THANK YOU cards

These days, I feel like I am working on such a variety of things - just like I've always dreamed my work-life could be. I am thankful for the myriad of inspiration that comes from working at different scales and materials ... and products. A very dear friend of mine gave birth to her second son the day before Mother's Day. I had designed her some flat thankyou cards years ago when her first son was born and reused that same graphic on these folded thank yous that I brought her on my last visit before the birth. Probably not best to say that I like this folded version better than the original ... so I'll say that they are perfectly of their time. Which reminds me of a quote that was posted in the office of my son's montessori school director: "Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life." -Omar Khayyam

back from maternity "leave"

When you work from home, and give birth at home, a maternity leave seems a silly thing to call it. The only thing that I really seem to have left is this blog....but it takes time to do all the things that one should when you have a baby, and when you transition into the new old routines again. It all takes time, which doesn't leave much for blogging. I won't go into too much detail, but I will say that I had an amazing second birth experience - one that I couldn't have imagined making happen a year ago when I first found out I was pregnant again. My first son's birth happened to me. My second son's birth transformed me. Veli Hanka arrived at 10:16am the morning of December 26th after six hours of smooth, natural labor. Our second boy was born in our basement, in a birthing tub, next to a roaring fire. The Japanese try to avoid fours ... but so far my little family of four is very harmonious - it's like he allows everything to fall into place. Veli - (sounds like belly) - means 'brother' in Finnish and 'guardian' in Turkish. Hanka is my mother's maiden name and the surname of my late grandfather who passed just over a year ago.

The last three and a half months, during the snowiest winter Minnesota has seen in years, have been spent laying low at home and getting used to new routines. I tried to refrain from jumping back into work until the 3 month mark, but I failed. Luckily (and possibly because of the fact that) I work from home! One project that I tackled within the first couple weeks was to design these THANK YOU cards. My husband took the photograph and I designed the cards to fit a specific envelope that I have and use often. I wanted the card to provide a space for a written note but also allow the thank you to be visible right away . The layout also allows people to save just the photo element that has his name and birth details included on the back side. With the immediacy of facebook, we didn't send out an official birth announcement, but I considered changing the thank you to 'welcome' and that would have worked as a great for that, too.

OK .... ok ....

I think it is about time to admit that I am not able to keep up with my normal-self's workload with this baby growing inside of me. When it was other outside sources of distraction, I could more easily ignore them in order to get the work done or take a quick break to reflect (blog) on the progress I was making. But, when I try to do too much, my body literally will not give me that quick break to reflect (blog) ... instead I find myself out cold in an afternoon nap, or worse yet, just sitting ... unable to move from exhaustion. I exaggerate a little - but really only a little.



With this blog, I've tried to keep it as much about my work, creative process and business-related events as possible. But again, my hormones have pulled much of my mental focus to more motherly concerns. My first born is a kindergartner - his first time in a structured social environment since he was born (no daycare, no preschool) which means it is also the first time that I've really had to start letting go. I experienced the initial twang of emotion on those first days of school and I've worried my fair share about how he would do socially, would he find friends, what if someone was mean to him etc. Generally my concern has been for not. He is adjusting so beautifully that I couldn't be more proud.



I mention these things here, now - because I believe that design and creativity stems from one's own experiences and perspective. Even in the most accessible design, there is something of the designer's person contained within it. I am trying to keep this perspective right now and hope to be fabulously surprised by the content and direction that will come from this period of time.

One of the things that fascinates me most about design is the amazing power that even the smallest variables can have on a finished piece. Architecture is BIG and there are so many decisions to make. While the number of design decisions diminishes when you consider the scale of a piece of jewelry or personal accessory, the impact of each move does not. I have been revisiting some old ideas -- back-tracking up the path, if you will -- in order to bring new life to certain pieces in my collection for Fall & Winter. The differences are subtle but they present a completely different perspective ... of maturity and growth and warmth.

WINTER 2010/11: wood, sandblasted acrylic, oxidized silver, rich colors of wool and leather.

Inspiration and Prototypes

After a super slow start to the year (where I found myself dilly-dallying around because I didn't want to fall back into the same crazy overwhelming sort of routine that ended the last decade)(and where my son has been documenting his thoughts and the world more beautifully than i could have imagined {turtle,elephant,tiger}) I have surprisingly entered a major inspirational and creatively productive period. I think it is in part due to the fact that I will be taking part in the VOLTAGE fashion show again this year, which allows me to give myself more freedom to explore some of (what I tell myself are) the less practical ideas that are floating around in my head. I have filled more pages in my sketch book in the past 2 weeks than I did all last year... using drawing to get ideas on paper, but then immediately allowing myself to spend some time figuring out how to physically make it work. It is an exhilarating experience to go through the design process...to be creatively active on a daily basis is really working for me. The last half of 2009 had me focussing on other sorts of creativity, but not creating. And, of course I still have to take care of all the other less creative work, too - but it's like I'm releasing natural endorphins into my brain with the simple act of testing out my ideas. I haven't been exercising as much as I'd like to, but this creativity is having the same effect on me as a good run...well maybe not on my legs! (note to self: come back and read this entry when I hit my slump...which is bound to happen sometime in the future)

