“It’s all in a days’ work.” Well … two days I guess.
I spent the weekend focusing on what some would consider ‘work’. After Friday’s events, it was very hard for me to be my usual positive self. I know a lot of you feel the same. How does one cope with the senseless of what had occurred? I just don’t understand it.
I decided that the best way for me to deal with myself and my own demons was to try to re-focus on something positive. The past week was incredibly busy, and I had lots of wood orders to fill. Also, Keith and I are planning another update for the site and I am determined to have another scroll saw pattern available for that. I had began drawing one last week and hoped to finish it up shortly.
I had planned to cut the wood orders on the weekend anyway, and I got all the supplies I needed to do so here and ready to go. In between cutting (in the quiet hours of the evening and morning) I continued to refine my drawings so they would also be ready to cut. I had initially planned to cut on Monday, but yesterday Keith was out for the day and I had the place here to myself. I decided to go ahead and get as far as I could at the saw, and hopefully complete everything at once. That way I could get back to designing soon, as I have more painting and other patterns that I still want to create.
I always say that the scroll saw is like therapy for me, and this time was no different. With my cordless headphones and favorite music playing, I spent another day at the saw, cutting and creating. It did make me feel better, as when I cut, I try to imagine my customers and the joy they will get out of my wood pieces and designs. I always try to think that if I can bring one smile to someone during the day, than my day went well. I hope that this weekend’s work would bring many smiles, both to those who love to create and also the recipients of their work. It was soothing to think so.
Here is a photo of what my kitchen table looks like this morning:
Unlike the piles I may have shown in the past, each piece in this batch was cut singly, not stacked, except the little sheep. It was a great deal of work and marvelous therapy for me.
By the time everything was cut and sanded, it was nearing 11pm. I usually quit by nine, as a courtesy to my landlord, but I knew they were out until later in the evening so I wanted to finish everything up. When I was done, I was exhausted, but I felt good. I was too weary to be sad and my thoughts were back again in a positive place.
I am pretty happy with the new ornaments. I will call them SLD519 Damask Locket Ornaments.
They aren’t finished yet of course, but I will do that and take better photos for tomorrow’s post.
As usual, I will be offering more than one version in the pattern packet. Besides the version with the center motif, I think that these 'locket’ ornaments would be splendid with a photograph in them. Don’t you agree? I will have some better examples in tomorrow’s post.
They still need to be sprayed and embellished, too. This is just the raw, dry wood you are looking at. I think they will look amazing when they are finished. The lighter wood is curly maple and the darker wood is cherry.
While focusing my attention on other things doesn’t make the problems of the world go away, for me, it helps. I look upon my job and my life with meaning. While creating pretty things may seem trivial to some, to me it is much like therapy. For I would rather add something beautiful to this world than something ugly. Hopefully my art and designs can illicit positive emotions in others and make them smile. As long as I can contribute that to our world, it will be a good day.
There is far more good in our world than evil. There are just days when the evil ones are louder, demand more attention, and are center stage. While it is very disheartening to the majority of people who are caring and compassionate, we can’t allow it to bring us down. For each story of sadness and pain there are hundreds of quieter, untold stores of love and compassion. We just need to look a little harder to see them.
May your hearts be peaceful.
via Tumblr http://davidpires578.tumblr.com/post/133336883129
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