from summer til winter

  when last i posted here, or so i hear, it was all the way back in august, when summer was still hovering around the cabin heavy and wistful, full of memory and longing for much more of the same.  somehow i managed to put Ornamental off to the side, forgotten and forlorn, and tumbled madly along with the flow of the days that led us directly into fall, and now straight into winter.  the solstice is sunday, when sunlight is thin and watery and in short supply... when candles will be lit at dusk and blown out at evening's end.  i'd love to spend a full evening sitting right here at the laptop, tapping out accounts of where i've been, what has kept me away, what tasks have been completed, what goals have been met.  it's quite late, though - nearly 2am - and sleep is calling my name.  

it has, as ever, been a hectic time.  it always is, for all of us.  and now, here i sit at my creaky old oak table, knowing that if i don't write this post before i head to bed, christmas will swoop in, then new year's, and then i will have gone clear through the end of this year without having stopped by to say hello.  hello, old friends.  hello.

   i haven't made many things for myself, these past few years - the cobbler's children having no shoes, the jeweler wearing no trinkets of her own - but back in the fall, i slowly pulled together a necklace that turned out to be somewhat of a self portrait, and i am so very very very fond of it.  there is old leather, a river stone that i carved into a heart, a tiny fold out accordian book from a project many years ago.  there is the very first chain that i made, two years ago, out of copper when i took a private soldering class over in tennessee.  there is mica, there is old text, there is a thimble with old lace.  most importantly, there is a bundle of tendril roots, pulled from the edge of the river, where woods and stone and sand and water meet.  i'm not going to show you the entire piece, because it will be featured with other pieces of my work in a designer article of Belle Armoire Jewelry, in their spring issue, out sometime in later winter, i suppose.  so, that is a bit of news for you - something of which i am proud to be a part.     a couple of months ago, my artist friend delila, from finland, invited me to take a photo of that moment - and here is what was on the table before me, down in the studio.  i was pulling bits and pieces together for the article, using some components from unfinished long ago projects that i combined with fresher approaches of mine.  how interesting it was for me to see it all together, like that - the old and the new (and all of it old, in a way, as i always use so many antiquated things), hammered and aged and twisted and painted, wire-wrapped and threaded into something that looks completely like my work.  old.  new.  and somewhere in between.  i haven't changed all that much.  i seem to be consistent in my design, and in my style.  and i find great comfort in this - the ability to pull a body of work together and have it be cohesive and unified, like that.  a good and solid feeling, i have to say.   back in november - i think it was november - i finally, FINALLY sat down and constructed some lengths of chain, from scratch.  silver soldered, sterling chain.  and oh my goodness, how happy i am with this!  from there, i ventured on to set a stone in a bezel on my own.  i had done this once before, in the Franklin, Tn. studio of my excellent weekend teacher Nancy Rourke; but that was with her supervision, an oval black stone on a scrap bit of copper, and for two long years, i pined to do it again.  i'm still pining, and still fumbling, but i've done a decent job, as you can see above, with the one stone i set with a lovely scalloped edge.  and it has actually already sold, to a very wise customer who understands how much that piece has meant to me, how proud i am of my efforts.  onward, then - and after christmas, and an early january trip back down to key west for another go at the literary seminar (but NO go at a poetry workshop), i greatly anticipate settling back down at the studio table to focus on more chain, more bezels, more pieces of new and old ornamental history.    i can't wrap up this post without mentioning how lovely the thanksgiving holiday was for me here, at Heartrock Hill.  my mother and her corgi were here, as well as both boys, and the wonderful girlfriend that roy has been dating for three years.  and finally, my dearest friend julie, who has spent the past three thanksgivings with my family, came down from ohio and managed - when i became quite ill - to clean and orchestrate and cook for all six of us, including the entire thanksgiving feast.  she put sheets on the beds, inflated the air mattresses, ran errands, walked walter, cooked, cooked, cooked, and cleaned up the kitchen afterwards.  there was a little oven fire - i laugh out loud as i write those words - and a lot of laughter and storytelling, a good bit of spirits, and a whole lot of love.  i have the best friend in the whole world, and the best boys, and the best, best, best mama that anyone could ever be blessed enough to have.  it was grand, in spite of how puny i felt.  absolutely grand.  and walter was worn out from it all.

