The Rhythmic Nature of My Work

(koi for a little update in the Leather Shop tomorrow!)

I think I have finally gotten a good hold on the rhythm of my work: I have a tendency to build, build, build, have this fantastic output and then need a recharge in the biggest way.

There is no 'moderate' in my creative life:

it's kind of all or nothing.

Lately I have been trying to honor this natural pattern with a series of scheduling choices:

I will plan visits with friends (or my bestest friend in the whole world: my sister - who is coming this weekend GAHHHHHHHH!!!!) about two weeks apart and the in between functions well as a concentrated time of work, thus allowing these visits to be a gentle landing for the 'recharge' mode.

Really it's also a refilling of the creative well that bolsters my faith in the goodness of humanity: it has such a nice beat, this series of choices.

Scheduling my life like this also allows me to be social, and goodness knows I need my people to be happy: without community, I am lost: thank God I have it here online and locally in California, close enough to reach my beloved friends in a day's drive.

It also allows me to indulge my workaholic side as I so love to do: it just forces a balance, which I require: I could work my way into a frenzy if left untended.

I strive to create the balance of social/business and I have the freedom to do so at will

and

OH(!)

That's nice.

I am currently on the tail end of a creative outburst, which sounds like the best tantrum ever, doesn't it????

(finally I captured the colors of the Coyamito!!)

One of the last offerings in the Metal Shop before my sister arrives is this special Coyamito Agate ring: I wanted to get a better picture of the agate and so I have: this is a rare Coyamito: you'll often see them with cinnamon tones, or a wonderful banding of light yellow and purples, but rarely if ever will you see this wild bubblegum pink with a clear blue and the peach/pumpkin shades....

AND

I cabbed the sucker!!! How's that for a wonderful feeling!!!

The metalwork around the stone is floral and full of lift and movement, like lace curtains in a light summer breeze.

I am going to go put her in the Shop before I leave for lapidary fun land:

a few posts ago when I showed you my cabs a commenter asked if I would show the process of cabbing step-by-step (ooh babayyy)

and I think that would be lovely, so yes!!!

Hopefully sooner than later I'll have a post that illustrates exactly how I cab - it's an incredible thing to learn and implement if you work with metal!