Living a Hand Crafted Life

This is the first of a monthly series of a column entitled "Living a Hand Crafted Life" published in our local newspaper, the Hendersonville Times-News.

“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Harold Thurman Whitman

This is a powerful passage, one you may have read before. I’ve seen it often and I believe it’s because the desire to do what we truly love resonates with each of us.

This is a new column to explore and encourage what it might mean to create a life of one’s dreams. I think a lot about how important it is for each of us to express who we are. The act of self-expression occurs in myriad ways: in our work, our families, our art, our volunteer efforts, our community. Our strongest form of expression is related to our passions.

Take a moment to consider the question, “What are you passionate about?”

Studies have shown that the amount of control we have over our lives directly corresponds with our mental health: the more control, the better our mental health; the less control, the poorer our mental health.

These times are difficult and many find their lives out of control. Their passion then focuses on survival. This is completely appropriate. So how can we enrich our lives even though we are not in control of our surroundings?

Unemployment is high. I know: I was laid off from my full-time job less than a year ago. And while my logical side repeated, “Get a job! Make a paycheck!”, there was a constant small voice saying, “It will be ok. Do what you love.” And while I loved the work I had been doing, it was time for a change. I wanted to create a “crazy quilt” livelihood of all the things I love most. And unemployment was a blessing in disguise that gave me the opportunity to explore my passions.

The thought kept drifting through my head, “When a door closes, a window opens.”

I found that with time for myself, I reconnected with one of my greatest passions: creating art. We are all creative. Our main hindrance is that we don’t give ourselves the time and space to explore our creativity, our unique form of self-expression. With my new schedule, I was able to dive into the art that had been pushed to the back burner, and it was a wondrous and prolific time.

In the spring, I was invited to submit entries in a Recycled Art exhibit at Hand in Hand Gallery. Within days of receiving the invitation, I found a box of old brass window escutcheons (you know, where you put your fingers to open old, wooden, weighted windows) my dad had purchased in the 1960s from an old hardware store going out of business. (Being a child of a Depression-era parent, I could not get rid of these.) Intuitively, the recycled art idea came together, and I joyfully created a mixed media necklace using the escutcheon as a pendant holding words I’d cut from a vintage book “When a door closes a window opens” and adding brass chain, charms of pictures of closed doors and open windows encased in mica, glass lampwork beads, and a small key.

Oh, I don’t deny it: times are tough. But today’s challenges demand that we live our lives differently – more creatively – than we have in the past. A hand crafted life is when one follows one’s inner voice – that inner compass – in order to create a more self-satisfying and fulfilling life.

What hopes and dreams do you hold dear? What are you passionate about?

Serendipity of Three

Three Rules of Work:

Out of clutter find simplicity;

From discord find harmony;

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

-- Albert Einstein

I really admire Einstein. I know that's an understatement... and that I'm certainly not a maverick in this. I barely understand even the simplest of his theories. We all learned E=mc2 in grammar school (Imagine, the generation before mine didn't even study that!) Energy = mass x the constant speed of life squared. I was a good student and learned those phrases, even if I couldn't wrap my head around them. Well, I'm not alone in that, either. I have a wonderfully thick book on Einstein's life waiting by my bed to be read... where it has been for at least a year. (I promise I'll return it, Roy!) The first photo of the genius in the book is of him riding a bicycle! Einstein... while he spoke with the Universe, never let go of his inner child.

So this morning I received a daily message from CharityFocus which began with his Three Rules of Work. While I've been distracted from writing in my blog, I've also been waiting to have something worth actually writing about. This morning gave me that serendipity of three. Thanks, Albert!

Also, one of the newest crop circles in England is three circles connected and flowing one into the other with a smaller circle in each center. A beautiful graphic, but what's most interesting is that each of the center circles has a different lay of the grain, a different weaving, each as beautiful as the next. I've been fascinated by this intentional difference, wondering what the Energies were symbolizing in this variation of designs. (Or were they just having fun and showing off?) So, in honor of three's, I'm connecting each message to the other.