now, here we are, smack dab in the middle of the holiday season.  as i said, from summer, to autumn, to now.  we had snow here on thanksgiving morning, and lots of frosty mornings, and any day now i expect the heavier snows to roll up over the mountains to the west.  i wanted to mention that there are all of five necklaces in my etsy shop - and that i'm offering for the next two days, a discount of 20% to my ornamental readers (use the code ORNA20 in the place where you are asked if you have a gift card or discount code).  after friday evening, i'll be closing the shop for the rest of the holidays, and reopening sometime in the early part of january, when things are quieter and we can take a slow breath without gasping for another right behind.  i wanted to take a moment - at 1:45 a.m., actually - to wish all of you a lovely time with family and friends, whether it be there in your homes or off on adventures, or even if you - like i, most of the time - are alone and quiet in some deep, dark glen of the winter woods, sitting in front of a fire, reading or working quietly with your hands.  i wish you peace and calm and quiet pockets of time.  i wish you clarity in the months ahead.  i wish you love.  i wish you grace.  and i thank you for being here still, even when i have not been present for such long and crazy stretches of delinquent time.  bless you all.  xo

Comments

[charlotte]

lovely. just perfect. (except the sick part.)
happy holidays, nina!
xoxo

[Tina M.]

I love this to the point of tears. really. so, life has happened. doesn't it, for all of us?
and all those wishes you send, I wish the same for you, my friend. may the holidays and the new year be gentle and kind.
xo

[Ann campoll]

You sound content.

[bonnie moench]

What a beautiful post to wake up to. I have missed you dear friend.

Merry Christmas Nina. Wishing you happiness always

[Barbara]

Peace and love and happy holidays to you, Estrella Nina. I love that figure dancing out on a limb of the Christmas tree in the last photo!

[Neena]

What a lovely post. And I cannot wait to see the entire piece with the thimble. You have set my day off to a beautiful start. Thank you. A wonderful holiday to you.

[Amy Evans]

This is such a lovely message. blessings to you this Christmas dear friend.

[sarah]

so looking forward to visiting and singing with you!

[Lori]

And, bless you as well...

[Sabrina]

Wishing you an Happy Holiday dearest,and much joy for the coming New Year!

[nancy k]

namaste dear nina, may peace be with you and yours.

[Libby White]

I really miss you Nina. I am glad to hear you are doing well and are relaxed after the tough spring and summer you had. I retire in April so I will be broke but will have the time to maybe come visit for a day. I need a Miss Nina hug and one from Walter too. Here's hoping we all find peace and creativity in 2015.
Libby

[sue]

How lovely to see this today, I have missed reading your posts Nina.
Have a wonderful Christmas xo

[carol mayer]

i was just thinking of you about an hour ago! wondering how you were and what you were up to. happy holidays to you...and don't stay away too long!

[Susan]

Hallo dear heart!
How lovely to see you back here.
Wishing you a very merry, holly berry, ding dong belly Christmas.....and a peaceful and creative New Year.

Love Susan in oz

[MaryK]

Look forward to seeing your work in Belle Armoire. Merry Cgi
Heist as!

[Monica aka The Creative Beast]

What a treat to discover your blog post and to read about what has been taking place since your last blog post. Your thanksgiving sounds like a wonderful time despite being sick, but you certainly have great people supporting you in your life, Nina! AMe the jewelry you have been making is gorgeous, as always!! I will have to pick up that copy of Belle Armoire so I can see the special necklace you have created for yourself - the tiny peek you shared has me itching to see more!
Your work is truly one of a kind, Nina, and having perused your blog since its inception, I can see your artistry throughout, along with the ways you have added elements as you've grown and matured as the artist you are. You have a beautiful body of work to be proud of!
It's also great to read about how you've been chomping to return to techniques you've learned in the past. I love learning new things from wonderful instructors, such as yourself, and it can take a year or two for me to return to what I have learned before incorporating some of it in my work. It's good to hear that I'm not alone in this!
I wish for you a most magical season and a New Year filled with more of the same!

