It's been a long time since I've blogged. But I've kept things rolling with my collection www.rubylane.com/shops/cmeicuoriginals. Thank you Jesus! The balancing act of maintaining a regular 9 to 5, starting a business and taking care of family has really been a tough roe to hoe in the midst of a recession. It seems that having one bread winner in the household has changed right before my eyes. Go to school, get your degree, find a good job, get married, raise a family, then retire are things of the past. That was the philosophy instilled in me by my parents. That too has past! I digress.
During the last year, business has been slow as my attention changed focus to family and work. My dad, the fighter that he is, overcame some health issues that had us worried and the job still has folks on edge, wonderng if will we have a job one day to the next. A lot of family and friends are facing the juggling act of finding a second job or starting a side business to make up for lost income or to hedge the threat of losing income. I have faith that our country will bounce back and new trailblazers will be revealed through the triumphs that come out of this recession. A change gone come.
I love making handcrafted jewelry. My friend Adrianne got me into making earrings, necklaces and bracelets after I saw several of the beautiful creations that she made. What I enjoy so much when starting each piece, is the giddy feeling that comes over me, when the piece actually starts coming together. It also gives me this great focus on completing the piece that I've dreamed in my head and tried to place on paper. I'm not the best sketch artist, but I try. After completing a few of what I call dream works of art, I showed them to a few friends and co-workers. They gave great feedback and then asked that I make them a custom piece. Next, was the true litmus test. Several family members gathered at my sister Portia's gorgeous home for what we called "Grown Folks Weekend" during the Memorial Day weekend. We ate, drank, shopped and told lies all weekend long. We had a ball. While sitting at my sister's dining room table, with tools and a plethora of baubles and trinkets spread around, my cousins came in the room modeling the new outfits they purchased and started making requests of me for pieces to go with those outfits. Now these ladies can dress, and dress well they do, so the challenge was on. After that inspiring acknowledgement from my family about my work, as my family is brutally honest, I churned out some really fabulous pieces for them over the next two days. With the blessing of family and friends, I have decided to put my toe in the water and see if others like my work. I think starting out small at festivals, craft and art shows, is smart. I want to test the waters to see what other people think. Hopefully you all will enjoy the pieces of my collection as much as I enjoyed creating them. Please provide suggestions and feedback.