Tuesday, January 27

There Was That One Time.
















Photo credit Natalie Davis


There was this one time. 

My friend kidnapped me and took me to a magical place. 

Not so far away, yet it seemed worlds away.

It was magical.

Peaceful.

Full of life, and love. 

And there was a dog named Merlin.

And we laughed.
We enjoyed each other's company.

And we just live.

Enough said.

♥ Carin

Monday, January 26

Handmade Life


Handmade.

Quality.

Uniqueness.

Something you're proud of. 

These are all elements of my career, but they are also just of my being. 
Of my soul. 

I am a maker.

I can't help it. 

So in the evenings, as the family rests, you'll usually find me working on a project. 

About a year ago I took up quilting.  

It's always something I've wanted to try, but hadn't quite got around to it yet. 

Fast forward a year later, and I've just finished my 6th quilt. 

The rest of my quilts all had a pretty specific plan.

A design.
A layout.

This one not so much. 

It took of effort for me to just keep working on it even though I wasn't sure the patterns matched or what the overall design would turn out.

I just had to trust in it, and keep going. 

I'm happy to say that I love it. 
It's so unique, so different. I just had to share it with you! 

It's got a super sweet home too, but I can't show you that yet. 

Soon enough friends, soon enough. 

For now, go out and use your hands. 

Make something.

Bake a cake, build a bench, anything.

Just keep making.

The world needs us. 

♥ Carin 






Saturday, January 24

On Trusted Wings

Trembling
Scared

She knew she had to jump to get where she wanted to be.

A leap
so large
so scary.

Her wings were new.
The plumage vibrant, but untested.

The journey would be hard.
The first step, the most difficult.

But she knew if she followed her heart
her arrow
She had big things to do.

Accomplishments.
Significance.

From the nest where she'd always been she peered over.
The ground rocky
rough.

She found courage.
She mustered up strength.

There was nothing left for her in that tiny nest.

So she jumped.

She found she could fly.
Trust her wings.
They would take her where she needed to go.

Follow her path.
Follow her arrow.
Follow her dreams.

No one could stop her
on trusted wings.








Items available until sold here.

♥ Carin 

Friday, January 23

Wednesday, January 14

I Made This Special for You


UPDATE:

A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!

Remember I'll be going away with free shipping for Facebook fans, and putting some of that budget towards more giveaways like this one! So if you didn't win, stay tuned for more!

Without further ado.

The winner is.

The lovely.

Wonderful.

Magical.



Catherine Knott


Catherine, please email me at carin@jonesingforjewelry.com no later than Friday the 23rd midnight PST to claim your prize!!


_____




Monday's post was a big deal to me. 

If you haven't read it, you should. 

Here go read it, then come back. 

___

I meant what I said. 

I'm so very, very grateful to each and every single one of you. 

You 

have

given

me

the 

world. 


THANK YOU.


So I made this for you.

I hope you love it. 

Details and how to enter it below. 







This necklace features a lovely Australian Gaspeite stone. 

This stone is similar to turquoise in texture and composition. This particular piece is a lovely lime and olive green colorings. 

Below the stone sits a lovely fine silver rose and around it is a sterling silver beaded detail. 

The piece sits on a generously thick piece of sterling silver. 

It was hung from an 18" sterling silver ball chain. 

The  pendant measures just over 1 3/4" long and just over 1/2" wide. 

___

HOW TO ENTER:

Comment on this post with your first and last name. 

 If you don't see a way to comment on the bottom click this link to take you to the actual post for commenting. 

One entry/comment per person.

Entries put in as "anonymous" will not be counted.

The winner will get first class free domestic shipping to any U.S. location.

International followers can enter, but must pay the $10.00 shipping fee and any custom/duty tax due upon receipt. INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS, PLEASE DO NOT ENTER IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO PAY THESE.

Entries will be accepted until Midnight PST on Monday 1/19/2015

I'll draw a winner sometime Tuesday 1/20/2015

The winner will be announced here on the blog. The winner will have until 1/23/2015 to contact me and claim their prize. 

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! 

And please, please, please share it with your friends! Let everyone in on the fun!

♥ Carin

Monday, January 12

Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwiches

It was just a few years ago. 

Things were rough.
I couldn't see through the chaos. 

We were broke.
Needing help anywhere and everywhere we could get it.

I found myself working 2 jobs, 7 days a week.

