Internet.

I have an on an off relationship with the internet. There are times , happy times where I give in and do everything I am supposed to do, I list things in the site, my facebook  fan page is filled with content and then I also  get caught in the cyberspace looking at beautiful images,reading for hours,you know those hours that leave us a little bit guilty.

There are also seasons where I look at her over my shoulders (I think it’s a she) and feel distant and I don’t want to touch the computer, I feel trapped and little speeches are born inside my head where I justify why I shouldn’t be online, even when sometimes it is part of work…

This comes and goes and it has been the same for a few years now, first it was love at first sight  but over time the magic of the beginning faded and sometimes it feels afixiating.

Oh we have built something, without her help my story would be very different and like with any old friend, I am not planning to go completely away anytime soon, but let me tell you  sometimes I feel the need to open a window, breath and go back to those older times where we had no necessity of being in front  of a screen…

Piero Fornasetti tema et variazoni

Sunday.

       I started Sunday with a big breakfast, then the jewelry started lining up to have their photo taken and get into the shop..

They usually behave very well..

I had to take a lot of photos and was trying new things, over in the beach..

Using pebbles and a grey background..

I ended up taking 555 photos and then sitting down to go one by one, edit some erase like 400 (( I know))  and finally announce it on Facebook which was a bit unexpected thank you for all the likes and sweet comments.

 

 

I worked on it all day yesterday and well still have a lot to do, today is about sketching I have 3 custom orders waiting for drawings,photos of stones and ideas and later going to the post office  to deliver two pieces, hopefully I will also list some of the items I still have pending.

 

Feels good to  have the shop open , to have a Monday filled with work.

To be honest with you this is what I missed to be excited about the next time I sit in the bench.  

My dreams are still intact.

Hello!

This post will be kind of random, but quite honest and something I think is important for me to write, mostly because it has to do with my work.

I moved  to Spain 6 months ago, time flies and this last week I realized a lot of things about the way I behave, I am a seeker by nature, I like goals, and running, fighting for them, I have so many plans and so many ideas it can be overwhelming at times and it becomes hard to do just that one thing.

I think every now and then it is important, to take a vacation.

Not the margarita in your hand and the sand in your feet kind of vacation, but a vacation from your mind, a little while to clean and arrange, I see it as a big room filled with things, that closet that you stuff and stuff things in and can’t open the door because it will all fall off on top of you.

I need time to put some shelves, to sweep and arrange it all, how? I need time for myself, I need time to discover my new home, to find new favorite places, to go for infinite walks without thinking I have to be in the post office at 5.

I love making jewelry, I am not afraid to admit that I need to make jewelry too, when I sit down to work the world stops, nothing is more important than what my hands are doing in that moment, how this wire is bent, how something fits, details, when I am not working I feel a little empty.

As of late I’ve been working a lot and I mean a LOT, and the mornings are not what they used to be, how scary when things become stressful, and I know, I know stress in work, “Wow! welcome to the world Nat” but hey! if I can change it, I will and I need to take some time to fall in love with my work again, to pour into it without any pressure, I need it to make a living, it is my only income, so taking my “Vacation” is literally a gift to myself, without thinking of next week, without thinking of what will happen as hard as that might be, I think for me to love what I do is the most important thing, I don’t want it to become something shallow, if you purchase something from me I would like it to mean something for both of us, for me when making it, for you when wearing it.

I could tell you so many stories of people asking me to make something specific, they don’t give me a design but a story, and that is a beautiful thing, jewelry not just as a plain adornment but jewelry as a reminder, as a memory as something special and meaningful to you.

That is the jewelry I want to make, and that is why I need time.

My shop will be closed for a little while, but  I will be making jewelry, so you will certainly see some here or in Facebook.

Thank you for reading!

December,chocolate addiction, too many beads, new work and perfect coffee, 2012

I started the first day of the year like this…

Yesterday I got some Costa Rican coffee and was like Gollum from LOTR, waiting for the morning for a cup of my “precious” coffee.. this you see here is the typical Costa Rican way of making it, boiling water is just poured in, this particular way makes the whole house smell like coffee, brings memories of childhood, of trips around the country when you feel incredibly happy to find a place they pour coffee on the table for you..I could seriously go on..

While having my coffee I decided to write a little about these last few days

I spent December moving stuff into my house…

Arranging and arranging, buying little zip lock bags, boxers, arranging, by color, by type.. arranging the tools, hanging photos on the walls, making this place my own.

Then by the middle of the month a wave of food came by, and I had no choice but to eat it all…

I just love trying new food and one of the great things about living in another country is discovering all kinds of favorite things..

Plus I’m extremely lucky, H. likes to cook and he makes beauties like this..

If you want to see more photos look at this album..

But to be honest with you I had way too many of these platters in front of me and they are the ones responsible of me stepping out in the cold streets and running every other day.

Little by little I am getting ready for my shop to open, making some new pieces,  I apologize ahead for the poor quality of the photo but I took it right after finishing  tonight.

