HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! and new year's hopeful ramblings....

This is a picture from maybe a month ago, honestly my desk top hasn't changed much.  I'm still working on the big wings necklace and most of the stuff pictured here!

 It's kind of been a rough year both physically and emotionally.  I won't get into details because well, except for my family it's boring.  And it's private.  But how well you are doing in life reflects in one's art and that's taking a beating the past few years as well.  Add in how essential income from the business has been the last few years in keeping my family safe.   All the stress of living on whatever I make in my day job and in my jewelry business.  The stress of family health issues, my health issues, and various other life stuff.

Don't get me wrong, I have never considered my jewelry as a hobby, but until the last three years, any money I made in the business was pretty much used in the business, or I might fund a family vacation or something.  The business income was for extras in life, not the essentials.  Or more pretty somethings to turn into jewelry!

Cog from a clock, new key, old typewriter key.  I really want to express myself more this year in my jewelry, and part of this is letting go, or releasing some old baggage.  

The last 3 years most of what I made became mortgage payments and electric bills and food on the table.  I'm very grateful I had the ability to make the business work to help float my family, but I can't say I'm not very relieved that I don't have to going forward.

I felt right after the season ended in November, and still feel to some extent, burnt out.  Artistically, emotionally, and just about any -ly you can think of .

Don't get me wrong- it's not all been bad!  But it's been busy and stressful - and i'm tuckered out.

I've decided 2016 will be low-key.  The last several years we have done 18-20 or more shows every year.  (I just looked and one year we did 27 shows, most between May and October!!! )

This year we are going to do maybe half that.  I might look at galleries again.  If I'm not doing such a punishing show schedule then doing galleries is much more possible.  Or I might not.  I don't really have new year's resolutions per say, but I do plan not to stress as much.  I want my bliss back when I do jewelry.  I want it to be more like therapy again instead of deadlines and profit driven and scary.  I want it to be apart of my happiness again, not part of my stress of making ends meet.  Overall I  don't think I've been particularly happy the last few years.  I haven't had time for it.  I need to slow down, if not actually pause or stop.

If I have a watch word for this year, I think it will be "thoughtful".   So many decisions in the last few years were based on the stress of immediate life demands.  I want to be able to sit back and make decisions that don't feel so damn rushed.  I want to be able to spend more time contemplating my jewelry as my art.   I need to find the time to be happy again.

 I still plan on writing my blog 2-3 times a week in 2016.  I plan on doing Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market this summer , if they will have me and for how ever many slots they allow.  I'm hoping I can beef up my etsy store with more offerings.  Anything more than that, I will think about... calmly, deliberately, and with an eye to my happiness.

It's going to be an interesting year!!

Here's the general outline of my statement piece... now working on the embellishments.  I love how the colors turned out on the wings!