One of my Favorite Quotes

May's topic for the Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank Group....
What is your favorite quote?

"Maybe our favourite quotations say more about us
than about the stories and people we're quoting."
~ John Green
A few weeks ago I came across this quote in short blog post named Wisdom by Alison "TeenAngster" ..... it rang so true to me.
While most memorable quotes have a universal appeal,
we tend to find them just when we need them.
That day I decided to participate in this months
Blog-o-Sphere Think Tank,
so that I could share one of my favorite quotes by Anais Nin
and why I connect to it.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
~Anais Nin

Nature has so many lessons to teach me when I pay attention......
Flowers are one of the natural wonders of the world I learn from and love to investigate & reflect upon.
When I read this quote by Anais Nin the first time, it made me think
that the blossoming of a flower is akin to becoming the best version of myself that I could possibly be.
Blossoming is a natural process, each petal revealing a part of my self.
While complex and layered, I would like to allow my blossoming to just happen freely.
No longer do I want to hold tight to old ways of being that keep me stuck. I do not want to be bound by the idea that I "should be" a certain way instead of revealing who I really am inside.
I want to continue to take the risk of blossoming.....a life long unfolding of all of my petals, that reveals my beauty.



When I add flowers to my jewelry designs, I often have this idea in mind and use flowers as a representation
of constant growth (or blossoming as a person).


:: Follow the links of my fellow Blog-o-Sphere Think Tankers
to enjoy inspiring Quotes & discussion.
:: May's participants in the Blog-o-sphere Think Tank ::

Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com/
Brad Severtson: http://hammeringoutaliving.blogspot.com/
Kathleen Krucoff: http://mysticalmythicalmetalwork.wordpress.com/
Wendy Kelly: http://www.wendykianakelly.com/
Mary Spencer: http://www.wattoonline.com/news
Stephanie Clark: http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com/
Barbara Donovan: http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/
Thomasin Durgin: http://metalriot.blogspot.com/
Shaun Young: http://shaunyoung.ca/
Kathryn Cole: http://www.kathryncolejewelry.blogspot.com/
Natsuko Hanks: http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/


more flower photos from my neighborhood....

Coming out of my Winter Hibernation (finally)...

I have joined the Blog-o-sphere Think Tank !!
A wonderful group of artists who are blogging each month on a specific topic. The leader of the pack is Andes Cruz: www.andescruz.wordpress.com This month's topic is "best childhood/ younger years memory".
I have been thinking and thinking all month
about growing up in Miami in the 70s,
my best friends, my neighborhood...
The ONE best memory is so difficult to come up with.
I have an overall feeling that keeps popping up, it is the feeling of freedom,
just being a kid.
I grew up in South Miami, Florida, part of a family of four. My childhood home was on a beautiful lake.
As a kid I was always outside.
Swimming, riding my bike, making hiding places under trees & lighting mini bon fires at the canal's edge.
I would pack my suit case and climb one of the trees in my yard and just hang out for the day.
Just the feeling of being outside in the sunshine, playing all day is my best childhood memory.

Here is the view from my childhood backyard in Florida....



Now I live in Philadelphia. When I was walking in the Wissahickon Valley Park this week with my dog I felt that feeling again.....the one of being free, in nature. That is when it occurred to me that I try to recreate that feeling
I had as a kid.
As a grown up, I get outside and walk.
I let all of my worries go and just enjoy being.

Photos of the Woods ::




:: Creatives writing this month ::

Andes Cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
Kathleen Krucoff http://mysticalmythicalmetalwork.wordpress.com/
Wendy Kelly: http://www.wendykianakelly.com/
Stephanie Nocito Clark http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com/
Brad Severtson: http://hammeringoutaliving.blogspot.com/
Andrea Bell: http://feathersfreesiasandfishingtackle.blogspot.com/
Natsuko Hanks: http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/
Shaun Young: http://shaunyoung.ca/
Pal Gooz: http://pmgart.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/

Always looking for Treasures on my way to work...

here are a few.

one rainy morning a few weeks ago.


these i picked on the way home from the post office.


the last two are from my walk today with my new Puppy!!



i love to see buds and blooms together.
xo, Laura

the leaves are starting to change in Philadelphia

On my way home from the Co~Op yesterday afternoon I had to stop and capture the color of the leaves. The sun was just peeking out after a rainy night and morning. It was beautiful, I just wanted to stay outside all day and play hooky from work!

Haiku Thursday

Red Gerber daisy
Standing tall, ready to face the day
Confident and content.

Monday's Inspiration

I woke up this morning and checked in on some of my favorite blogs. Seems like the universe is pointing me in the direction of following my passion and challenging myself....
Here are my two inspirations...

So, Sherry
Sherry Truitt is a fellow metalsmith who is exploring enameling and infusing her designs with color. In her blog post today she speaks of challenging herself to break free from creating the expected.

