I just noticed I am being increasingly and frustratingly tangled in negativity, and took some time and was able think out a different perspective on the situation, and also think about a different approach to the particular current project that is being so challenging. More important still is if I can maintain my better attitude. I've been noticing how much I complain, like all the time... and it isn't useful, or pleasant for me or for anyone I interact with... making an effort to change that behavior... #olddognewtricks
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I am quite looking forward to painting a set of 1" parchment discs for
my pal Karen. They will be components of a decorative Renaissance
hatband for her SCA hat, with the images representing most of her
various awards. This project will be an interesting departure from my
more usual scribal activity, and a chance to play with gouache on real
parchement. This will be one of my rewards for finishing the wedding
rings...
One of the images called for a birch leaf shape, and I was able to find a birch tree whilst out on my bike ride yesterday, so that one was sketched from life. Everything else came from online images, as the likelihood of my finding a falcon, or a lion, or even an out of season daffodil, is rather small. Grateful for the reference library that never sleeps aka the internet...
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~ creativity challenge ~
the wedding rings project
~ creativity challenge ~
the wedding rings project
day 1 : make the tiny stars for decoration, stamp/cut/file/repeat x 4, make granules
day 2 : make the bezels to set the stones, add beaded wire decorative border
day 3 : after consultation, attempt to shape the bezels to fit curved rings...
day 4 : scrap day 2&3 and start over with thicker bezel wire and deeper bezels
I'd been asked to make a pair of wedding rings for friends. There are complications, as the pretty Oregon sunstone cabochons they chose are larger than anything I have set on a ring in the past. My initial efforts were based on soldering everything together before bending the ring shank round, which if I had thought about the topography, I would have realised was Not Going To Work out. Fortunately this was pointed out to me before I went too far.
Instead, I added a bit of 18ga silver to the base of the bezels and began to grind, file and shape one to fit the curve of a ring shank. This did not go well. The 8mm bezels are hard to hold on to, and also delicate. Grinding makes the metal get hot really quickly, though one can only remove the metal a small bit at a time, lest grinding too far changes the shape past fitting in place. Switching to sandpaper (over a suitably shaped dowel) is helpful, but after several hours of sanding my shoulder hates me, and the first bezel still isn't deeply shaped enough.
I then spent
I wake up with the realisation that sometimes the best way to move forward is to scrap
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September SMART goals (x=extra)
| # | THINGS MADE | THINGS FIXED | THINGS GONE |
| 1 | 7 tiny sunflowers | 6 pants for Beth | yard waste bin |
| 2 | poppy pod vase | 4 box fans clean | recycle bin |
| 3 | grey canvas hat | heraldry painted | yard waste bin |
| 4 | - | M skirt waistband | recycle bin |
| 5 | - | - | - |
| 6 | x | x | x |
| 7 | x | x | x |
| 8 | x | x | x |
| 9 | x | x | x |
| 10 | x | x | x |
| 11 | x | x | x |
| 12 | x | x | x |
| 13 | x | x | x |
| 14 | x | x | x |
| 15 | x | x | x |
today's gratitudes -
progress on a better attitude - focus on three good things each day
1. a shift of perspective
2. the internet is a reference library that never sleeps
3. some spare supplies
Time of Isolation - Day 939