1. Out of clutter find simplicity

For a few months now, I have been distressed by the clutter in my life. I know that when my physical surroundings are in chaos, my mental state is disorganized. I've also been reminded time and again in various ways about the importance of Feng Shui and how our physical surroundings affect our own energy. I know that this physical clutter represents internal clutter. The greater the external chaos, the greater the internal chaos. So, with Andrew and Allen's help and a pull-myself-up-by-the-bootstrap effort on my part, I have started slowly nibbling away at all the clutter. (How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time...) It is all so overwhelming! I have written before what a packrat I am. But enough is enough! It IS time to lighten up. (Connie, thanks for your "electronic cow-prod" nudge!) My feelings are reflected in this quote from DailyGood: Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -- William James. Boy, ain't that the truth!

I have been focusing on creating my jewelry over the past couple of months in order to meet some goals and timelines (shows, requests, etc.). This is an abundance of blessings for sure, but I have ignored other parts of my work in doing so.

One of those neglected areas is my bookbinding. I love binding books and creating journals, but there is no way to create jewelry and books in the same space: they require totally different tools and materials. So I haven't had the fortitude to put away all my jewelry work to indulge in my journals only to bring all the jewelry work back out once I've finished a couple of journals. So we have turned an adjacent room in our home into my book studio (talk about an abundance of blessings!). I'm very thankful for this space so I can indulge in both of my passions! Andrew and Allen have both helped me to start that shift. But, of course, that creates more clutter (it gets worse before it gets better). Further, I've been wanting the room arrangement to be comfortable from a practical and an energetic standpoint, and it has taken some time for the Muse to whisper what that set-up might be. But I know how I need the room arranged now... and now I need to go through all the accumulation to make that happen! (I'm not going to post a photo of THAT challenge!)

Yesterday morning, I woke up early with the Muse whispering "Get up and straighten up!" So I spent some time organizing my jewelry studio so that it would be conducive to finding what I am looking for. Whew! What a difference! I feel so much better now when I'm in here now! Cleared desktops, files in order, leg room, notes where I need them. Ahhhh! Now I feel pride and relief when I walk into my jewelry studio, which encourages free-flowing energy and creativity. Next is my book studio (as soon as I finish this post)!

2. From discord find harmony

One of the mental wrestlings I've been having is about attaining balance in my new business: balancing creating (jewelry and books) with marketing (blog, website -- still to be completed -- writing, etc.) with R&D (yes, even small businesses need to develop new ideas and learn new skills!) with inventory (purchasing materials for my art) with general paperwork (accounting, correspondence, etc.). No wonder I have felt overwhelmed!

So I arranged an hour phone call with life coach Adair Cates , author of Living with Intention which covers 6 areas of life and 10 steps to feeling fulfilled by them. Adair sent me a form to complete prior to our phone call so we'd have somewhere to start our dialog. Being a good student, I completed it... but wasn't really pleased with what I came up with. During that conversation with Adair, she suggested I consider using the term "harmony" instead of "balance". And what a difference that makes!

In some ways, I know balance is a moving target: one needs strong sea legs to maintain balance, shifting with the currents of life. And balancing the numerous roles we women play in life has been a focus of mine for a while now. What a challenge! It's like forgiveness: a one-shot effort doesn't do the trick, it's an on-going process. And on-going, and on-going. And I'm pretty rigid when it comes to how I'm approaching balance. (I know, that sounds like an oxymoron, but there you are.)

And while harmony is a challenge, too, it doesn't seem (to me) to be quite so structured, so demanding as the idea of balance. I like that; it gives me a break, a little wiggle-room. I don't know why there's a difference in my connotation of the words, but there is. It's as though harmony is inside and outside and flowing, while balance (as in scales) is more structured, more leveled. Maybe Justice is blind because she prefers harmony over those equally balanced scales she's holding....

So, now I am seeking to find harmony in what I do in my business. And the most recent way I have found balance was to rearrange my studios. And what harmony I find in my jewelry studio now (and my book studio very soon)! Ahhhhh....

3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

This has been a difficult few months. Husband Andrew being away from home with his work, me becoming unemployed, son Allen leaving home (then returning after being arrested), and daughter Paige leaving home (that chapter is still unfinished).

However, there has been great opportunity for growth and learning in these times.

