Midwest Craft Con 2016!

I just returned home from the Midwest Craft Con, which happened in Columbus this past weekend. It was great! It was a weekend packed with heavy hitters in the craft/art/maker business world including Abby Glassenberg, Tara Swiger, Mei Pak, Lisa Congdon and Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood (among others) with all of them offering up advice, guidance and support to do what I'm trying to do (grow my enamel jewelry hobby/business). It attracted about 150 other people (mostly women but there were some brave men too) who are also trying to make a go of it. It was full of positive energy and "can-do" attitudes -- which is always a good thing of which to partake! :)

Saturday morning's opening panel talking about The Future of Handmade.

 I have to admit, I didn't socialize too much. I know that sounds funny but it's what I needed to do. This was my first "Con" and being who I am, I needed to get the "lay of the land." So I basically kept to myself and observed. I drove down by myself, got a hotel room by myself and ate my meals by myself. Buuuut, I sucked it all in as much as I could possibly do! That's the thing with the quiet ones -- you never quite know what's going on and how crazy-busy it is inside their heads!

Tara Swiger from the Explore Your Enthusiasm podcast. 

So I took notes and watched and listened and registered things so I could learn and use it later (or sooner) -- and I'm ready to go. Ready to work on Blooming Enamels. I want to learn more about enameling and jewelry and business and putting it all together to do this thing I have called Blooming Enamels Jewelry. I feel so fortunate to have found torch-fired enameling as an outlet for my creative energy. If you would like to to know more about what I am up to I'm getting active on my Instagram account so you can go check things out over there. 

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.

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....

On the Path to a New Day

The Glow of the Future

So I see this little twig sticking out of the snow, as me, at the halfway point (approximately!) of my life.

I have a choice at this juncture to see my twig self as facing to the left with the long shadow caused by the glowing sun as my past that is following me, never to be released....

....Or, I can see myself as facing to the right with the shadow that is caused by the glowing sun as my future that is long and looming ahead of me full of possibilities and journeys I've only begun to dream of envisioning.

Turning 40 is, for me, about making choices for myself and being more the mistress of my destiny than the victim of my past.

I know which way I choose to see my twig facing...

Musing Inspiration

Ok so I am just loving that spring has returned. I found this picture among my photo files and was so pleased. I took it a couple years ago and seemed to have forgotten about it (how?!). It is so pleasant to me.

It speaks of contemplation and comaraderie and creativity. These are three things I am working on right now. I love the muted colors that speak to me of mystery and unknowing.

What are the nymphs thinking about? What are they wondering? How do they feel?

Foggy spring mornings that hover between winter and summer are so full of potential. The energy that was reserved during winter is coming out of hiding. What will it produce?