Stories in Stone and Metal

Out of hibernation....

2011-02-22T07:27:00.000-08:00

"Let go of the past and go for the future.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined."
Henry David Thoreau

It's been months since I've made my last post, but updating my followers and friends on this blog has played second fiddle to the long to do lists of the day....

Life has had it's share of joy and challenge these past few months, but with each new day and each moment I emerge even stronger and with a stronger sense of clarity and purpose.

My work in the studio is blossoming, probably because I took a much-needed break from it during the holidays to replenish soul and spirit. Opportunity has knocked and knocked again--and I keep eagerly answering the door. Honestly, each day feels like Christmas!

I am busy juggling life in many forms: single mother, artist, freelance writer, etc. But this is my life, and for once, I like the direction where it is headed.

I just sent more samples to Sundance for the catalog's fall/holiday books (cross your fingers that something will get in!) and my rep is putting Original Hardware designs in stores all over the West.

Meanwhile, I continue to pursue freelance writing in my "old" career (marketing for technology companies). I find the balance of using my left brain and right brain to be energizing, even though at times I find myself exhausted from the work!

Not much else to say today, except that life is good my friends.

Love has shone into my heart, opened me like a door and let the sunshine in to the cracks where it hasn't been for some time. I am open to what other doors could open for me, and yet others that may close. I look to the future without anxiety or fear or doubt.

Whatever is out there is waiting just for me, like closed hands ready to open and reveal the secret message. Today, like many days in the past few months, those closed hands have unfolded to reveal just one word: happiness.

Yes, I am ALIVE!

2010-10-23T19:20:00.001-07:00

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
Think only for the best, expect only the best.
Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
Give so much
time to the improvement of yourself that
you have no time to criticize others.
Live in the faith that the whole world
is on your side so long as you are true
to the best that is in you!--Christian D. Larson

As you can tell from my posts, life has been just a tad crazy. I have been burning candles at both ends (and then some) and still can't figure out how to get more done in a 24-hour period. I about to ship my last order of the year to Sundance, and in the process I feel lighter and looking forward to the holidays!

I have emerged from the ashes of trauma and heartbreak to become stronger, beautiful, resilient. I wanted to post this picture of me smiling because it is who I am in my heart. It is REALLY me. I am this happy. (Ok, most days anyway!)

I am awaiting word on whether I'll have more pieces in the Sundance catalog this coming year (I'll know more by November) and am working on designs for next fall. I have really focused much of my effort in the jewelry design business this past year on the Sundance opportunity, forsaking the creation of a pair of earrings here and there on a whim for something more long-term. I am honestly not sure if this will bear fruit in the way I hope--meaning, I still really don't know if artists--even ones with work in Sundance--can make a living at this.

That's an important question these days as I try to figure out my life as a single parent. I am pragmatic and not getting any younger, you know. While I want to follow my heart, I must also eat.

But for now, I am sitting with the questions. I believe it was Rumi, the poet, who implores us to "live the questions and the answers." I have learned through my own life's challenges that forcing the answer doesn't make it come any faster or clearer. It must come in its own time.

I so appreciate each of your words of encouragement, support and cheerleading this past year. You have put the smile on this woman's face. And each of you have put a little light in my heart.

Best wishes as we head into the coming holiday season!

1 Plain Brown Box=Big Dream Come True

2010-08-22T19:00:00.001-07:00

"The flower has opened,
has been in the sun and is unafraid.
I'm taking more chances;
I'm bold and proud."
---Paula Cole

The plain brown box to the left is simple and unassuming. It is 10x10 inches wide in diameter with clear packing tape carefully wrapped around its outer shell.

It doesn't make noise when you shake it, like those Christmas gifts from years past that showed up from grandparents. It is square and boring; sturdy and strong.

It may not look like much, but this box represents a major intersection in my life and my business. Tomorrow, this box is destined for a special place: Sundance headquarters in Salt Lake City!

Shipping my first order to the Sundance Catalog is the culmination of a dream come true for me. I remember flipping through the catalogs wistfully as I sat at my corporate desk--sandwich in one hand, a red pen in the other. I'd circle all of the designs that I totally loved, then daydream about whether one day I could be like the artists featured in this fabulous catalog. I wanted to be one of them. I wanted to be an artist.

Next month, I will be on my way to that dream coming true. Five of my designs are in this box, part of the Fall Catalog that will hit doorsteps early next month. This box represents months of blood, sweat and tears; of patina and solder. Of many late nights and too many Law and Order episodes to count. Of mistakes and lessons, experiments gone well and some not so much.

This is a first step toward my larger goal of someday being a Featured Artist at Sundance. My goal is to do such a stellar job with high quality work that they have no other option but to include my name and my work in their exclusive ranks. I will not stop until I am!

It has been a busy six months preparing for this moment. This unassuming box means so much. It symbolizes taking a chance--and garnering a positive response after so many negative ones. It symbolizes being determined that my passion would unfold itself so lovingly into a business.

It symbolizes a woman whose heart was torn to pieces only to be healed, if only in part, by art. It symbolizes a person who has grown up in so many ways, and who is so very proud of who she is and what she stands for.

To you, it might look like just a little brown box.

To me it's a new life. To me, it's everything.

New Fall Designs--Finally!

2010-08-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

"Drive a nail home, and secure it so faithfully that you can wake up in the night and think of your work with satisfaction."

--Henry David Thoreau

So it's been one hell of a year, and I feel like I've changed virtually everything about my life. Front and center in all that change has been the business, which I've adapted, grown, and adapted again.

I am looking to the horizon with hope and a positive attitude--I am proud of what I've done, survived and accomplished in spite of it.

I've been busy adding new work to the site today, and I finally have new pieces to show my customers! I have lots more to add, but will save it for future fall days.

Next week, I ship my first Sundance Catalog order--the first of what I hope will be many to come. I am thrilled and nervous and excited--it is the culmination of lots of hard work this past year.

You won't find the Sundance pieces on my new site--they are all exclusive to Sundance. But you will see many other wonderful finds, inspired by the Road Less Traveled. The Fall collection is inspired by far off places rich with textured prints and landscapes; of dusty roads and marketplaces filled with merchants and bustling women and men; of exotic lands that tug at my heart and hold a special place in my soul.

View the new work at www.originalhardware.com!

Living with Out Fear, Eyes Open

2010-07-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

"I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance,
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom,
and that which came to me as blossom
goes on as fruit."
-Dawna Markova

It has been a crazy couple of weeks, and my blog posts have become woefully at the bottom of the priority list. I've finally had a chance to catch up on life's to do list, and this past weekend actually had time to sit down and do something I hadn't had time for in quite a while: design.

I'm working on final pieces for my Spring/Summer collection for next year, and then it's on to designing the body of work that I'll be selling out next fall. When you work so far in advance, and then come back to the pieces you created for that particular season, you also remember what the world was delivering at your doorstep at the time--what was influencing your creative processes.

I was reminded of this over the weekend, as I came back to finish some pieces that I had started during a very tumultuous time in my life. I remember being inundated with thoughts of anxiety and fear; fear of what was coming, who I would be, and what impact it would all have on my life and my son's life.

In the past, fear was the rudder on my ship: fear of failing; fear of uncertainty; fear of losing; fear of abandonment. I made decisions (or didn't make them) based on fear. A girlfriend of mine recently said, "Well, all of these things have happened to you even though you feared them--so I guess you don't have to fear them anymore." It was like a lightbulb had gone off and it changed my entire way of thinking.

I am trying to live each day now with no fear. Living this way has brought me opportunities that I can't even have imagined. It has brought me a life that is truly mine, a life in which I try to see each day as it comes and look it straight in the eye and say, "I am not afraid."

Stay tuned for fall/holiday work, updates about Sundance (it's all good!) and just on life. In the meantime, live without fear. Do not live in fear of falling or catching fire. Savor each moment, each second of this wonderful gift we call life.

2010-06-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is not in another place, but this place....not for another hour, but this hour."
--Walt Whitman

Recently, I've tried to focus a great deal on the here and now vs. what's coming or what's happened. This is easier said than done for obvious reasons: (1) there's a lot of crap from my past that I have to go back and look at in order not to make the same mistakes again (2) there's a lot of uncertainty about the future and who I'll be when I grow up, and (3) we are not wired to just be in the moment (in particular, I am not wired that way.)
While it might be a difficult task, I am trying in earnest to focus on the now more often. Outside of to-do lists and checklists and pieces to make and pieces to think about, I have this little reminder each day who helps me be in the now: my son.
Children have this amazing way of not having any clue what's coming up next, or not even caring much about it. While I try to scoot Evan to the car to get to school on time, he's on the floor of the car looking for dropped Fruit Snacks. When he finds one, he pulls it up gleefully and shouts, "Mom! Guess what I found?!"
He has no interest in what time it is or that we will be late for school, no care that I am irritated and absolutely no worries about such things. I believe that our children come to us to teach us something about ourselves, to help us change the little things that tend to creep their way in over time and influence our thinking about the here and now.
Do I have a huge to do list? Yes. Yes, I do.
Am I worried that it won't all get done? Sometimes I am.
Instead of letting myself get whipped up into a frenzy inside about it, I tell myself "I can only do so much in a day." It actually helps to calm me down and helps me recenter on the things that are important.
This morning, my son woke me up with a Chuck E Cheese crown on his head and a flashlight. "Mommy, let's play super heroes," he said happily. I resisted the temptation to get up and get moving. Instead, I grabbed the flashlight and spent 5 minutes running around the house with a really neat little boy.
I may not have a cape or magic powers, but 5 minutes was all my son needed to have a little fun with his mommy.
And the lesson to me was an invaluable one.

Seeing the Forest Through the Trees

2010-06-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

"Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here.
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers.
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two trees are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you."
--David Wagoner

Lately, life has given me a lot of things to do: Raise a son, grieve a long lost marriage; rise from the ashes and find a new life and reacquaint myself with the real me; grow a business; set the foundation for new financial opportunities so that I may take care of myself and my family.

All of this juggling sometimes has me forgetting to look in the forest of my soul and see what is really there. What is beyond the trees? What is driving me? Is it a good thing or a bad, or neither? Is it rooted in fear or infallibility? Is it purpose driven, or driven by something (or someone) else?

Recently, I realized that in periods of crisis in my life, I tend to throw myself into as much as I can in order to reassure myself that I will be OK. I joked with this last week with my therapist that I don't know when to stop: why is it not OK for me to be proud of what I've done so far? Why do I feel like it isn't enough? I look at the accomplishments I've been able to make in this very difficult period of my life and I am so proud--but why isn't it enough!?

He explained what I already knew: that anxiety in times of crisis makes us feel like we have to put our energies towards things that on the surface relieve our anxiety. But as we look deeper, do they really make us feel any better, or are we spinning our wheels? Perhaps the distraction makes us feel at ease, makes us feel less anxious.

Rather than give into this anxiety-driven behavior, I decided to take a new revolutionary approach: I am telling myself that I am doing everything I can do at this very moment, and to do more does nothing more. In other words, Less is More. In other words, Carrie: CHILL OUT!

Just saying it actually took some of the pressure off of myself, the pressure I have put squarely on my own shoulders. The pressure that can sometimes feel like shackles around my soul.

I am looking into the forest of my soul--deep into the forest, and focusing on the beautiful things that are living there: I am healthy, like a vibrant green moss that has taken root on an old growth tree. I have a beautiful, happy son, who gives me joy like rays of sunshine streaming through the forest darkness. I have amazing friends and family, who wrap me with love and warmth like the thick blanket of the forest floor. I am strong and sturdy, much like an old tree that stands quietly in the landscape.

