Friday, April 24, 2009

Full Moon Rising

I've been working on a new necklace but it's pretty detailed and is taking forever, especially since I'm dealing with some physical issues that only allow me to work in spurts. Sometimes that can be frustrating, as I really like best to keep a steady work schedule. It used to be that I'd bounce up every day like the sun, full of energy and ideas for the day, but lately the sun hasn't shown its face much. 

Sometimes when we're not getting the results we want, we tend to focus on the negatives and forget that there's still a beautiful world all around us, if we only take the time to notice it. I was a little lost for a blog today...I did a new pendant but it's still cooling from the oven and so I went to my photos for inspiration. I took this photo from my front porch at the end of last June, about 8:30 at night...the sun was setting in the west as the moon rose in the east. I'd totally forgotten about it after uploading it to the computer.

So, as I was looking at it, I started to think about my situation in relation to the photo. Just as the day is taking away the sun and dropping into darkness, a new light comes. It's not as bright, its light is cooler, and it comes less often but it is beautiful in its own right. Soon that light will be the only beacon in the sky. I realized that the sun may be gone but the only reason I see that moon is because the hidden sun is still lighting it from the other side of the world. It's not gone, it's just waiting for the earth to turn again before it shines on my face once more. 

Sometimes the darkness closes in on us in one form or another, but it doesn't mean it's an ending. Sometimes you see the light and other times you forget to look for it because you are bemoaning the loss of brilliant brightness and cannot see the soft glow above the distant hills signaling that there is still hope. Maybe it's not always this obvious, maybe sometimes you can't find it at all, but it is always there. 
 

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Bohemia Esprit at 1000 Markets


Bo·he·mi·an            Listen to the pronunciation of Bohemian
Pronunciation:
\-mē-ən\
Function:
noun
Date:
1555
1 a: a native or inhabitant of Bohemia b: the group of Czech dialects used in Bohemia2often not capitalized a: vagabond, wanderer ; especially : gypsy b: a person (as a writer or an artist) living an unconventional life usually in a colony with others

es·prit            Listen to the pronunciation of esprit
Pronunciation:
\is-ˈprē\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
French, from Old French espirit, Latin spiritus spirit
Date:
1573
1 : vivacious cleverness or wit

from Miriam/Webster online dictionary

Ok...so now you know what it is and had a teeny peek at some of the fabulous artisan work at this market, so come take a look to see what else we have to offer! 

Bohemia Esprit at 1000 Markets


Sue
http://ninedragons.1000markets.com

Friday, April 17, 2009

In honor of Earth Day - my Heaven and Earth Pendant

This Heaven and Earth Pendant is number 13 in my Negative Spaces - Random Meanings series and quite seriously is my favorite so far. It's 3 1/2 inches long, but because it's polymer it's light as a feather and not at all clunky for a larger size pendant. 

The thing I love about doing these pieces is that it's all impulsive...suddenly out of nowhere I get the urge to do one and I have absolutely no preconceived ideas. I just grab (or mix) a color that seems right, the shape is completely random...when it looks right, well, that's just it. Usually I just find a stamp pattern and do it once...this one required a blending of 4 different stampings and some tool imprints to make it 'just right'. Not MY 'just right' but whatever the fates decide. 

As soon as I saw this I knew its title and I knew the finish it needed. The base is a lime green and the patina is a copper metallic. The photo shows the blending but it can't capture the way this glows like gold when the light hits it...it's just awesome. 

I don't what it is about this series...and I don't know how long it will continue or how it may evolve...but it's really like someone besides myself is behind it...and that is what makes it so unique.

Happy Earthday, World...I hope the coming years are kinder to you.


Sue
http://ninedragons.1000markets.com

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Mind - Body - Spirit: Two Places, One Healing












Yesterday was a day when I desperately needed to get away. For the past 9 days I've been dealing with some pretty rough neck and shoulder issues and my soul needed some of nature's healing. So Chopper, Boots and I headed out of town to Cherry Springs to catch the first flush of spring. 

The ride was painful, spring showers dampened the walk and you would have thought it was a miserable day to be tromping along a nature walk, especially with nary a bud to be found on the trees yet. But not for me, because nothing restores my soul as much as just being a part of nature's annual rebirth and having the bonus of a day spent enjoying my family's company. 

I love the way sap turns red in river willows and lichen turns plain stone and bark into wondrous colors and patterns. These photos are beautiful but they can't catch the feel in the air or the wonder in my heart as my eyes rested upon what is the true world around us.

On the way back we came across a herd of deer feeding in the Arbon Valley...deer are one of my spirit animals, and always a sign of hope, so it was a special way to end the day.

Then I came home, still hurting but much replenished, to find one last gift...an invitation for my shop to join the new Mind Body Spirit market. My body still has some healing to do but my spirit is full :)

I hope yours, too, is replenished by sharing some special moments with me in my photos and then seeing what else is good for your soul at "Mind Body Spirit" :)

Sue
http://ninedragons.1000markets.com

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Down Time

Just a short notice to say I have some shoulder issues going on and will have to take some downtime from the computer. I'm fine, doing physical therapy and have gotten through this before, but won't be able to keep up with the blog, twittering etc for awhile. My store at 1000 Markets will still be open and I'll be reading other blogs etc when I can, just won't be commenting. See you when it's better :)  





Sue
http://ninedragons.1000markets.com