Warning. Things are getting bad. Please send chocolate…

I’ve almost completely had it now with the boredom, the bathroom, and the custom order, but at least I don’t have to worry about the cactus garden for a while now as we had 162 billion gallons of water fall here last week.

162 BILLION GALLONS!

I can’t even count that high.

P still went into work though because he’s very brave.

And stubborn.

It’s hard for me to imagine, but over 20 people lost their lives.

Now I’ve just depressed myself.

Which is all I need as I’m already depressed, and bored, even though it’s Saturday, and I like Saturdays – apart from the cleaning the bathroom part of it.

I should pick a new bathroom day.

I hate the bathroom.

Every day I have to get up and go in there.

I’m so over showering. You’ve got to get wet, get dry, find clothes…

It’s all boring.

Then you have to do it all over again the next day.

and the next…

Probably should have just stood outside with some soap during the thunderstorms instead.

So. On to the custom order.

I’m struggling.

I just can’t seem to get it right. The piece I’m making just feels too thin and blah and I’ve finally figured out that I’m trying so hard to make it just right for her, that I’m forgetting to go with my instincts.

As you know she likes this.

And so I made this

And this

And then I made this

Which, to be honest, I really don’t like that much, although I did cut the stone myself.

Pretty pleased with that 🙂

Anyway she sent me the stone she wants in it and I’m in the process of making another, but as I said, I’m just not feeling it.

So today, I’ve decided that I’m just going to go out there and stop being so precious with it and try to give it back some feeling.

I’m not upset at making the piece at all, but am very interested in how doing things for other people makes me so unsure of myself.

I’m definitely getting better at it, but it’s quite hard for me.

Of course it might not have anything to do with the custom order at all, but that I’m just in the lower part of my circle. The part where everything goes wrong and you begin to wonder whether you should just become a lollypop lady instead of fiddling around trying to make jewelry all day.

But I’m just not sure that the outfit would look as good on me.

Here’s another piece that went so wrong that I had to take it in a completely different direction from the original design.

Front

Back

And so what have I learned from all of this you may be wondering?

Not to try so hard and to loosen up a bit.

Otherwise just order the yellow coat already and stop moaning.

–

Well I’m still here,

And I’m still bored.

Maybe it’s the weather. It’s done nothing but rain since I woke up two months ago, and although I like it I think it might be making me a bit moody.

The garden is loving it though.

I’ve been thinking about water a lot just recently, and how we use it, and I’m pondering over whether I want to plant a cactus garden in the back instead of my wanna be English garden.

There’s this lady round the corner, Alice, and her native Texan garden is beautiful.

Garden envy.

I have it.

P doesn’t but look.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to be pushing anyone over into the flower beds

Or go around acting like the crazy Medusa lady

But it could be very calming

Especially if you throw in one of those blue doors as well.

Now I’ve just got to get P on board and work up the energy to get myself going.

Could be a while.

Through the boredom of it all I’ve still been making jewelry.

And teaching myself to cut stones

But I really haven’t been in the studio much these past weeks.

I’ve also been fiddling around with the embroidery.

I’m practicing for a big one.

And I really might have to make myself one of these.

Because it’s beautiful.

🙂

Other than that there’s not a lot going on really except I’m reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt which has started off beautifully.

I thought I might have to give the murder mysteries a rest for a while as they were all running into one another which wasn’t really helping my powers of deduction. I was getting a little confused as to the best way to knock P off if he doesn’t come around to the cactus garden soon.

The perfect murder just doesn’t work when you get muddled with too many options and I ain’t prepared to get caught over a succulent just yet.

I’ve too many cabochons waiting to be set.

–

Nuttin’ but worry and indecision…

While I’ve been away, recuperating from the trauma of losing one of my most beloved teeth, I’ve been working on a couple of custom orders.

(Actually, there wasn’t much recuperating going on, I was just boring myself silly with all the drivel I’ve been writing lately…)

I’ve never really felt that comfortable trying to make something for someone else and prefer to just stick to whatever comes out of the studio whenever it feel like happening, but I decided to live on the edge for a while.

I only have two custom orders, but wanted to give the buyers a couple of choices as I really can’t cope with the idea that I’ve got it wrong.

I’m sure that will get easier if I do more customized pieces.

Here they are.

For one lady who wanted a piece using Gaspeite.

I made this, which you’ve already seen.

Gaspeite and Turquoise

And this,

Gaspeite and Opal

Which is the piece she went with.

Then, for another lady, I made this

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Variscite and Chrysoprase

And this,

Candelaria Turquoise and Garnet

But am still working on something for her as they weren’t quite what she wanted.

She likes this

Variscite

So perhaps I should just go with it instead of trying to make something similar, but different.

I’ve enjoyed making each one of them.

In the meantime I’ve decided that I definitely have a problem with cabochon hoarding.

When I opened one of the little drawers I have which holds them there in all their glory, the whole little chest almost toppled over because of the weight of the stones in it.

It was a bit of a wake up call really.

I’m like that with books.

Finish reading the ones you have before you buy another already!

Now I sound like my mum…

So I might have a little stone setting marathon. Although that will more than likely take me well into next year I’m sure I’ll be able to come up for air at some point along the way.

Maybe to eat perhaps.

I don’t know.

Who of you offer to make custom orders for people with stones you already have which they can choose from?

Is it really that worrying, or am I just a scaredy cat?

Off to make something new.

TTYL

–

On this fine Saturday

I thought I’d show you the result of this

It’s a little green, but I’m liking it.

Here’s the back.

And that’s about it.

I’m still mourning the loss of my tooth.

A little bit of me just thrown away.

Gone from me forever.

But it’ll be o.k. I’m sure. Hanging out with all the other lost teeth.

Man. I’m thinking I should get out more…

–

Oh the trauma…

Lots of trauma.

First up, I had to have a tooth out.

I know, right!

Now I feel old and gappy, as though I’ve forgotten to put my dentures in.

It was a horrible experience and I’ve felt shattered the WHOLE week. I can only imagine what I’m going to be like when I have to have the implant. It’ll most likely freak me out completely.

I’ve already warned the dentist, but he says it’ll be o.k. as he’ll have his phone on hand and there’s this guy on youtube who does some great dental demonstrations if he needs to check in on the procedure.

Doesn’t help.

Secondly, much to P’s distress, I’ve been going through the whole Inspector Barbaby series on Netflix and all of a sudden, what do you know, it’s over.

No warning.

No nuffin’

It’s left a void, like a black hole imploding in my chest.

It’s going to take me a while to get over it, I mean, how do you recover from something like that…

Fortunately Netflix only went up to season 15 and so somewhere there’s another three waiting for me in the magical world of t.v. limbo land.

P will be delighted..

On a brilliant note, however, I had a great art fair last Saturday.

You know, I didn’t really feel up for it. I’d been a bit blah, as you all know by now from my recent groanings and moanings, but it was really good.

The weather was perfect. I managed to emerge from my introvert coma for the day, and we talked and laughed all day.

And, as you may know, laughing is my favourite thing to do…

I made $4,000!

I can hardly believe it.