more photography

I fell in love with this Turtle another tank I had to be dragged away from :-)

I love taking pictures, there is no pressure I just do it...this is true happiness how I felt when I made this piece there was no destination just me,some very heavy gauge wire, and a hammer :-)  

Free-form hammered copper with a Lodolite Quartz drop

Me At Play

Getting into the habit and Freedom

 It has been tough for me to get into the habit of blogging especially when I feel that I can’t be myself that I have to edit me. That has never worked for me so here I will be when I am blocked, frustrated, and generally cranky about things that have nothing and everything to do with my art. I am my art that is why it took me so long to put it in the web because “if you didn’t like it you didn’t like me”. I know full well that I am rambling a little and that’s ok because I want people to know more about me as a person a real person…Someone who is learning how to play again and not tale herself too seriously :-)

Faceted Sardonyx, Onyx, and Sterling Silver

From Jewelry

TDB

   I have had a serious case of TDB for the last month or so. This dreaded disease causes me to do things like, laundry, cooking, vacuuming, paperwork, and generally run in circles. In the grip of TDB I drop all, or most of my creative and social activities, depending on the severity. The end result is a very cranky, resentful, exhausted, blocked me, not so pretty....at all. 
  The onset is usually marked by comparing my art to others and finding it lacking, followed by a creative block, feelings of guilt and inadequacy, and usually without warning, because I lose all sense of self awareness, TDB sets in. 
  TDB affects all aspects of my life that lend me humor and joy.  I find myself putting off calling friends to say hello because I just don't have the time to get on the phone, these are the same people who can cure TDB by calling me on it, no time for Facebook, I am sure you can see where this is going. I become too wrapped up in "getting things done" {what gets done really?} to see outside of my own little world, and I stop being my own best friend. 
  So why am I blogging about this? Me and my crazy TDB? This is one of the best ways to start taking myself much less seriously, get off the merry go round publicly :-). I am also putting myself out there for people who might be suffering from TDB it takes on many forms; however the end result is the same, restlessness, irritability, exhaustion, and joylessness. The good news is TDB is curable, the cure is different for everyone here is mine; call friends, take a walk with my dog, take photos of random things, hammer some wire, Play.
   
  *I do have to note that I have nothing against housework in moderation. Who wants to live in a pig sty? :-)
   

A note about the 2 new necklaces

 These two were actually made for each other, though they both stand well on their own. The Magnesite piece was just listed today, it has so many ways to wear it that I was tempted to spend a lot more time photographing it, I was also very tempted to keep it. Magnesite cultivates peace and acceptance, especially of people, letting them just be who they are. 
 The Garden Jasper necklace (I have my own stone picked out) is what started it all, the swirls of turquoise among the other colors in this piece of Jasper, inspired the Magnesite necklace. Jasper is commonly referred to as the "Gentle Healer" this is one of the first stones I bought when I made my first purchase of jewelry making items. Jasper is in a lot of the jewelry I have made for myself. My experience with Jasper is it seems to amplify the healing aspect of other stones Bloodstone is one example, I will write more about that combination later.  Jasper's calming protective influence also helps us (me)  to avoid self destructive behavior.

From Jewelry

 

Garden Jasper, Copper, and soft brown seed beads

From Jewelry

42 inch Magnesite and Copper necklace

From Jewelry

New creative rush

 This set has come with a new creative rush. The feel of spring and being surrounded by beauty, of which I am going to post pictures here. Yes I am a shutterbug too :-) I look around me and I am in awe of nature, my hands can't seem to keep up with the designs that rush through my mind. They do keep me up at night, in spite of my camera, journal, and rough (very rough) sketches. There are times these rushes of inspiration actually cause a block, I get overwhelmed! At these times I find it is best to leave my desk and get out, clean the house :-) or just relax, my biggest challenge. I have to say how grateful I am to have these kinds of challenges, and this kind of deep passion for life. 

  This is all I have for now, I am sure as I write here more often and get more comfortable with my "style" of writing...I will have so much more to say.  Be Kind too Yourselves ~Dee

 Now that I have talked about blocks, I have to say I have been more creative recently. Another thing to remember when I am frustrated, I just finished a necklace using these stones.

From Jewelry

Creative blocks and loving the journey

I worked on a project for two and a half hours today before finally giving up {not recommended at all}. These days do happen; just because I have an idea does not mean it's going to work for me that day. Today was one of those days I should have let it go long before I did. The level of frustration I let myself get to can color the rest of my day, I am left feeling restless and cranky. I was not even inclined to post here. This is where I need to be, I am starting to feel better as I write, plus I am telling on myself aren't I? :-) There's my sense of humor! I really have to say I feel better about doing this than anything I have done today. I am getting this stuff out and sharing my (very recent) experience.