No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that either job could lead to a future career, I knew neither were enough. 
I probably could have figured it out.
Made enough to pay the bills.

But I was miserable. 

My world was suffering.
No matter how strong my relationship is, it was tough for us. 
A lot of bickering ensued because of the stress.

I couldn't be the wife I wanted to be.

I couldn't be the mother I wanted to be.

I couldn't be the person I knew I was.

___


After much soul searching. Years of deep self evaluation I realized that jewelry was my answer.

The little insignificant shop was my answer.

The shop needed work, but I knew I could get it there.

___ 

After deciding this would be my ultimate path I had to figure out how to get it there. 
I tried, and tried and tried.

But after a few failed attempts at the Jonesing for Jewelry shop I felt completely overwhelmed.

I started comparing myself to other shops and the tasked seemed just too much to bear.

There was no way the shop was ready.
There was no way I was ready.

With a huge sigh, I switched gears.

I saw an opportunity in the market for jewelry, but different pieces than I was currently focusing on.
I reset my goals a little, and the J4JCharm shop was born.

She was beautiful.
She gave me and my family SO, SO much.

She  gifted me the time and energy to really understand the business.

She allowed me to spend time with my family.
My number one most important goal.

I could list a million things, but none of it would really touch how grateful to that little shop I am.

___

In the midst of working my little booty off on that shop there still was always something missing.

A part of me wasn't being fulfilled.

OK, I know it's pretty selfish. Here I am working in a home studio, having enough to pay my bills, having the flexibility to be with my family and really living the dream, yet I'm saying it wasn't enough.

Before you judge me, ask yourself, if you were just out of reach of your perfection would you stop pushing? Would you stop trying? Or would you try harder?

Me, I'll always try harder. 

Push harder. 

Life is short and I want it all. 
____

What was missing was that little shop on the side.

My first love.

I'm sure you noticed 2014 made a shift. 
I started spending more time with my first love.

I started exploring what the shop would look like.
What my heart really wanted to create. 

I wanted to make something great.
Something magical.

Most of all something SIGNIFICANT.

In the past few months, I really feel like I've found it.

I've dialed in on what it looks like.
What it feels like.
And who I am as an artist.

For me, I'm rooted in nature.
I draw my energy from the Earth.
I'm inspired by plants and animals and all that surrounds them.
I love color.
All of this with a dollop of bold and a dash of quirky.

This mix, this concoction is a little nerve wracking.

I don't fit in a box.
I don't color in the lines.

Some of you will eat this up, but what I've always been afraid of is that the majority of you won't.

Honestly, every business advice I've ever received is to appeal to the widest audience.

Not to step out of bounds. 
Make things that are simple and sweet.

Definitely whatever you do, don't put pickles and peanut butter on your sandwich.***

A few years ago I tried to put this beige business into the works. 
Seriously, if you weren't around for these stages go look at my old sales history.

Everything was perfect. 
Every necklace was "cute."
Everything was in matched sets.

The photography was so lovely.

All of the ingredients for the perfect shop were there. I followed the instructions I got to a T.

IT WAS A HUGE FLOP.

Massive.
Epic.
A ton of effort.
Little return.
Most of all it felt unauthentic.
Disingenuous.

So recently when I finally realized who I am as an artist.
Who I am right now.
What I want to create.

The types of ideas and things I want to bring to this world.

It was scary.
Because it isn't beige.

It's beautiful turquoise
It's bold orange
It's bright green.

It's a mixture of all of them.

Nothing boring.
Nothing the same.

All unique.
All different.
All me.

And mostly, all SIGNIFICANT.

____

I digress.
As I really started this whole post, I started to tell you this whole story because I wanted to say: 

THANK YOU! 

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

From my family to yours, thank you. 
Photo courtesy of Kamieo Photography 

This year is already amazing. 

I love that you love my work.
I love that you love me.

I'm putting all of me into it, and it feels so good to be welcomed with open arms.

I've been getting great feedback lately. 
Really good feedback in the past few weeks.

I just want to share something with you: 

"ANOTHER SPECIAL PURCHASE! LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! CARIN IS ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE ARTISTS ON ETSY! BE BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN! THANK YOU!!"

And so I wept.
Tears.
Thankful tears.

I cannot thank each of you enough. I can try and tell my story over and over again.
I can try and explain to you what this success really means to me.