I am here, in the quiet stillness of the dark and light, old growth and new, the summer winds blowing gently through my limbs and shaking me to the roots.

I am born again.

I am alive.

I am here.

Learning How to Say NO is a Fine Art....

2010-06-01T05:42:00.000-07:00

"Half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough."
--Joshua Billings

Perhaps it's just me, but lately I have had to say no a bit more than I am used to. This could be a result of me just having too many spoons in too many pots--a stay-at-home-mom by day, freelance writer/Sundance jewelry artist by night.
As a newly-labeled "single parent," I am trying to prepare myself financially and emotionally for all that being alone truly entails. And I am really looking at all of the things that I used to say "no" to and questioning whether I said no because I really didn't want to do them, or if it was a filter that I used for my soon-to-be ex spouse.
I wish I could say I've always been good at saying no, but I haven't. This time of my life has truly forced me to look at the things that are important and push out the rest; every single day I am looking at my list and wondering if I should/could do this or that.
Because I have such little time, I am always asking myself the perennial question: does saying yes speak to truly who I am? Am I saying yes out of guilt or obligation? Does saying no free me to be the person I am and honor who I am?
This may sound like a silly exercise, but I encourage you to ask yourself the next time you are asked for a favor. Instead of saying yes on "auto pilot", stop just for a second and ask yourself whether it is right for you.
As women, we are not trained to think this way, but I can tell you that it is liberating to put yourself first and draw a little line in the sand--saying no can be the best thing that you do.
If you've said yes all your life, don't expect others to be happy with your newfound "no" button.
Recently, a store who sells my work on consignment asked if I would do a custom piece for a customer. She told the customer I would do it before I had agreed to it. When she asked me if I would, I weighed the benefits to me--and found out that my time was worth a hell of a lot more than spending a few precious hours on a project for her customer that would result in a measly $30 in my pocket. So I politely told her "no."
I got back a curt response, the kind of response that would have made me feel too guilty to ignore and in the past would have made me change my mind and say yes even though I didn't want to. But this time I didn't rescind my answer--this time I stood up for myself.
All too often we do things for others that aren't coming from an authentic place. In this current place in my life, I am forced to ask myself the "why" of doing things that others ask. I have to say that while this has been a very challenging time of my life, this lesson has been a huge gift. And for that, I am grateful.

So many late nights, so much joy in my heart.....

2010-05-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

"Beauty appears when something is completely and absolutely and openly itself."

--Deena Metzger

It's been so long since I've posted, I am not sure whether to be embarrassed or try to sweep the absence under the rug!

So I will choose to do neither--I will stand up and say, OK folks, I've been a busy little bird and life has, well, just been busy.

The Sundance work is in full swing--I have just gotten my first Purchase Orders for the fall catalogs and I was just informed that three additional designs are going to be part of the Holiday books that Sundance sends out. I am thrilled. I am tired. I am scared as shit. And I am ready.

But this business has totally changed for me, which is why you haven't seen new work on my Web site or Etsy for awhile. I have been head down not only making pieces for the fall order, but also making samples for Spring 2011--Yea, I said 2-0-1-1!!!!

Buyers like Sundance work so far ahead that designers must, too. It's actually a good thing in that it forces you to think designs through more carefully, put together casts and get materials far in advance, shoot it and put line sheets together so it can go out by the end of this month/early June.

In addition to preparing for Sundance, I've also been doing some freelance writing work on the side for my old employer and a few others. The pay is great, the work is interesting, and it helps fund the massive amount of investment I am making in nabbing this Sundance business and eventually getting more from others. Turns out, I thought I was spending a lot before on materials--I have reached a new level! :-)

The combination of the two is all done after my first job is over--when my son goes to bed. To say that I am burning the candle at both ends would kind of be an understatement at this point, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Despite my being so busy, I have learned that each day is a gift, and with it comes small blessings that must be seen, appreciated and enjoyed. It is for this ability that I am calm in my heart, not really even stressed that much.

So stay tuned, my friends, for what is to come. I guarantee the ride will be interesting. And I've saved a seat for each of you....

Redemption

2010-04-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
— Mother Teresa

Lately, I have realized that one big thing that has hindered my creative business is creativity itself. As an artist, energy flows through me and I release that energy into the pieces I create. I let each one go, a seed to the wind, to plant itself in fertile soil and take root.

But what happens when you have a creative drought? What happens when the very thing that makes you an artist goes away?

It is a crippling feeling, indeed, to have the very energy that feeds your business just dry up. For me, the drought was a long and hard one. It felt like two years of winter. Sure, I plugged along and created pieces, but I always wondered: will someone call my bluff? Because they were not always made with energy that is pure, good and true.

For each of us artists, there are bonafide periods in our lives when the creativity just dies. For me, it is usually with personal struggles like those that have haunted my life in the past year. I have been stripped bare and gone many nights to my closet sobbing. I never thought it would end. And neither did my studio.

Recently, the creative juices started to kick in again. Slowly, but surely. It reassured me that they were really there.. I was beginning to wonder if they had gone forever.

For me, I realized that this prolonged period of creative bankruptcy was a necessary part of my process. How can someone create art if their very souls are stripped down to nothing? How can someone be an artist if their emotional state is mired in torture and trauma?

What I realized, too, is that forgiveness--forgiveness of self--is an essential element to becoming a whole person and a whole artist again. We might be willing to forgive others for what they have done to us, but what about ourselves? Are we willing to extend the same unconditional love and forgiveness to our own spirits?

Recently, it dawned on me that I hadn't done that yet. I hadn't forgiven myself. Redemption of self is so important--it teaches us to be just as gentle on ourselves as we are to others. But how often do we REALLY do that? How often do the critical voices tell us that we deserve what we got coming instead of offering our tender little souls forgiveness?

Don't ask me how to forgive yourself or how long it will take. Only you know that answer.

I can only tell you that I am leading this charge up the hill of redemption so that I can be free--free of all the things that have bound me and my creativity. Free of the shackles that I put on myself and let others put on me.

FREE.

Revamping My Life, My Business, My Soul!

2010-04-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

"Set fire to what you thought you knew and find yourself in the ashes."
--From the Book, Note to Self

My life has been nothing but change this past few months in every stretch of the imagination. And now, with this amazing business opportunity before me, even the things I knew and the rhthyms I trusted in my professional life as an artist have gone by the wayside.

The Sundance Catalog business has forced me to think about my business like a professional. By that I mean that plans are made well in advance of the "now" and things are in progress much farther ahead of when they will actually see the light of day. This is how the jewelry business truly works--you must think far in advance of just a one-hit wonder of the season. Instead, you must look out on the horizon, plan for the future and buy materials based on a big fat hunch....

Revamping the business is what must be done in order to grow it to what I want it to be. But, it is a complete change from the design-what-you-wish mentality that I have been in for the past four years. It's time to be as mature about the business as I have had to be in my personal life. I guess there is a recurring theme here....

The frustrating part is that there is only one of me, so planning head for future business is great (I'm really a planner at heart), but the satisfaction that comes from producing results on a monthly basis are currently eluding me. I have done a huge amount of legwork already on my Sundance business, so it's time to focus on the here and now for awhile, so look for new work here pretty soon.

I guess that this opportunity comes at a good time for me, as everything about my life is changing. So why not this? In my heart, I know it's the right thing to do if I want to make this a business that pays. It just requires a redoubling of efforts and a fresh mind. And I guess my soul, heart and mind are ready for whatever is next!

Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming....

2010-03-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
--Seneca, Roman Philosopher

It has been one of the most unbelievable weeks for me: this week, a dream, a BIG dream came true.

This week, I was informed by Sundance Catalog that 6 of my designs--YES 6!!!!--will be part of their Fall 2010 catalog. I can't believe that after years of thinking about it, daydreaming about it, inspired by it, that it has actually materialized before me.

I can only believe that this journey--although years in the making--is setting sail today because it was meant to at this time of my life.

Many things leading up to the news has made me believe in small miracles that set the stage for even bigger ones. About a month ago, I had sent samples for another catalog's Fall book, only to get all of the samples back with no note, no "thank you", really no acknowledgement that I had made the investment of money and time! I was bummed out, to say the least, that my hard work didn't bear fruit. But it actually had--I just didn't know it at the time.

I had a pity party about the catalog's rejection for an hour, then dusted myself off and went straight into my studio and submitted all of the images from my fall line to Sundance's online submission form. I figured, "what have I got to lose?"

The next day the buyer called, asking me to send about 15 of my samples from the images she saw online. I was floored.

Had I not gotten all of the samples back from the catalog, I would not have been able to send them to Sundance. I had made a rookie mistake: I only made 1 set of samples!!!! So, if I hadn't been rejected by Catalog #1, my dream opportunity would have knocked and I'm not sure I'd have been able to answer as quickly as I did.

So here I am, poised to see where this journey takes me. I can't wait. I am so proud of myself I can't hardly stand it. I did it--Just me! And that feels damn good for a change.

What's holding you back from the opportunity of a lifetime? What door is waiting for you to open? Take a deep breath, stand at the edge of the cliff and feel the wind whipping in your hair. Close your eyes, extend your hands and jump into the light. You never know where it might lead you.

I am Listening.....

2010-03-21T12:25:00.001-07:00

Listening to Spring, by Macrina Wiederkehr

How quietly the earth breathes forth new life.
How eagerly the sun bleeds forth the spring.

I am listening.

I am listening to seeds breaking open,
to roots growing strong beneath the ground
to green shoots rising up from winter wombs.
I am listening to thorns blossoming,
to barren branches laughing out new growth,
to wildflowers dancing through the meadows.

I am listening.

I am listening to the forest filling up with song.
I am listening to the earth filling up with life.
I am listening to trees filling up with leaves.

I am listening.

I am listening to the sky with its many changing moods,
to flashes of lightening, pearls of thunder.
to opening buds and greening grass.
I am listening to the breaking forth of light
in the vestibule of dawn.
I am listening to the freshness of the morning.

I am listening.

I am listening to the raindrops
giving hope to thirsty gardens.
I am listening to the orchards
pregnant with new life.
I am listening to the flowers
bursting forth in rainbow colors.

I am listening.

I am listening to the brook
to the song of happy waters.
I am listening to music
rising up from all the earth.
I am listening to spring
soaring in on wings of life.
I am listening to the sounds of spring.

I am listening.

I am listening to prayers
pouring forth from feathered throats.
I am listening to prayers
rising up from misty waters.
I am listening to prayers
of a meadow crowned with dawn.

I am listening.

I am listening to the growing
in the garden of my heart.
I am listening to my heart
singing songs of resurrection.
I am listening to the colors of life.

I am listening.

I am listening to winter
handing over spring.
I am listening to the poetry of spring.

I am listening.

The Time is Now...

2010-03-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

"There is only one time when it is

essential to awaken.

That time is now."
--Buddha

It has been awhile since I've posted and I know I've been irregular as of late in posting at all. I have foreshadowed a personal crisis in my life in my blog before, which had come to bear its ugly fruit recently.

I must say that the anxiety of waiting for it to come to bear has been much worse than its arrival. Now that it has past, I can at least put a stake in the ground that marks "before" and "after" and I can begin anew.

And it is an amazing time to begin anew. Spring is arriving; my tulips are peaking through the ground and bringing forth promise. My heart is lighter, the grass is greener, and the mountains are just beginning to retreat their blanket of snow.

Like the season, I too am starting fresh. I have been pruned down to almost nothing, ready for new growth. I have replanted myself in fertile soil and am ready to look to the sun for warmth and grace. I am ready for the new life that spring brings us.

