A Bit of the Past Enhances the Present

I will confess - I am very sentimental!  My grandmother left me several items that mean a great deal to me, and my parents have given me things that they want me to have because they know I really like them.  I have saved things my children made during their school years and beyond, and I've also saved various items my grandchildren have very lovingly made with me in mind!  Of course, my closets can get a little "full", so I have to be careful I save only the "best of the best."  I also have difficulty changing out the "old" pictures in my frames to replace with new ones - I just love looking back and reminiscing about "the good 'ol days."

When I was getting ready to set up my torch table, my brother stopped by for a visit.  I was telling him what I thought I needed to make my torch table work best for me.  He mentioned that he had a piece of marble that he had found under the house that had served as our family camp for many years.  He believed that our grandfather had put this piece of marble under there with an idea that he might use it some day.  Bill delivered it to me and said that I might want to have it cut to a good size since it was a bit uneven.  He's right, it's 38 inches long, and is 15 inches on one end and 13.5 inches on the other, with a very jagged edge.

You might have guessed that I cannot bring myself to make any cuts to it - it's so very unique just as it is, and I love that it belonged to my grandfather.  So, I will keep it in its original form - a piece of my heritage that might just help enhance my creative present and future!  Here's a picture of this beautiful green, black, and white marble that must be around 60 years old and makes me smile every time I sit down to use my torch!

One thing I know for sure - it's very, very heavy!  And when I laid it down on my table, I must have cleaned off 60 years of dirt to get to the real beauty of this great piece of marble. 

I am grateful to have this beautiful piece of my past as part of my future.

C J

C J is "Back to School"

Fall means "Back to School."  On several occasions, I made an attempt (albeit it, half-hearted) to go back to school to get that degree I was too busy to earn all of those years ago "BK" (before kids).  I started.  I stopped.  Started.  Stopped.  I guess you can say I couldn't figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I have done plenty of things that have kept me busy over the past four and a half decades!  But that's another post for another day.

Last winter, I decided to take a 12-week course in metalsmithing.  Okay, so I finally found my true love for what school should really look and feel like for me.  If I were to spell this kind of "school" it would be spelled F-U-N!  I L-O-V-E it!  It has opened up a whole new world for me.

Over the past several months, I have begun adding metalsmithing tools and equipment to my workspace.  I've tried hard to turn this space into an organized studio where I can create beautiful jewelry.  It's been challenging for me to figure out how to make a sturdy workbench for my torch, rolling mill, and tumbler.  At this point, I might need to hire someone to help me get to where I want it to be, but for now, it's a place I love to go to get lost in my creative world.

It has taken a lot of courage for me to venture into using a torch to solder metal.  I used to shake all over during my classes whenever I used the torch - it scared me so I jumped whenever I turned it on.  When I first got my own torch, it took days (maybe weeks) to go get the tank to hook it all up.  Then, whenever I wanted to turn it on, I broke out into a cold sweat and had heart palpitations so bad I thought I would pass out.  This "schooling" has taught me so many things:  courage to use the scarey equipment, courage to be okay with making a mistake with silver, and courage to try new things.  I'm beginning to collect a "Silver Bucket of Mistakes", but what "metalsmither" doesn't have this type of collection?  Although it has taken a lot of self-talk, I find that it's perfectly okay for me to make a mistake.  Whether my project turns out great or whether it is added to the bucket collection, I'm learning and gaining skills I never had before.  Now isn't that what school is all about?

So, my next 12 weeks of classes begin on September 24th.  I've got a list of projects a mile long and can't wait to start learning new techniques.  I'm very excited.  I just can't decide what I want to tackle first.  Good thing I have a couple of weeks to figure it all out.

Happy Fall,
C J