I just spent 10 hours in my studio

making merry with my hammers and various machines and sundries. I’m so happy to say that today, I was on a maker’s high. It’s similar to a runner’s high wherein I reach a point of indisputable kinetic flow and I don’t notice my feet hitting the ground; it takes no effort to move, I glide — unknown to even myself — my mind is relaxed. I can flow for miles like that and not remember what was moving through my thoughts. I only notice the territory covered when I’ve reached my destination.

A maker’s high is similar in that:

I don’t notice the clash of my hammers on metal.

I don’t notice the time, my thirst or the sweat pouring off of me.

I don’t notice anything except the movement of the moment.

The purest outpouring of what’s inside me comes out strongest in moments like these. I wish I could experience such living more often. I’m sure you do too.

The outpouring:

ocean jasper & sterling silver

ocean jasper & sterling silver

oolite & sterling silver

boulder turquoise & sterling silver

sterling silver

amazonite, sterling silver & 14 karat gold

I’ll try to get these goodies in the Etsy shop sometime this weekend but I must be honest, I’m ready for a Saturday and a Sunday. I’ve been stalling on mowing the lawn and weeding my jardins so I might just be a Yard Geisha (not a real thing) and then surrender to the sun and wind of Idaho. It’s hot here. I want popsicles, a wide brimmed hat, a chair in the shade and that feeling of an endless summer wrapping itself around me, turning my hair and skin to gold.

Happy Friday to you all.

You’ve earned it.

With all my heart,

Today marks the first day, in over a month, that I have been able to spend an entire day creating in my studio here at Plume Gables.  I didn’t forget a thing.  I thought I might after so much time away.  But when I strolled into my workspace this morning, my hammers were all there, laying about, hanging up on hooks, my spools of chain were glinting in the morning sun and Pinkerton had made a nest of my wire.  

SIGH.

Home sweet home.  I spent the day mucking about with some projects I had started before the trip up North but

I also took a few hours to experiment with some ideas I sketched out while in Canada.  It feels so good to be home, in my home, with nothing to do but create.

Tomorrow I’ll be doing a scheduled shop update.  I’m going to try my darndest to begin listing at 4PM MST.  I have a date with Emily on the quad in the evening so I thought ending my work day with a little update might be a nice way to start the night. Today I completed:

I love it when friends come to visit and they’re willing to spend time with me in my studio.  M and I spent yesterday enameling in ye olde workshop.  It was far too hot to be running a kiln but it was so much fun, we were able to ignore our sweat trickling down our backs.

It was hot as Hades in there.

You’ll find these ladies in the Etsy shop tomorrow, whenever I have a chance to sit down and list them:

From left to right:

Well, God made the stone and I set it in silver.  

AMETHYST.  Simply.  Purely.  

In its intended form.  

Last gasp reaction at its very finest.  

Exposed, jagged little crystals thrusting themselves upwards.  Yeesh.  Someone get me a chair.