The Day After Tomorrow Turns 20

If you’ve noticed that we haven’t been posting quite as many entries over the last week or so, there’s been a good reason. It’s because our official 20!! show season starts the day after tomorrow. Today being Thursday and Saturday Market’s opening day is, well, Saturday means everything begins the day after tomorrow.

The Day After Tomorrow has ushered in, gulp, twenty seasons and did you notice how perfectly the year aligns for us to celebrate this milestone? Since January first, it’s my habit to write our current blip in history of Two Thousand and Eleven with exclamation points instead of numeral ones.

We started our business of designing jewelry in 1991 when Groom and I were newly weds and college grads. As if to punctuate our 20th anniversary, the year of our Lord thoughtfully became 20!!

I enjoy words for groups of things like a murder of crows, a smack of jellyfish or a deceit of lapwings, but I’m not quite sure what the right one is for a group of many things that must be done: A nuisance of errands, a riot of hurdles, a siege of tasks?

Our “to do” list is longer than Santa’s scrolls of naughty or nice. The 8’ X 8’ wooden booth must be located, de-cobwebbed, tweaked, waxed, the fabric washed and re-fireretarded, the panels refurbished, the van repacked, all the accoutrements found and organized and there’s something else to do niggling at the back of my mind. What is it?

Oh yeah, stock to be made. Ha! I’ve been living on Fantasy Island for the past three months, studying and playing in Mexico in January, celebrating my birthday and Fashion week in New York during February and obsessing about my hair in March. Well, that’s another story, but I must confess, it’s been lovely to be at home these last few weeks, slowly getting into the swing of things whilst playing with friends and luxuriating in our final free weekends until Christmas Eve. Aaaaaiiiiieee, I’ve been a slacker!

Now the time has come and we must be ready. The house and studio are fairly tidy, we’ve made a few new pieces, but we’ve got to be more focused on designing NOW. With our newly emerging style and fresh jurying slides, we’ve been accepted into far more shows than rejected, so while that brings us tidings of joy, it also sets a little fire of panic, I mean motivation under our seats, so I’m off to get ready for a dinner party tonight, I mean, create more necklaces…

Sueno

We’ve all heard references to the expansion of the Universe and the gathering momentum at which time seems to be accelerating, especially during these mythical, mystical months heading toward the unknown events of 12-12-12.

But I just experienced it. The time warp, that is. I dreamed that it was next year already, thanks in part to Richard and Jane Salley, the rock star jewelers that I’ve written about here a time or two. You see, while I’m still processing the new techniques we learned from them in Mexico in January they’ve already planned next year’s retreat and sent out the invitations.

So, dear amateur therapists out there, I need some assistance with dream interpretation. Ready?

It is the first day of spring in Oregon, which means a cloudy morning followed by a wink of sun and a temper tantrum of hail. Through the grey bars of rain I can see blurred pinks and greens of blossoming things.

Suddenly I am in Mexico at the Hacienda Mosaico. The sun has charmed the flowers into full blush and the breeze tickles our ankles and cheeks. The sound of salt melting on the margarita glasses followed by cheers and clinks make me smile as the participants reunite. And this time, Lola has joined us!

Dead giveaway cowboy boots, we hear Richard and Jane sauntering up the stone path before we see them. Cheers erupt and there’s a flurry of hugs and shoulder claps and how-you-doings as we sit poolside nibbling, noshing and catching up.

Sascha is wearing the necklace she won a Blue Ribbon first prize for in the Ajijc Society of the Arts Annual Judged Show. Congratulations, we’re all so happy for her!

With us egging her on, Lori slowly inches up her pant leg to reveal the impressive scar she recently acquired from knee surgery. Ouchey wah-wah!

David is holding a copy of Best of America Jewelry Artists Volume II and casually flips to pages 45-46 to show us some of his work. After the group expresses the appropriate number of ooh’s and aaah’s, I subtlety cough under my breath, “pages 61-62” and what do you know, there’s some of our jewelry in there too! The group raises a glass to our 15 seconds of fame as well.

Then we get down to business. Richard and Jane pull out examples of the new techniques we’re going to learn over the next five days and then –

And then I wake up. Noooooooo. It was warm. It was beautiful. I was happy and about to start creating again with interesting people in the lush environment of the Hacienda Mosaico.