The solution for me is writing; visit other jeweler's or artist's blogs. I have read some articles that have really changed the way I look at what I do. One of the pieces of advice that has helped me the most was simply, don’t look at other artists work, or sales, on Etsy and compare yourself. I was doing that and driving myself nuts, I felt I had to change my style and simplify my work to keep up with these jewelers making a large amount of sales. Talk about a set up for a huge creative block! I am now much more comfortable with my own style, and for me before I started selling jewelry it was all about the journey, not the destination. I don't see the need for sales to change that for me, how much I love the creative process, is reflected in my work that is what is important. ~Dee

Citrine and Pearls on the Vine~ The Solution~

This is such a great story, this shows me that when I show up for life God hands me the answers. I was standing around talking with a group of friends; I had received a lot of compliments on the necklace I was wearing. I talked about the issue of durability, and I was handed the answer, {a special thank you J } intertwine gold filled wire into the copper wire. A great solution it would add beauty and not much cost at all! Once I try it I will post the results. Meanwhile I obviously have really fallen in love with this technique so I will be using sterling in the next design and working out the finer points of using copper.
Be Well Happy and Blessed *Dee

~Citrine and Pearls on the Vine~

From Jewelry

This piece is an experiment, I used 24 gauge copper wire twisted with pearls and faceted Citrine drops. The chain is made up of interlinked copper jump rings and antiqued copper plated steel chain....whew! So it turns out that the twisted copper is just a little too flexible to put up for sale, so I have to keep it (poor me :-). When I have the solution to this issue I will post it.

More gifts to jewelry making

I was thinking about jewelry making this morning, being an artist, is this all I want to do with this life? What could I do to give, put positive energy into the stream of life?

I came up with a few things that I’d like to share. I could teach classes for the developmentally challenged, there are plenty of after school projects and teachers looking for a patient person to teach with reasonable prices. Another wonderful idea that came from a friend of mine was to teach classes at senior centers, especially for the pioneers of our community that have mobility issues.

There is also a great reward in making reasonably priced amulets or selling tumbled stones, it’s a way to help and put some of my experience and accumulated knowledge to great use. I know I have done this for friends and it is, well the words are tough to find for a feeling so big, to have a friend thank me and benefit from using the stone. I should note here the best way I have found to match people with stones is to put a variety of tumbled stones in front of the person and have them choose the one that stands, or kinda pops from the pile. Even better have them choose by touch eyes closed *smile*

So all of that said this is just a beginning and I am very blessed to have the support I do in my exploration and my art (what artist doesn’t need feedback), from friends I can trust to tell the truth and when needed reel me in and point me in the right direction *Big Smile*

I post this with the hope that another artist will find some of this inspiring.

Be Well and Blessed ~Dee

Another part of the set ~Swarovski and Gray Quartz

Faceted Gray Quartz & Swarovski Asymmetrical Necklace

A note of interest about this piece is the gemstones. I have found very little information about Gray Quartz, all I know is that it has iridescent flashes along with gray inclusions. I thought at first it was miss-marked somehow and was a type of tourmalinated or rutilated quartz, though it was off in the description. I have searched my books and the web to find that yes gray quartz does exist and that the mineral that creates the flash and the gray inclusions could be silver, the mystery remains unsolved, I am working on it, and it's still a beautiful stone.

Faceted Gray Quartz & Swarovski Asymmetrical Necklace

For sale at my store...

www.StoneSpeak.etsy.com


I had to list this one as soon as it was finished to avoid keeping it :)

About the Mother of Pearl Necklace

This piece was an amazing journey from start to finish. I went to my desk to start another project and the shell leaf popped out at me and I was gone. I grabbed 24guage copper wire, pearls, more mother of pearl and AB finish faceted Czech glass. I just started by twisting the leaf into the wire and really let myself go, as I was working {playing?} I was so in the moment I had no idea how I was going to finish, it all came together this way. This is one of the reasons I love what I do, there is a big piece of me in everything I do.

Vine Necklace, Mother of Pearl, Pearls, and Copper

What's in a name?

So I guess I should talk about why I chose "The Stone Speaks" as title for this blog, I started making jewelry in 2003, I love jewelry and I knew I could make it MY WAY and of course cheaper. Not long after I started I had a new love gemstones, their history, and the physical and emotional benefits of wearing them. The other reason I chose the name is, I finally speak, I am not over the whole sensitive artist issue, and I do not consider myself a writer.
Yet here I am {*smile*} I will be sharing my art as well as my experience with gemstones, research and personal. I think for now I will stick to this little introduction and maybe a couple of pics.