What are some of my priorities?

February’s topic for the Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank is “What are some of my priorities?” I took some liberties with the title, generally things for this month will center on what are some of our top thoughts, concerns, or focuses?

I must admit I do have a lot on my mind.

For whatever reason, I seem pulled to consider the options available if Dan & I choose to move to the Pacific Northwest. This type of move is not in our immediate future that I know of, yet, the pull to research the possibilities is strong. Right now I’m doing my best to focus on the present.

The desire to be in my studio and practice my craft is a constant. Most days I get in there and do something. The pull to work with my hands, coupled with developing new designs is formidable.

There is an awareness that I need to spend quality type with Dan and the bassets. We do out best to have date night on the weekends. Dinner out, a late lunch or movie, discussions about the events during the week and plans for the future. With the dogs, I try to avail my lap for snuggle moments with the pups every day. I know they need to spend time with me as every morning, as I attempt to eat breakfast, I am buried under a pile-o-bassets.

 

Paring down on the unused and unnecessary articles of clothing, decorations, etc. One of the good things I saw on Facebook in the past week was related to Lent. Completely different from the normal 40 days of ritual, use this time as a benefit to myself and someone else by going through my closet and selecting an article of clothing that I do not wear. One item, each of the 40 days, to donate to a worthy organization that will help others in need. I like that, so I’m doing it. It helps with removing the superfluous things, plus someone else benefits. Bonus.

Disclaimer….this is NOT my closet….yet!

Preparing for upcoming exhibits is a must. Added to that, I am considering what avenues will work best for finding my target audience. I have yet to find a satisfactory answer.

My journey in faith, while I mention it last, it is my number one priority.

Those are just a few of the things that continually bubble up to the top of my priority list. I know I can’t do it all at once, so I do my best to carve out bits of time to focus on just one thing.

Now let’s see what my fellow bloggers had to say on this topic:

Andes Cruz:
marie bell
Robyn Hawk
Beth Cyr
Diana Bell

Until next time, I continue to aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

What are you hoping to accomplish in 2013

Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank Topic for the Month of January

What are you hoping to accomplish in 2013?

I have a fairly lengthy list, so I will do my best to condense it to a few of the top items on my radar to accomplish this year.

If not now, when?

Several items fall into this category.  Dan & I are heading back to Zion National Park this spring and one of the things I want to accomplish during this trip is the hike to the top of Angels Landing.

The trail heading to Angels Landing.

When I make it to the top, in addition to taking in the breath taking views, I want to sit there and bask in the sunlight, mediating and giving thanks that I made it.  Sometimes I have not done things out of fear and last year I experienced a personal awakening.  With that came the question, “If not now, when?”.

Another item that fits in that same category is entering an event where I need to train regularly and test my physical abilities to accomplish the task at hand.  I never considered myself very athletic as I grew up, in part I think because I grew pretty fast and that awkward stage of what to do with long limbs left its mark.  But now, I have done a lot of cycling, swimming, yoga and feel it’s time to commit.  So I have entered an event that is called an Aquabike that will take place in June.  The swim course is 1500 meters in open water followed by a 30 mile bike ride.  I know I can do this; the key is I’m working toward doing it faster and in better condition than I am right now.

Follow the Simple Abundance Path

This is my third year reading Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book, Simple Abundance.  Why?  Well, for the past two years, I have started the book and somewhere along the way, I get behind on the daily readings.  This year, I am reading the passage for the day and following the principles.  It’s the first year I started my personal gratitude journal, which she says is key to success with finding Simple Abundance in your life.  It did make a difference in my life in the past two years, but not like it already has this year.

Experience the Benefits of Meditation

Last year was the first time I started to practice meditation thanks to Dr Wayne Dyer’s Wishes Fulfilled Meditation CD and Deepach Chopra’s Creating Abundance Meditation Challenge.

I never really understood how one could go about the process and feel all calm and centered.  Well, it takes practice and patience.  Once I started to receive the benefits that come from meditation, it has made me hungry for more.   My goal is to enjoy the positive outcome of a daily meditation practice.

Grow as an Artist

I am looking forward to continuing to expand my body of work as an Art Jeweler.  My goal for this year is to have my work represented in at least one or two more galleries.

Another area where I want to experience artistic growth is in my writing.  Last year I enjoyed the 30 day writing challenge and while I didn’t complete my novel, it was a very fun and interesting experience.  So much so that I want to explore writing and see where it leads me.  I have started another WordPress blog that will strictly focus on my writing efforts, if you’d like to follow me in that journey.

