I’ve been spending a lot of time in here, mind you I haven’t been accomplishing as much as I’d like. But yesterday was my last day of work, which means that I no longer have any valid excuses not to produce at least two items each day. I can do that, right?

These are some coasters I made for the upcoming CK Handmade Market. I have three more sets to complete.

Playin’ in the Corn, originally uploaded by jnmerrit.

“The luxury of playing in the cornfield is an essential component of a rural existence.”

I’ve chosen to enter the 2008 Desmond Juried Art Exhibition and Sale, encouraged a bit (an unknowingly) by Brenda. The theme this year is ‘Celebrating Candian Rural Living’, and it made me think of this photo that I took of Melissa last summer. It was a hit on Flickr, so I’m going to step out of my box and enter it into a competition. If it doesn’t make it, well, that’s okay. If it does, well, that’s pretty neat!

Off to make items for the market, which is approaching very quickly!

I’ve put together the packaging for my necklaces. How should I set them up at the market? In a little bowl so that people can sift through them? Hanging from something so they are more visible? I’m leaning towards the second.

What if I used a branch that is tucked into a vase? Would that work? maybe not sturdy enough. Ohhhh i don’t want to invest any more money into display stands! I’m already confused about how to display the purses and totes. I like this idea, but I’m not sure how to execute it…

Any ideas? I’m thinking of going with a colourful theme rather than anything else. White under-cloth, bright-coloured accent cloth (which colour should I use?), colourful bunting spelling out ‘Persephone’s Awakening’. What else?

Pincushions, originally uploaded by jnmerrit.

“Hello, darling” says the red pincushion to the green pincushion. “I think you have beautiful… hearts.”

“Why you scoundrel,” says the green pincushion, “I think you’re full of it. Stuffing, that is!”

Okay that was extremely lame, but I wanted to showcase the little (tiny) project that Maple Dip and I did together a few weeks ago. Unfortunately it was dark when this photo was taken, so it lacks luster in all it’s glorious daylight form. They are kinda cute though, aren’t they?

After a few long, hard months of feeling blah, my muse has returned. I found her this weekend while completing a custom order for a local shop, and she stuck around to see what I’d come up with while designing some beachglass necklaces. She made quite a mess on my sewing table/workspace, but it’s a mess that feels good, so I’m going with it!

I managed to complete nine necklaces today, which is encouraging considering I haven’t really made anything for the past three months. They’re all sourced from local beachglass, too, except the one in the above photo second from the left - I scooped that piece while in Mazatlan, Mexico. It’s from a bottle of Pacifico, which is brewed and bottled right in the town.

But of course, this necklace is most definitely my favourite - can you guess why? Of course because it’s red and aqua, silly! It’s made with a piece of beach pottery that I found on my first trip to Erieau last summer (with Angie). I’m using sterling silver wire, and those are red Swarovski crystals. The chain is .925 sterling silver.

This is my list of products to prepare for the market… it’s a good thing I’m starting early! If you were pricing each item, how much would you charge?

• Fulled Purses
• Laptop Totes
• Flower Brooches
• Yoyo Brooches
• Couch Flower Brooches
• Basic Totebag
• Quilted Coaster Set of 4
• Flower Kits
• Cupcake Pincushion Keychains
• Headbands
• Felt Cases
• Small Beachglass Necklaces
• Large Beachglass Necklaces
• Small Button Necklaces
• Beaded Beachglass Necklaces

magic (305/365), originally uploaded by jnmerrit.

I did it. I followed-through, and now I can cross another task from my 101/1001 list. I got my third tattoo. I’m still a bit shocked that it’s there - for good. It won’t come off, and it’s in such a visible spot! But it’s me. Don’t you think? It speaks to who I am. It’s my magic. It’s my inner sprite-ness. It’s the fact that no matter what happens to me in life, i will always have me, knowing who I am. It’s about me getting through these recent life changes and knowing the entire time that I will be okay - because I am. It also speaks to my creativity, my inspiration, my future and my past (in this life and others). And on top of all that, it’s a beautiful work of art, that I am honoured to offer myself as canvas.

I am magickal.

I found this photo in Claire’s photobucket account (sorry Claire, i was snooping!). I really love it. I almost considered painting my bathroom that colour. But then I saw the paint chips (yep, went so far as to get chips!) under the vanity lights, and it hit me - I can’t do it! I can’t have a bathroom with pee-green walls. The reflection alone would be enough to make me look awful, let alone the feeling of… i don’t even know what.

Nevertheless, I do enjoy this colour combination, and now I’m going to show a few more poppies that make me happy.

Someday I’d like to have my own poppy-filled yard. No need to cut the grass.

Someday I will find someone who can love me as much as I love him. And not be afraid of the feelings that come with that love. And someday I will marry this person, and I will have simple, beautiful flowers like this.

I love this Poppeeeee too! He is my Fantastical French Fred (Alfred, formally).

And this is just cool. So are you. And so is Carrie, for coming up with colour inspiration for my bathroom. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I’ve decided to move out of my apartment instead.

Seriously!

I’ve been sick of my bathroom for a while now. Because of all the changes in my life, I feel I need to switch things up. I’d like to repaint, repersonify. My bathroom has a Parisian theme - I hate themes, why did I do that? - so it needs to be brought back down to earth.

Any ideas? I love photos…

Have you wondered where I’ve been? I seem to have dropped off the face of the earth. This blog is usually a place for me to write about happy, pretty, wonderful things, and unfortunately, I haven’t been feeling very wonderful lately.

To briefly explain, my four year relationship has recently ended, and I’ve been in a state of fear, sadness, and limbo. I’m very greatful for the support of friends - both people I know in real-life, and those on-line who have surprised me with their kind words. Thank you to everyone, it means more to me than you could possibly know.

My creativity took a bit of a dive for the past three weeks, but last night I started a ‘Feelings Blanket’ using colours that represent how I’m feeling. It’s an intuitive blanket and I’m using a large granny-square pattern as inspiration. I will be documenting this progress. I also plan to finish some of my WIPs, including an order for a local shop. Redecorate my bathroom. Celebrate my birthday (it was on March 30th, but being a week into the breakup, I did not feel like being happy yet). Purge a lot of my belongings. Do some of the things on my 101 list. Move to Ireland for a few months. Let life happen as it happens.

This is a time of change for me, and another sign that I need to let go of control. Life is aligning itself to force me to do things on my own, so I’m going to follow my intuition and let it lead me where I should go.

I’m going to let myself ‘feel it all.’

These pomegranate-pieces from Etsy inspire me. This treasury was made by someone else, who happens to have the same taste as me. In fact, it has inspired me to redo my logo. No more pink. I’m bringing in red, which has become my favourite colour (especially paired with aqua, which will also be in the logo). I’m still using a bird - this time a local ‘favourite’ - the crow, which I’ve vectorized and turned aqua, and a vectorized pomegranate, too! What do you think?