I'm Back!!

Where do I begin? There is just so much to say after spending several weeks away in Sydney, and attending a Jeweller's conference in Adelaide. There are topics to discuss, people to mention, and questions to ponder.

I will get around to all, that but right now I have to sort out a computer that won't boot (trying really hard not to freak out!), a lawn that I could lose my children in, seemingly endless emails, lots of orders, new stockist inquiries, a studio that I never got around to cleaning after Xmas, a grant proposal due in 2 weeks, a collaborative fashion-jewellery piece due in a week, meetings, plus a pretty busy social calender. I'm sure there is more too, but that is all I can handle right now. Anyway give me a couple of days and hopefully my head won't hurt quite so much!

Thank you to everyone who has patiently waited for a reply or for orders to be sent -I'm getting there. Thank you also to my youngest who has kindly allowed me to use her computer for 'as long as I need to'.

pictured above, Vicki Mason's Stem Series Brooches

Mountain Gal

I took a day trip up to the Blue Mountains yesterday to visit Kara Smith. It was great to catch up with her. We had a good ol' chat about life and handbags, and we fitted in some Op shopping too. What more could you ask for? I ended up sneaking away with the above pictured clutch. Too cute!

I loved the journey up there also. It gave me some much needed time to think and relax. Things that always seem so hard to fit in with the day to day chaos of my life. I spent the two hour trip there and back working on a grant application, thinking about my priorities this year, sketching some new design ideas, and just looking out the window and daydreaming too.

Home

I must be feeling a bit homesick today because I popped up a photo up of me (not a fan of having my pic taken) and some of my Brisbane pals. It is kinda funny 'feeling homesick' because I couldn't actually say where home is for me. Sydney isn't exactly home anymore, not living their for years now, and Brisbane isn't that either, not having a history their. But I guess it doesn't really matter. A good Brisbane friend rang me today (Miss J) and that felt like being at home. Perhaps the connections we make are what matters and what connects us to places.

Anyway I only have a few more days left in Sydney and I don't think I'm even half way through my 'list of things to do' - I've seen 3 films, I haven't caught up with enough people, I seem to end up on Oxford St every day, I haven't made it yet to Object/Collect, I went to the MCA... Oh well, if I don't get through my list this time I guess it isn't so far, or hard, to pop back sometime soon.

pictured above - Mr B (terribly loyal supporter), me (who knows?), M.V (excellent colleague), Caitlin (brilliant artist).

Being Decisive?

Why are some decisions made so quickly, while others...? Buying a car in under an hour (and the right car at that) sounds so impressive and decisive. But taking over a year to buy a camera just seems daft. I can't seem to make a decision and it is really starting to drive me a little mad. Maybe the more important something is to you the longer it takes to come to a conclusion. Or maybe we just don't always realise how long it is we really have been thinking about something.

Anyway a camera is one thing on my mind, and another is new designs. I really want some new kickass designs this year. Last year was a lot about reaping the benefits of designs created the year before and then just keeping up with the production and marketing of them. This year will still be that, but I am itching to create something new, and wonderful (fingers crossed).

Having some time away at the moment from the pressure of making constantly, as well as all the day to day stuff, it does feel like ideas are starting to flow. That's a good start. I'm at that annoying/exciting stage when there are ideas there but they aren't fully formed and I'm just not sure how long it will take for them to be, or if they ever will be.

I think with making a decision, be it buying something, creating something or even those tricky personal ones, you just have to do your research, think about it, think about it some more, and at the end just trust your gut. I know for me I so often end up where I started. I probably knew the answer from the beginning but I had to go through this big round about journey to get right back to the place I began. Even if you know the answer from the get go maybe the seemingly important decisions (designing & cameras for me) just need that time. Perhaps your head just takes longer to catch up.

above image - link sent to me by 'Brandy, a fan in Chicago' The Mandala of Perfect Happiness - thanks Brandy!

Chris Harvey has created a glorious city of towers made from the cheap plastic products found in discount stores.

Getting There

I fly out to Sydney on Saturday. I don't usually like flying AT ALL. I buy myself some magazines (always an Empire & something trashy like a Who or OK), bury my head in them, listen to music and try to imagine that I'm really on a bus. On the ground, not how-many-miles up in the sky - too scary! But this time I am actually looking forward to the flight. In fact I want to fly somewhere more than I actually want to get somewhere. I feel like flying to airport after airport, and flying to place after place. That feels just about right, right now. I don't care about where I am going. It is the going that counts.

I guess that notion is really a bit of a metaphor for my life at present (that is the curse of being an English major. Everything is a metaphor!) Anyway at the moment I just feel good about the journey I'm on. As long as I keep moving forward I can feel happy with that. I don't have a clue what the future will bring, and I'm not worried about it. And the past, well that's just it, it's over and I'm OK with it can staying that way. I'm going somewhere right now, that's all that matters.

Stripy Knitwit, Pictured above.
I feel if I don't have a break now I really am in danger of turning into one!

Trendy

Goodness, I got a mention over the weekend in the Denver Post & Seattle Times as a trend to watch in 2008! I know a lot of us are doing this sort of thing - turning 'recycling into fashion', and have been doing it for a while now! I guess that is why it has finally become a trend! These things can take a while to hit mainstream.

Part of the article:

Home trends fade to blue, but still eco-friendly

Advertising conglomerate JWT predicts the following for the home:

Blue replaces green as the environmental movement's color du jour. Falling in line with Pantone color forecasters, the company also dubbed "blue iris," or cobalt tinged with purple, as the new year's trendy new hue. Just like last year's coffeehouse browns and seafoam greens, expect new furnishings in this shade.

Recycling into fashion. Environmentalism makes its way into your closet this year, according to JWT. Expect to see even more products like Liana Kabel's "Tupperware Necklace" (lianakabel.com), recycled aluminum jewelry (elsewares.com) and bamboo jeans (undesigned.com).

In case you are interested here is JWT's full list of 80 things to watch in 2008.

pictured above - Tupperware Necklace

Need It Now?

It's still raining and all I want to do is crawl back into bed and read a book/watch a DVD/thumb through magazines/drink tea/write to do-lists/or anything else but sit in my studio and make work. I have a pile of orders to fill and it doesn't feel like I've had much of a Xmas break. But mustn't complain (too much) as I am going away in a week's time for over two weeks. I think I do need a break but I'm also a little freaked out about being away for so long. I thought things would be quiet now. I'm grateful they are not, but still....

Anyway I'll try not to collapse and give into total breakdown mode until I'm on that plane on January 13 (back 31st Jan). So what I'm trying to say in an extremely round about way is that if you want to place an order this month, you are welcome to do so early this week. I will make it and post it to you next week before I go away. Otherwise I'll be back here February 1st, hopefully somewhat rested and filled with enthusiasm and new ideas!

pictured above Liz Jones (Betty Jo) sent me a snap of her wearing some of my pieces & hers too (which is only fair) - thanks Liz!!

HAPPYNY

2008 is here, and it's good. Starting a new year can be tricky, but this new years day was excellent. Nothing amazing happened except that I started the day with a big smile on my face that never faded. The smile probably came from attending an excellent party the night before. Also I hadn't drunk to excess. Hangovers aren't much fun.

All I did all day was watch good films and make work. Plus it rained all day. Three things I just love. I think you have to be happy having a job that allows you to watch TV and fulfill your work commitments at the same time. Admittedly that isn't most of the time, but when I want it to be, it sure can be.

Watched:
Rushmore (an old favourite)
Thumbsucker (liked it & it came with my first theme song for 2008, Move Away And Shine by Polyphonic Spree)

Wishing big smiles for all of you in 08