This is my condensed list!!!  There’s more, but I think this gives you an idea that I definitely have A LOT I intend to accomplish in 2013.  Who knows, maybe Dan & I will finally get those room darkening curtains hung in our bedroom too!!!  🙂

Let’s see what my fellow Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank members shared on this topic!

pencilfox. http://www.pencilfox.com
Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
Robyn Hawk: http://flyviewsandreviews.blogspot.com/
Shelagh Blatz http://designsbyshelagh.com/blog
Natsuko Hanks http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/
Christine Esovoloff: http://christineesovoloff.tumblr.com/
Sierra Keylin: http://sierrakeylin.blogspot.com/
Barbara Donovan: http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/
WATTO Distinctive Metal Wear: http://www.wattoonline.com/news

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank: Best gift you’ve ever gotten. And why?

The view above my bench.
Center Photo of a door in Tuscany by Susie Rieple

It’s December and what a perfect time for this question, posed by our Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank founder, Andes Cruz.  “What was the best gift I’ve ever gotten and why?”

I must admit that had this question been asked a couple of weeks ago, I would have answered differently than I’m about to now.  You know, it would have been something from a Christmas long ago…perhaps that wonderful sled  when I was in grade school or a special piece of jewelry from Dan.  As great as many of my material gifts have been, I received a gift on Friday, December 7, 2012, that supersedes all of them.

The best gift I’ve ever gotten was an answer to a prayer.

Whatever your faith or belief system, I will understand if you choose not to read any further.  I am not going to stand on a soap box and preach.  No.  I am going to share, with those of you who wish to continue reading, an incredibly life changing story that just happened to me.  The reason I feel so compelled to share this is I want others to know that the worst case scenario isn’t always the one that happens.  Have faith in a positive outcome.

For the men, and maybe some of the women who follow my blog, this may not be a topic you care to read more about.  I understand that too.  It is a health issue, mainly for women, but some men are afflicted with it too.

Spoiler alert, I will tell you that all of this has a very happy ending for me.  So again, if you do not want to read any further, just know that I received great news, in answer to my prayers (and those of a few others who knew).  I am in perfect health with new doors opening for me as I write this.

If you want to find out about why I posted the picture of the view above my bench, you will need to continue reading.

This is my story about the best gift I’ve ever received.  

On Tuesday, November 27, 2012, I went in for my annual mammogram.  My mother’s sister, Mildred, died of breast cancer in the early 90’s.  Recently I’ve been told that it is the direct descendant linkage to breast cancer that is a bigger concern than that of a maternal or paternal aunt.  You see, I had always been compared to Mildred as I grew.  There were times when my mom said I walked and talked like her. Because I was so similar to her, I felt like that breast cancer cloud was hanging over my head.  My mom reassured me, doctors too, that my chances were almost nil because my mother never had it and neither did either of my grandmothers.  So every year, I dutifully schedule my appointment for the ‘mash‘ as I view it.  At the end of my appointment, the tech, who has done my films for most years, smiled and said,  “Everything looks beautiful!” as she always did.  Out the door I went, but I had a nagging concern because I thought I saw something.

Two days later, Thursday, November 29, 2012, I got the call.  Yep, that one we never want, the one where we are told “Don’t worry if you get a follow-up call, it just means they need a closer look, as something has changed since your last exam”.  Right.  Breathe.  Research.  What if?  The calm, pleasant voice on the other end of the phone said my films showed an abnormality and more films were needed.  Ok.  My heart is pounding.  My inner voice is screaming “Noooooooooo, this can’t be happening”.  And then, thankfully, my centering inner voice said, let’s just wait and see what the next set of films show.

Well, the earliest a follow-up appointment that could be scheduled was for the following Friday, December 7th at 10:25 AM.  Over a week.  I had to live with this uncertainty for over a week!  Lots of deep breaths.  Many conversations with Dan.  All the thoughts.  I have to live normally for the next 8 days, get through a Holiday Weekend Show, smile, engage, continue my routine.  Dan was with me while I listened to the pleasant voice on the other end of the phone.  He saw my notes.  I hung up and we looked into each others eyes.  A loving smile was exchanged between the two of us.  The unspoken communication followed by the verbal affirmation that we would get through this together.  It could be anything, it could be nothing.  The one possibility, we would tackle it together….we would tackle any possibility together as we always have.