So, gentle analysts, what ever could this dream mean?

Luck of the Irish

Top o’ the morning to ya.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a day the Irish have been celebrating for over 1,000 years. When I think of March 17th, images of shamrocks, leprechauns, rainbows and pots o’ gold spring to mind. And wearing green of course so as not to get pinched, and kissing the blarney stone for eloquence.

Growing up, Groom thought he was Irish as people were always putting an “O” in front of his name and volunteering him for things. “Oh, Don’ll do this, Oh, Don’ll do that.” Yep, he thought his name was O’Donnell.

In the spirit of the day, here’s a bit of Irish wit and wisdom.

You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your Grandfather was. – Irish Saying

All money is tainted, tain’t none of it mine. – Thomas Francis McGuire

I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted. – Soccer superstar George Best

Sign on a Kinsale, Ireland shop: Out for lunch. If not back by five, out for dinner also.

I often take exercise. Only yesterday I had breakfast in bed. - Oscar Wilde

A limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I've seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.

I gave up women and alcohol – it was the worst twenty minutes of my life. – George Best (again)

Yes, but do Leprechauns believe in you?

Slainte!

Fragile Beauty

On the day of the Japanese earthquake, 3-11-11, we had a vase full of tulips sitting on top of the piano. A loud, rumbling truck idled in front of our house while waiting for the traffic light to change. The vibration knocked a petal off and the beauty and comparison of the fragility of life cut deep. I saw the world as a bouquet of countries and Japan just had a piece of itself die. 

In response to the quake I feel, "Watashi no kokoro wa zutazuta desu." My heart is broken or is in tatters. 

On the other hand, friends know just the right thing to do or say to make things better. God's Minion just sent this photo to us from the Bahamas. In case you can't read the sand writing it says, "Love you Cindia and Don." From one end of the globe to the other, love really does make the world go 'round. 

Japan

All day yesterday I be trippin’ down memory lane because on March 10th of 2009 Groom and I flew from the Left Coast of America over the International Date Line to arrive in Osaka, Japan on today’s date of March 11th. Many of you were reading the blog and might recall us sending brief entries whenever we had access to computers, which was a lot less than we thought considering where we were.

Since the memories are still fresh, Groom and I were tossing back “Do you remembers?” all day yesterday. This morning we woke up to the news that Japan is suffering massive earthquakes and tsunamis. My heart is breaking.

You see, part of the reason we went to Japan was for closure. I had to visit the grave of a dear, dear friend and say goodbye. Places and people to which I grew attached had gone missing in the devastating Kobe earthquake of 1995 and walking through familiar paths and seeing what survived and what had been demolished was tough and the reunions with folks still alive and accounted for brought such immense joy, but now to watch the “live reports” and videos of the current damage just sends shockwaves through my being.

So please join us in sending love, prayers and blessings of light to those experiencing this great upheaval first hand. Thank you.

Show and Tell

Oh we do have something to show and tell!

Way back in the early 90’s, when Groom and I had been making our whimsical stamp jewelry for a year or two, a vendor at the Eugene Holiday Market displayed a book on his counter, a collection of photographs featuring cool, groovy jewelry artists and this vendor’s work was included.

I remember picking up the book, staring at the professional jewelers represented within its pages and sending out a wish (a longing) to the Universe that someday our work would be in a book like this. New to the business, the inclusion in such a book screamed validation to me, a “you are worthy” visa stamped in my passport of the approval trip I was on.

Well guess what? Last year we were informed that our work was going to be included in a book called Best of America Jewelry Artists volume II. We didn’t tell anybody. No, that’s not quite true, we told our enameling teacher last February.

A year later the book finally came out and when we came home from New York last month, we discovered that we are featured on pages 61 and 62.

The irony, of course, is that we have been transitioning into a different style of jewelry and what is in the book is not what we are currently focused on. Groom commented that it would have been better to have our new stuff in there. I nodded my head in agreement, but then later it occurred to me that’s not what I visualized all those years ago.