In the days and years ahead, you will see a new blossom emerging here. I will be the same flower, but my petals might seem sturdier, and my stem more resolute. I am ready. The time is Now.

Emerging from a thick fog of illness....

2010-02-19T14:26:00.001-08:00

What an incredible 3 weeks it's been--from amazing professional opportunities to some detours in the road to some downright scary stuff going on in my world!

But all of that has been overshadowed by the longest lingering cold/ear infections in the history of me. In short, I have been dogged by this illness that just won't go away; and as I write this I am awaiting word from the nurse at my doctor's office that a better, more powerful med is waiting for me at the pharmacy. I want to kick this sickness' ass!

I haven't been able to work out for 3 weeks, and it's been most stressful in my environment at the same time. And because of the illness, I haven't even gotten the energy to go into the studio and create something new--which is what I should be doing in light of these great potential opportunities!

I hope to be back in action by next week, back into the groove. Forgive me for not posting sooner--I have been mending my body, my soul and my heart these past few weeks!

Doors and Windows....

2010-02-03T17:37:00.000-08:00

"Often the difference between a successful person and a failure

is not one has better abilities or ideas,
but the courage that one has
to bet on one's ideas,

to take a calculated risk--and to act."

Andre Malraux

It has been an UNBELIEVABLE couple of days.

On Monday, I learned that a consortium of Web sites (http://www.traderlou.com/, http://www.handtrade.com/ and http://www.ahsmith.com/) had STOLEN images of my work off of Etsy AND my product descriptions and were representing my work without MY permission to do so. They had ripped off several other damned fine artists on Etsy too, and even had the cajones to actually rip off images from Robert Redford's Sundance Catalog if you can believe that.

Once word got out that this was what was happening, one ripped off artist told another, and another, and before you know it, the entire ETSY community was bombarding these Web sites with nasty emails, voice mails, text messages--you name it. We all banned together and fought this low life company, who pretended to partner with small artists and sell our work. What a joker this guy and company are!

By end of the day, all of the Web sites had completely stripped the Etsy artists from their pages! It was the most awesome feeling in the world to take down this company's illegal acts without any of us even having to consult a lawyer.

On the same day, I got crappy news that NONE of the samples I had sent to my catalog for Fall weren't selected. Let's just say I assumed that was the case, as all I received was a box full of my samples with No NOTE, NO Thank You, No Nothing! I was pretty bummed about it, as I had high hopes for my designs in their fall book. They simply said my samples were too similar to what they already had in the book, and they were looking for other designs..Fair enough.

I had a pity party for myself about it last night, but it only lasted about 1 hour. Then, after I put Evan to bed, I started pitching my work to lots of other boutiques I'd been wanting to get into for some time. And I pitched myself to a catalog I've been wanting to get into for awhile, too. I figured, what the hell? The time is NOW.

Do you know what happened? Today, I shipped 30 pieces off to a Toronto-based company that has an amazing array of jewelry designers in its inventory--they were one of the pitches I made lastnight. The owner scours the world for fabulous, interesting work, and she called me this morning and asked me if I could get my work to her before her Valentine's Day Trunk Show TOMORROW! I loved her immediately as a person, and I do believe it will bring other wonderful opportunities.

In addition, I got a call this afternoon from a buyer at a catalog I've been targeting for some time. Last night, I sent them images of my fall line up and they now want to take a look at samples. It is AWESOME news, as this particular catalog must get hundreds of submissions a year--if not thousands.

I almost want to cry at the way in which life introduces new opportunities. A year ago, I probably would have had a much longer pity party for myself about the other catalog not wanting my work for fall, and I would have even entertained the idea that this one single rejection was a sign from the universe that I probably wasn't meant to be a designer after all.

But this time, I just took it in stride and put my energy into something positive. I saw it for what it could be--another door opening. The new catalog opportunity might not turn into something immediately, but it WILL turn into something. I insist on it.

What door has closed recently in your life?

Instead of looking upon it with sadness, look ahead--up there, through the hazy fog of your imagination.

Is that a door, bright with sunlight? If so, walk confidently towards it, grab the handle with a firm grip, and stride out into your future.

A Promise...

2010-02-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

"If we could see the miracle

of a single flower clearly,

our whole life would change."

--BUDDHA

I love that this time of year brings the promise of possibility.

You can feel it in the air that things are about to change.
Isn't it a miracle? This rebirth of the land, of the sky that I love? I am in awe of Mother Earth's ability to transform itself and in doing so to transform us.

I have been busy adding new work to the site, much of which is inspired by the promise of spring.

What I mean by that is that like Mother Earth, there is the promise in each of us that life will be transformed; that we will grow new shoots and leaves, gaze up at the sun and allow her to shine light in our lives.

But to get there, we must also be willing to accept the gray skies, pregnant with rain, to douse the land with cold wetness. We must first endure cold, harsh windy days. And when the sunshine of spring finally arrives, it is like it has been there all along, wrapping its blanket around us and giving us shelter and warmth.

I look to the season with promise of a new life; the promise of better things. I have often been told that I am a pessimist. But I realize that if I can still have hope that today will be great, and if it isn't, tomorrow will be better, then that doesn't really make me one, does it?

I love the colors in this season's collection and hope you do, too. Lots of etched work coming--I promise!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....

2010-01-24T18:44:00.000-08:00

"Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress."
Thomas A. Edison

I am overwhelmed, and when I get this way, what do I do? I go to bed. EARLY.
This makes me feel like a complete failure, of course, because there are so many great things I need to work on in the studio. Instead of working on them, I go to bed. EARLY.
But after putting together so much work for my catalog submission last week, and grappling wtih so many things on the personal front, I am freaking exhausted. I have nothing left in my soul for creativity.
I know it's what I should be doing--burning the midnight oil to get shit DONE. But I feel like I am swimming through mud and not getting anywhere.
I think part of it is that I have all this pent up ideas and energy as it relates to my business. But the only time I get to do it is after my son goes to bed. And after he goes to bed, I'm just plain tired from life's many activities.
It doesn't help that life at the moment is pretty difficult in my house. So I guess I should be looking at the positive side of things: I am doing pretty great considering all the crap that is going on in my life.
But for someone who has always been able to drive herself, this is a hard place for me to be. To have so many ideas and not want to do any of them...
I think part of it is the pressure I've put on myself. For lots of reasons, this is the year that my business needs to make it. By that I mean get on the map and stay there and grow, grow GROW. I know, a tall order in this economy, but an order nonetheless.
I am not so usually down on things, but today I am. And for that I truly apologize.
But maybe by getting it out I can start anew. After all, I have things to DO.
So tonight I will go to bed. EARLY. And tomorrow I am dragging my ass out bed and stopping this pity party that I've started for myself. It's just too depressing for me!

On the Eve of my 41st Year.

2010-01-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

"It is miraculous to see people

change when they see they have

choices. They open up like roses

if they see they can make a difference--that they do have value."

Barbara Glanz

I meant to post this last night, BEFORE my birthday today, but after 2 glasses of wine kind of forgot about it. So here's my post:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tomorrow, much like every morning we wake up to the sun, is a new day. But it is a special day because it is my birthday.

I look back on my life and can't believe that I'm already in my 40s. It sounds like a cliche, but where did the time go? I look over the past year and I have taken stock of the things that are truly important to me.

When you are stripped down, emotionally bare and running through your life nake and vulnerable, it is so much easier to see what is important.

So on the eve of my birthday, I am taking stock of what I have learned in the past year:

Love is everywhere, even in places you aren't looking. Be aware of it and learn to find it in the midst of pain.
My life is beautiful, and if I don't feel that it is at times, then it is up to me to find out why and fix it.
I am the source of my own happiness.
There is nothing like the love of a child.
There is nothing like the love of friends. Good friends who love you no matter what!
There is nothing like sweating it out at the gym. And waking up to a stronger body the next morning.
If you believe you can do it, YOU WILL. I took big leaps this year, leaps that I would have never taken before. Instead of falling flat on my face (as I used to fear) I soared.
No matter what, I will be Ok.
You never know what's going on in other people's lives. Tread lightly.
Believe in yourself and others will believe in you, too.
Love yourself unconditionally.
Learn to look at your weaknesses and be ok with them. Don't beat yourself up! Instead, embrace them and learn to find new ways to channel them.
Be you. Everyone else is taken.

I will look to the next year, out on the horizon so nigh, with a smile and courage.

I will look to this coming year as a doorway of hope, light and love. I will open the door with a firm grip and my head held high. I will take this next leap of faith and savor it.

A Dream Come True!

2010-01-11T19:05:00.000-08:00

"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can."
Michael Korda

It's already been a busy week, but I am fueled by sheer joy!

As I write this, I am knee deep in samples for the next round of submissions for my catalog opportunity. The submissions for Fall 2010 are due next week, and I still have some pieces I need to finish!

Taking a break tonight from my work, I took a peek at said catalog to see if my designs that were selected for their spring book had made their way online yet.

I figured they would be making their debut soon, as the big retailers like to have new designs for Valentine's Day, but wasn't sure when they would appear.

As I looked at the new work, I saw the two pieces that they have selected for their spring collection! The Etched Mandala earrings (at upper left) and the Etched Mandala Necklace (below) are part of their Featured Designer collection in the Golden Bear's Spring Catalog!

I am so thrilled that my work has made it to the mainstream, and am honored to be in the company of some truly amazing designers with national reputations.

It will no doubt keep me moving tonight, and will keep me dreaming and pursuing my goal of making this passion of mine into something that not only sustains my soul, but also sustains my pocketbook.

I was once a person who doubted myself. I was once a person who would allow the shadowy voice of criticism to creep in and decide things for me. I was once my own worst enemy.

But not anymore--and this proves it. I slayed that dragon and have something tangible to show for it.

And I have something even more: a truly authentic self.

Burned out? Not anymore....

2010-01-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

This week has been an interesting one for me. After such a busy year trying to build my business, I had the chance to kind of take a breather between Christmas and New Year's.

As I got back to work in the studio, I had this nagging sense that my heart wasn't in it. And I couldn't figure out why. I questioned myself, as I have done in the past--"Is this my path?" "Is this what I still love to do?"

I have to admit, I wasn't sure I was liking what I heard my mind answering back to those questions. Last night, as I was working late to get some things finished up in the studio, I was tired and drained. And I felt frustrated that as a sole single business owner, it is entirely up to me to keep this thing moving in the direction I want it to go. These days, with a 4-year old still attending pre-school (and who will be going to preschool for another year), my work is done in a few morning shifts (if I forgo a workout) and immediatelyl after Evan goes to bed. So I have two jobs.

I know, it kind of sounds like whining, which is what I eventually told myself. That I needed to enjoy the fleeting moments with my little boy and try to use what time I have to build my business. And then I got a good night sleep.

Today, my heart was pumping with excitement. My production samples arrived today for my Fall 2010 catalog submissions, which are due next week. And they look fabulous! So that got my heart going...And then, today in the mail I received my first check from the said catalog above for the first round of Spring 2010 pieces that will debut in their catalog sometime this month. That REALLY got my blood pumping.

So the answer today to "Is this my path?" is a resounding yes. I think it's good to ask ourselves every once in awhile if we are headed in the right direction. Sometimes we end up on a road that we don't think too much about, and then 10 miles down it, when the road signs start to get dingy and there isn't any sign of life, we wonder if this really was the place we were meant to be. It takes awhile to regroup, turn around, and find a junction that suits us better if we aren't consciously living that path.

I wish for each of you the time to answer those questions you've been mulling around in your head. The ones that maybe only you or a few close to you know about. And in the stillness, I wish that you find the answer--whether it keeps you firmly afoot on the path you are already on or has you making a sharp right turn.

