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.

The Laurel Artisan Bazaar This Weekend!

It's that time of year again for the Laurel Artisan Bazaar! This will be my third time at the show with my jewelry (I did two years with my photography: Bloom Spirit) and I'm very much looking forward to it. It's a fun show with lots of fantastic creative items. I'm always so amazed at all the creativity I see at these shows. People making and doing such interesting things with their hands. It always makes me want to get back home and spread my enameling wings...

So, if you aren't busy and are around the east-side-of-Cleveland area then come on out and check out the show. Unfortunately it's a show with an entrance fee but I'd have to say, in this case, it's worth it.

Here are just a few of the new items I've been working on:

"Mod Drop" dangle earrings in Terra Firma color blend. 

Bloom Chandelier earrings in a a sky blue color with vintage bead dangles.  

Orbit Discs enameled in my unusual, "Funky Beat" color blend. 

Non-GMO Veggies!

This is the second summer with my deck garden boxes. I planted my non-GMO seeds and although a lot of the "crop" didn't really happen -- my carrots did! Aren't they gorgeous?! They are sweet and crispy and taste so fresh. I also had some lettuce and tomatoes (of course) and some zucchini. Unfortunately my sugar snap peas were eaten by the squirrels (which makes me think about making some glass covers to go over the boxes for animal protection as well as added sun benefits -- add that to the To Do list!) Hope your summer was plentiful and abundant... 

Home Grown!

And since the carrots were so persistent I made some earrings in their honor:

A Realized Flower

I look at this flower and see a finished product. She is successful and accomplished and proud and happy with the work, persistence and patience she has put into becoming who she is.

This lone flower stayed focussed on her dreams and hung in there when the leaves overshadowed her and she felt small. She took that quiet time of hiding in the shadows to learn more about herself, and what she wanted, and she always remained facing forward so that when the rays of the encouraging sun eventually came her way she was more than ready to let them nurture her to become everything she had imagined.

The confident flower even has some perspective now to know that those leaves around her, the leaves that were putting her in the shadows, were also protecting her from the harsh elements. Harsh elements that likely could have weakened the young bloom beyond repair if she had been forced to face them before her right time.

This flower I see is strong and secure in herself in the present moment but yet she realizes that she also must be thankful for the shadows of her past.