I clearly saw our stamp jewelry in the book. And, it’s kinda perfect to have the book in our hands on the 20th anniversary of our business.

And, of course, in the Wisdom of the All Knowing Being we call God, the validation, the stamp of approval from outside sources does not come until we no longer need it. While I think this book is sweet, I am no longer in the place where I think this is IT, the end all, it’s just a lovely thing to have happen.

And by no means, do we feel that we are “the best of America Jewelry Artists.” There are fantastic jewelers right here at the Eugene Saturday Market and at every show we attend and at the retreat in Mexico (in fact, one of the participants we worked with is on pages 45 and 46), and then there’s Richard and Jane Salley and Keith Lo Blue and …

Pssst, but between you and me, I have to admit I’m a little jazzed to have this book on our counter when the 20!! Show Season starts.

Spring Swing

A quick follow-up to a reader question about using coffee grounds in the shower as an exfoliant. No, unfortunately, it does not turn your skin brown as that would save many of us from looking so pale during these winter months, but it does wreak havoc with the tub. It’s a messy, messy endeavor and you’ll have “fun” cleaning up afterwards.

If you use fresh coffee grounds and you’re partial to the smell, then you’ll get a refreshing charge out of the experience, but I recently discovered leaving them in the plastic container for more than a day or so, they can start to smell a bit more ash-trayish.

So when you rinse, then no, you won’t smell like coffee, but you’ll have a light layer of an oily residue left over and that’s a good thing as it’s supposed to be good for skin.

R. A. I. (Research According to the Internet) tells us that using coffee grounds as a scrub helps to smooth the appearance of dimply cottage cheese thighs, so that’s a bonus. Plus, it brings the blood to the surface, well, not all the way to the surface because then you’d be scrubbing too hard, but it tends to turn your skin red momentarily from increased circulation.

But on to other things.

I’m suffering from an overwhelment of paper. Like many whose weakness is chocolate, carbs or bread specifically, I’ve recently recognized that Hi, my name is Cindy and I’m addicted to paper.

I picked up so many business cards, brochures, playbills and the like while in New York, my luggage weighed in several pounds heavier at the airport on the way back than at the start. Ha, similar to my body. I’ve decided to try a Eugene-inspired Nirvana diet in the attempt to find “thinner peace.” Give it a second, ‘cause that’s funny.

There are two areas in our studio that remain completely wild and untamable, my beading table and work table. It’s absolutely frustrating to want to sit down and start creating but not be able to until I’ve dug myself out of the mounting piles of PAPER!

I’ll organize, sort, file or recyle mounds of the stuff only to wake up the next morning to more. Gaaaaah, I don’t know where it comes from. Groom has recently started calling me Lady Sheafs and Reams, Duchess of Ephemeric Chaos. Great.

Shifting topics once more, we attended Clay Ball again on Saturday. Clay Ball is an annual benefit for the Salem Art Association and we were invited to donate jewelry for the silent auction. We were wined and dined and entertained and hopefully they raised lots of money to continue supporting the arts.

This year’s theme was “Spring Swing,” and I wish I had paid more attention to the fine print because many of the attendees dressed up in 1920’s attire complete with flapper dresses and feather headbands and as most of you know, I love fashion and playing dress up, so I felt like I missed an opportunity.

On the other hand, my first impression of the swing era is the 1940’s, so I would have showed up in a vintage hat with netting and been off the fashion mark by two decades. With my new fairly severe bob, my hair did fit it and got several comments (as did my dress, shoes and jewelry…), so all’s well that ends well.

Before I sign off, it is my intention to clean my workspace (again) and actually get to work. After all the fun and travel during January and February, the March clock is ticking and wagging its finger at me, clearly signaling that jewelry needs to be designed and made for the rapidly approaching opening of the 20!! show season. I say this out loud for accountability and I hope to have something new to show and tell pretty soon.

Riding the Lion

We have still hardly scratched the surface of our amassed photos from New York (more than 2,800), but came across this shot of A.J. O'Rourke singing atop one of the lions in front of the NY Public Library. You may recall from an on-the-road post that he climbed up there at Groom's insistance... He was very entertaining in person, and as a bonus, it turned out that his CD was pretty good after all. Who'd a thunk it?