In my blog titled Gone and Back Again I stated that if I ever found balance, I would blog about it. Well, four years later, I obviously have not found complete balance, but I have been working on it. My most recent effort started after a conversation with my husband, Bo. It was April 2016 when the weather had warmed up just enough to start hanging out on the porch in the evenings. While sitting in our rocking chairs, Bo asked me, “What will it take to get you in the studio making jewelry on a regular basis?”

Now this was a loaded question.  At the time, I had a week-long jewelry class scheduled in May to learn another metal working technique, yet I had not been in my studio in nearly a year. I had committed to building my skills, but not to applying them. I worked (and still do) full time at a non-jewelry making job. I had a garden that needed planted then weeded. I had all this stuff to do. I had good excuses…I just had no time. Or I had no self-discipline!

Although it was a loaded question, I answered immediately, “I need to have my jewelry in a gallery.” So I did just that. The next week I went to a little gallery on South Elm Street in Greensboro, North Carolina called Elements Gallery. I walked in and asked, “Are you looking for any jewelers?” I don’t know if the stars were aligned that day or if I finally noticed this cool gallery that had been there all along, but I was accepted as a new artist member of the local artists co-op. I began selling my original designs.

I have a reason to be in my studio on a regular basis now…sudden self-discipline! I have a commitment to Elements Gallery and my jewelry. Once I was back in the studio I realized that all my classes on metal working techniques had paid off. Designs sketched out on paper for years were being created as the next item for the gallery. I have found the balance between my day job and the studio. However, my next task is balancing how often I blog…more often than every four years!

Please check back soon…I promise there is more to come! Bibba