as i sit here writing on halloween morning, a deep mist has enveloped my neighborhood. a spooky trick of weather, perfect for the holiday that has been my favorite since childhood. although,it's been many years since i last went into a pumpkin patch to pick out my perfect prize. last week on a glorious sun-drenched morning, to the suavie island pumpkin patches we went. with my good friend pam, of housemartin egging me on, i ended up bringing home not one pumpkin, but many!

what a delight, to pull this little red wagon over the fields and through the mud, to finally see this gorgeous oak tree beckoning us forward. something about a field of pumpkins just makes me clap my hands with joy. and goodness knows, i need more moments of feeling like a kid...we all do, probably.

i'm resolving to spend less time on the internet and tv and more time outdoors being active and painting or reading to relax. for the next couple of weeks, i'll be preparing for the holiday show at studio olivine. so please do mark your calendars now for november 17, it's going to be a wonderful event with a very select group of local talent to shop. 

happy halloween everyone! 

last friday i spent a couple of hours strolling the portland japanese garden, one of my favorite places here in the northwest. as soon as i walk through the gates, my lungs fill with that air purified by so many trees and my senses snap into focus. a few minutes more and i can feel my noisy, anxious brain starting to settle down. i drop into a deep, calm place as i walk the paths and sit in the meditation shelters. the whole garden is completely authentic, many elements brought directly from japan, like the river stones.

it's a serene, lovely spot in any season, but i really love it when the japanese maples are in glorious fall foliage. sitting under one, i snapped the shot below. it felt like a lacy umbrella.

the front gates are so wonderful, with beautiful ceramic roof tiles. i always leave the garden in a better frame of mind than when i arrived. inspired, energized, lighter and more present. little details pop up to delight you...

my interview with the tv folks went well yesterday. i got to speak about my process as a jeweler and what it is like to grow a small business from scratch. they also filmed me using my torch and working on a belt buckle. fun stuff! if you are local and want to catch the segment (which will surely be edited down to 45 seconds or so) it will be airing next tuesday morning, from 9-10am during a show called better on local channel 12. 

my sister, jennifer talbot, is a great inspiration to me as i grow my business. she conceived of her company, b. delicious while expecting her first baby and four years later is positively blooming! check out her adorable booth from her first new york trade show earlier this month. her line of kids t-shirts, accessories and room decor softies are a perfect balance of precious and modern. never one to sit still, jennifer is ambitious and driven, qualities that continually inspire me to keep going and growing. she's not afraid to take big risks to get what she wants and continually amazes me with the great new ideas she comes up with.

it's a deep comfort to have a close bond as we both figure out how to thrive in small business, juggle our personal lives (hers includes 2 small children and a hubby!) and not lose our minds. i'd call it a kind of peer-mentoring, as we almost daily bounce ideas off each other, report our progress, or lend a empathetic ear when the other one is struggling.

congratulations on a fantastic show in new york, jen! you can check out her entire line right here. 

a peek at my booth from yesterday's event, ladies who launch live, hosted at the lawrence gallery here in portland. i was lucky to be assigned a spot in the masters room, surrounded by dali and picasso prints all day. it was a wonderful event on many levels. i met and networked with over 200 fantastic local women, learned some great tips from the speakers on the program, my sales exceeded my expectations, i got to speak on stage with other incubator members about my blogging experiences and (cross your fingers) it seems i will be interviewed at my studio by better tv on monday!

wheew, it was a full day.

i really do love setting up a little retail display like this one, it's an installation in miniature. while i don't want to do retail everyday, a few events here and there are really fun. i love getting the first hand response to my jewelry. like these new necklaces, literally finished on wednesday evening. one-of-a-kind vintage buttons set in sterling silver bezel settings and strung on strands of delicate japanese silk ribbons, with a silver clasp in the back. the victorian black glass button second from the right, sold to a beautiful woman almost as soon as the doors opened.

abundance. 

it's a state of active awareness i've been working on cultivating for some years now. what i'm only beginning to realize this month, however, is that for me thinking big and taking risks is what produces abundance. my sales this month, since i gave my notice at my day job, have been nothing short of amazing.

i feel so blessed to be able to say that at month one I am making it. 

of course, it's just one month at a time. breaking goals into manageable pieces is such a helpful exercise. when i sat down a few months ago to write my exit plan from my day job, i took a realistic look at what it would take to replicate that income. then i broke that number into jewelry. when i considered how many rings i would need to sell each month to make this business, this life of mine, work (and not starving artist work, but really work) it was surprising.

and liberating. the task wasn't actually as big as i had been making it in my mind.

lesson taken- struggle is as big as you make it in your mind and so is abundance. 

look at these fascinating found object installations by elizabeth duffy. she uses the most everyday objects imaginable; like pencils, scrubby pads and wax paper to name just a few. i'm particularly captivated by the stars made from pencils leads pictured above. and the piece below made with pencil erasers pierced with pencil leads.

what a singular, beautiful vision elizabeth duffy has. you can check out her portfolio here. thanks to the always illuminating blog, rag & bone for the link.