What Dreams May Come

I just finished the novel What Dreams May Come this morning.  I always loved the movie and suspected that I would love the book even more.  I found this image on another blog that describes the movie, although the blogger confesses to not reading the book yet.  Here is the link to the photo and the blog.  I am using the weather to my advantage and working on my metal projects.  It feels great to spend a whole day engrossed in my projects.  My work becomes a delightful meditation.  It has not been possible for years to create a space such as the one that I am now presently working in as other people and their self interests have blocked my efforts.  For 7 years I lived with a hoarder, that pushed my work space into the realm of dysfunctionalism.  The next two years trying to reestablish my work environment only to watch the deterioration of my tools and equipment.  My work was sporadic and not satisfying.  It was like being thirsty and having no water to quench the feeling.  It was like drowning in stagnant water and not ever being dry...or safe...or content.  It was much like the hell that the character descended to in order to find his beloved and save her from it.  I have fought very hard for my creative space and see many parallels to what both the book and movie What Dreams May Come points to.  I have fought very hard for my artistic soul and suffered much abuse from oppressors along the way.  So if I take a week from this blog and bask in the sunlight of my workshop, realize that I am in my own version of heaven and can not break away from it just yet.  While I am the sort of person that would descend to the debts of hell, and the hells within hells to help my beloved (like Chris in the book and movie), I am not able to stay there for any length of time.  Nor would I choose to remain there when I could not convince my beloved to leave.  My darkest thought is that somehow we were already born in hell, and just don't remember the transition.  And perhaps this dark thought is the very thing that keeps me away from organized religion.  I realize that hell would certainly contain all the organized religions of this earth plane.  As above so below witches say.  But just maybe there is a below that is below...depths that lay below.  I confess I do not know for sure and my actions reflect that possible reality.  I see much evidence of that and if I gave into it I would be making weapons all the time instead of jewelry.  I realize that I have a choice in the matter and always have.  I chose to live with a hoarder, and I chose to leave and live in a less than safe neighborhood and environment in hopes that possibly someday we could reunite.  It was a painful decision that had painful consequences.  If I thought there was no surfacing from it, I am not sure I could have endured it, or revisit it upon occasion.  My soul wishes to create in spite of the negativity directed my way.  So for now that is just what I am going to do...and dear reader I will get back to you.

Here I Come Comfest

I will be at Comfest this weekend and probably will not get to blog again till Monday.  Here is the Hopewell Symbol that becomes part of the Comfest logo every year.  I look forward to replicating it in silver and copper someday, and maybe even in seed beads.  This is painted on my big drum head and is starting to wear off.  The Hopewell design was excavated around the Cincinnati area and I will assume is in a museum somewhere.  Maybe I will see it in person someday.

Nash Hubcap

I am thinking about marketing my vintage Nash hub cap on eBay this coming month and see how many bids I get.  I will be attending Comfest this weekend the whole 3 days thanks to good customers and good sales!  I am not keeping anything of great value in my house as I don't trust my enemies to try to confiscate what I have.  This hubcap looks great on my wall, but with possible garnishment in my future, false arrests, and any number of things that can happen to a person who is disabled with no means to defend herself legally, I just want to be safe and secure.  I have fought long and hard for it, for both me and Syd.  Today I sold both my class rings as they no longer fit me and I needed gas money to get to Comfest.

Comfest 2012

I am hoping to get to Comfest this weekend.  I filed my objection to the magistrates decision in my court case against Nesley today and am confident that there will be a hearing rescheduled in the near future.  I would have filed it in person but won't be in Columbus till Friday.  I can't imagine going from the court house to Comfest anyway, or visa versa.  The two places just do not fit or play together nicely.  The Comfest logo is interesting this year, but it is not my favorite.  I wish I could stay the whole 3 days, but Syd wouldn't like being alone that long.