One of my first thoughts was my breasts do not define me.  I can live without one, if needed.  There are things that are tons worse in my mind.  I have an artist friend who has brain cancer.  I have a friend who has lost most of his sight.  I thought to myself, the loss of one of my hands or legs or my eyes or even my physical mobility through a spinal cord injury….that would be worse.  I can live without a breast.  Whatever the outcome, I knew I would be fine.

Initially, I only shared this with one friend, Andrea, who had invited me to begin Deepak Chopra’s 21 day mediation challenge several weeks prior to this.   What a God send that was.   We went to see Dr Wayne Dyer together in October and one of his mantras is “I am perfect health”.  You can rest assured that became my mantra, along with “I am perfect breast health”.

Remarkably, as those 8 days passed, I was able to get through them with a smile on my face and thoughts about future plans Dan & I had.  I would get through all of this.  I have the love and support of a man who is my best friend and soul mate, Dan.  I couldn’t ask for more.

I found myself going through a series emotional phases; denial, calm, anger, fear, numbness, disbelief and more.

The weekend of the Holiday Market, I knew I was tired.  I managed to sleep pretty well in spite of some of those thoughts that went from the worst case scenario to the best possible outcome.  One of the artists at the event, Susie Rieple, had a photograph of a beautiful red door, partially open; it’s pictured at the beginning of this post.  She took it in Tuscany during one of their trips.  That photo spoke to me and I knew that whatever was happening, doors are opening for me.  So I bought that photograph and it hangs over my bench; an inspiration, symbolizing hope of the abundant possibilities that exist as one enters.  I told her how the photo symbolized a door opening for me and she asked what I thought it was.  I told her I didn’t know yet, as I truly didn’t at that time.

The day before the followup appointment, another dear friend from Iowa, Carol, sent me an email.  We were brought together years ago, and I consider her my sister.  I helped her when her dad was dying from cancer and she helped me after my parents died.  We’ve always been there for each other through many things.  Initially, I didn’t want to tell her about what was going on with me because I didn’t want her to worry.  Her sister had died of breast cancer.  Their was a history of cancer in her family.  But I knew she would pray for me and help me no matter what.  So Carol is the only other person, besides my friend Andrea, that I shared this news with, knowing I would have my answer the next day on Friday the 7th.  Dan and I felt it would be best not to tell more people and have them worry.  Now that’s wisdom.

The day arrived.  Dan & I went for our morning swim.  Each day we had worked out in our normal fashion, each day I found myself wondering how restricted my activities might be if I had to go through a recovery period.  Swimming was my healing time, positive thoughts and mantras going through my head as I swam.  Dan accompanied me for this appointment.  The ride to the downtown facility was mixed with some laughter, some silence, a few tears in my eyes as that most evil of all emotions, fear, tried to creep into my thoughts.

The breast care center is located on the third floor of a building I had been in numerous times before.  I reached for the doorknob to the office, it felt like time froze, I took a deep breath and thought, I’ll know….one way or the other, today I get the news.  That morning I had told Dan I’m too busy for this.  We were planning a trip back to Zion National Park.  I told myself, this time, I’m climbing up to Angels Landing.  I had a new gallery for my work.  There’s the prospect of a basset puppy in our future.  Thoughts rolling through my mind as I looked at that door handle, thinking, this is it, let’s find out and deal with it.

I checked in and registered.  The TV was droning on in the background, some woman’s talk show with Kathy Lee Gifford and someone else.  Meaningless babble in my mind.  Life is too important to waste it on such dribble.  I pulled out my phone and listen to The Moses’ Code Mediation as I waited.  I held Dan’s hand and tried to hold back tears.  I keep telling myself, you don’t know, you don’t know…wait to find out and then deal with it.

Lucinda called my name and off we went to what I refer to as the pancake machine.  She had been the tech who had taken my films the week prior.  She knew where my nerves and head were.  She’s a wonderful person.  Lucinda shared that last year was the first time she had been called back for a followup like this.  She knew how hard the last week had been, with all the attempts to not worry because this can happen and be nothing.  The more we talked, the more I relaxed.  She said sometimes as the tissue is compressed, it isn’t compressed in the same way as a prior year and that can cause fibers  to cross, producing phantoms.  That’s what had happened with her and in the end, nothing was wrong for her.  I told her what I thought I had seen.  She said, no, that’s  not it…what I saw was my normal fibers.  Then she showed me the spot.  It was like a speck of dust, so close to my chest wall I thought there’s no way I could have ever found something like that with self exams!

We proceeded.  This time, retaking the normal set of films plus two extras that zero in on the area in question.  I told her Dan had come along as moral support.  She said she would bring him into the room while the radiologist reviewed the new films.  She also assured me that I didn’t need to worry if the radiologist wanted to have more films taken as they were wanting to make this go away and it may mean more x-rays.  I told her that was no problem.