New Year Sale at OriginalHardware.com!

2010-01-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Another year has begun, and we look to the days ahead with optimism and joy, and maybe even a little fear.

We look back on the past year and find the places where we've grown deeper roots; cut down old ones and made way for new growth. I am looking forward to this new year with grace and my head held high.

And I have so many new designs for spring that I must clear out the designs from winter to have room for them all!As a special offer to my customers, Original Hardware.com is having a special sale on all non-sale designs!

Get 25% off all non-sale designs today through Wed., Jan. 13th!Enter the promo code 'NewYear' at checkout to receive your discount.

Also, be sure to check out the 'On Sale' section for amazing markdowns of up to 40%!

Thank you for your business, inspiration and support this past year. I look forward to another great year with each of you!

A New Year, a New Life....

2009-12-31T13:43:00.000-08:00

"It takes a lot of courage to
release the familiar and seemingly
secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.

There is more security
in the adventurous and exciting,
for in movement there is life,
and in change there is power."
--Alan Cohen

What an incredible year. A year of challenge and tears; of toil and trauma; of beauty and joy; of true blessings and happiness.

I can honestly say when I look back on this last year, it has been one of the most transformative in my life--and the big changes that have been looming for months aren't even here yet!

I have learned a great deal about myself this past year.

I have learned that I am stronger than I think; more talented that I realized; and more blessed than I ever knew. I have learned who my true friends are, and aren't.

I have learned that I absolutely love what I do, and I am going to try my damnest to build a career and business out of it. I have learned that I am a gift from the universe, and I have so many gifts to give back to her!

On this New Year's Eve, I look to the future with promise and anticipation, even if it's a bit scary to look out past the horizon and not know what's there.

In my mind's eye, I see-- way out in the distance-- a soothing creek migrating its way out of the lush foothills that will comfort me when I am tired and a soft spot to put my feet when I need to stop and take a breath. I see my friends and family waiting for me, like loyal soldiers ready to accompany me on a weary journey. I see my little boy smiling a mile wide, waiting for me to play hide and seek with him amidst the trees in the thick, green forest.

I am ready, future. I am ready for your steady hand.
I am ready.

So you are going to be a Featured Seller? An Inside Look into What I Did!

2009-12-14T20:11:00.001-08:00

"Now is the Right Time"
--Lotus Sutra

I'd been a member of Etsy for almost a year when I got the convo in my Inbox from Etsy Admin that started out with, "We think your work is awesome, and we'd love for you to be a Featured Seller!"

I couldn't believe what I had just read, and yet I was not surprised because I had seen it in my head. Since I had joined Etsy, it was a big dream of mine to be a Featured Seller. And everyday I visualized it happening and how I would handle it; what I would do if I were selected. I sent out positive thoughts and worked on my shop; redid my branding, upgraded my collateral and packaging, focused seriously on my product photos and descriptions. And so when the call came as they say, I was ready.

I am sure that many other Etsians visualize this very thing happening to them, too. But when it happened to me, I knew I wanted to take full advantage of it. Fortunately, I had two months to prepare myself for the Nov. 11-13th event, and I used it to create a comprehensive strategy for building a new customer base from the Front Page real estate.

In just 2 days I had nearly 150 sales, and at least 100 more in the weeks that followed, as well as 1200 hearts, numerous features in other blogs and thousands of item hearts as well. I also had several awesome leads on the wholesale side and some inquiries regarding production-scale projects!

As I was preparing, I didn't have much in the forums that was of help. So I am posting these tips for others in the hopes that it might do them some good when they get the call:
---------------------------------------------
* Focus as much as possible on offering Ready to Ship items and emphasize the immediate availability in your product descriptions and headlines. I believe I got more sales because customers knew that they could have it in hand sooner. If this means investing in supplies, then do it. It's your one chance to sell, sell, sell! As a result of this single strategy, I sent out 90% of all my 150 orders within 3 days AFTER the sale. By Monday of the following week, all of my orders were out the door and I was enjoying a nice glass of wine!

* Stock on up packaging, etc. and have it ready to go! I spent the better part of the weeks before my spot sticking OH label stickers on boxes, pre-prepping "Thank You" cards and getting my shipping system organized and figured out. It saved me loads of time I would have spent during the spot doing things that would have been frustrating and time consuming!

* Relist, relist, relist! If you can take the time to sit by the computer and manage sales as they happen, then I would recommend relisting as items are sold vs. listing multiples of the same item. The reason for this is that it keeps the items on your Front Page fresher; Etsy pulls directly from what has been recently posted to populate the images on the home page for the Featured Seller spot, so relisting helps keep the photos and items there fresh, which pulls in sales.

* Having items ready to ship made processing packages much easier. Unless it was a custom item like a ring or a personalized design, I would just pull the inventory (everything in my shop has an item number) and place it on the invoice. When I had 6 or 7 of them ready to go, I took a few minutes to box them, package them and create shipping labels for them.

* Focus on a solid breadth of price points. I created a category of "bling under $30" which got a lot of sales. In a bad economy, people are still looking for treats. I believe it helped tremendously with sales, as well as sales of multiple items.

* Snag the customer, then keep them for life. To keep customers coming back for more, each purchase from my Featured Seller spot received a special "Gift for You" coupon for 20% off their next purchase, either in my Etsy shop or on my Web site, http://www.originalhardware.com/. The strategy has worked well; so well that I continued to administer these coupons during the holidays as well, giving them an expiration date at the end of Feb. I hope this strategy will keep customers coming back at a traditionally slow period.

* Expect to Educate. There are a lot of newcomers to Etsy who see your shop on the Front Page and purchase something but really are confused by the buying process. I was prepared for this, and posted a "New to Etsy" link on my announcement section that helped newbies walk through the process. It didn't help everyone, which is why I say expect to help people through the purchasing process!

* Market yourself and your big achievement! Post your news on all of your available outlets; facebook, Twitter, etc. I sent the news to everyone I knew; including my wholesale customers as a way to generate even more buzz around the feature.

* If something bad can happen, it just might....My Featured Seller spot occurred when Etsy was "reorganizing" the way it counted page views. Craftcult was down for hours; and in addition I believe it jacked up Paypal as well for a few hours as well. I had 3 or 4 hours in which I had NO SALES during my Featured Seller slot because Paypal kept timing out. Expect that these things might happen and take folly in knowing that you prepared yourself with as many ready to ship items that could be sold quickly as possible.

* Have a blast. I know I did. It was the ride of my life. I can't wait to see what's next!

The final holiday push.....

2009-12-13T06:33:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you are looking to wrap up your Christmas list and check it all off this week!

And if there's a deal to be had, then all the better!
I am having sales at both of my virtual shops this week, so check it out!

At Original Hardware, get 20% off all necklaces and earrings through this Thursday, Dec. 17th. This Thursday is the cutoff for shipments to get there in time for Christmas! Enter promo code 'gift' at Checkout to receive your gift!

In my Etsy Shop, get 15% off and FREE First Class Mail Shipping through this Thursday! Use the promo code "original" in the messag to seller!

Happy Holidays to all of you. I look forward to a new year of blessings and joy, of challenges and change, of peace and strength. And I wish the same for each of you!

Fakers and G R A C E

2009-12-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."
Herman Melville

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season....I have had a busy couple of weeks, and in addition to all of the regular things I have on my checklist this time of year, I am also grappling with an internal struggle of how to handle it when other designers outright copy my work.

Since these designs come from my soul, I find it not only disheartening but a complete violation of who I am. These works are personal to me, and to find someone looking at a picture and trying to replicate my pieces exactly as I make them offends me greatly.

I should also note that ALL of my work and the content that is used to describe them is copyrighted. That means I could get a lawyer and send a nasty letter because what you are doing is not only immoral but illegal!

I can tell who it is because they leave an indellible mark everytime they visit my Etsy shop or my Web site. Their visits to both have increased exponentially the past few months--to the point where they show up as a top 10 visitor on both sites in Google Analytics!

I know that part of the artistic way is to borrow ideas and concepts from others. But where true artists are different is that they take those concepts and make them their own.

I have always found imposters to be a pet peeve. And when they are imposters on my own work, they are even more so! I wish I could call that person out, but perhaps when or if they ever come across this they will know who they are. But I bet--given that they find nothing wrong with taking others' artistic designs and claiming them as their own--that they won't recognize it is them I am writing about anyway.

And if you think I'm just throwing stones, think again. It's one thing to copy a circle or a component, and entirely another when you are copying something that is very specific to what I do. You say there are no original ideas? In your world, there must not be.

I have learned a lot about grace this year--to live with dignity and respect, and to expect it from others. It's not always an easy task, particularly as an artist. I work hard to create original work, from which I try to help feed my family and grow my business.

I am trying to rise about these latest events and not let them bother me. But they have, and this is why I am getting it off my chest here.

So hey, violating artist: if you read this post someday, reconsider your path. Make yours an authentic one. Make yours original. Make yours real.

A love like no other....

2009-11-30T19:05:00.000-08:00

I rarely write about specific things that are personal to me, but I can't help it tonight.

I just got the proofs back from my son's recent 4-year old photo shoot (here's one of us together). My heart burst with joy and emotion to see that beautiful little face, that face so full of promise and sheer happiness. That face so bright with innocence!

Four years ago, I quit my career to stay home with my little baby boy. It wasn't even a difficult decision. I was ready to stop the rat race and put myself into something that I felt really mattered. And when they put me in his arms after a difficult pregnancy, I was so relieved and soooo instantly bonded to him.

I remember wondering before he was born if I would bond with him in the way I'd seen other mothers bond to their children. I was adopted, and that experience taught me that mothers could leave their children as difficult as it might be for the promise of a better life. When I met my birthmother years later I realized just what an incredible sacrifice it was to leave your child to the trust of somemone else with the hope that they would be whole.

The meaning of it hit me even more as soon as my own son was born; I couldn't imagine such a sacrifice, but I sure did love my birthmother even more for doing it. But as soon as he was out of my stomach, I vowed to that cooing little boy I would never leave him. He could always count on me, no matter what.

He'll be 4 years old this month, and I can't believe how fast the time has gone. I am so grateful for the past four years, of being able to be his mother and grow from him and learn so much from this little boy. He makes me want to be a better person. He makes me want to be the person I was meant to be...

Happy Birthday little man. Your mom loves you very much!

----------------------------------------
Godspeed, by the Dixie Chicks:

Dragon tales and the water is wide
Pirate’s sail and lost boys fly

Fish bite moonbeams every night

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

The rocket racer’s all tuckered out

Superman’s in pajamas on the couch

Goodnight moon, we’ll find the mouse
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams
God bless mommy and match box cars

God bless dad and thanks for the stars
God heard amen, wherever you are

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams
Godspeed

Happy Holidays Sale! 15% off All Designs through Monday, Nov. 30th!

2009-11-26T13:24:00.001-08:00

Sale is effective through Monday, Nov. 30th and applies to both my Etsy site and my Web site, Original Hardware. This offer not good with any other discounts or promotions. ENJOY!

Forest Fires and Gratitude....

2009-11-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

"Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality."

--Alfred Painter

The pies are done and the kitchen is wiped clean. I sit with glass of wine in hand, a quiet house, a quiet night. The half-round moon glows through my studio window like a magical beacon: its winter white aura soothes me from a hectic, but fun day, with my son.

As many of you know from my blog posts, this has been an incredible year. A year of challenge and change, with still more of both to come. From this challenge and change has come an incredible bounty: a creative fervor and ambition that has taken my business to some great places and set me up for a year of more great places. It has also taken my spirit to some interesting corners: some dark, others sweet and full of light.