Andrew is looking for a job that will allow him to be home full-time. It's not easy, but it will come: the perfect work at the perfect time.

I have started my own "crazy quilt" business where I am incorporating the things I am most passionate about into what I offer to others: my artwork, my writing, my teaching, and my facilitation. I have been very blessed by the response to The Cre8tive Flow, and I am very thankful. And I am fulfilled with what I am doing (and learning how to be harmonious with it, too).

Allen had 180 degree turn-around after his return home from his 3-week adventure in March. He is accepting responsibility for his choices, and continues to grow. He has completed high school by earning his GED. He is driving now and looking for full-time work. He is compassionate for others (I could learn from him), respectful, kind, and thoughtful. He is strong physically and mentally. He is looking before he leaps. I'm proud of him and enjoy being around him.

Paige chose to go live elsewhere in May, and is making choices based on the most fun she can have right now. I send her prayers of safety and clarity whenever I think of her. Obviously, this is the path she needs to walk right now in order to learn the lessons she needs to learn, whatever they may be.

The main lesson I've learned over these past several months is to let go of control, and trust Spirit. This is The Big One for me. I certainly don't know or understand all the dynamics at work in my family of souls. I do believe that we are all together in this lifetime to help each other learn the lessons we -- at a soul level -- agreed we needed in order to grow closer to the Divine, and our own Divine Selves. A la Caroline Myss's Sacred Contracts. And the mystery and miracle is that learning my lesson somehow coincides perfectly with my loved ones learning their lessons; the lessons complement each other. Now THAT is mind-boggling. Wonder what Einstein would have to say about that?

Another lesson I've learned is that everything happens in perfect timing. I don't see the big picture, but Spirit does. And while I don't believe in predestination, there is a Divine Plan where Divine Timing works. That's another part of the mystery: we have free will, and it is in miraculous harmony with the Divine.

My mind is starting to feel fireworks and go "boomboomboom" as I start to try to comprehend what I've written, so I'm going to stop here so I can be practical and move into my book studio.

I hope you find simplicity, harmony, and opportunity in your day today.

Peace,

Kate

A Circle of Trees

This past winter I read Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd, an autobiographical book about Kidd's journey to the Feminine Divine. I love Kidd's writings, and this had been on my list -- and bookshelf -- for several years.

One of the sacred places that Kidd would retreat to was a circle of trees where she and her chosen sisters would learn to develop ritual to honor the Feminine Divine and the Divine in themselves. Since I love being among trees, I especially resonated with this pilgrimage of hers.

For the past several years, I have gone "into hibernation" at the Winter Solstice. All of Nature does except humankind, and to me the frenzy that is attached to the Christmas season is contradictory to our natural need to slow down and go within. So I "enter the cave" on Dec. 21 until Spring Equinox around March 21, which has meant that, while I still went to work each day, I came home (to the "cave") each evening and sat by the fire reading, writing, or creating art (at least, I tried to do that!). This past winter, during hibernation, I read Kidd's Dance and decided to create my own circle of trees I could wear. I have lots of pendants that represent trees, and never enough days to wear them all, so I created a necklace using all of them! It's heavy, but that's ok. I wear it for meditation purposes or for other sacred ritual. Because of all the pendants, when I move it sounds like the whisper of leaves talking with each other.

