An added layer

I do not work actively on my writing right now.  It don't mean I don't do anything in that area.  My mind is working to add some layer to one story.  Not the first time that this phenomenon happen to me.  Many of my stories had this treatment.  With the way I work, stories takes time to mature.  It took years in some cases and they may had changed a lot since then.

I just notice a subtle change for this story.  It is maturing, as it should do.  I also work on them at night, during my dreams.  On the other hand, I work on it more actively.  It is as if I had more control in my lucid dreaming.  I also seems to know more about adding to a story.  I seems toknow more about the mechanic of story telling. I seems to integrate what I learned in the recent few years (in the last 3-4 years.  So, it seems to be a big jump foward for me.

It is a move forward.  The only thing now: it is still in my mind.  I will have to put it down, in writing.  I will have to do a lot of translation between the cinematic image and pictured storytelling into a written narrative.  I still find that difficult.  It does not come easily yet.  I will have to work on that in the near future (probably this summer).

Various Cycles

I don't think I am the only one seeing a pattern in my life.  I seems to have cycles in my life.  It is also in many level in my life: dream (an obvious one), in tv show and music that I listen, places where I go and even my creations.  Creation stay but the techniques changes.  I had periods where I learned something, leave that and pick it up later on.

There is a saying that state that nothing is permanent and change is the only permanent thing.  I don't totally agree with that.  Things can comes, they can go and they may come back.  I learned tricotin and knitting as a child.  I grew tired of it or it was time to go elsewhere.  Now, I have pick them up again as an adult.  I have been initiated into woodburning as a child and now, I just returned to that.  A few years ago, I learned wire-wrapping.  Then, I was doing a lot of wire-wrapping.  I got a period were I diminished that.  Now, it seems to return slowly, well, I start to see some application elsewhere too.  Nothing goes away, it get recycled one way or another.

Cycle is definitively a part of my life.  I don't think it will go away.  The ancient of MesoAmerica understood that because their calendar was a big cycle. (http://archaeology.about.com/od/mameterms/qt/mesoamerican_calendar.htm for more info)

Choice or not really a choice

Doing some shopping is not always fun.  In store or online, there are occasion where I feel I don't have a lot of choices.  If I shop for something in particuliar, I may find it, I may find one type and not any models, even worse, not finding what I need at all.  It had happened to me in store and online alike.  Not fun at all.  When it happen, I feel that my time had been wasted.

When not finding in store is a little bit worse, I think.  The reason?  I did the effort of displacing myself to the stores expecting to find what I was searching for.  In the same situation online, it takes a few websites to feel the same.  My main frustration online is when I am searching for ideas, ideas for a gift and not finding anything.

The best is that when I don't find it at one place, I have chances to find it at the other and vice versa.  The two thumbs down when I don't find anything in store or online.  When it happen, I really out of luck.  Until now, it haven't happened often.

Learning more on craft

I have started to watch Craft in America. (http://www.pbs.org/craft-in-america/home/)  Even if I don't live in the U.S., I found it mind opening.  It was the one on service.  It was interesting to see less seen crafts like making paper from clothes and saddle making.  The rest was enlighting too but it look less exotic to your modern lives.  Pottery is not that exotic but what could be done with it was really inspiring.  I like when one material goes out of boundary and the part on pottery show it perfectly.

It only takes a trigger to get an idea.  The mind can be triggered by anytthing.  I like to look at other artisans.  It is good to look at other well carfted objects.  It can also give inspiration for other projects, of how to do things in a different way.  Exporting one technique in another craft expand the possibilities.  Knitting and crochet had inspired project in jewelry making.  Instead of wool, there is metal.

It is similar to something I had done in college.  One assignment was to watch a literarly tv show.  The purpose was to keep current with the book scene and expanding our knowledge of authors.  At the time, I had mixed feeling about it.  I knew it was something that I have to do but at the same time, I find the show was not always fitting my literarly taste.  Now, I also apply this assignement to craft and creative pursuit.  I know that knowledge is power.  In addition, I had seen interview with some authors who talked about my own feelings and urges (the one of having to write for example).  It is always fun to keep eyes opened and receptive to viewing things differently.

The drive for creation

I am coming to some realisation on creation. Creativity is often linked with artsy path: painting, writing, sculpture, pottery, etc.  Still, a few years ago, people would say that those paths isn't real career paths.  It is starting to change even if there is much people who have the old mentality.  A minority have the chance to live from those creative paths because they had many strings to their bow.  Nothing is perfect but it is a start.

What I realize is simple.  Creativity is not only for creating pretty objects.  Creativity is helping solving problems.  It is one thing that I learned while doing jewelry making projects.  While doing some projects, I had to find solutions to finish them.  It is only one example.  It can be apply elsewhere.  I have heard that plumbers had to be creative in small spaces, attempting to do their jobs.  Not all pipes are easily accessible.  I am sure there must be other example.

Creativity had helped our ancestors in creation of useful technologies, in various discoveries and everything that had improved our lives.   I am sure there are examples that cover what I am saying.  I just don't have any example under hand right now.  Creativity is under estimated.  It had helped us in so many way that we don't see it at first glance.  Creativity should have it's own place and be seen as it should be.

Hitting the creative wall

I got an idea for a ring.  It is different from the one with the nuts.  I thought of a ring with wire, making many round of wire.  Putting flattered wire around the one forming the ring.  I do have a precise idea in my mind.  My problem, this time have a twist.  As usual, there is the translation from mind to reality that I have to do.  The added problem, this time, is technical.  I try to figure how to do this ring.  It is not too complicated.  the idea is simple, in a sense.  I just wonder how to do it and reach the image I have in my head.

There must be a simple solution.  I have to find it.  I don't have anyone to answer my question on how to do it.  I have a few ideas on how to do it but I am not sure these are the right ones.  I am not an professional jewelry maker.  I am more an amateur, even feeling being an debutant in this area.  I know many techniques but not everything.  There is also the knowledge and the practice.  I know many things but I have limited practice.  So, it is an dissavantage when I am in this situation.

It is the first time since I took my jewelry classes so long ago.  At the time, I could ask a teacher about a problem.  Now, I don't have that ressource.  I always felt that having a teacher to show how it is done and answer question was always a good thing.  I feel it is more true than ever now.  Tutorials are a good things but sometimes it isn't enough.  Well, it is true for many area and for jewelry making.

Now, I will have to try and learn the hard way.

Aquamarine, coffin shaped gems and gemshow

Sigh.  I found another link with facts on a gemstone.  It is on aquamarine : http://jewelry.about.com/od/birthstonefactsandfolklore/tp/Interesting-Aquamarine-Facts.htm?utm_content=20160406&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exp_nl&utm_campaign=list_jewelry&utm_term=list_jewelry
Nice to know it help those with anxiety.  I knew this stone was the one for March.  What I like with gemstone like aquamarine: they goes well with other gemstone.  I may experiement with that one day.

Gemstones are a weak point of mine.  As a child, it was more ordinary rocks.  I found rocks and gemstones to be grounding.  It is also beautiful to look at (well, the gemstones mainly).  It is also nice to find a few interesting shaped gemstone.  I like this site: http://www.coffingems.com/  It is a site that sell gemstone shaped like coffin.  I had bought some in the past.  I am thinking to buy some more and maybe a ring or two.

I don't know if it is a coincidence that I think so much on gemstones but there is one gemshow that comes into town.  I am thinking to go there.  I don't know if I will find something interesting.  I am tempted to return in making a list of gems that I would like to have.