Junk Drawer Jewelry

I'm taking a class at the DIY Lounge at Collage (a really cool art/paper store in Portland) called Junk Drawer Jewelry taught by Bridget Benton. Its a basic jewelry class incorporating junk, hardware store finds, stamping, inks and whatever into cool jewelry. The instructor is a fun girl, helpful and knowledgeable. I went Wednesday night and had a blast. I made a bracelet and this pendent. I need to decide how to hang it but I think it's pretty cool. Next week we are going to make stuff with bicycle tire inner tubes.

I'd really like to learn to make jewelry and am buying books like a mad woman. I've been looking into taking some metalsmithing classes but for some reason, I'm kinda scared. Its the usual nonsense, you know "what if everybody else knows what they are doing" "what if I really suck at it" "what if I catch my hair on fire with the torch" LOL So for now, I'm sticking with cold connections and just trying our assemblage inspired work. It sure is fun, and you'll never go to the hardware store the same again.

Paralysis

I think I spend more time cleaning and organizing my studio than actually working on art. In fact, I KNOW it! Is that a bad thing? I actually love touching and sorting out all my treasures. All those pristene sheets of paper, full tubes of paint and sparkly piles of beads. How can I mess them up? Maybe that's the root of the problem. If I actual use my treasures to create something, maybe it won't be any good, maybe my things are prettier or more valuable in their original state???? When I take classes, I am forced to sit down and DO something. In reality, it's almost always a good result. Why is it so scary to face that quiet studio, so full of potential? I actually found myself cleaning baseboards today when I could have been making art. Am I psycho or what?
This blog is my first baby steps toward putting myself out in the world as an artist, not as a stay-at-home mom who makes 'stuff'. Not that there is anything wrong with being a stay-at-home mom who makes 'stuff' but I have been hiding behind that label too long. I am hoping the tiny pressure of keeping up this blog with kick me into creating more regularly. If you have any good advice, feel free to offer it up.