Comments on: Question of the month: What is the best advice you ever got?

By: Cyndi

Cyndi — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:41:35 +0000

Sometimes the simplest things make the hugest difference, Karin! Thanks for the reminder to get our technique perfected

By: Karin Buckingham

Karin Buckingham — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:39:52 +0000

It sounds simple, but the best jewelry-making advice I received was “keep your loops round and your wraps tight.” When I slow down and work carefully, the end result is much better and I’m more satisfied with the entire process.

By: Kathleen Mary

Kathleen Mary — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:22:03 +0000

Yes, very true, and- when I pleased myself most, the pieces sold. I was working for a ‘new age’ store.. made a line that worked with stones and nearly fine jewelry findings. (SS & GF) lovely pieces. I had to pry the pieces out of my hands after I finished them! (talk about detachment!)LOL
Had to charge a lot because of the quality and price of the components, yet, in this little neighborhood store they all sold out. The things I didn’t like (some kids jewelry I made, simple bracelets.) I’ve got to break apart one of these days. I called the line “Memories (of the past)” “Ancient Egypt with true carnelian, Lapis etc. etc. Atlantis – all blues, also with some lapis – Greece, all Greens & gold that looked like you would see it on the neck of Pericles’ girl friend Wanted to add Rome and the Middle Ages when the store closed. And people were asking me to make matching pieces..by then.
Wrote up an explanation with each piece ! I think those pieces were the finest things I have ever made.
What was heart-breaking is I was starting to learn how to be business woman. Loved the work, though, really did, learned how to keep records, price things – my husband helped me build a data base program so I could figure out exactly what things cost to make! I think if the store hadn’t folded I’d still be doing it and doing it better than ever.
Hey, dumb me, didn’t take pictures!

By: Cyndi

Cyndi — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:24:21 +0000

Ahhh, see I think there is a difference between creating to sell vs creating for pleasure. A rare few can “get away” with creating only things that please themselves, even when they are creating for sale, but I would guess (and it’s only a guess) that most of us who sell need to occasionally try things that might not be our personal faves. Not necessarily so, because what works for one will not always work for another.

That’s why I can seemingly talk out of both sides of my mouth when it comes to these tips! Yes, you must create to please yourself. Yes, you must take your customers’ taste into account. Yes, you should mostly work with the materials you like. Yes, you should stretch yourself whenever possible.

See what I mean? It all depends upon personal goals, I believe

By: Kathleen Mary

Kathleen Mary — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:22:19 +0000

As I do, Dear Cyndi – love is what matters. Religion is of earth, love is eternal! God is worthy of our love.
(in my humble gnostic opinion.)
I think it was Bach who always wrote at the bottom of his masterpieces: “For the greater glory of God!”
The Renaissance philosophers said that Nature was the mirror in which we see the mind of God. Scientists have forgotten this but that is why the Renaissance became the womb of science, not break away from religion,entirely, or reject God, but understand the Divine ONE better.

When we manipulate bead, thread, yarn, etc. we become minor creators. particularly, if we do it,chiefly, for love’s sake, just, as He did.How better to know & love to the creator than be an artist or crafts-person?

Ah, trying new colors. I hate orange, too. just can’t stand the thing. Had to create some orange things when I was selling my work, others like it. I can bear it, mostly, if I put it with browns – green works, too, but, ick, a pumpkin.
LOL

Problem is we favor colors( mine are garnet-hunter green-maroon, gold)- when we create, one of our questions is about beauty, is it beautiful? How can we create something we think is ugly?

I try to look at nature – find color inspirations,there, what colors look best together? That is how I dealt with Orange.

As for stretching yourself in other directions: Learn, learn, learn new things until the day you die. End of Each year ask yourself :what NEW did I learn this year? Earth is a classroom, my friends, we live to learn.

By: Cyndi

Cyndi — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:08:04 +0000

Kathleen Mary: creating is *definitely* a spiritual discipline for me, personally. I love my Creator, and I create for His glory.

Nora: that’s an important point for those who want to sell. We don’t need to be all things to all people, but it is freeing to occasionally work with colors, materials, etc that are (initially) outside our comfort zone. We can stretch our zone that way

By: Nora Pero

Nora Pero — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:15:13 +0000

A family member was looking at all my finished pieces, and commented on my tendency to use certain colors. He asked me why I didn’t use any orange. Well,I don’t happen to like orange. His reply: you aren’t making it for you.
That comment has freed my creative process numerous times! I don’t have to fall in love with every piece I make. I also don’t have to use “my” colors. After all, I won’t be the one wearing it! Such freedom to venture out of my color/style comfort zone!

By: Kathleen Mary

Kathleen Mary — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:36:56 +0000

You are very fortunate, Cyndi. I did make some money off my crafts for a short time in the 1990s.
My writing, “my words” is another matter. My husband thinks that if I was ever to bring financial wealth to the family it would not be my crafts, realistically, it would be my writings. I’ve promised myself that I will write more in the New Year and one of my friends has asked me to give her one of my stories for a Christmas gift. Nothing was ready … but, well, next year?

Do you notice how our crafts make us examine inner lives, the deep down recesses of our souls?
Craft as spiritual discipline?
Craft as a part of our life’s philosophy?
Relaxing.. allowing imperfection, giving permission to (myself) to play, detachment (martie’s wisdom) kindness, generosity, all the rest, sounds like a coherent philosophy of life, doesn’t it?
Oh, Paul – I like Desiderata, also – had a wall plaque of it that I had up in my study for years. Wonder where that thing went?

By: Cyndi L

Cyndi L — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:26:53 +0000

Hmmm…that’s a tough one for me, because my pleasure and play *are* my work. (I know, lucky blessed me!) All I can really think of is the old adage, “If the momma ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy”. I think that goes for the wife, the husband, the daughter or son, the daddy, and everyone else too, really

By: Kathleen Mary

Kathleen Mary — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:06:34 +0000

I do have problems with one corollary to Paul’s problem – I feel guilty when I sit down during the day and just do what I want to do -writing, beading, sewing,etc. Writing, especially, gives me all kinds of guilt when I sit down.
My family hammered into my soul “work, work, work’ from about 14yrs., on, and I still fight that secret message in my sub-conscious. I don’t consider my crafts and writing work, they are pleasure and play, so I feel guilty doing them when real work – housekeeping, for example, need being done.
Speaking of advice, got any? LOL LOL !!!