The central bead is a beautiful electroformed green jasper that shows the shape of a tree in copper on the stone. I added a goldstone above it to represent the sun and smoky topaz droplets below to represent moist, deep roots. On the reverse, I have selected words that read, "Broad trunks branches root form a circular temple". Other pendants include: a pocket watch face with leaf hands backed by a crop circle depicting a fruit-filled tree protected by a vintage watch crystal, and topped by a lucite egg and a Green Girl pewter pendant depicting a tree with the words "Grow Strong"; a rectangular jasper frame encasing a glass bead acorn and andalucite heart; a trio chain of roots, maple seed wings I made of polymer clay, and another acorn, this time of tiger eye and brass; a jasper donut with hangings of a glass leaf, an antique key (which resembles the shape of a tree), and a brass acorn; a green and gold stone rectangle that resembles a lightning strike with a piece of bark from a struck tree adhered to the reverse and the words "antennae reaching heights" on either edge; a tree agate heart and a moss agate disc that resembles the moon; a clay stamped pendant depicting a Mother Tree by my WomenSpirit (a twice annual retreat honoring the Feminine) sister, Helen; and the inside of an antique pocket watch resembling a crescent moon surrounding a peaceful face with a petrified wood bead dangle, on the reverse is a photo of a bristlecone pine, the Earth's oldest living being. I've also included a wooden ring, prehnite, rhyolite, handmade lampwork glass beads, and amber chunks to the necklace. While all of these pendants are special and sacred to me, I later added an even more special hanging: a bodhi leaf a friend brought me back from India found under a legendary bodhi tree. I sandwiched it between copper and mica to protect it. What a gift! (I often ask friends who are traveling to places I've never been to bring me back a small bit of Mother Earth: a stone, a leaf, a shell, sand, a feather, etc. I keep these bits of Earth either in my office/studio or in a piece of jewelry to help me remember that it is about ALL of Mother Earth, not just the piece we stand on.) I brought back lots of rocks, etc. from England last summer, some from in the crop circles.

I love creating art that honors Mother Earth!

Lightning-struck trees are believed to hold extra power (understandably!). Andrew and our artist friend Heather and I were sitting on our front porch last fall when a thunderstorm was coming through the mountains. Protected from the storm, we were enjoying the sounds and smells and views of the wind and rain. Suddenly, lightning struck a tall pine tree about 200 yards south of our home. I saw the immense flash out of the corner of my eye, and felt the energy from the strike impact into me! The sound was intense. We all looked at each other, stunned (from amazement, not electrical shock...). What power! Now, that tree has died, although it is still standing tall.

They stand in strength and fall in grace.

I hope you have a day graced by trees.

Peace,

Kate

Balance and Cocooning

I'm trying to learn how to regain and maintain balance. Sometimes -- especially with our high-maintenance, low-impulse-control teens -- I feel like one of those plastic blow-up clowns that have a round bottom and when you hit it, it rocks back and forth trying to regain their upright balance -- until the next knock. Part of my lesson in all this is that I can't control them; and when they mess up, it's not in my best interest for me to get messed up about it. ("It's not in my best interest" is a phrase a reader suggested to me to try using. Thank you!) Another lesson is to trust Spirit. Whenever I do that, things happen for the better. I just have to keep learning it!

Hence, the need for me to practice and learn how to regain and maintain balance. I felt this tension all the time when I was working outside of the home full-time: how to balance work, family, friends, and me. I'm working out of my home now, and still need to find a balance: between and within art (creating and promoting), my family, my friends, other commitments, myself.

I feel as though everyone I am interacting with right now has wisdom to share with me. This is probably always true; perhaps I am paying more attention to it now.

A couple of friends came over this morning who are Qigong teachers, and we talked about balance. They shared with me how helpful Qigong, Tai Chi, and meditation are in helping them to maintain balance.

A couple of weekends ago, I was a vendor in a Festival where all the vendors' tables had been placed in the room by Daniella, a feng shui practitioner, based on their facing their "wealth" direction (based on each person's birthdate). Daniella also helped me individually to better arrange my tables to encourage the flow of abundance. Sure enough, as soon as I followed her suggestions, I started selling more jewelry! It was pretty astounding.

Another feng shui practitioner, my friend Melody (who is so much more than a feng shui practitioner), has guided me with energy work both for my home and for my Self. And today, I received an invitation to attend a feng shui workshop on Thursday evening at a friend's home. Hmmmm... too coincidental to ignore! I've read a little on feng shui and found it fascinating; however, the Chinese belief of there being 5 elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) is a bit hard for me to adjust to since I typically honor the 4 elements of earth, air, fire, and water. The Chinese believe that everything has chi or energy, and so do I. So I expect I can accept another element into the mix when considering this practice.

I've been thinking about balance and change the last several days and realized this morning that it isn't a coincidence that I have been creating "Spring Babies" necklaces that honor new birth... depicted as a moth or butterfly emerging from her/his cocoon. This style of jewelry is quite a different one for me; and now I recognize that it reflects the metamorphosis going on within me presently. My friend Ouarda reminds me of the importance of visualizing light to our energetic benefit; not so much as a defense mechanism or protection (because neither one of us want to live life reacting in fear) but as a cocoon where it helps us develop on the inside and insulates us from harsh elements that would stunt our growth. That way, we can also send the light back out whenever we emerge (or even peek) from our cocoon.