I can tell you about the life I have.
The love I have for my work.
The time it earns me with my family.

None of these words would be enough.
You are giving me everything.

You are creating a life for me that is incredible. 
Lovely and magical.
Bold and beautiful.

And I wish more than anything that each and everyone of you get to experience what I am. That each of you are fulfilled beyond your imagination.

That you are happy and healthy and hopeful.

And if not, in the very least that I in some way can return the favor and inspire you to reach. 
Go for it. 

Find yourself.
Live you dream. 

♥ Carin

P.S. I'm in the works of finding someway to show you how grateful I am. I want it to be as big and magical as everything you've given me. 
Stay tuned! 

*** Yes, an actual sandwich that my grandmother used to make me, and I enjoy on a regular basis. You should try it! Unless of coarse you're allergic to peanuts. Then please by all means do NOT try it!

Wednesday, January 7

Under the Quiet Moonlight Series

The end of the year is always a quirky time. 

Everything is so final. 

The close of the busiest time of the business season. 
The end of a big month.
The end of a year.


Yet, at the same time, it's the beginning. 
A fresh start.
A new beginning.

I get quiet during this time. 
I feel myself drawing inward. 
My heart retracing the year and the moments that defined it. 

I always feel as though the business goes on a slight hiatus while I'm resetting. 

This time reminds me of those chilly Pacific Northwest nights. 
Pitch black, but the moon in all it's glory lighting the way.

In that space it's easy to feel as if nothing is happening. 
The earth is so quiet. 




But if you slow enough to pay attention you'll see.
Beneath the quiet exterior, so much is happening. 

Animals awaking to the night.
Coming to life under neath the quiet stillness. 

This time is necessary for the earth to succeed. 
In the same, this time is necessary for me to succeed. 

The quiet brings time to reflect, and find truth. 
Just as you notice signs of life around you.
Chirps of animals.
Scampering little feet.

The fog as you breath out. 




This is when big things happen. 
You awaken to the sunlight, with big bold energy for the day. 

Don't underestimate the quiet. 
____


♥ Carin



____

UPDATE

I've added a piece to this collection! 

A stunning owl, labradorite, branch and crystal wall hanging! 





Monday, January 5

Challenge Accepted

It's my first day back in the studio after the Holiday season. 

It always feels a little off to switch gears. When I first go on break I miss the studio. Soon enough though, I'm busy decorating, baking, celebrating, and then life seems to fill in the gaps. 

It is similar when I come back to the studio. I feel out of rhythm. I have a thousand ideas, but no real priority. No task list. Just time. 

I'm still in my end of the year reflectional mind set. I think back to last year, and I frequently felt as though I was in a creative rut. 

Mini ruts. 

but ruts none the less. 

I kept finding myself saying, "If I just had this tool" or "these stones" or "if I just knew how to do this." 

OK, I love me some tools, but ultimately it's not the tools or the stones limiting me. 

It's me limiting me.

It's me not opening up to the possibilities.

Not seeing all that is there. 

So this year, I've taken on a creative challenge. Something to help lubricate my creativity. Spark my ideas, and keep everything flowing smoothly. 

The challenge is to create a single earring every day of the  year. 

Yes, one earring (not a matched pair).

365 of them, all different!


I was nervous at first. This is so out of my realm. The business side of me thinks of all that I could be accomplishing on my "to-do" list rather than playing around. 

But my heart knows I need this. 

So I've accepted the challenge!
Because of my hesitation to start, I had to play a little catch up today. 

I was amazed at how good it felt.

To not worry about how they would turn out.
If they would sell. 
How to price them.
How to market them.

All of the business bullshit just flew out the window. 

I felt free again. Free to create what I was feeling at the moment. 

My only other addition to the challenge requirements, is that I'm going to do my best to use bits and pieces laying around the studio. I have lots of 1/2 started projects or items that are leftovers from other pieces.

Since my frustration last year felt like I always needed more, this year, I'm going to attempt to find the beauty in what I have around me.

There is plenty if I just open my eyes and see it for what it is. 




This will also be a great way for me to test new ideas and find new avenues for my art. 



I'm so excited for the journey this challenge will bring in 2015. 


_____

Find the items listed in my Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/jonesingforjewelry?section_id=16573805&ref=shopsection_leftnav_5

Find other artist's Earring a Day Challenge work here, and a huge shout out to Victoria Takahashi for setting this all up! 



  Carin