[susanc]

I've missed your posts Nina! Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas and a Happy News Year!

[kathy dorfer]

i do miss your writing (:
merry christmas to you and your family .

[annar]

So wonderful to see a new post from you; really missed your great photos and inspiring words. All the best to you!

[Jan]

How wonderful to hear from you. It's a gift to us - a lovely Christmas gift. My heart is smiling.

[Sofa King]

happy to read your post. Many changes have occurred in the kingdom and meeting for sustenance does not look likely in the near future. A telephone conversation might be nice but the royal page has misplaced your number and the Kingdom has a new number and shant be posting it here for the peasants to see. Perhaps you could send yours by this new fangled email type of communication - either to the email associated with this post or the one you have used in the past. If you use the past one, just send your number and no further message and the King will be in touch. Good day M'Lady.

[Claire Smith]

How wonderful to find another post before years end Nina.....your words make me sigh, they paint such beautiful pictures........such a gift. I can imagine how lovely it would be to sit by the fire and enjoy the quiet evenings at Heartrock Hill.
We all lead such different and varied lives.....
Wishing you all the best for Christmas and into the new year, thank you for this lovely gift of a sneak peek into your world....Xx

[Cece]

Love reading your posts and seeing your work. Happy Holiday Season.

[Truddi]

Dear Nina, I came upon your post quite by accident and for that I am truly grateful. Your art is magnificent and your writing is truly majikal !Such comfort in your words. Thank you...my life is horrendous right now but reading your posts has given me hope that perhaps better days are on the horizon and to believe that good people do exist. Thank you and A blessed Holiday Season to you and yours.

[Mary]

Merry, Merry Christmas to you too. While I have missed your posts, I must confess that the photo of the Queen's Anne Lace held in front of a blue August sky has made me smile on so many dreary and grey days. With so much brown & bare, I forget how much color can fill the world and it is such a lovely reminder.

[Angi eharis]

I just delight in reading your beautiful words, well worth the wait, which is why I always make sure now and then to check your site. Life is sweet and full for all, we are so lucky, beautiful artwork, beautiful home, I do hope some year in the future I get to do a class with you in your place and meet Walter, much aloha these holidays to u and your family, aloha, angi in Hana

[pati ray]

So happy to hear your absence was just you living and enjoying and creating. Friends will always stay and await while you make time to create. Happy holiday and may 2015 continue to bring you blessings.

[Keala Inviong -Ako]

Aloha Mele Kalikimaka a me Hauoli Makahiki Hou! Happy New year Nina Aloha from Keala Ako. I enjoy your blog very much and thank you for your inspiration. You seem to be having such a fulfilling life. We are Blessed I know I try to look for the good things to share. I believe that's what you doIfanyone doesn't like your ideas they can stop reading. Find another person to bum out! Sheesh some people like to be downer sz. We have to fly past them Nina Take Care Aloha Keala.

[Anne]

Lovely to read your post and hoping all is well into the new year.

[Renie]

How lovely to stop by to find your enchanting news & warm holiday greetings. It's always a treasure, no matter the time that passes in between. Wishing you & loved ones abundant blessings in 2015.

[kvk]

been thinking of you ... glad to hear and see your vibrant creative spirit flourishing ... sending well wishes for the new year, love and light ... kvk

[Sharon Siqueiros]

~smiles~

[Richelle Post]

Yay!!! Your soldering!!!

[Deborah Guthrie]

A beautiful blog post. I'm looking at it late, early in the new year so a very Happy New Year to you.

[Diane]

and hello, hello, hello to you.
your blog is soothing to me.
thank you.

[Carol Hicks]

After an evening spent knotting pearls, I was thinking of you so I popped on here this morning to say hello. Imagine my surprise when I saw this lovely long blog post. I can't wait to see the article you mentioned. What a treat. I hope the new year is starting out wonderfully for you, Miss Nina.

[Jan]

Why wait for spring? How 'bout dropping in to write an update now (soon)? :) Would love to hear how you are and what you've been up to. You are ALWAYS an inspiration.