Trunk show this week!!

Countdown to my trunk show 5 days away!!! 

Busy bee up at 630 making jewelry! Plan was to go to 8am service but needless to say that didn't happen once I sat at my bench! I love making jewelry it is seriously my calling and I get wrapped up in every minute of it!

Trunk show is being hosted by a friend at her home with a wine tasting as well by Grapes & Barley. Ill have lots of beautiful jewelry for the holidays as well as some of my water colors and illustrations! Also offering repair, redesign and custom for someone special! 

Made my own invitations of course and excited to launch my new logo soon by Timothy weaver! 

The trunk show is a special event put on after I did a mothers custom ring for Janet from her loving daughters 

Ill post a finished photo of it after the event

Trunk show is this Thursday, lots to make and do! Stay tuned!

Need something? Make it. Want something? Make it happen!

Since everyone seems to find their creative bones this time of year thought it be the perfect chance to share the headless mannequin I made in July to be my assistant. Yes she's wearing a mini Halloween hat and yes she has on a sports bra! Not just for looks though the sports bra really did help to proportion her chest and fill in some areas if you know what I mean. 

Now you are probably wondering why about now... I already have a studio buddy 

And she is 10 times more cute and better company.... But not very helpful especially when sitting on my lap kissing my nose :) 

So I made Quin because I needed her! I was designing a detailed necklace for my  friends wedding that required a lot of draping chain and perfect placement and symmetry. After holding the pieces up to my neck in a mirror and dropping things continuously I realized I needed something else. Something else I didn't have was time to go buy one or money!! 

So when you need something, Make it! 

I headed into the kitchen and dug through the recycling and started taping boxes and bottles together. Gatorade bottles for arms of course and another to stand her up while working! 

Newspaper, duct tape and a sports bra came next to fill her in! The sports bra also helped to visualize where a dress line would be on a person which is very important when designing jewelry! 

The moral of  this creative solution is that you can always make something you need or want. There's always another way  and you don't always need the best looking item as long as its functional and suits your needs! 

Everyone gets so creative on Halloween with the unique costumes and decorating, carving pumpkins  and baking! Carry on that confidence and creativity to the rest of the year and your daily lives! 

Happy Making! Happy Halloween! 

Have Faith. Everything else will fall into place!

Got the Mondays? Normally Id be just like everyone else getting up early and getting my self prepared for the first day of another long week at work. The weekend went by too fast and there just never seems to be enough time to really enjoy it fully. Especially Sunday, you end up spending the whole afternoon thinking about the Monday and all the things you have to do that week.

A week ago I was doing the same thing, I was working for Jared The Galleria of Jewelry as a Clerical/ Apprentice Jeweler. Id been working there since February less than two months after I graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metal/Jewelry Design. I always thought once I graduated I would have all the time in the world to create what i wanted rather than what i was assigned to make. In fact it was the total opposite. Once you are out in the real world, with a full time job, coming home to have a creative moment isn't even in the picture.

The past month has been pretty hectic. pacing in my mind whether I should leave my job and just go for my dreams. If I should try to find another job to have a steady income before I just up and leave. I battled back and forth and looked into many other options.

Thanks for everything Jared!

My situation became even more confusing when I got a promotion at work. I had been waiting for a while for this, I was being promoted to a full time Jeweler rather than just an apprentice /clerical. This was my chance to sit on the bench and work on jewelry every day and really get some hands on experience with the fine jewelry at Jared's. Strangely enough I was ready to put my two weeks in the same morning that my boss called me with the "good news." Don't get me wrong it was good news and I was very excited and proud of myself but at the same time I knew it wasn't what I wanted in the end. Once I had the opportunity to move up in the company I knew I needed to get out and make something real happen. Something that was not defined by a constraints of a huge million dollar corporation.