Home Made Rivet Hammer

I was given a commercial rivet hammer a few years ago for being a volunteer (silversmith assistant) at the Arsenal in downtown Columbus.  Prior to that I made one out of an old punch and part of a burnt up broom handle.  Since I have a real rivet hammer now, I no longer need the old home made one.  The old steel punch and handle can be used for something else that I don't have.  Also of note are the brass brads from a brass hinge and fastener set I have had laying around.  These little brass brads can be used as rivets when I cut off the pointed end and hammer it down.  The Papst Blue Ribbon can was cut into a bow tie and riveted down to a 3"/3" red square that I cut out of a 50 cent serving tray from a thrift store.  This project has had very little cost so far, and I am hoping the rest of it will be recycled and free.  This rivet hammer and brass brads are an example of what my grandmother calls "making do".

Got Black?

I found a great old oversize black recipe box this weekend at the Goodwill store.  I also cut up a ravioli can that will make another couple of squares and bow ties for my metal quilt.  I am still on the hunt for yellow, brown, blue, purple, and orange.  By the end of today I should have 10 of the 42 squares cut out.  But until I get the other colors, I won't rivet them together as I want to spread out the color and texture.

Stones To Work In

Still no saw blades in the mail today.  So my projects on the bench are on hold until I can cut some metal.  In the meantime, I am gathering all my turquoise from my toolboxes, jewelry boxes, and rock collection.  I can pull stones from junk jewelry that I won't ever wear and broken off jewelry that I can't wear.  I cut a few turquoise stones back in the day.  I started out as a stone cutter and moved into silversmithing from that hobby.  It was really just an extension of one hobby into the next progression of hobbies.  There is no sense in keeping this stuff around if I can re-fabricate it and sell it!  I am going to capitalize on my Native American ancestry and try to market it with the new knowledge of my linage.  No telling what I will find when I start digging around in my various tuck away spots.

Monogram For Brenda

Last spring when I started having difficulty with my landlord and X girlfriend, my friend Brenda sent me money in the mail for a monogram silversmithing project.  She only asked that I not put any negativity into it.  You wouldn't think that would be hard to do, but with so much hatred and deception directed towards me I found it almost an impossible request.  You have to know Brenda to understand fully that she would be attuned to negative energy and would not want to possess or touch it.  She wants this to be made into the shape of a old fashoned key that she can wear around her neck.  Today while I was waiting for saw blades, I had some time to find the perfect monogram for this project.  I will start cutting out the pieces tonight or tomorrow as I want her to have it for Comfest this month.  I am confident that any negativity directed my way is deflected back to the sender.  I feel better (physically and mentally) than I have in years.
While I feel there is still much hatred being directed towards me, I am not internalizing it.  I have broken the spell and am putting out some of my best work.  It has taken awhile to get to this place.  Who wouldn't buckle under the kind of ill will that has been sent my way for almost 2 years in August?  Maybe I have moved so many times they are sending it to the wrong place.  I still have no official word from the court as of today but I expect something in the mail by this weekend.  That means Monday I have to get a money order and my objection to put in the mail to the court.  While that is going to be a pain, it is necessary to put all this behind me.  I am grateful to have another opportunity to expose evil to the light!

Stocking The Pond

Each time I come to the library I bring a few books to donate for their ongoing book sale.  I realize that I will not reread most of the books that I have as there are so many other books that I want to read, and "so little time" as well as diminishing space.  I have been thinning out my own collection to make room for something else.  After moving countless times and getting too old to carry heavy book cartons, I realize that I need to lighten my load.  I have observed over the years that the younger generation lacks critical thinking skills (some of the older people lack them as well).  Perhaps it is because critical thinking isn't taught in the schools any more, or that critical thinking skills are in opposition to our consumer based society (mindless consumerism).  At any rate I should not hoard the books that have fed my knowledge.  This is my way of "stocking the pond".  Today I donated The Complete Works Of Shakespeare, a book about Einstein, and Toni Morrison's fictional book Paradise.  Last week I donated the Complete Works Of Edgar Allen Poe.  As I sift and sort through my books and belongings I find that there has been a wealth of material I have retained and even used to my benefit.  Some of it I have reread and found even more gold kernels of knowledge, and some of it is still just as fresh as when I read it the first time around.  Hopefully the soul that buys these old books will appreciate having them as much as I have and will get the pleasure of learning as I have. 