It would be easy to focus on the negative that is going on within our own lives; our community, the world. It would be easy to point fingers at the things that aren't working and call them out. But why is that? Why is it not easier to take stock of the beautiful things that are indeed working in our lives each and every day--the very things that we take little notice of sometimes but that bring us genuine joy?

This past year, it would have been easier for me in particular to find the things that sucked the happiness out of me and took me to the dark places. My 40th year on the planet has brought with it lots of turbulence. Ten years ago, I would have mired myself into the negative places that all of this turbulence has brought me. I would have asked "why me?" "what did I do?". But do you know what? A miracle has happened in my life. Amidst all of the things that have brought me sadness this past year, I have found myself to be at peace with myself; peace with my life; peace with who I am.

Had I not been through the fire this past year, I wouldn't have had this amazing revelation within. I would not have had this amazing regrowth that comes from being burned around the edges and then burned into a pile of ashes. But I realize now that you can't emerge something better, something stronger, something greener without having been burned first. You can't emerge like a Phoenix from the ashes without having been burned first.

This is just like the forests that surround me in Colorado. Many of them come alive in years after they've been scorched by fire. Nature needs the fire to regrow, replenish, wipe itself clean. You can see where the Colorado landscape needs it most; where years of fire suppression has reigned supreme to protect multi-million homes, pine beetles have taken over and killed many trees in its path. Where where was once an amazing canopy of green there are beetle-infested brown trees taking over. In short, much of the Colorado forest could use a good fire.

I liken the Colorado landscape these days to my soul. It is time for a fire to cut it all down, reduce me to my core, take me to the places I've never been. Without it, I won't be able to emerge with a stronger stump, a greener aura, a more fertile soul...

And for that, more than anything on this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful.

Authenticity

2009-11-20T08:33:00.001-08:00

“The authentic self is the soul made visible”
--Sarah Ban Breathnach

I have read Sarah Ban Breathnach's books, in particular Simple Abundance, many times throughout my adult life. In her writings, she talks a lot about what it means for each of us to be authentic; to be our truest selves.

To me, this authenticity comes out in many ways. For artists, it manifests itself in the things we create from that authentic spirit. And when others try to take that authenticity in the form of art and call it their own, it is not just a violation of idea it is a violation of soul!

I think about this a great deal lately, for lots of reasons. I think about the way in which my work is my authentic soul made visible and how important it is to me on so many levels. I am grateful that I am capable of expressing my soul in ways that others just cannot; each of us has the power to express it, but not in the same way which makes us all different. It makes us who we are.

As I go into the next year, I will be concentrating on what it means to be my truest self once in light of the fact that my life is about to change once again.

My sense of self is about to go through another transformation. And transformations can be tough. They rock you to the core, and they take you to places you aren't sure your heart wants to go. But after all of that struggle comes peace in the heart. So when the bad stuff comes, I want to remember what I know to be true today and always:

* I am stronger than I think I am
* I am resilient and flexible
* I am a wonderful mom, friend and daughter.
* I want to do good by people, and I want them to do good by me.
* I expect great things to happen and I know that it is up to me to make them come true
* Shitty things happen to good people. It is what they do in those times that makes them even more true, more authentic
* My experiences have shaped who I am, and that makes me truly unique and special. It does not make me wrong, bad or inadequate.
* This too shall pass...

What makes you authentic? What are you doing in your life to nurture that authentic spirit? What are you doing in your life that is not authentic?

I find myself asking these questions everyday, and by asking them they have taken me to all kinds of places.

As we peel back the layers of our selves, we can see what is really there. To be authentic we must shed those things that we have borrowed along the way that no longer fit or never did. We must start anew, awash in the promise of a new day.

Too much thinking going on......

2009-11-18T13:34:00.000-08:00

It is quiet in the house. My son is taking a rarest of naps (he is recovering from an ear/sinus infection) and I have a lot on my mind.

This morning, I went to the gym and tried to run from it. I ran so fast I thought that I would sweat it all out; then I went to lift class and worked so hard my muscles buckled...

But the thoughts are still there, so it must mean that I must sit here in the silence and figure out what to do with them.

A friend of mine gave me this quote book awhile back, and I find myself sitting in the sunshine of my studio thumbing through the pages. This quote is the one that will guide me today:

This is me today.....

2009-11-16T16:56:00.000-08:00

"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." ~Charlotte Whitton

I had a rockin' few days, and I'm reveling in my woman' power today.

In 4 days I have packaged and SHIPPED 100+ orders that came as a result of my Featured Seller spot on Etsy last week (thank you Etsy!); responded to several interesting wholesale inquiries AND finished my first catalog order EARLY.

I have finished 2 loads of laundry, made arrangements for my son's birthday party, went grocery shopping and made 3 meals that went into the freezer for later.

Now, I realize this isn't a typical week. But how often do you look back at what you've done and marvel at the accomplishment?! No, really marvel at it?

Most of the time, I just think it's all in a day's work. But lately I've come to realize that we women have an amazing ability to multitask and get a ton of shit done AND do it well.

I'm all for taking time to relax and not have anything on the proverbial plate. But when life throws you many balls at once, the only thing to do is juggle.

75 orders, lots of queries, some great opportunities....

2009-11-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

I have had a ball being the Featured Seller on Etsy. After 2 months of preparation, it's over and it was successful beyond my wildest dreams.

I have met some fabulous new customers and Etsians along the way. And I've been presented with some great opportunities that I hope will bear fruit.

In two days, I've managed to box and ship out 65 packages. The remaining boxes are those that require custom orders, such as rings and initials, etc. I will get them all out by Monday.

So tonight, I am regrouping and having a glass of wine to celebrate the week and to celebrate the accomplishment.

Taking time to celebrate is a big deal for me. I usually set high goals for myself and when I reach them, I don't do anything but go onto the next.

I have realized that I am missing out bigtime by not taking just a moment to be thankful and to be proud of myself. When was the last time you took stock of what you have done this past year, past month, today and gave yourself a big hug for doing something great?

Secret's out!

2009-11-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed to have been chosen to be Etsy's Featured Seller from Nov. 11-13th!

Thanks to all of you who have made my life so rich with blessings. And thanks to each and everyone of my customers for the love, encouragement and business they have given me over the years!

You can see the interview here: http://www.etsy.com/featured_seller.php!!!!

Wish me luck!

Sssshhhh.....Something Big is Coming!

2009-11-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

I can hardly stand it! I want to tell the world, but just not yet.
Look for news tomorrow on my blog and other venues.
It's big, fabulous news--like an early Christmas gift!
Have a wonderful day!

My Road....

2009-11-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

"I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence

Two roads diverged in a wood

And I, I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference."

--Robert Frost

Road Less Traveled

Accidental Tapestry.....

2009-11-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes an accident is really a good thing.

A few days ago, I had accidentally left a batch of pendants in the etching bath for 12 hours (kiss of death!).

I ended up with very thin pieces of metal with very deeply etched patterns on them--not so good for necklaces and earrings! In disgust, I had cast them aside into my scrap pile, thinking that all my time and effort was a wash...

Then, about 2 in the morning, I realized how wonderful they would make as overlays to other pieces in my collection! It was all I could do to go back to sleep!

I put my torch to work the very next night after Evan went to bed, and came up with this ring as my first design from the accidental etches. I absolutely love it!

This ring is 1/2 inch wide. After the beautiful texture is applied, it is polished, tumbled for strength and gently oxidized to bring out this ring's amazing texture.

I have posted it on my Etsy shop for the time being, but fans of OriginalHardware.com will find it there soon, too.

The Color of a Colorado Sunset

2009-11-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

"Orange is the happiest color."
--Frank Sinatra

I am fortunate enough to have a perch right outside my front door that is perfect for witnessing the most beautiful of sunsets.

In the summer--especially late summer--one could always find me in my chair, glass of wine in hand, to watch the show.

Vibrant tangerine slips into gray into blue, creating a muted palette of peace.

It creates such a spectacular display that I found myself wondering sometimes if it was real.

I created these pieces when I was so inspired by the sunsets here in Colorado, and am just now getting around to posting them in my Etsy shop and at Original Hardware.

Have a gander, or click on the images to take you right to their respective locations on the World Wide Web!

And yes, there are lots more designs on their way.

Fortunately, I went on a huge creative bent 2 months ago and I rode that creative wave for as long as I could.

It resulted in scores and scores of new work that I will be adding throughout November for the holiday season!

Enjoy! And as the holiday season fast approaches, please know that I so appreciate each and every customer.

You have helped make Original Hardware what it is today, and I am so blessed!

Doors

2009-11-01T06:44:00.000-08:00

In a black mood....

2009-10-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."
--Coco Chanel

I don't know about you, but I follow Coco Chanel's classic fashion advice: when in doubt, wear black.

My closet is full of it, and so I tend to be drawn to designing and creating classic jewelry styles that marry silver and black together.

Such is the case for the pieces that I have just recently added to Original Hardware and Etsy sites.

These pieces are fabulous for wearing all year-round, whether it be with a little black dress or a little black t-shirt.

New rings that I love!

2009-10-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

I have too many new designs to post to count them all.

It will take me days and days to finish edits to photos and posting to both of my sites!

But I wanted to emerge from my computer stupor to share my newest rings that I love!

A late week pick-me-up

2009-10-22T12:49:00.001-07:00

It's nice to be on the front page of Etsy!

My Aura stacking rings are second box in the left column.

A Week of Self-Portraits...

2009-10-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

Hi. My name is Carrie Schafer.
I am a rock and silver addict.

I have a big event coming up for Original Hardware and was asked to submit a photo as part of the promotional efforts. This is what I ended up submitting. Thought it would be a good blog entry on a particularly light week! :-)

I am tired this week, and I think it's because of the off-again, on-again cold weather here in Colorado.

Yesterday it was 80. Today it was cold and ready to rain/snow. Here, you go from wanting to barbecue and have an ice cold beer outside to making mashed potatoes and meatloaf within 24 hours!

Oh well, at least I have this photo! And with Photoshop, I learned how to take a few of the wrinkles out around my eyes. It's either that or plastic surgery........tee hee.

Calm before the storm.....

2009-10-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul."
-- Clarissa Pinkola Estes

This is me this morning. Don't I look calm? I am feeling pretty calm, too, despite the fact that my list is long and I just burned through 3 hours with my son in preschool on a silly issue that (gratefully) turned out to be nothing.

This is me being calm. I will look at this photo, when, a week from now, I am NOT calm. To prevent myself from freaking out at all of my to do's, I typically create a list so that I can have some control over them and knock them down one at a time.

As you think of the hectic holiday season, think of me and this face. I am sure that I won't always look this calm, but the good stuff is coming up. And I just want to be calm enough to remember it and enjoy it.

Come January, I'll be so bored out of my mind I will miss the hectic pace!

Today I am Grateful for.....

2009-10-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

* Hot coffee on a cold, foggy morning.
* A cute little boy who still wants to cuddle sometimes with his mommy.
* The way the fog looks when it rolls in over the foothills and sticks just above the ground. It feels like a London winter!
* Twinkies.
* A couple of days of rest to focus on rejuvination. Tomorrow it's back to getting ready for holiday.
* Clarity.
* A Mexi Melt at Taco Bell. It's only 89 cents and I know it's crap, but boy is it good!
* A clean bathroom, preferably made clean by someone else.
* Getting organized for the chaos that is to come.
* Having the time to work out. It makes me feel strong.
* Being at peace despite the storm clouds that come into and out of your life.
* A much-awaited catalog order that finally came in. It's officially my first catalog order! And I know it won't be my last!

What are you grateful for today?

Post Trunk Show and Ominous Weather.....

