Lost and Found

[joella]

Hi all,
It's been a funny old year, and I've not been on the forum that much.

I lost my way a bit this year in my silversmithing journey, and try as I might I really struggled to steer a path out of the doldrums. I lost all direction and oomph! This coincided with a real frustration and impatience with myself for not kicking on with my skills, so unable to attain the results I wanted.

I needed to take action - first I went to see the lovely Gill (Phoenix tree) for some one to one tuition in mounting/setting which I loved, and was going to return to do some more, however things went a bit pear shaped at home for a bit, and I didn't get the chance to practice what I had already learned with her, ho hum, never mind, I'll definitely be back in 2018 (if she'll have me)! Then I went on a 3 day course for repousse, and what I learned is that repousse is definitely not for me! But you don't know if you don't try do you? So I was still stuck in the doldrums, that is until a couple of weeks ago, when I saw the Cookson social media competition (hashtagCGChristmas competition) and the Guild of jewellery designers social media competition (hashtag gojdchristmas hamper competition) it felt a bit out of my comfort zone, a bit exposed, but anyway I suddenly had my oomph back, as I started to plan out a few ideas of what I would do, the enthusiasm and energy came rushing back, the competitions focused me again. So whoever actually wins the competitions, I feel like a winner anyway, I've got my enthusiasm back.... hurray

[joella]

I meant to ask, how have others got going again, when they've just come to a stop?

[china]

I had flat spot and the daughter of a very god friend was turning 16, that inspired me to make her a sapphire necklace since the I have been well and truly back into it

[joella]

What a very lucky girl, it seems that sometimes we need something external to get us back in the groove, whether it's the challenge of a deadline or wanting to make something special for someone close. I love the initial designing ideas and honing those into something that might work, and the process then of trying to actually achieve it, but then I can sometimes loose focus towards the end of a project (attention span of a gnat)!

[Dennis]

Welcome back Susie. Fit a Duracell; they just keep going. Dennis.

[joella]

Haha Dennis, always garunteed to make me smile