Something succulent this way comes:

September 9, 2011 by

From the Naturally Occurring Objects Series:
Three solid cast components fabricated into one succulent whole.


For instance:
Take a succulent in sandy soil
shedding vert paddles from a full body,
dropping broken to earth
sections thought to be feckless and wasted,
tarnished and trite.

Likewise:
Break me down.
Divide me into portions.
Cast me out into the wind and dust
hoping I will not know roots again.

And so:
I’ll always rise up, in mightier numbers than before.
These things grow wider, the spirit tidier.
Stand and wait with fresh eyes
for something succulent this way comes.
Filed Under: naturally occurring objects
September 6, 2011 by

 [sterling (solid cast eucalyptus pod) and akoya pearl]

 [Spare Necklace: sterling]

[Spare Necklace: sterling]
It’s so quiet here.
The quiet is a sort of pit a pygmy would use to trap a vibrant tiger in some sweaty and tropical place. 
I keep falling in — arse over tea kettle — into the quiet.
It’s beautiful, silent and cool down here.
I can see the jungle above, waving broad and thorny leaves around,
but I’m removed from it
and that feels nice.
Out in the studio, the music played softly today.
I can’t stand lyrics right now.  The voices and words seem to 
add to the noise in my head.  I feel hypersensitive, to diction, words….a lack of words….too many words…words words words.  It’s Bach, Chopin and other musicalities keeping me company as I work.
My soul has felt so spare lately.
If it were a geographical space, it would be a windswept Siberian steppe:
winter grasses tawny and thin, buffeted by icy wind.
If it were a room, there would be white walls, tall windows, and a 
humble white bed in the center of the space
dressed in alabaster sheets and quilts.
There is quiet here.
All things seem minimal.
Liminal.
It’s coming out in metal forms and for that, I’m grateful.

https://www.thenoisyplume.com/blog/2011/09/06/1085/

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A Smattering

September 5, 2011 by
The light here this morning was a perfect winter blue.
I woke up three times today!
First at 3AM, I went out into the backyard simply because I wanted to be outside for a moment.  The night air was cool, Mister Pinkerton wound himself around my feet, I could smell that the tomatoes were redder than they were the day before.
Again at 5AM I awoke to watch my friends do their final packing
 and depart for their far away homes.
Then again at 10AM I woke up officially and laid in bed with a book and the kitten for a good hour or so before proceeding with my traditional ablutions.
With the help of a friend, I finally found and purchased one of these wonderful vintage chairs!
By the way, is there an official name for them?
I call it my throne.
Truthfully, it’s dreadfully uncomfortable 
to sit in but I like the feeling
of being in it, resting my arms on its scratchy 
edges, feeling the high 
back rise up and fan out like 
a peacock tail while trying to see the world
objectively — like Deborah did in the days of old.  
To my left is one of these frothy little numbers.
I will sip it as I whittle down the unanswered emails and Etsy convos you have been waiting so patiently on for the past few weeks (and months, in some cases).  Thanks for letting me take it easy this summer.  Keeping this body stress free and letting it create when it needed to create has helped carry my spirits high these past few months and has allowed for some restoration and filling of my creative wells.  I am eternally grateful to you for being so understanding when it takes me days or weeks to respond to your wonderful notes.

Actually, on a similar topic that has to do with you, allow me to say that I think of you all the time.  I’m continuously thankful for you.  I’m blessed to have you in my world, each one of you, whether you’ve made yourself known to me or not. 
Thanks for giving me a reason, beyond myself, to write, photograph and make on a daily basis.
I cherish you
and that’s the simple truth.

I hope you are having a splendid day.
Be well, dear friends.
Filed Under: random junk
August 31, 2011 by

I have three of my dearest girlfriends coming to visit, all at once, tomorrow afternoon.  They’ll stay with me until Monday.  This morning I am gathering the roses, sweeping the floors, beating the rugs and hanging the laundry out to dry.  Steady company here since December of last year has been very good for staying on top of housework!  I’ve been taking it easy lately and my tidying efforts are free of stress and relatively unhurried.  There’s a sort of gentle, tender lovingness that is being poured into preparing my home for these friends.   I find myself putting a little extra elbow grease into cleaning the bathtub and when I snap the wet white towels before hanging them on the line, there’s an extra zest to the whip of my wrists — you see, I’m not cleaning for me, I’m cleaning for them.  I want them to feel welcome and to enjoy where they sleep and eat while they’re here because all of that is an extension of who Robert and I are as people.

I feel like all the company we’ve had at The Gables over the past nine months has finally taught me to enjoy preparing my home for friends and family!  It’s kind of wonderful.  Actually, this past year has been a huge lesson in learning to slow down and enjoy all forms of work.  I’m getting better at savoring life.

I can’t wait to see my friends.
I can’t wait for the four of us to be all in one
place for the first time in history.
Come girls, come!
I’ve prepared for you,
both my home and heart,
the doors are open.
Come in.
xx

https://www.thenoisyplume.com/blog/2011/08/31/1083/

Filed Under: plume gables
August 30, 2011 by

Tudor Ring
[sterling silver]

I’ve been watching The Tudors.
It’s a pretty good show and offers a fascinating look into history, a smattering of scandal and while I’ve been told I’m a rather naive person (blame it on the late blooming), it’s shocking to see that the dark portion of human nature is consistent over recorded history.  

There have always been jealous people scrapping with virtuous people and foxy men and women fighting for power: good men and women, bad men and women, people selling sex for position and rank, heart breaking and mending and the handful who are able to think independently (even if it means martyrdom) taking stands for what is right and good. History repeats itself. 
 When is someone going to come up with something new!???
HA HA!

That said, my favorite thing about The Tudors is when I get a close up glimpse at a fabulous piece of jewelry strung around Anne Boleyn’s detestable little neck! Incredible!  
Ornate.
_________________________

I was flipping through my jewelry box the other night and I found a vintage pearl and zircon brooch my mum gave me a couple of years ago.  I was in the mood for something Tudor-ish out in the studio so I cast the face of the brooch in sterling and then made it into a ring.  I’d hate to see it on a Boleyn finger, but it might look magnificent on you!  It’s heavy and lightly burnished so it merrily shines.

Tudoriffic!

https://www.thenoisyplume.com/blog/2011/08/30/1082/

Filed Under: New Jewelry, tudor
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