Note: As you may know, I’ve had a little more time to myself lately. I didn’t actually realize that anyone had commented on that little confession until I logged in today and found myself smiling ear-to-ear at my computer screen as I read through all of your wonderful, thoughtful, insightful words. If you wondered whether it was worth commenting or not, please take it from me that YOU ARE APPRECIATED and the time you took to write a little note is absolutely treasured! And I am actively engaging in ALL suggestions, so stay tuned for a “how to make friends” update 🙂

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Continuing to drink coffee in random places in pursuit of friends! Sidenote: Taking coffee cup selfies probably really helps, right??

I’ve been stumbling across lots of great online articles lately, and listening to corresponding inspiring podcasts. One idea that’s come up over and over again is that you have to embrace the process of showing up often enough to get the crappy ideas and projects out of the way.

“If you want to make a masterpiece, you have to be willing to create a little
garbage along the way.” (James Clear).

As I stare at a half-melted, completely lopsided attempt at a silver bezel cup and try not to tally how much silver I’ve literally melted away, all I can do is hope that this is true. Creating jewelry is this weird passion/hate-project that has me hooked but I LITERALLY SUCK AT IT. It’s interesting, right?

These are all supposed to be ‘sharp’ and ‘geometric’. I’ll just call the slumpy-lumpy look ‘organic’ and see if anyone notices…

And yet, every now and then, a project goes 75% according to vision and I find myself smiling at a piece instead of scowling. This is usually when I start daydreaming about my #futureheirloom business that will some day take off and have me traveling the world, sourcing Tahitian black pearls and Colombian emeralds and Australian opals (while sailing the high seas on our meticulously-maintained sailboat, of course).

No reason not to get carried away, right?

So in the pursuit of shared experiences, I thought I’d share some images from the latest mishaps and lucky breaks…

Proof that things often start out better than they end…

“The bench”…

I asked the Dunkin Donuts guy if they sold bananas or any type of fruit. Handing me my iced coffee, he looked me right in the eye and said, “after working here for a month, I can honestly tell you that there is NOTHING healthy sold at Dunkin Donuts.”

Honesty is so shockingly refreshing, isn’t it? 🙂 And iced coffee makes for a much better creative bench experience…

“What it looks like in my head”

Works in progress…

And a few that turned out *almost* like I’d hoped…

More to come!

– LMK