last 24 hours we've had hits from the USA, Germany, Poland, Romania, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Brussels, Belgium, Israel, and Norway! whoa.

Thanks guys! And if you have never commented, please know you are welcome to do so. Anytime. I'd love to hear what you have to say and know what you are up to and how you found my little blog. :)

~Janice

Performance Anxiety & Therapy

It stares me down - that little blank box up there.

It prevents me from starting.

That stupid blankity-blankin'-blank box.

Its just a little empty box you say...how can it be so intimidating?

Well, GEE, I DON'T KNOW!

but it is.

It mocks me with its........emptyness.

Daring me to commit.

Daring me to be witty.

Daring me to be concise or relevant.

Daring me to lure you in......I've read that an intriguing blogpost title can make or break a blog.

That is where the anxiety all began I think. With that article I read.....

Ever since then, I've had it - blogpost title block!

Add that to my blog title envy, which I've probably always had and you can now see my dilemma.

I try to surround myself with lovely wonderful people. . . but there is a downside to that you know.

You're lovely.

And wonderful.

And witty

And smart

And so damn clever. . .

And your blogs mock me. . . . . with their blogpost titles.

They're succinct and sexy, funny and fresh, intriguing and inspiring......

And they compel me to click.........

And then I return here. To my beloved blog.

And I am bursting to write...to share, to communicate, to engage.....and I click 'new post'

and then

there it is

That box. Its the first thing I see. And I panic......what is my blogpost going to cover? I have too many things running around in my head - and its a crazy place up there - so many different thoughts, half of them unrelated. . .

How does ONE LITTLE BOX cover it all?

One line.

A few words.

And finally, its hit me.

Skip it.

Just write - - - - don't over think it. Come back to it later. No big deal. Just have fun. Loosen up....

No need for all this anxiety....

From now on no blog post title until I actually WRITE the blog post.

Then maybe I'll get a handle on this....

I'm feeling better already....even though I actually had things to say, pictures to post, words to wow you with...but I think I'm done.

And thats ok - I'm in a happy place.

This has been quite therapeutic.

And now I'm looking forward to coming back later and sharing those thoughts and pictures, because that little box has lost its power over me.

One small step for this blogger, one giant leap for...well, this blogger. :)

Later and HAPPY FRIDAY! :)

~Janice

New things going on 'round here

There's some big changes around here. Well, they feel big to me anyway. The first has to do with my blogs. *sigh* Some good things have to come to an end, ya know?

I've been contemplating for a while how I'm split 6 ways to Sunday -- so busy, trying to do EVERYthing it seems. Yet all I've done is 'contemplate' (and complain?). I really haven't taken action, until now.

I've finally decided to merge my two blogs. Metalsmithing (A Metalsmith's Journey) and 'home life/personal' (Grace Expectations). The personal blog was suffering big time, and more home life was creeping in here anyway, so it makes sense I suppose. It still feels like a loss though. . . in some way.

I am not set on the layout, or header, or background or pretty much ANYTHING...other than simply being set on DOING it - so I made a start by combining the titles and a new header and dorky background - for now; and keeping it all here, where I post more regularly anyway.

The other new thing...........

I've gone raw. I never would have imagined it. I never even thought about going vegetarian, or vegan much less RAW. And technically I'm not vegetarian....or vegan....nor am I sure I'll STAY raw. But for now - since Monday morning. I am. Raw. and LOVING IT! I had read a small article in a magazine about raw eating and enzymes and decided to do it for ten days. The article recommended 70% raw for 10 days and then maybe 50/50 or something, I can't recall. After a bit of research I understand many people eat 100% raw. (or strive to do so) Raw foodists suggest making small changes, one meal a day at first -- but I jumped in 100%. I have only had a very tiny bit of cooked food since Monday morning - about a quarter of a broiled chicken breast Tuesday night. I feel GREAT. So much energy I am annoying myself.

I had gone to much less processed food a couple of years ago, but had slowly let a lot of it back into my diet. I kept thinking I'd ditch the processed foods and 'white' foods (white bread, white rice, white potatoes -- white = bad!) again but it just didn't happen. Now I'm T-totally au natural. Its slightly weird, but I can't believe how good I feel!

Just so's you knows...I didn't do this for any religious reason or spiritual thang. I just did it for basic health, and for short term. I'm thinking about staying at least 80% raw and no dairy (well, no milk and cheese). Anyone else have somewhat unusual dietary habits?

Ummmm, what else. Oh, my daughter turned 21 yesterday. OY. I feel old. lol

I mentioned a ring and some earrings - I still have not photographed the earrings, but here is the ring. :)

Later!

Janice

Face-lift - or not..?

I recently redid the theme on my personal blog (if you are really bored you can check it out here: http://gracexpectations.blogspot.com ) And I really like it - its fun and colorful and cute - it makes me smile. I noted over there, as I changed the theme in quick succession that I was (am) really trying to fine 'my' blogging identity, 'my' voice, 'my' theme. And although here I pretty much know my voice -- I've never been so sure about the theme - its been basic, plain - perhaps a bit boring. *snorrrrrrre*

Hence the change. I kind of liked it at first but now I'm not so sure. Its kind of dark. And then last night my son told me it looked like a swamp. Then he clarified, not just any swamp - a putrid swamp he said. I did a few other renditions which I got screenshots of, but they are on my puter at home - will put those up tonight. . . they are lighter, brighter, and some are pinker. ;-) I've never been a frilly-girly-girl - but I do like pink, not on me but as a color in general.

So, what do you think? Is the current theme too swampy? Too dark? PLEASE let me know what you really really think. K?

Thanks -
Janice

Is this me? (or my blog?)

from 'typealyzer.com' which apparently gives an analysis from the first page of your blog.

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

They enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

what does it say about YOUR blog?

Are you a 'follower'?

If you are on blogger, there is a new tool - well, new to me anyway.


It allows you to follow various blogs and they do NOT all have to be hosted on blogger! I have added about 9 blogs/sites to my list and now when I log into blogger, down at the bottom, under the list of MY blogs, I have a list of blogs I am following on the left, and to the right any new posts from those blogs. HOW COOL IS THAT!?


Thats a screen shot from just a few moments ago and you can see there are various blogs showing at the right. Neat-o torpedo! I can read from right here, I don't have to go to yet another site to get a feed of all my blogs. This makes is simple. Soooo, start following your favorite blogs...especially mine! ;-)