More Quilt Squares

I have eight of the forty two bow tie squares in the works as of this morning.  Also I have another metal textured pizza pan to cut for texture on the bench.  Unfortunately I am out of saw blades till tomorrow morning after the mail runs.  I look forward to adding some baby blue from a Nabisco saltines tin lid I am going to cut up, and will be seeking out black, yellow, orange, and purple to throw into this mix before I start riveting these together.

  I have another feather to make this week, and a turquoise feather ring that I hope will be a marketable project ready to solder together.  The trouble with making rings, is that they have to be sized to fit the customer.  So the one I am making this week will be my size, as I couldn't possibly anticipate the ring size of my prospective future customer.  My design will be unisex and look good on either a man or a woman.  It will be a display piece on my hand unless I am lucky enough to be the size of the future customer.  I would love to make a half dozen of these, but I have to be frugal with my silver these days until I find out what is going on with the court and whether or not I have to pay to file my objection to the magistrates decision.  I am keeping enough gas in the car that I can drive to Columbus to file this objection the same day I get it in the mail (if they ever send it)  The weather is perfect today for working in the studio, so I am anxious to get back to it, and glad I have another day that I don't have to ponder legal matters!

Six Of Forty Two

I have been working hard and having fun with the metal quilt project.  As of this morning, this is what I have.  I found a beautiful red, white, and black bandana pattern on a tray at the thrift store yesterday for a quarter.  The metal tray is perfect for this project.  The cut up beer can is problematic in that it won't stay flat.  I may not use beer or pop cans for that reason here on out.

Beaded Necklace Patterns

I have been researching the patterns of color in coral snakes so that I can make a seed bead necklace in the same pattern to add to my growing Native American jewelry collection.  Of course it is more complex than just a set pattern.  It turns out there are all sorts of them (snakes with those colors).  This is a picture of a milk snake next to a coral snake.  Both patterns will look great in a seed bead necklace and matching feather.  I wouldn't want to have to try to figure out which one of these guys is poisonous and which one isn't in a real life situation.  I guess I would just avoid brother snake altogether and not stick around to marvel at his colors!  Can you guess which is the coral snake and which is the milk snake?  Here is the link with the story.  My surgery didn't happen this morning as I had anticipated.  I was referred to another surgeon and the appointment put off into the future.  Meantime, I can concentrate on the work on my bench.

Four Of Forty Four

It feels good to get the momentum going on the metal quilt project.  As of last night this is what I have completed.  These are four of forty four squares that I need to make for this project.  I have surgery (tumor removed) on Monday and do not know if there will be a blog.  I have been trying not to think about the surgery and so have not written about it in this blog.  Keep your fingers crossed for me dear readers as I do have some fear about this operation.

Studio Cat

Syd my cat just has to get his paw in on this project!  I don't know what I would do without him.

First Panel Of The Metal Quilt

I completed the first panel of the metal quilt yesterday, and started on the second.  Syd has taken to the jewelers bench and likes to play and lay on the pieces of the bow tie!  This panel is 3/3 copper base with a brass bow tie on top.  I will be drumming Sunday morning at The Maynard Ave. Methodist Church and may not be able to blog (library opens late and closes early) depending on what else I might get into in Columbus.  I feel I must check my email everyday to see if I sold my feather on eBay, so for the next 10 days, I will need to come to the library for a few minutes (to check my email) as I don't want to miss out on a possible sale.  The drum performance this Sunday is at the church on Indianola and Maynard (my old neighborhood) and at 9:45 am.  It has been a couple months since I drummed with the Columbus Womens Drum Chorus, so I may be a little rusty.