Let me just state that I am married to one of the most heroic, brave men in the world.  I love him with all my heart.  To see his smiling face when she brought him back to wait with me and listen to Lucinda’s explanation to him about what was happening….now that’s priceless!  As we waited, we talked, and it was the most relaxed I had been all week.  We were optimistic.

Lucinda came back.  We need more detail.  That spec was so close to my chest wall I was going to have to stand on my tip toes and the pancake maker was going to have to press even harder.  I can do anything when I have to.  Know it.  Believe it.  Round two for the day.  Success.  Off Lucinda went.  Minutes passed.  Dan & I exchanging glances and smiles.  Laughing a bit.  Relaxing a bit more.  The door opens, it was the radiologist followed by Lucinda.  I think my eyes got as wide as saucers when I looked at him! I could tell he saw my reaction and he knew he needed to clear the air right away.  “The first thing I want to tell you is it is good news!”  he said.  I’m beaming, laughing.  I felt like Scrooge did the morning after he woke up from the night of being visited by the three spirits.  Pure joy.  Immense gratitude.  I never thought I could feel that kind of deep, spiritual gratitude.  It’s amazing.

The radiologist explained everything.  There was no doubt in his mind that my tissues were healthy and clear.  Pure music to my ears and Dan’s.  We beamed at each other.  I hugged Lucinda.  I’ll see her again next year.  I was free to go.

Dan & I hugged and kissed in the hallway outside the breast health offices.  Elation doesn’t even begin to sum it up.  I texted my two friends, Andrea and Carol, that knew what I was facing.  Carol was the first to respond with joy & relief.  I caught up with Andrea when I we returned to the office;  she knew by my smile all was good and we hugged with happiness.

I am here to tell you that material things are very nice, but they pale in comparison to answered prayers.  Believe.

I wanted to share this because I want to give others hope.  When you receive news, it may be the worst, it may not.  Wait to hear, pray for the strength to handle whatever comes.

Now let’s see what my fellow bloggers posted on this topic:

pencilfox: www.pencilfox.com
Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
Robyn Hawk: http://flyviewsandreviews.blogspot.com/

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank: What’s your Favorite Tool?

The Trusty Foredom Flex Shaft

Today’s topic for our Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank is “What is your Favorite Tool?” The subject was not limited to the tools we use in our respective studios.  There were many that came to my mind.

To qualify as one of my favorite tools, the tool must be practical and functional.  My dad taught me the importance of good tools.  So my narrowed down list ranges from my Chi flat iron (in purple of course!), to my NC Black Hammers, to the pooper scooper (yes, I know eeeiiiiwwww, but when you have doggies, it’s a necessity!!!), to my Husqvarna Viking sewing machine….yet, I kept coming back to my trusty Foredom Flex Shaft!

It’s hard believe that I acquired this tool in October of 2009! I was so overjoyed with it then that it became one of the topics for another blog post about tools. As much as I truly do enjoy the zen of hand finishing my metalwork, I find I go to my Foredom almost every time I work at my bench.  Why?  Well it has a multitude of attachments that make metalsmithing even more fun for me.  It’s a great time saver since I feel I need to make the most out of the time I work in the studio.  Here’s a list of a few of the things it does that makes my life easier when metalworking:

•  Drilling holes is a breeze
•  It can perform quick sweep, with the right attachment, to rid the metal of a scratch that could take 10 – 15 minutes or more of hand sanding
• Adding a bit of texture to the metal with one of those 3M ‘spiders’ (radial sanding discs)
• Smoothing out a bump in my soldered bezel wire
• Removing a spot of solder that would take a while with hand sanding
• Giving an polished edge to a finished piece with additional smoothness and shine

I truly love tools that make my life easier and this is definitely one of those.  It goes to the head of the class and I have found using it invaluable in my studio.

Now lets see what my fellow blog-o-sphere think tankers shared on this fun topic! Please visit their blogs and enjoy the read.  🙂

Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
Shannon I’m On A Roll Koochin: http://thebassplayersdaughter.blogspot.ca
Barbara Donovan:  http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/
Robyn Hawk: http://flyviewsandreviews.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Natsuko Hanks http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/
Christine http://sistinachapel.blogspot.ca/
WATTO (Mary) http://www.wattoonline.com/news
Wendy Kelly http://www.wendykianakelly.com
Stephanie Clark http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person