2009-10-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

"Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third." --Marge Piercy

I had a great weekend with my friends at Hip Zephyr in Seattle--what a great showing!

I sold lots of goodies to Hip Zephyr fans and met some new souls. And the good thing is I have about 200 new pieces still left that will make its way to my Etsy shop and Web site--stay tuned for announcements on the new bling.

To top it all off, I had a great time with one of my best buds, Brooke. She and I go way back, and seeing her is like maple syrup for the soul (comforting and sweet). It could be months since our last chat or visit and we start immediately right back up, pecking like hens with so much to talk about. She is a beautiful spirit inside and out, and when I'm with her I can be my true self.

But now that I'm back, storm clouds are brewing here, figuratively and literally. I look to the next week with some trepidation over what's to come, and yet a stillness and peace that I cannot describe. I see the cold whisping its way over the foothills and licking at my feet; I can feel ominous things stirring, and great things stirring, too.

It is the beginning of a big period of change. I look forward with wide eyes and a wider heart; I look to the world with grace and gratitude.

Like a wild horse, I tell my spirit that it is time to run without hesitation over the grassy hills of yonder; to the places I've never been.

Indeed this year has taken me to a lot of places I've never been; some good and some not so much.

But each is a gift, now isn't it? It's all a gift. All we have to do is look at it for what it is; then peel back the gift wrap and stare in awe......

Trunk Show Prep--can I just go to sleep now?

2009-10-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Next Thursday evening, I have the special privilege of being the featured designer at a trunk show sponsored by Hip Zephyr, this super cool boutique located in the Phinney Ridge area of Seattle.

In preparing for the show, I've made at least 100 new designs and won't be finished with my booty until end of day Tuesday. Then, I'll have to shoot all of it, price it and pack it up so I can be on a plane Thursday morning. Booyah!

Every time I think I have enough, I can't stop! Between custom orders and the upcoming show, I'm a bit frazzled.

I know it will be worth it when the show goes well, and the bonus part is that I get to spend the weekend in Seattle with my BFF.

If you're in the neighborhood, please stop by next Thursday night, from 6-9 p.m. at:

Hip Zephyr
6421 Phinney Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 905-6069

today....

2009-09-23T13:09:00.001-07:00

raindrops slide down glass
in jagged little trails.
today, like yesterday
is a new day.

today I wash
myself
in the promise
of a new day--
rain
washes over me
pours over me
slides down me
in jagged little trails.

today
I become someone new
someone better
someone stronger.
I let the rain
wash away
pour away
slide down,
down into
my soul.

I am born again
and again.

I am
someone
new--
one
day
at
a
time.

In Honor of Coach and Little Robins....

2009-09-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

"Of all else that I want for your life, it is for you to be happy."

--Coach Duane Hartman, Sept. 2001

This week is always a tough one for me. I can see in my mind's eye the burned image of planes flying into buildings, the feeling of our country's collective heart being ripped open at the inconceivable sight of the World Trade Centers and their precious cargo collapsing into dust.

Like other mementous occassions from previous generations, I will never forget what I was doing on that fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001. I was spending my last days with my dad, Coach Duane Hartman, as he lay dying in the hospital of cancer.

"Do you think there will be a line to get to heaven?" Dad asked me as we watched the carnage of Sept. 11 unfold from his hospital room television.

"No," I said. "I am sure God has these things figured out so no one has to wait."

"Oh, that's good," my dad whispered softly. "You know how I hate to wait in lines."

Five days later--on a sunny Sunday afternoon--Sept. 16th, 2001--as the fall sunshine streamed through the windows, my father drew his last breath surrounded by his family and close friends.

When he died, a Robin flew to the window and stared at me for what seemed like minutes. I felt like we had made some sort of cosmic contact, like my Dad's spirit had already made its way into something living; as if I still had something to hold onto outside of the love in my heart.

What is strange is that on many other occassions since my Dad's passing, the bird has returned. Not THAT bird, per se, but a bird. A Robin. Every time.

This spring, a Mother Robin set up shop in a tree right outside my kitchen window. She brought two little robins into the world. I would watch her every morning as she continuously fed her hungry little pair as they tipped their beaks to the sky and chirped with all their might. It reminded me of how grateful I am to my role as mother and the loving grace it has brought to my life.

Recently, the bird appeared again as I sat outside during a needed break from the studio. He perched his fat little body on a tree and cocked his head to one side as if to say, "hang in there." It brought me peace.

It's been 8 years since my father's death, and not a day goes by that I don't think about my dad and how much I loved him. He would be so proud of me and what I have done with my life. He would be gentle with me during my times of struggle. He would, as he had done so many times, cradle his arm around my body, squeeze me and say, "I love you kid."

One of the last things my father said to me on his deathbed was "Of all else that I want for your life, it is for you to be happy."

Dad, I am trying with all my might to do just that, not just to honor your memory but to honor my own.

Posted on My Studio Wall.....

2009-08-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

Is this quote:

..for a long time it seemed to me that
life was about to begin--real life.
but there was always some obstacle
in the way, something to be gotten
through first, some unfinished
business, time still to be served,
a debt to be paid. at last it dawned
on me that these obstacles were my
life. this perspective has helped me
to see there is no way to happiness.
happiness is the way. so treasure
every moment you have and remember
that time waits for no one.

happiness is
a journey,
not a destination..............
--souza

Rings, anyone?

2009-08-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, a girl just can't have too many rings. Of course, if you are in a committed relationship there is the wedding ring--so significant and so dominant on the left hand.

But what about the other fingers? What do they get out of the deal? There's no reason that they shouldn't get in on the game.

So I've been on a tear lately in the ring department. I cannot get enough of the gemstones. Seriously.

Boxes of bling are en route from India, Bali, New York! HEELLLPPPP!
Sunstones. Labradorite. Faceted smoky quartz. Sunny citrine.

Beeauuutiful stones that Mother Earth created from her bare hands, using time, temperature and a little squeezing! How could I not partake in her bounty? Just how could I forsake her?

I have created a new line for this fall of rings that feature beautiful stones set in bezel cups. The difference between a bezel cup and a tube setting (which is what I use for my more expensive stones and sets) is that bezel cups are easier to work with.

I pass on the time savings to my customers by offering them at a very affordable price. I still plan to offer sets this fall with tube settings, but these button rings as I call them are lovely for stacking and accessorizing.

They are so cute: they kind of look like glamorous buttons of color from the side.

Here are a few of my favorites:

OMG. Your fingers are going to be sooo happy....

Get 15% off ALL designs in my Etsy Shop Aug. 21-23!!!!

2009-08-20T20:00:00.001-07:00

ORIGINAL HARDWARE IN ETSY'S WEEKEND DEALS!

I just love being a seller on Etsy, the place for all things handmade. The community of artists is fabulous and inspiring, and the collection of handmade goods is absolutely amazing!

Today, Original Hardware is featured in Etsy's very popular Weekend Deals email, which goes out to thousands of avid subscribers.

Get 15% off ALL designs posted in my Etsy shop beginning today, Aug. 21st and running through Sunday Aug. 23rd!

Simply choose all of your lovely items, pay for them through Paypal and await a 15% refund!

What could be easier than that? I would say making Rice Krispies, but I've tried that this week. And all I got was a very hard hocky puck of a treat stuck in a glass pan....It wasn't pretty.

Honey, I'm HOMMMEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

"There's no place like home."

--Dorothy

It's such a cliche, but the saying above is so true. No matter what winds are blowing where you live, in which you live, being home is the best place.

Even though the distance and the break was good for me, I missed my hammers. I missed my stones! I missed not being connected to my customers...

My sweet son Evan and I returned from Washington state late Sunday afternoon, and I've been busy ever since. This is a livelihood for which I have endless passion. It is my life! And for that I am so grateful!

We had a great time visiting my mother, and now I look forward to the last quarter of the season with excitement and anticipation.

I've ordered boxes for the holidays, added at least 30 more new designs to my sites (yes, even MORE!) and I'll be adding more in the weeks to come. I have trunk shows to prepare for, a catalog order to get moving on. I am so excited about what the future holds for this middle-aged gal.

The three images you see here are part of my "Exotic Fern Series", all new etched works that feature a fern pattern taken from a henna tattoo.

Henna tattoos are found in some eastern cultures, particularly India, where women's hands are adorned with some of the most gorgeous designs and patterns.

This might sound strange, but I can feel my spirit in these pieces. They are me and I am them. They are what makes me great. They are what makes my work my own. They are my totems of authenticity!

Leaving on a Jet Plane....

2009-08-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow Evan and I head to my mom's house for a leisurely visit in Washington state. I won't be back until the 16th.
I am anxious to see my mom and I know we'll have fun, but leaving behind a business and its momentum is very hard for me. I am having a hard time letting it go.
I will see you all on the other side, hopefully well rested and, no doubt, chomping at the bit to get working!

Just the Tip of the Iceberg....

2009-08-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

"The Best Way out is Always Through."

---Robert Frost

So I've been on a creative bent for the past month to work on an early fall line, and I had to ultimately stop myself so I could get some of it shot and added to my Web site before I left for vacation with my son at the end of this week.

My creative energy typically comes this way: a flood of activity that gives me the fuel to create new work that just flows out of me.

When the creative ebb is over, I take a break. I know better now to push it. If I'm not feeling creative, the work just doesn't have the end result that I strive for and the result of my "forced creativity" almost never ever sells...

But such is not the case with the new work I have recently finished. I am excited about ALL of it! I have added 30 new designs to OriginalHardware.com, and when my son and I return from my trip to visit my mom on Aug. 16th, I will be adding them to my Etsy site as well. The funny thing is that this is just the beginning!

I still have 30 pieces that are finished and still have to be photographed and another 40 on the bench in various stages of completion.

I have been working my little fingers to the bone, using my passion not only to fuel new work and get a jumpstart on the busy fourth quarter, but also to keep my sanity during what has personally been a difficult time.

So here are a few of the new pieces I've added this week. Stay tuned for a deluge of new work just in time for the fall season, which I hope will be well received by my customers!

I truly appreciate each and every one of you for your support, encouragement and neverending comments and love! I so love what I do and I hope that with this new work, it shows....

Things I Know for Sure.....

2009-07-28T06:16:00.000-07:00

"You don't know where you're going unless you know where you've been...."

It's been awhile since I've posted anything new, and that's because life has just been busy--which is all good.

Every night after my 3 1/2 year old son goes to bed (I've lost the afternoon nap, save for a few surprise rests here and there) I go to my studio and work like a busy little bee. The house is usually very quiet at that time of night, and my mind gets centered as creative ideas flow through me.

On my bench at the moment are scores of new designs for early fall. I am so excited about the way the work is looking at the moment, and I have so many new ideas I want to pursue after little boy fades into sleep....

During these quiet evenings of work, I have learned a few things about myself that I thought I would share. Oprah calls them "ah-ha" moments. I guess I would call them personal lessons.

While my list is long, here are 10 Things I know For Sure today:

#1. I am so blessed. I have my health, my family and a business that is poised for something great. But most of all, I have for the first time a positive frame of mind. From my mind flows positive thoughts about my work and life; and what I have seen flow back to me as a result is nothing short of a miracle.
#2 Coffee or Mountain Dew at 7 p.m. might sound like a good idea at 7 p.m., but not such a good idea at 2 a.m....
#3 Creating boundaries for yourself is one of the keys to happiness. Being able to say no--gently--when your radar goes up is just as important as saying yes to the important things.
#4 Nothing beats Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale in terms of retail therapy.
#5 See the good in others and they will see the good in you.
#6 There's always another way of looking at the same issue; be open to the way others see it.
#7 If you rule your life by fear, you will never reap the rewards of being truly open to the possibilities that present themselves to you everyday.
#8 There's no shame in having a good dermatologist on hand to fight Mother Nature's cold hands of aging. Call him often!
#9 On a bad day, nothing beats a slice of moist and delicious coconut cake with buttercream frosting.
#10 Have the courage to speak clearly and ask for what you truly want. You just might get it if you do....

