GROWING MORE LOVELY

Minova handmade silk flower centered with dozens of crystal quartz gemstones.

If you were to look around my studio you would see new projects in various stages alongside orders. Often times when I am working on an order I come to that fork in the design road where I have a new idea but I must first finish what I am working on before I can begin. Those ideas I quickly jot on a piece of paper that I always have near. This paper inevitably becomes saturated with my thoughts and goes into a neat stack to be reviewed when new styles are to be chased. Upon catching up with orders my attention goes to these new ideas and this process repeats over and over.

You might also see the remnants of some trials that did not turn out the way I had planned. These pieces, such as a silk chiffon that turned out a completely unintended shade of pink in a dye lot are put away for the future. It still has a purpose, even though I am not yet sure what that is. Various materials that I have acquired are also waiting for their turn in the sun. I still have a studio bouquet that I wish to create but it is so much more fun to create for as many people as possible so that has yet to come to light.

I write this to illustrate something. This is the time of year where a lot of people reflect on what they want to accomplish in this brand new year ahead. Perhaps you may look at your own projects that are in a state of wait or the things that did not work out as planned. To me, these are the badges of attempt. The first and most important step to reaching your goals. I wonder if, by focusing on what we want to do, it stops us from stepping back just for a quick moment and looking at what we have done. All these beautiful moments of triumph that are paving the way to our goals that lie ahead. Each success a potential budding limb on our tree of experience. Growing as we grow, becoming ever stronger and more lovely. Goals are wonderful, never stop striving and above all, take a little moment during the New Year celebrations and resolutions to see how far you have come.