Art is such a meditative process. For me, it's a magnificent use of intuition to connect with Spirit within and without... and find symbolism and guidance from the images and connections that are created from this explorative flow. I am so thankful to have the time to spend on this inner process! It is a blessing.

I hope your day is full of blessings, too.

Peace,
Kate

Stop "Should"-ing on Myself

I subscribe to a blog I've mentioned here before: 37Days. All I can say is "Do it." Patti Digh (who lives and mothers and writes in Asheville) created this blog to honor many things, not the least of which are the stories we all hold and love to hear and tell. Patti is constantly telling her story... and asking her readers to tell theirs.

I'm Southern. We are born storytellers. I learned it from the best: my mother.

Today is Day 4 of Patti's 37 Day Challenge: What one thing can you change in your life for 37 days? Just one thing. Your choice. And stick with it. She offers a contract to make with yourself. She even offers a Bingo scorecard to keep for yourself (created by a reader. Other reasons I so appreciate what Patti does is because she is always encouraging art from the heart and she creates community wherever she is).

I have chosen to stop "should"-ing on myself for 37 days. You know "should"-ing: "I should do this" or "I should not do that" or "he shouldn't think that way" or "she shouldn't wear that sweater" or "I ought to be more forgiving" or "I ought not to eat that chocolate"... "should"-ing on ourselves. I have chosen, instead, to say "I want to..." or "I don't want to...". It's much more honest and less guilt-filled (another thing my beloved mom taught me... how to be a martyr.)

I started this on Day 1 and today is Day 4. I'm pleased to say that it's going well.

This past weekend, I participated in a "Festival of Healing and Awareness" in Greenville, SC, my first art show in over a year and my first time at this one. And while the traffic was low, I am very pleased with the reception my jewelry received! I not only sold many pieces of my jewelry but also received a lot of very positive feedback from folks who didn't purchase (I understand that we can't buy everything we love, although we want to... notice I didn't say "should"!). The timing of this is perfect (as always): I had begun to let my focus be distracted from my artwork and wander to other things such as volunteering, etc. So, instead of saying "I should stay on as a volunteer there", I have chosen to say, "I don't want to dilute my focus on my art" and have resigned from some of these responsibilities. Right now, my time and energy is better spent focusing on my artwork, on what I love... and on what I have had so much affirmation over the past couple of days.

My art has shifted since my pilgrimage to England last summer. Not surprisingly, the pieces that people most liked were my newest pieces (and higher priced because more time and costly materials went into them). I didn't expect these to sell as well as they did because of our economic times. So I was proven wrong by a number of people (and I appreciate the correction!). It reinforces "if you do what you love, the rest will follow". The Universe proves true again!

Thanks to Jan Posey (CEO of A Class Act! which has produced these festivals for 11 years!) who brings all these gifted and interesting people together. She pointed out that 5 is the number for freedom, so I am including crop circles in this post with 5 main parts.

We vendors also were assisted by Daniella, a feng shui practitioner, who positioned each of us according to our birthdates in the most advantageous locations and directions for "wealth". Additionally, Daniella helped me better arrange my table display and my seating so that I would have more "wealth" flow. Boy, did that help! Thank you, Daniella (who did this out of the generosity of her heart without knowing many of the vendors there) for helping encourage this flow abundance.

It was a great group of people, folks offering items for sale as well as services (energy work, massage, reiki, readings, etc.). There are two such festivals in Greenville annually and two in Columbia, SC, each year. I am applying for the Columbia show (in July).

Much of my newest jewelry has photos of crop circles or the Chalice Well in Glastonbury on the back of the pendants that add a little "secret" for the wearer. It was such a joy to talk with folks who have visited crop circles or Glastonbury or Stonehenge, etc. or who knew what special places those sacred sites are and plan to visit them some day.

So I'm going to close now, not because I should, but because I want to start working on another necklace.

I hope you fill your day with your own choices!

Peace,

Kate