Original Hardware Designs Featured in Seattle's Hip Zephyr

2009-07-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

You got to just love the name of a place like Hip Zephyr, Seattle's coolest women's boutique located in Phinney Ridge.

Seattle is one of my favorite cities, having hailed from the Pacific Northwest. I love its cool urban vibe and hippy mentality, which is why I'm so excited that my designs are now part of this fabulous place for all things cool!

Shop owner Dana Smith has assembled quite a collection of high-quality goodies, from jeans to, well, jewelry.

If you find yourself, with coffee cup in hand, walking the streets of Seattle, stop by and pay her a visit. And tell her Original Hardware sent you!

Hip Zephyr is located at 6421 Phinney Ave N Seattle, WA 98103. Store hours are 12-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 12-5 p.m. Sunday. Call the boutique at 206-905- 6069.

Thanks to Hip Zephyr for including Original Hardware designs in your lovely boutique!

Original Hardware Featured in Etsy Finds Weekend Deals!

2009-07-17T12:58:00.001-07:00

Original Hardware is honored to be part of Etsy Find's Weekend Deals newsletter this weekend, which features all kinds of cool handcrafted items from shops offering Free Shipping Worldwide!

Original Hardware's Etsy Shop (http://www.originalhardware.etsy.com/) is offering free shipping worldwide on all orders today through Sunday, July 19th.

I ship USPS Priority Mail in the United States and USPS First Class International to all other destinations. So stop in and load up your cart!

Original Hardware Designs Now Available at Lark & Key!

2009-07-12T21:24:00.001-07:00

Original Hardware is greatly expanding its roster of wholesale clientele, and I am proud to announce my latest customer, Lark & Key!

An intersect of art, design and craft Lark & Key, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, showcases the work of the two artists/owners as well as goods from other independent artists, artisans and designers from around the country.

Believing that great art and design should be accessible to all, they have created a warm and inviting space that offers a unique selection of artwork, pottery, jewelry, t-shirts, paper goods and more.

There is something for everyone - whether first time buyer or long-term collector, gift seeker or quality craft scavenger.

Lark & Key is located in NODA, Charlotte’s historic arts district, located 2 miles from uptown. The gallery is open Wednesday – Saturday from 11-6 and on Sundays from 12-4.

Stop by if you live in Charlotte or if you are just visiting. The gallery is just beautiful and the people who run it are, too!

Technology Overload!

2009-07-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

I have been told by many others on Etsy that having a business page on Facebook is a great way to get the word out about your business. I have resisted until now, simply because I thought maybe it would be too much work.

In actuality, it is a lot of fun, and a great way to find new customers and others who appreciate the artists' way!

So, I now have a Facebook page! If you are a Facebook user, please stop by and visit my page and become a fan!

Thank you!

2009-07-03T13:15:00.001-07:00

'Every time we remember to say 'thank you', we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.'

~ Sarah Ban Breathnach ~

Original Hardware has had a lot of good things happen this first half of 2009, and I couldn't be more excited about what the future holds. I haven't forgotten why my business is taking off in new directions.

Each one of you--my customers--is critical in building each block of this artisan business. Every day I think of the friends I have made over the years and the incredible connections I have as a result of this business.

It is time for me to say thank you to all of you with a Customer Appreciation Sale at Original Hardware. Through Sunday July 12th, get 20% off ALL designs! Just enter the promo code 'Thankful' at checkout and the discount is yours.

This is an exclusive sale extended to only those lucky enough to receive my newsletter or read my blog! It's my way of showing each of you how much I appreciate your business, and how much I look forward to continuing to create artisan jewelry in the years ahead!

Thank you!

Pop the Champagne!

2009-07-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

"The biggest chance you take is not taking a chance at all...."
--Anonymous

Today I heard from the catalog that I submitted designs to a few weeks ago and it was great news! Two of the 8 designs that I submitted have been accepted for their Spring 2010 catalog!

I am so excited about what this might bring to my business in 2010, and the doors that have opened as a result. The lesson here is not that it couldn't be done; the lesson is that a year ago, I would have resisted doing it for fear that they would never get accepted in the first place.

This self-sabotage kills opportunities! So I say to others who have thought twice about taking a chance, DO IT. What have you got to lose?

I don't know any of the details just yet, and have been asked to keep things quiet until I have contracts in hand, etc. All I know is that my order will come in sometime in October and I won't have to deliver until January. That helps me plan to get ready in advance for all of the things that happen in the last quarter so I am moving into 2010 on all cylinders.

This has given me the confidence to seek out other opportunities that even some of my best customers have urged me to pursue. I am here. I am alive. I am present. And I am willing to take a chance on the things that scare me because they are worth it in the end.....

I want to immediately jump in and get started, but today I am savoring this milestone. It is 90 degrees outside and I have cracked open a beer. And heck, I might even have two!

Remembering Dad

2009-06-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."

Here it is--Father's Day. Every time this special holiday rolls around I find myself in a half-funk missing my Dad terribly. My father, Coach Duane Hartman, passed away at 60 of stomach cancer 7 years ago now.

As heartbreaking as losing him was, I had the priviledge of being at his bedside during the last weeks of his life. While it was the most difficult thing I ever had to do, those little moments in between morphine and illness were filled with love and grace. And acceptance of all that we cannot control in this life.

Every Father's Day since his passing (and really, everyday), I think about how much I miss him and how much he's missed in my life. I have a son now. My own business. I am stronger than I was back then. And I am much more resolute in living the last words that my father quietly whispered to me before going to the light: "Take care," he said to me. "Be Happy."

Dad, I am happy in so many ways, and I have you to thank for setting the example of how to live a positive, gratitude-filled life.

While I can't send you a card or host a barbeque in your honor or give you some tacky little gift anymore to show you just how much I appreciated your love, warmth and unconditional support, I can honor you by living up to your dying words. I can continue to live the words you left me with. I can continue to strive to be happy and take care of myself.

For those of you who have fathers still here on this planet, give them a hug and tell them thanks. They did their best, even when it may not have always produced the best outcome. They loved you in their own ways, even though sometimes that way was difficult to understand. They are proud of you, even if they never say or said it.

Today I'll be thinking of my father and thanking God that he was in my life for as long as he was, and even after all these years that he's been gone, I'll probably shed a tear for his leaving so early.

And I will raise my voice to the sky and say, Thanks Dad. You were the best Dad that I could have ever wished for. I miss you. Happy Father's Day.

Etching Show and Tell!

2009-06-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

New Work, New Techniques!

I've gotten into etching and won't ever come back. It's an addiction for which I've fallen hard, and I can't believe I've waited so long to try the technique.

I think I was intimidated by the chemicals, but there are two types you can use to get a good etch.

I use the lesser of the two evils--ferric nitrate--and a little smidge of citric acid to give the brew a good bite. And it's really not bad at all!

This last round I fell asleep while the pendants were etching, and I didn't wake up until the morning! I figured I've have nothing but metal shavings. But I had glorious pendants that I was really happy with.

This pendant on the left is actually reversible! I etched the piece on the front with an exotic flower pattern that reminds me of India. A labradorite stone sits in a handmade bezel in the middle.

Flip the pendant over, and there's a delicate little lotus leaf stamped in its center, so you have two looks for the price of one. Forget Target's new slogan, when it comes to jewelry This is a Brand New Day!!! :-)

I also love the mandala motif that is represented in the top necklace and this bracelet. I started making bracelets again after a reprieve, and most of them in my site are etched pieces. I hope they do well!

These are just a few of the designs I have posted on my site, so here's a sneak peek! I'll be adding more etched pieces in the coming days...

I can't decide which is my favorite, so maybe some of my followers can give me some feedback.

I'd love to hear from my customers about which styles and shapes they like best, as I'll be adding new etched pieces in the coming season, including a whole line of necklaces that are reversible.

Words to Live By....

2009-06-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

This quote sits right in front of my computer in my office. Every time I hesitate to do something out of fear that I will fail, I think of this quote.

Recently, this quote applied to me because I am submitting samples for a catalog. I have never done this before, and have no idea what to expect.

There have been times I've looked through the catalog and thought to myself, "Why am I doing this? The work in here is so cool?!"

Then the confident part of me, the newest and most vulnerable and most tender part of me says, "WHY NOT?!!!!"

So here I go, jumping into the fire feet first. If my work is accepted, I will jump for joy. If it doesnt get accepted, I will still jump for joy because I didn't listen to the fearful old lady voice inside my head....

Inspiration.....

2009-06-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."
--Lady Bird Johnson

Behind my house there is a vast network of hiking trails and open space that winds through the Colorado foothills.

I try to go back there at least once a week, provided that the trail is navigable after all of our spring rain.

With so much rain, our wildflowers have come early.

The green fields are alive with lush color and beautiful blooms that range from lemon yellows to vibrant orange to cheerful purples and reds.

It is these colors that make me want to immediately go into the studio, refreshed and alive in nature's gift! It is this beautiful landscape of fragility and fire that inspire me to let go and transform myself.

In the past, I've underestimated the way in which a walk in the woods takes all of my burdens and lightens my load.

I leave my little bundles of worry and fear along the trail, picking up instead the hope of tomorrow. I leave behind, like some kind of unspoken sacrifice, the anxiety and personal struggle and instead allow myself to become awash in optimism and awe at the miracle of life.

Flowers remind me of the delicacy of life and of the strength of spirit.

Despite rain and toil, bad weather or good, year after year they still find a place in the ground and emerge and thrive. This takes a great deal of determination in some years!

Lately things have just been really difficult for me. Like a flower, I am struggling to find my place amidst a great deal of change and challenge.

I am trying to allow love to come in and shine on me, and help me grow!

But while this struggle is so difficult and harrowing at times, I know that like these blooms that emerge from rocky, unhospitable ground every year, I too will emerge with more vibrant color and beauty.

I will return to arid ground and make it fertile. I will put down new roots, lift my head to the sun and whisper to the sky, "let me grow."

Yart Sale in Full Swing!

2009-06-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

Sellers on Etsy like me have begun a week of fun with the second annual Yart Sale.

Yart sale? What exactly is a “Yart Sale,” you may ask?

The term Yart is an artistic spin on the traditional yard sale: Art + Yard Sale = Yart!

To celebrate, I've created a special section on my Etsy site where final clearance items are waiting for that special buyer who wants beautiful, handcrafted works of art AND a deal!

Yart starts today, June 10th and runs through Sunday, June 14th!

So log on and get your deals. You will miss out if you don't!

Summer Sale!

2009-06-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

"In summer, the song sings itself." --William Carlos Williams

Summer has not come all at once in Colorado this year, but you can feel its presence with the subtle changes it marks across the landscape.

I for one am in love with summer.

I cherish each hot day and the things that it brings: homemade iced tea on the porch; tank tops and bare feet; hiking on the trails behind our house that are live with wildflowers.

I am inspired this time of year, and as a result, Original Hardware's virtual shelves are stocked full of new designs inspired by nature!

To celebrate, I'm offering 15% off all designs (including final sale items!) through June 21. Just enter the promo code Summer at checkout and you too can celebrate the season!

Thank you for your business and support of Original Hardware!

Summer Berries!

2009-06-05T12:13:00.003-07:00

When I was a kid, we'd pick strawberries and raspberries in our garden until our lips blushed purple.

