Focusing on Life - Week 13

Have Faith

This week's picture prompt from the Focusing on Life blog challenge is "Have Faith". I'm not a religious person, but there are many things in life that make me happy, that I look forward to and that I know will be there to make me smile. That in itself is religious to me. 

My garden makes me immensely happy. I love this time of year when greenery starts to pop it's head up and the bulbs start to come up. It helps me get through our long grey winters that I am really not so fond of. I look forward to seeing the new growth and if there are any surprises for me.

One of my favourite bulbs are grape hyacinths. Something about the profusion they bloom with and the colour just make me smile. I always bring s small bunch into the house, it brings some spring joy into my inside world.

You can never have enough books

20 Steps Outside My Door

While looking for a blogger challenge group a friend suggested this concept and I figured "Why Not?". So here it is.

Once a week I'll post a photo taken 20 steps from my front door. At first I thought this would be extremely hard but it really isn't, I started looking at things in a different way. Looking at something with a different angle or in a different light really can change you opinion about what it is you're seeing.

If you want to join in let me know and I'll link you! Take 20 steps from your door (pick any door) and look for photos.

So, what do you think the above photo is?

Mixed Metal Mimi's "20 Steps Outside My Door" post.

By Shena's "20 Steps Outside My Door" post.

Amy Waldman's "20 Steps" post.

A New Year

A new year is March's blog post theme for the Jewelry Artisans Community's blog post. This year truly seems to be flying by. I started the year doing Kerry Bogert's Aspire to Wire Ecourse. The earrings above are one of the projects from it. I really enjoyed it, a project a day for 30 days. It got me off on the right foot this year keeping focused and getting some new work done.

I'm focusing on some new shows, trying to stick closer to home as the slow economy has made traveling to shows much harder. Hoping to get some new statement pieces done for some juried art shows. The big change for me this year is the studio tour is now a studio guide. We will not be having our usual 10 day scheduled studio tour, instead we are offering a year round studio guide. Customers can contact us and come to the studio. While it's not an ideal set up for me I decided to try it for a year and see how it goes.

Spring is coming slowly here and my garden is very slow, I haven't got much done out there yet!

Bead Sophisticate's New Year Blog post

Snow in the spring

It feels like spring here, then we have days like today and it snows! The weather here has been very unpredictable lately wind, sun, snow, rain and hail all in one day.

My work seems to be saying it's spring, I've been drawn to bright colours and some whimsical birds. The little pair above have some soft shimmer in them and seem to be waiting for the cherry blossoms to open.

Market At Luxton

I'm trying something new! I'll be participating in the Market at Luxton March 28th. It's from 5:30 - 8:30 at the Luxton Hall 1040 Marwood.  I've heard wonderful things about this event and hope to see you there.

Stand Alone

Blooms 5

Blooms 5 opens this week at Coast Collective. I have had a piece in each of these shows every year, it's my favourite Coast Collective show. The Victoria Flower Arrangers Guild does some arrangements they theme after an art piece and it's truly a stunning show.

The opening is March 23 from 2-4!

Gaffer Goodness

I torched a bit yesterday and an loving these Gaffer beads! I have co ordinating headpins too but they need to go in the tumbler still. i am thinking a bright piece might be in order for Sooke Fine Arts this year?

My hands held up pretty well, I didn't drop anything and had minimal pain and swelling. Today no torching, the specialist suggested not torching for days and days in a row. 

Start

Yourself