Moving Past Fears

I, not unlike a lot of people I think, were taught to approach life from a place of fear and worry about all the bad things that might happen. Or conversely, to be convinced of all the good things that can't or won't happen. It's a negative mindset of coming at life from a place of "lack" and not feeling capable or confident in oneself and not having faith or trust in the future.

For me this quote from Georgia O'Keefe attacks that place of lack so swiftly and adeptly. She acknowledges her fear and says, "Yes, I have it" (she even goes further to call her fear "terror") but then she continues on to say, "But it doesn't rule me." She says she knows is capable of moving past the fears and she does that in order to do everything she set out to do.

I strive to follow Georgia's example -- to have fears and worries but to separate them from confidence in my capabilities and actions I take toward dreams.

March Meet the Maker Challenge on Instagram

I am participating in a challenge on Instagram. (You *do* follow me on Instagram, don't you?? Blooming Enamels on Instagram) It's a challenge for the month of March called "March Meet the Maker" where I need to post something about me and my business every day. That way you can learn more about me and what I, and Blooming Enamels, are all about. (It's also a great way to get me into the habit of posting something E-V-E-R-Y day!) Here is the lineup of challenges to post:

March Meet the Maker lineup of days.

I think it looks interesting! Fun and interesting and I'm looking forward to it. And I've even already posted for my first day which you can see here: Day One - MMtM Challenge . 

I am now in my third year of working on Blooming Enamels and I can definitely feel things are coming together. Since I work full time in social work the coming together of BE is a little slower than it might be if I was working full time on BE, but things are coming together nevertheless. I'm glad to have the March Meet the Maker challenge to highlight that for me. 

If you would like to follow me on Instagram here is my page: Blooming Enamels on Instagram.

I hope you all have a creative and challenging March!

Long Time No Write!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've written and I need to catch you up. A lot has been going on -- and that's a very good thing! First was the holiday season. I hope everyone had a good one in whatever way good means to you. For me, I spent some time with my small family but also worked at my day job as well. Since my day job is at a psychiatric/substance abuse hospital there is never a lack of work there (unfortunately) and it helps out my co-workers who have larger families (and young kids especially).

I also did some craft shows with the best one being the always fabulous Cleveland Bazaar Holiday Show at the 78th Street Studios. I've done that show before but this year the stars seem to have aligned for everyone because we all did well. It was so exciting and fun and rewarding. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the reputation Cleveland Bazaar is growing and maybe it was my new selection of colorful and happy enamel jewelry. :) Whatever the case I, and most other vendors I spoke with, did well. It was very nice and very affirming to know that my jewelry is liked and wanted by my customers. (Thank you so much!)

I rested in January (as January weather in northeast Ohio suggests we do!) and then last weekend I did the Cleveland Bazaar Valentine Show. Another great show! This time it was in a new venue -- the Lake Affect Artist Studios which turned out to be another wonderful, artsy and eclectic space in Cleveland. It's so nice to have Cleveland's art scene growing!

Which leads me to today -- and that's where the dandelion photos I've posted come in (you were wondering, right?) I took those macro photos a few years ago but they jumped out at me today to describe how I'm feeling with Blooming Enamels. I'm feeling hopeful, excited, energized, full of potential and unlimited. Similar to how those dandelion seeds must feel. They have waited patiently for the flower part of the dandelion to bloom and then die off and now it's their turn to come out and start their journey. The dandelion seeds are meant to catch the wind and fly off to another part of the field so they can spread their breadth. When maintaining perfect green lawns we don't like it but for wild fields and meadows the dandelion seeds are some of the most prolific growers. And since I much prefer wild fields and meadows I want to be like the dandelion seed. :)

So this year, 2016, I am excited to set my dandelion seeds free. It is my third year working on Blooming Enamels and I've had time to learn and do so much but now I feel ready to grow even more. I am exploring new opportunities, making connections and developing a support system and always working on creative ways to expand my products. I will tell you more about all those details in future posts but for now just know that I believe 2016 is going to be a year of exciting growth and I invite you to follow along with me as I document it. (And this is my pledge to write more and consistent posts!)

Hope you are having a great mid-winter-we're-almost-at-spring-so hold-on season.

Melissa.

Earring as Expression

I love working on my torch-fired enamel jewelry (which I have been doing a lot lately in spite of my lack of blogging about it!) because included with it being part craft, part art, part practical, part impractical, part fun and part work it is also *all* expression.

This bright bold beautiful bauble bead (no alliteration intended but I like it!) earring I made is full of colors that express just how I feel today: warm, welcoming, happy, hopeful, positive, eager and ready.

Rebel With a Cause

This little yellow flower *burst* her way out of the pink and purple fuchsia plant basket. I don't know how she got there or where she found her moxie - but there she was! As strong and confident as if she were surrounded by nothing but a field of other yellow flowers just like her. Instead of worrying about being the oddball, the little flower assumed she was as "routine" and "typical" an occurrence as anything else in that plant basket - and in that way she could grow and blossom to her full potential.

The little yellow flower didn't trip herself up on the fact that she was the oddball. Instead she made a choice to allow for her difference, honor her difference, and embrace it. This little yellow flower accepted herself and so presumed that her sense of belonging, among the very different fuchsias, was nothing but inevitable. She expected and projected the acceptance she gave herself and wanted from others, and so she received it....

Rainy Day Lilies

The Day Lilies are starting up again. They come every year and I look forward to their bold display of ORANGE-ness.

Orange is not a color that features prominently in my life and it's not a color I choose often.

But I certainly *do* love all the wild abandon of the orange Day Lilies that the previous owner of my home planted.

I like how the choices of others can expand my life...

Delicate Dancers (The Future is Good)

These young Dogwood blossoms look so innocent to me as they delicately dance in the bright morning light. They are young and carefree and, as is appropriate, completely unaware of just what strong and bold mature blooms their destiny will soon lead them to be...

Here Comes the Sun

So many exciting happenings are underway for me here in Northeast Ohio. At the top of that list is that I participated in my very first craft show last weekend!

For some time now I have been creating "frameable greeting cards" from the photos I take. (See here: www.photocardart.com). I have been showing the cards to friends and family for feedback but I had never brought them to the general public. Going from a repressed and stunted photographer/artist to one who shows her vision to the outside world has been a long journey to say the least. One that has taken years (if not a 40-year lifetime) to unfold.

But I am beginning to feel that the light at the end of my tunnel is the sun coming up. I am following its light and warmth and I am trusting that a creative identity is something right for me. And it all started with flowers so this gorgeous gerbera daisy feels right to represent my shining sun...

On the Path to a New Day