The sugary red juice would drip off our fingers and chins, and we'd grin with red-stained teeth and run around barefoot on the grass.

When I feel the early summer sun on my face and the gentle wind blowing, I fondly remember these days of youth!

As an ode to all things summer, I've created a few new pieces that just put me in a cheerful mood. I hope they make you happy, too!

I'm an etching fool....

2009-05-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

"Go Confidently in the Direction of your Dreams! Life the life you've imagined."

--Thoreau

Yaaawwwnnn. I didn't get much sleep last night because I was babysitting two batches of etched pendants that I am truly excited about!

It was worth staying up virtually all night, with safety goggles on and rubber gloves to babysit the etching process.

The pendants will soon be converted into earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces-- I hope ya'll can keep your pants on until then! When I'm in creative mode, it is hard for me to stop and concentrate on anything else, but I know that I must. Some family is coming into town this weekend, so I need to clear my orders out and get things organized for a getaway to the mountains and other lounging. It will be a welcome shift for just a little while....

The collection that just got out of the etching bath will be loosely titled "Indian Summer" because all of the patterns in the pieces are inspired by Indian culture. Lots of really neat patterns that you won't be able to find anywhere else.

Anyway, until then, I thought I'd post some pics of some of the other etched pieces I just posted to my Web site, http://www.originalhardware.com/.

All of the designs featured in this post offer direct links to their product detail pages, so Happy Shopping!

Summer is Coming!

2009-05-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

I recently got a package from India that contained the most wonderful stones.

Each one reminds me of some aspect of summer, whether it be the color of a sun-ripened raspberry still on the bush or the various hues of blue that fade into each other as the sun sets over the Colorado foothills.

In short, I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!

I was busy this past weekend finishing up some new ring sets that showcase these lovely stones, in various sizes and colors of Topaz along with pink garnet and white topaz, too.

There is not enough time in the day to put these beautiful stones to good use, but here's a taste of what I have done so far....

Wierd Science

2009-05-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

I tend to jump into things with both feet, not really thinking about all the logistics that are required to get from point A to point B.

Sometimes this doesn't serve me so well (like the bathroom painting project that my husband ultimately finished) and sometimes it turns out so wonderfully I am giddy for weeks!

This is one of those GOOD times......

I've been reading up on how to phototransfer designs (of your own making) onto sterling silver and etch them using an acid bath onto the metal. I was intimidated by the process at first (anything that strongly recommends wearing a mask and covering yourself is kind of scary!), but tried the technique recently with fabulous results.

These pendants are from my etched collection. I used a variety of patterns that in particular called out to me. It is kind of a laborious process to get them ready to etch, then etching them and finishing them up. But the result (at least I believe) is totally worth it! The photos aren't the greatest because I used my I-phone camera, but will be posting professional images soon....

With so many copycats, it's fun to come up with designs that I know for sure will not be copied (at least right away) and designs that truly come entirely from my own creation.

I'll be posting my etched designs on etsy and my Web site (http://www.originalhardware.com/) soon. Stay tuned!

A Tour of My Studio(s)

2009-05-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Location, Location, Location......

Many of my customers have asked me where I create my designs. The answer is, two locations!

I am a lucky girl in that I have enough room to have two places to do my work.

The basement location (at right) is where I do the nasty stuff--all of my soldering, hammering, chemicals, etc. are religated to this safe place where no one can bother me or my tools!

As you can see from my bench, I have tools everywhere! My husband made this set up for me and I love it. It has everything I need to get a design made and finished--from soldering to etching to setting stones in bezels, to filing and polishing!

As you can see from the bench, I am doing some etching at the moment. It requires a hot pancake griddle and an iron to transfer images onto the metal, like the ones on the left here that are ready for the etching bath!

Stay tuned for the finished etched designs.

I am really excited about how they turned out and can't wait to add them in the coming weeks.

I also photograph my work down here, so I can have a permanent set-up for shooting images.

My second studio is upstairs. This is my finishing studio, post office and general administration place.

My work bench is here, and so are all of my stones and things needed to finish a piece of work.

Over my finishing work bench, I have my favorite quote posted from Robert Frosts' Poem, "Road Less Traveled."
I love this room--it inspires me to be creative and it is my own space!

I am one of those people who likes to be surrounded by inspiring quotes, photos of friends and family, etc. in order to feel comfortable in my surroundings and create my pieces.

I remember when I started making jewelry, I had a rolling bin in the pantry with four drawers and some crappy tools.

Those days are long gone, and I am so grateful for the space that I have to spread out and make my designs in the way I do best...... Off to the studio to create new works so that I can soon be able to share them with all of you!

Keep this quote for today: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined!"--Thoreau

Mother's Day Hangover

2009-05-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is over, and Dave and Evan gave me lots of great little goodies and showered me with love. It was nice.
I was basking in the glow of pre-Mother's Day sales and was thinking about all the great things I was going to do with my huge volume of sales for May! And then things came to a screeching halt....
I always forget this time of year is the worst. You get really busy and then you have to shift gears, going from writing out thank you cards and shipping packages to thinking about what's next.
The good news is that I have a batch of new goodies on the bench, and they will be making their debuts in dribs and drabs. I have a catalog submission to prepare for and a show in June at a local store that sells my work. So I guess I have a lot to do.
All I need is a good swift kick in the ass I guess!

My favorite quote.....

2009-05-06T21:06:00.000-07:00

"open your eyes
to the beauty around you.
open your mind
to the wonders of life,
open your heart
to those who love you,
and always be true to yourself."
-----donna davis

I have a picture of this quote on my "vision board," the place where I put all of the things that I want to be in my life. It inspires me to be creative, vulnerable, strong and confident, to BE WHO I AM.
For each of us, it is a choice we make every single day, isn't it?

Inspired by Springtime in the Cotswolds!

2009-05-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

A few years back, my mom and I took a trip to the Cotswolds in May.

The hills in this notably famous area of the United Kingdom were alive with fresh green grass, and the wooly sheep dotted the landscape like little white cottonballs.

It was a surreal view from the window where we were staying, and when I close my eyes I can see the rays of sunshine that cast light across the entire space.

I can still see the lush green fields that reflected off of the fresh blue sky. I remember the way the crisp air felt across my face as the seasons transformed from winter to spring in this beautiful place.

Many of my designs are inspired by the great memories and experiences of my life.

The little faceted citrine stones in the earrings remind me of that trip, and the vibrant green vasonite stone that is the focal point of the necklace reminds me of the neverending grassy fields where sheep play.

Like my trip, these pieces tell the story of a girl with wanderlust. A girl who loves to be in strange places and explore. A girl who had the fortune of spending just a few days of one spring season in the Cotswolds and will never forget it!

Original Hardware Featured in Etsy Finds!

2009-05-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

It's a humbling experience when you see your work on the front page of another Web site, or when someone else chooses to feature your work in their blog.

It's quite another when you are featured in a big way and it results in an incredible amount of exposure for your business!

Today, Original Hardware was featured on Etsy.com's Weekend Deals article, which is highly competitive and comes out once a week.

My Smoked Hoop Earrings (pictured here) were featured at the top of the article--yahooeee!

It's especially an honor when so many talented artisans make etsy.com their place to do business.

Wait, Wait a Minute Mr. Postman!

2009-04-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend filling orders from the Mother's Day sale!

Get some of your own bling before it's too late!

My awesome sale continues through May 4, then it's back into the studio for new work for the summer and fall collections.

Finding cool stuff is pretty easy:

#1. Shop http://www.originalhardware.com/
#2. Put neat things in your shopping cart.
#3. Enter the promo code "happymom" at checkout.
#4. Get a 25% discount on all designs
#5. Laugh all the way to the bank!

Tying the Knot

2009-04-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." --Epictetus

I've been working on new designs in the studio and am thrilled with the results.

I love the way in which you can use fire (a torch) to manipulate metal and come up with new and original designs that are still consistent with the look you are trying to achieve.

Such is the case with these new designs, just added to my Web site, originalhardware.com.

I have strung sterling silver wire onto stones and then carefully melted each side so as to create a dot of silver on each end. Then I tie the stones around hand-forged metal pieces.

The result is a truly organic, yet modern style that I am really proud of. I hope you like them too!

I will be making new designs incorporating this new element in the coming weeks, and I've added lots of other new designs to the Web site this past week--just in time for Mother's Day!

Since posting these new designs, I've sold quite a few and have received great customer feedback.

Thanks to my loyal customers for
not only supporting my business
but also going beyond to provide feedback about new work!

Get Mom Somethin' She Wants for Once!

2009-04-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATE MOM WITH SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!

'My mother is a poem
I'll never be able to write,
though everything I write
is a poem to my mother.' ~Sharon Doubiago

They brought us into the world, wiped our noses when we were sick; gave us 1,000 hugs for 1,000 reasons; and loved us even when we didn't always love ourselves.

And this is what I know for sure: that we are all mothers to someone, whether they share our DNA or not. And we have all been loved by a mother, whether they were our mother in title or simply by a gesture of grace and goodness.

To celebrate Mother's Day this year (which is May 10), Original Hardware is offering truly one-of-a-kind gifts at a truly one-of-a-kind price.

Get 25% off ALL designs through May 5. Just use the promo code 'HappyMom' at checkout and it's all yours!

Let's celebrate the women in our lives who have made us what we are!

Here are a few inspirations to get you started on your Mother's Day quest, and remember that all purchases come with complimentary gift wrap.

Will to live....

2009-04-20T17:29:00.001-07:00

Snow day....

2009-04-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

Colorado got hit with its final (let's hope) spring blizzard--it left us inside for 3 days and with not much else to do! We got about 2 feet of snow in a 24-hour period--enough to make you want to stay inside and make plenty of macaroni and cheese.

As a result of the forced downtime, I got quite a bit of stones ready for new designs. You can see them here, sitting on my studio bench glittering like little happy flowers in sunshine.

These stones will be part of a new "organic knots" collection that I'll be putting together this week. I'll be showing you new designs in the next few days, so perhaps this picture will whet your appetite!

Until then, have a great week and take care! We'll be enjoying spring days outside--it's supposed to be 75 later this week.

This is typical Colorado--blizzard one day, cold beers on the patio the next!

Quote to Live By.....

2009-04-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

This quote stares at me every day in front of my computer. A friend of mine gave it to me recently and I love it. I thought I would share it with all of you!

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to hte improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!"

Earring Sale at Original Hardware.com!!!

2009-04-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

Earrings are Bliss, especially when you get a deal!

It's hard not to be happy this time of year when even the birds are singing! I love the transformation that Colorado makes this month.
All that's left of the snow are on the mountain's glistening peaks. My lungs breathe in fresh, crisp air and I feel light on my feet and in my soul.

To celebrate the arrival of spring, Original Hardware is dedicating the month of April to your ears, so listen up! This month, get 15% off all earrings at Original Hardware. Just enter the promo code 'happy' at checkout, and you're discount will be automatically taken off your order!

There's lots of wonderful styles to choose from, but in case you need a little prompting, here's a few stunning examples. While you're window shopping, why not plunk a few pair of earrings in your cart for mom? Mother's Day is just around the corner!

As always, thank you for your continued business! Please remember that each purchase comes gift wrapped, my compliments!

I've joined the Technology Age!

2009-04-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

I am really not a technology idiot. I love technology! Really, I do! I just have little precious time, so technology has been a bit of a low priority to forging, forming and hammering silver in my studio.
But my customers have been asking for an "inside view" of my life as the owner/designer of Original Hardware, and so here it is! Look here to get updates on what I'm working on in the studio, exclusive deals and thoughts about life as a stay at home mom/artist.