Feather Necklace On Ebay

I have finally gotten it together to be able to list my feathers on eBay from the local library.  I sold 7 feathers last month to the Flint Ridge Gift Shop and need to sell more if I am to ever recover from the debt I incurred from my 3 moves last year.  If you shop on eBay this would be item # 330745510003.  I am busy in the workshop this week and preparing for the upcoming drum concert this Sunday in Columbus.  I hope to get back here and blog the event as I find out more.  At this point I only know we are playing at a church on Maynard Avenue Sunday morning at 9:45 am.  There can't be that many churches on Maynard, so I know I will be able to find it.  I hope to see some of you there dear readership.  And if you have a little time, check out my eBay auction.  I am very proud to finally be able to put Native American in the title.  Much of the Native American jewelry in the world is made in China.  I have never been so proud to be an American!

Outsourcing Native America

Yesterday I went thrift store shopping for something I could wear this Sunday for my drum performance in Columbus.  I found this wonderful shirt that matches the colors of my drum.  This is a well made garment that I paid $3.50 cents for, but unfortunately was made in China!  I bought it anyway, because I can not get anything better that is more authentic.  It is my hope that in the future I can make genuine artifacts to fill in the void that the Chinese are presently capitalizing on.  After all, if no one is making it here, then why not let someone else make it?  In the meantime in between making feathers and the metal quilt, I have heard from the court and they are going to let me appeal the magistrates decision.  I am thrilled beyond measure today, and feel as though I am walking on air.  I can only imagine the dismay of the plaintiff and her attorney to have their tricks exposed, and their empty victory snatched away from them.  I look forward to exposing my X landlord for the slumlord she is, and perhaps she will realize that she messed with the wrong person this time.  Perhaps her other tenants will take heart, and realize that having an unethical attorney is really a liability.  Thank you dear readers for your patience, good thoughts, and prayers.  You really came through for me.  The library is closed tomorrow until after 1:00pm, and I may be in Columbus by then filing my appeal and checking out the law library.

Syd's New Friend

Syd has a new friend and he/she (won't let me get close enough to inspect) is almost a mirror image of him.  They are both about the same size and they both are guardians of the garden.  No birds in this garden!  Not this year.  Syd has been going out almost every morning and every evening.  He still does not have fleas (since February 18th when I left my sisters house) as I have been treating him with Diatonaceous Earth which was recommended by my friend DD.  It is startling how many people I have told about this product, and how many of them ignore it, even when they say they don't like to use commercial products.  You would think people would want an alternative to poisoning their pet every 3 weeks.

Old Tin

I got a wonderful old coffee tin in the mail today to add to my collection of metal scraps for the bow tie metal quilt.  It is going to be hard to cut this one up.  I still have yet to hear anything official from the court.  I have objected by email to the clerk of courts and am hoping someone will get back to me.  I have decided to spend the $20 I would need to file the objection on silver feather supplies as I believe the time to file the objection has expired.  They couldn't beat me legitimately it seems, so they had to resort to tricking me into not appearing.  At any rate, I don't have time to play games with them and I need to put my resources elsewhere.  I can only imagine that someone else will have to teach Nesley Thomas her lesson.  Hopefully she will get what is coming to her.

Objecting The Magistrates Decision

It looks as though I will be traveling to Columbus today or tomorrow to file an objection to the magistrates decision in my case.  Somehow even though Nesley's attorney asked for a continuance and it was granted, they made a decision in favor of the plaintiff on May 3rd.  I have yet to see any documentation to that effect from the court.  I found out by corresponding with the court through email.  I had called both the plantiff's attorney and the court and was told the continuance had been granted, so I do not understand how this matter was decided.  It will cost me $20 to appeal, but I am confident that Nesley violated the Fair Housing Laws of Ohio and should be held accountable for such.  I need metal smithing supplies anyway so I can make a day of it...maybe even get some freegeek time in for my future computer.