So on Tuesday I took part in a VOLTAGE preview show for press and retailers and I got to see some of my prototypes on models, with my designer's clothes, in a show. I was happy with them and I can't wait to get back to refining the details of these pieces -- and to expand on the collection for the show in April. I'll share a couple things now and some others a bit later.... Again, keep in mind they are prototypes....

COIL bracelets

FLEX bracelet

"down" time

where does one start after the long stretch of "holiday" ... it is sunday night and tomorrow should be my first real day back in our routine, but the winter storm of sickness has hit and means my son will home again tomorrow {this time his grandmother is the one who is sick.} it makes me think about the concept of "down time" and what that really means in my world. i'm not sure if i should blame it on my own personality, or if it is a result of being a homeowner or even more so because i am a wife/mother, but i find it hard to do nothing. it might be that i fear one moment of doing nothing could result in a long period of doing nothing, or simply that in my mind there is always something to be done. if i sit down, my mind floods with a mental list of all the things i could be doing or should be doing ... or i begin to rationalize with myself, "if i am going to sit and watch this movie with everyone i should at least knit while doing so." this rational helped me produce a few handmade christmas gifts that i couldn't more proud of: SOCKS for my husband, my brother and my son. i learned to knit {basic knit and pearl} when i was an exchange student in finland back in 1995 and have knit many flat things: a blanket and scarves {some of which have never been completed} as well as some simple hats knit in the round. my live-in knitting coach {finnish house-mate} found a simple sock pattern for me and ... I FOLLOWED IT!!! and then made my own adjustments to the pattern and tried a shorter pair and then a scaled-down pair. i even made a tiny pair for a friend's 8 month old. pretty fun and very exhilarating ..................... and relaxing during my down time.

the other side

the past month+ has been one of the most hectic times of my adult life. i am anticipating the utter relief that i am going to feel on monday morning when i bring the last* two submittals {for my dad} to FedEx - my last major deadline before i can focus on getting ready to relax for the holidays.

i took monday off last week to spend the entire day with my son. we made christmas cookies and peered out through the frosty windows at the frigid snowy weather we've been having. it was a good day after having been away from him for 7 days straight. it gave me a glimpse at the light on the other side of this busy spell and the hope of being able to grab the reigns a bit.


perhaps the hardest part of being so busy is that so much of what is happening right now is good and exciting and promising for more good things to come.* it is hard to be a working mother who has to work but who also enjoys what i am doing so much. it is hard to find the right balance, to judge which sacrifices are worth making.... and while lessons are learned with every experience -{ and that ultimately is a worthwhile outcome }- experiences just for lessons' sake can seem frivilous when it takes me away from the 3 year old boy who is growing-up faster and further from my womb by the minute. he took this picture of me this weekend. i love it ... but it also makes me sad .....

breaking the "rules"

for whatever reason, i have tried to keep this blog about my jewelry and making ... separating the personal & mom-stuff into different blogs. (perhaps my perceived need to keep things "professional" -- perhaps silly???)

well, when i saw this stack of cookies over at assemblage (half a world away) i couldn't help but get excited ... first to make the cookies (lucky girl, me!) and second because it gives me a reason to talk about my rekindled desire to make food from scratch, to eat in my home, and to not eat out or take-out so much. i find the same sense of pride in the food that i've been making as i do in my jewelry. it's not that my meals are anything out of the ordinary - just that there is something about taking individual ingrediants and putting them together to make a nuorishing meal that is akin to making an object - to designing. beyond that, though, it satisfies a small part of the need in me to feel like a good mom -- basic, old-fashioned, and real.....

this morning i took an extra 45 minutes to stop at the playground before dropping my boy off at his grandmother's house......he rejuvinates me.

head down - preparations.....

i have been busy catching-up with architecture work and trying to find the appropriate balance between my making and my work/job and motherhood and taking care of myself. i suppose all women strive for this balance - it is an on-going process.

i've also been preparing for an artist demo/talk at the American Craft Council show in St. Paul this weekend. it is the only ACC show not on a coast, and while it is not as big as the one in Baltimore - i am quite honored to have been asked to take part in the show in my home-town's twin-city. For those of you in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area who plan to attend the show, please stop by for my presenation. i will be there on saturday - april 19th - from 3:00pm-4:00pm. wish me luck!