merry happy christmas anniversary

"Tears are words that need to be written." ~ Paul Coehlo.  that's such a great quote, isn't it?  it's very apropos at the moment, too.  you see, today marks exactly ten years since i entered widowhood.  my husband passed away just 4 years into our marriage (ouch) and left me with three kids to raise on my own.  christmas has never been the same ever since and i've become more and more disenchanted with the very thought of it as the years have passed.  then there's my, er, wobbly household. seven living, breathing beings reside under one smallish roof, all with some degree of personality disorder. haha.  i admit, the mix does allow for some entertaining and humorous banter, but the clash of personalities can also cause thunderous rifts.  it's tricky, for sure.  adding to that, i've been dealing with the very real possibility of a valued friendship fading away.  heartbreak like no other, right there.

so those are my written tears, a portion of them anyway.  thanks, Paul Coehlo, for the inspiration.

~~~~~ ***** ~~~~~ 

while i'm here i'll offer a peek of what's new from the JMO studio.  i've had my hands in clay lately, and i am LOVING it.  oh, the possibilities!  i created these musical notes with a cookie cutter, air dry clay, paper, glue and varnish.  they will either be strung together like garland or bunting, or each may hang separately.  i haven't decided yet.

and with that same clay i've also been doing a little sculpting.  this here is Penny Ann, she's about 90% complete.  i'm kicking around the idea of giving her a body, though i really love her just the way she is.  she was lovingly created by sculpting air dry clay around a styrofoam ball, has glass eyes, a crochet beret (handmade by moi), and her hair is silky soft hand dyed Wenslesydale locks.  artist's pencils were used to apply her 'makeup.'

also working on sample patterns for the first ever JMO Collection ~ Summer 2013.  i can't divulge many details on that project just yet (sorry), but here's a look at one of the pieces in development.  almost the entire collection will be crocheted, with macrame and beaded accents added.  i am REALLy excited about this project and will share more details as soon as i can!

well, that's it for now.  may the coming year bring you all peace, love and harmony.  until next time...
~jean

getting back to the business of blogging

well hello there! long time no see. last time i wrote a blog post i swore i would be more consistent with posting. well, that hasn't worked out too well now has it? i've renewed my vow to blog more often, and this time i mean it! besides, i've got so many thoughts and ideas rolling around my brain that i absolutely must empty it out to make room for more thoughts and ideas. i originally was going to abandon this here blog in favor of blogging on the official JMO website but decided to stick it out here for the time being. it's not a bad idea to spread JMO all around the world wide webs after all. so let the blogger blog revival begin with a tiny peek at what's been happening in my little crafty corner of the world.

 #1. my new studio is about 90% complete. i installed new flooring, painted the walls, and moved all supplies/inventory in. there's still some organizing and light carpentry to be done, but the space is now the central hub for all things JMO. here's a look at my nice, clean worktable:

#2. after a hiatus of well over a year i'm reopening my Survivor Arts Etsy shop on November 18, 2012, which just happens to be my birthday! i've changed direction with this shop and will now offer hand sculpted clay pieces of a more personal nature. they are the art of this survivor of domestic violence, and each piece will contain my thoughts, memories, fears, and triumphs during a most difficult period in my life. healing therapy if you will. take a peek at one of the prototypes for this project:

#3. i've been spending lots of quality time with my trusty camera lately as Photography Manager for the Alsip (IL) Youth Football & Cheerleading organization. both my tween son and daughter partake in football and cheer and my last nine weekends have been spent snapping pics of them and their teammates. it's more work than i could have ever imagined, but so dang fun! we've now entered post season play with only one of our levels advancing to the second round of playoffs...my son's team lost in the first round *sniff*...so my photographic managerial duties will soon be coming to a bittersweet end. i'll miss the excitement of being on the field with the teams but i'll now have much more time to create. this is just one of about 3000 pics i shot this season:

there's lots more to share, but it's late and i need my beauty sleep. heh. blogging again feels good, so expect to see more updates more often. until then, keep peace in your mind and love in your heart. ~jean