For the first time in a long time...

One of the more upsetting Graves disease symptoms has been my inability to imagine.

More specifically I guess what really happens is that the hyperthyroidism disrupts my ability to focus, thoughts coming rapid fire and jumbled rather than orderly and sequential. At times I have even found it difficult to speak because I just can't put a sentence together. (Case in point, this is the first blog post since July.) New ideas felt like things I could only see in my peripheral vision.

I'll be honest, anything new you've seen from me since March has come about very slowly. 

But then, during that half awake, half asleep time last Saturday morning I realized...I was imagining, thinking through a new earring shape, putting ideas together in my head. It was amazingly comforting. Imagining feels good to me, I guess its just part of who I am, and without it I felt disjointed and as an artist, handicapped in a way.

Recovery is a slow uphill march. I have good days and really not good days.  I might not reach remission and even if I do I very well may relapse. But I'm happy for every "normal" moment and I've made peace with the fact that after all the treatment I might have to have thyroid ablation anyway.

Thank you to everyone who has commented on posts and sent me emails - I'm sorry if I wasn't able to answer you directly! I really appreciate the kindness and encouragement!

And I'm happy to be posting new work this week. Four pairs of Convertible, mix and match earrings will be in the Etsy shop tomorrow by noon.

Active Waiting

So ANTHROPOLOGIE asked for a line sheet in July, they asked for samples in November, LOVED the samples in November and now, now I'm waiting. Waiting to hear if the price point is right and if they can accept the quantity I can produce.

I wasn't even going to share this, thinking that if it all goes pear shaped, am I really going to want to talk about it openly? But that sounds sort of like failure thinking, doesn't it?

And either way, this is not a failure. They're talking about 2000 pieces and my jewelry in all stores. That is not a failure. The fact that I can not produce 2000 pieces in two and a half months is also not a failure...but it SURE as heck gives one pause for thought!

I think I might be at a juncture. Stand by.

One thing leads to another

I've finally expanded my Reef line to include post earrings.

They are pretty artsy and abstract as each pair goes together but is a mirror image. The earrings are in fact the exact same beads used to make the necklace but with the earrings you see them from the "face" of the bead rather than the side. The sides of the disks are sanded to create some contrast, rather like a bezel, and the posts are sterling silver.

I debated these earrings for quite a while and worked (without success) on designs that were exactly like the necklace and bracelets because the strength of the design is in the fact that it all colors.  But in the end I really think the earrings work and I've paired them by dominate color. (e.g. earrings that are mostly red, earrings that are mostly green)

Let me know what you think. They'll be in the Etsy shop by end of day. Maybe some dangle versions will happen next.

Have a great weekend! I'm off to the Quench opening in Belfast Maine…more on that as internet connection at our Down East accommodation allows.

I had hoped to post more images of our trip to the UK by now but I injured my shoulder on the way home (please remember not to carry a heavy carry-on backpack on one shoulder) and it just slowed everything.

After I started to be able to manage small movements it was high time to be back in the studio. I'm now about 1/2 way through the making the work thats going to Belfast, Maine for next month's opening of Quench - Provisions for the Savvy. 

If you're in Maine August 15 you might catch me as I hope to be delivering my work in person and hanging around for the grand-opening!

This is the blog of the artist formally know as Jibby and Juna. 

I'm just getting things started here in my new spot. Hope you'll follow and visit again soon!