Perfectly Imperfect Right Now

Work in process.  Just in time for Valentine's Day,
these necklaces will be making their way to the galleries who represent my work..

Anyone who knows me quickly learns of my love of the hunt.  I was the kid who couldn't resist stuffing my pockets to capacity with any number of things that I deemed to be special.  Pretty rocks...check.  Lucky pennies...you betcha.  Rusty washers...only if they're good ones.  And they're ALL good ones.

As an adult, I've honed this behavior to an art.  And while my penchant for both found and purchased wabi-sabi treasures has served me well as a mixed media jewelry artist, there's also a fine line between "collector" and "hoarder".

These amazing pottery hearts are a shining example of what I mean.  It was love at first sight for me.  They're perfectly imperfect and what character.  I could think of a million ways that I'd be able to use them in my work.  I had to have them.  And if one was good, more was definitely better.

When I brought them home and unwrapped them, I loved them even more.  So...instead of immediately transforming them into fabulous wearable art, I kept them all to myself.  I moved them from place to place in my studio.  I lost them.  And I found them.  Probably several times over. 

This year, it's my personal mission to no longer save my treasures for the perfect project, the perfect piece, or the perfect time to use them.  There'll be no more acquiring treasures for the pure pleasure of craftily stashing them in my studio.  Instead, I'll begin to rediscover and appreciate all that I already have, and I'll use it to my full advantage.  In work and in life, this seems like a good philosophy to live by.

Something Old...Something New...

The Cover of Southern Weddings Magazine, Volume 5

I'm thrilled to announch that my "Bless Your Heart" Collection 

has been featured in

"Southern Weddings, Volume 5". 

 

This publication is pure eye candy from cover-to-cover. 

For those in a wedding planning chapter of their lives, it's an a must-read magazine, and the rest of us will find 

page after page of inspiration for graceful and romantic living. 

It doesn't get any better than that!   

Solid Brass Bless Your Heart Pendant from The Bless Your Heart Collection.
Please email jeanskipper@jeanskipper.com to purchase this piece, cuff bracelets,
copper pendants, and other custom creations.



Memories of Ocracoke and Books to Be Red

The porch at Books To Be Red is a warm and welcoming sight.

In November, before Mom came home to us, Ken and I were able to sneak away for a few glorious days in The Outer Banks.  We ferried from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke, and we visited a few of our favorite people and places on the way to the Hatteras Ferry. 

Books to Be Red, and our friends there, are always at the top of our list, and it was an added treat to see the work of some of our other artist-friends featured there.  A few of their creations are shown below; but somehow I forget to take a photo of my own collection.  :-) If you haven't visited Books to Be Red, you're missing an a treasure!  An Independent Bookseller... with the friendliest folks you can imagine... AND fabulous artsy finds.  In my book it doesn't get much better than that. 
 

A School of Mary's Funky Fish



Flying Pig Pottery by Suzanne Rehbock

  

Hoo created those amazing owls?!?!  Jodi Ohl, of course. 

 

Flour sack tea towels....love! Love! LOVE!!!

  

Coastal themed tea towels and the chicks shown above
made a perfect Christmas gift from Ken!

As always, the time passed too quickly, and we're hoping for a much longer visit in 2013.

"Something" Is Better Than "Nothing"

 

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." ~ Carl Sagan

Swan Quarter, North Carolina, November 2012

For weeks, in my head, I've been writing my "end-of-the-year-blog-post-that-exceeds-my-wildest-expectations-of-all-that-a-blog-post-should-be".  It explains where I've been and all that my family's been through in 2012.  It paves the way for my return to real life, my studio, my online world, social groups, galleries, and art shows.  In my minds eye, the post itself is an amazing work of art.  It's revealing, entertaining, and sentimental...with a touch of the humor thrown in for good measure.

In my mind I've also been composing a "new-year-fresh-start-new-beginnings-post" for 2013.  It's equally amazing.  On this point, you'll have to trust me, as neither post has gone beyond the realm of my own imagination. 

Perhaps that's exactly as it should be.

Today, in conversation with a dear friend who's been struggling in a similar manner, I verbally committed to writing "Something" today on my blog.  As I explained to her, in this instance "Something" has to be better than "Nothing".

In our quest for perfection we sometimes lose sight of that.

Here's to more "Somethings" in 2013.  And to the realistic expectations that will allow us to enjoy them in all of their glorious imperfection. 

 

Happy New Year!