Kendall's new work space - where the creativity happens

3 days after my promotion I turned down the offer and put my two weeks notice in.I feared that everyone would be upset with me and Id be escorted out that day (after hearing other horror stories). Needless to say, everyone was very happy for the opportunities that lie ahead of me and I finished my two weeks on great terms. I also know that I left behind some very talented people and I can only hope that someday they too will be able to leave and pursue their dreams as well.

Now don't get me know, It is still Monday and I didn't quit my job to just sit around at home. I have a passion and a dream to follow and someone else to work with towards our goals. Every day will be a set of new challenges, a long list of things to do to get where we want to be. The one way you will never get there is by sitting back and letting your life pass you by. Take control of your future, have faith in your talents and your determination and do what your heart tells you. Everything else will fall into place.

Jumping back in..

Its funny how being an artist call fill your life with so many beautiful unique moments and experiences. At the same time, if you aren't careful life can catch up with you and the freedom to create will slip away. There are thousands of artists out there that this has happened to. Theresthe high school art fanatic whose told by their dad they have to get a real degree or they wont pay for college. They end up in a dentist office with nothing but magazines to fill their dreams. Then there is the kid who sort of took the advice and did "Art-Ed" Don't get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching art, its admirable and rewarding. However, how many of those teachers are REALLY focused on their own artwork and creative ideas. Then of course theres the BFA student who was so passionate about his or her work, come graduation its on to the big world with bills to pay and no more athletic scholarship to lean on.... That one was me. 

My last post was sharing my postcards for my upcoming Senior Show at Art Ave. It was my last big moment in school as a BFA student. From the moment that show started my life has been on fast forward, rushing past without a pause. After that show was packed up, the next day I drove 14 hours to New Hampshire back to my family. Sounds peaceful right, it wasn't. After unpacking an over packed Van full of stuff I compiled over 4.5 years of school into the house I set on to continue planning my second show. I planned a dual show to sort repeat my show from school at home for all my local friends and family to experience. It was only a week later so not much unpacking or visiting with family happened.

All of my artwork was up in the house for 3 or 4 days and then it all came down along with the suitcases again. Now I was off to Houston Texas. After only being home for about 2 weeks with not much relaxation or organization I was on a plane to Texas a few days before Christmas, first Christmas away from home, my family and my sisters. I was off to spend it with my Husband, our first Christmas on our own! Exciting right?!

Of course the adventure moving cross country sounds fun but it was difficult. We were basically thrown into the biggest state in the Country where we only knew a few people and they were all at-least 5 hrs or more away anyways. We made the best of it, started building our collection of things and used furniture, and got jobs of course! As you can imagine there wasn't too much artistic creativity happening but I guess thats what happens when you grow up, get married, move away and start a life with someone, right. 

Needless to say we finally started to get settled, I got my Jewelers bench set up in our bedroom and began organizing my tools and collections. Before I knew it we were packing our bags again and headed to Oregon for Juniors new job. To make a long story still kind of long we are now in Oregon I love it here, its beautiful and life is good. We are very busy with our jobs and building relationships and building our new home. Finally, its time to get back to what I really want to do....Creating. Sharing. Exploring. Making. Doing.

Easier said then done. I still have a full time job working for Jared, the Galleria of Jewelry! On top of that Im married, I need to exercise, make meals, clean my house, walk my dog, build relationships, go to church, etc. etc. etc. Life gets in the way sometimes and I have really been struggling with this. Not only my current situation but future as well. What will happen when I decide to have children!? Will I even have time to dream have creative ideas never mind put them into action. Its something many of us deal with, The balance. 

Until very recently I thought I had to give several things up to really make my dreams become a reality. However thats not true, it just takes a bit more focus, determination and planning. At this point I still have a job, a husband, a dog, a home, a gym membership, and most importantly my studio.

I made my space to work, I have everything set up to make. I am getting my blog back, posting images of work, reworking my logo, organizing contracts, building a web presence, drawing, designing, and planning events and shows. 

It will only happen if you jump back in and make it happen.