Next, I found this video on Poppytalk today and had to share it with you all.
I remember reading Etsy's feature interview with Sharon Montrose and feeling such a sense of warmth when I looked at her photographs. Etsy has filmed a handmade portrait of Sharon at work. Seeing her speak about her passion just made me smile and feel inspired to infuse more passion into my work.




I hope these artists inspire you in some way as well.
~Laura

Elizabeth Gilbert on the Creative Mystery

I just came across this Ted Talk on Beth Hemmila's blog.
It was just what I needed to hear........
so, I thought it would be good to share it with you all.

When I began blogging I was (an still am) fearful about sharing my thoughts.
What will I have to say or share that is so important, I would ask myself? Will I be able to say it thoughtfully and eloquently?
Sometimes with my work it is the same way. How do I let go of my fears that hold me hostage and open myself up to the creative flow of the universe?
After listening to Elizabeth, my new tactic is going to be to show up, unafraid, and do my part.....then let the glimpses of
wonder show themselves to me.

Warmth!

It is so funny to me that a Sunny Day with 50 degree weather is WARM!
I headed out for a walk to the post office and here is what I found.


a bouquet of colorful wire

peace to you

looking back

tuft of fabric caught in the fence

sirens......emergency!!

waiting

tiny buds

heading back home under the bridge

bolt detail....beautiful patina

just look.....
the beauty is in the details.

Thank you for coming along with me, Laura

Seventeen Things to Do to Kickstart Creativity

Inspired by a fellow "Ring a Day" friend and metalsmith, I have decided to make a list of Seventeen things to Kickstart creativity.






1) Write morning pages.
2) Go on an Artist Date with myself....out to a museum, soak up the displays at Anthropologie, enjoy a cappuccino.
3) Walk the dog.
4) Take a drive.
5) Fall asleep with a note book by my bedside.....write what comes up.
6) Look at art books ~ Miro, Calder, Jensen (these are some of my favs).
7) Walk in the woods, walk to the post office, walk, walk ,walk!
8) Avoid the computer as much as possible!
9) Take my camera with my when I go on outings, photograph neat happenings in my surroundings.
10) Take a bath without guilt.
11) Go thrift shopping or flea marketing.
12) Read a good book, fiction, magical realism, historical fiction.
13) Have a bead therapy day...string beads, revel in the colors and gems.
14) Get to the studio and just work on tasks that need to be done, this will usually jumps me into thinking creatively.
15) Look through my collection of found objects, stones and antiques for ideas.
16) Just do it.....the idea is not to think too much and just sit down to create.
17) Join a group of creatives with a challenge....for me it is the Ring a Day 2010 flickr group. RAD is a group of 280 artists from all over the world making a ring a day for 1 year. I am so happy to have joined and it has most definitely Kick~Started my creativity!

I wanted to share this list with you and inspire you to make your own list.
I plan to keep my list in my studio (maybe near the computer too!!) to remind myself of the things I need to do to give myself a little kick in the pants.
I also want to add that taking care of myself, by eating healthfully and exercising, is part of the picture. Two more things I need to remind myself each day.
~Laura

ps... I like to remind myself that I am perfect just as I am. I try not to compare myself to others (which can kill creativity).
Additionally, I would like to learn to meditate.

Helping the People of Haiti

When the earthquake devastated Port~au~Prince Haiti I wanted to contribute in some way. Seeing all of the destruction and pain in peoples faces on the news was scary. I wasn't sure what I could do to help. I watched the "Hope for Haiti" Telethon on TV and called in about 100 times only to hear a busy signal on the other end. As I was watching, I took note of the causes George Clooney chose to support with the money he raised. Oxfam International was one of them that I was familiar with, so I decided to help the people of Haiti through this organization, knowing their humanitarian relief track record was stellar.

I woke up the next morning I searched Etsy and found the site "Hearts for Haiti" which inspired me to sell some of my jewlery at
Modern Bird for Haiti relief. I am proud to let you all know that I have raised and donated $426 so far! Thank you so much to all of the wonderful people who chose to purchase jewelry from my shop because they knew that 100% of the proceeds would go to assist the people of Haiti. Your support does make a difference.

My Mom brought up a very good point to me when she said that giving in this way opens up more awareness to the cause. Instead of just privately giving, I hope that I have introduced people to Oxfam International and given someone an opportunity to contribute when they may not have known how they could help.

Peace to you all, thank you :)
~Laura

Two Worlds Collide

I cried myself to sleep on Wednesday night after finishing The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. What a captivating story. Narrated by Death, it is a story of a young girl living in Nazi Germany. One of the themes in the book is the power of words.... How they changed a young girl's life and a nation of people.

When I woke up the next morning I had an order to finish, lots of tiny discs with letters stamped on them. Before shipping them of, I strung them together and noticed how beautiful they were together. It made me think.....how about making a bracelet with powerful positive words and phrases. So many discs that only the one wearing it knows its meaning.
The power of words.....turns into thoughts.....turns into action.