 

2011 was a year of many lessons, which I will not take for granted, as for this new year, all I want is health, make the best jewelry that I can, seeing more of Spain, and always remembering what really is important and living as humble as I can, being grateful for the opportunities life gives us every day..

2011 was a year of sacrifices, 2012 will be one of enjoying everything around me.

As much as I love changes and places, today I can tell you I am happy where I am , with who I’m with and what I am doing, and not having that self-pressure of “What’s next?” is  the best feeling I’ve ever had.

Running away..

 

These last few weeks I’ve had a need of running away from everything, yes, everything.. even jewelry, that’s why things have been quiet around the blog,shop,facebook.etc..

I am quite stubborn, and usually when things don’t go as planned, I am embarrassed to admit, I feel annoyed, like crying, like not doing anything, and whine,Oh! yes I whine… but then after I am done letting it all out, I come back to my senses,think of the good things and start planning again, thinking what could I do for my business, for time to go by faster…

Why am I sad? Right now I was meant to be in Spain, H and I have worked so hard,but there is still so much to do, so we can have everything we need over there, going to Guatemala was hard, but moving to another continent, uff is proving to be a whole other deal..we need to wait a little longer.

The future will be wonderful and is almost here, but sometimes there is a bit of desperation when something you want is so close, yet so far.

I have been taking some time for myself..

There was a quick visit to the farm, which was particularly beautiful this time of year..

Let me give you a tour of the garden.

It’s been raining a lot in the city, there was a tropical storm.. over here 6hours away, it was sunny with very little rain, just enough to make everything bloom..

 

We call these “Mamon chino” in Costa Rica, but found out is called a Wild Rambutan in english, anyways right now they are everyyyywhere and I could eat a thousand of them…

 

The colors are so beautiful, funny how I can wander in this place for so long, looking at all the flowers,

 

at all the leafs..

 

And always find something new..

Don’t these look like the stripes where drawn on them?

Grapefruit!

 

 

This tree has dozens of pink bells..

 

 

Little corners..

Walking on moist grass, the smell of earth, the hugs of my brothers, smiles,

and my grandma making tortillas of course.

When I feel like running away, I run away to my home, more than enough to give me that much needed boost..

Hopefully tomorrow I will have some jewelry to show, this blog needs it

Buenas Noches!

A peek of the madness…

It’s been a while now since I’ve blogged, used facebook anything!

I feel my poor shop is been neglected, no new items for a while nothing!

But again I am testing myself I have never never ever had this many pieces in stock.. I got 74 completely done and some that are still in the making.

From today on I have exactly 10 days to make jewelry, all I can for the fair (if you don’t read this blog the fair lasts 10 days that’s why I’m going crazy) I am getting so excited I just what this to begin already!

Well I wanted to show you some of the stuff I’ve been working on..

My little ladies.. I have to make some more of them.. to think I almost didn’t bring them.

I’m making rings with different stones…

Some of my trippy flowers…

.. and regular flowers..

Some pendants with different stones..

Some cute small pendants…

And the spores collection ..

Double rings these are the big ones…

And I made some smaller ones, and some pinky rings coz they are cute

Variations..

I made 2 sets and several pairs of earrings which I think I will offer polished too

Longer earrings and a pendant with jade in it.. the stand is going to be separated in collections this one goes in the nature one

And that’s it I’m not going to spam you even more with pictures!! haaa I can’t take pictures of each thing I’ve made but I will be back with more!

Have to run now!

Adieu

Would you like a free pendant?

I was out all day yesterday and got home to find a pretty awesome number in my site! 700 sales!!!!

And I wanted to find a very direct way to give thanks..

- To those who have purchased my jewelry
- To those who comment on my photos
- To those who send me encouraging notes

To you that are right now reading this.

So how’s the deal?

Here’s what you get and how:

You will receive one of my best sellers the ” Tea Time” pendant ($36) made from sterling silver featuring a lovely 7mm freshwater pearl.

For you, your girlfriend, mom or anyone you choose!

To enter all you have to do is leave me a quote in the comment section of this event. Your favorite quote, a quote you found in a book , quote you just made up any

To join just click  HERE

First fair and using facebook to apply pressure to myself ha!

I’m going to my first fair ever..it’s a design fair and I am so excited, I just got the news this week!

The fair will be held in a really nice Hotel in July .. I’ll give you more details later

I usually never have over 10 pieces with me in my workshop, I usually make things as they sell .. Sometimes people tell me like ” ohh can I come over and see your pieces” … and  I have noooothing but my own jewelry which are mostly pieces that I don’t even wear but are precious to me in a way and are hidden like my treasure..

I don’t even have displays for the fair!

Soooo in order to apply a bit of pressure to myself I want to make 50 at least and I made an album on my facebook page to upload all the pictures of the pieces of the fair.. to me it’s insane to have 125 fans and I’ve been getting messages about the fair so its like WORK !

Like I wrote over there that way also i can get a bit of feedback and see what pieces work better

I’ve been working on larger pieces like Martirio, and this is the kind of route I want to take..

I am VERY excited and well mostly because it’s something new, somehting for me to learn from and who knows maybe if this one goes well I might start going to other fairs..

Adieu!