Sparklies...

I splashed through the puddles while rain poured down on me, making my way to the front door of my house. Once inside there is a fat brown package with my name on it waiting on the table. EEEK! Sparklies! These are from my favorite sender. Still weighed down with my work bag, I snatch up the package and hobble through my living room while tearing it open.
Yay! While I enjoy doing lots of things, haircutting, writing, running etc… few things have made me this crazy happy in my life. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how all this got started. I remember something telling me to visit a website I used to frequent. While perusing through all the pretty pages I thought about a client who made a necklace for me. I get compliments on it everywhere I go. I like her style but I wanted to do something different.
That memory is so vague that I re-visit it a lot just checking to see if it’s real. I still wonder what it was that made me type in that web address. In no time at all I’m putting together my own page to add to the site.
I toss my work stuff on the couch and go to my room with a hand stuffed in the package, pulling everything out before I get to the table that I’ve set up for working on all this. Once seated, with the lamp on, I pour everything out and immediately start sorting all the colors. I’m a freak about sorting. I remember learning it in third grade and I’ve loved it ever since.
I save the dark purple pieces for last. I ordered those for my co-worker, Kristen. She asked me to make her a necklace a couple of weeks ago. I glance over my collection on chain and pull a dark style out that I haven’t used before. I lay it over a board to make sure it doesn’t move. I add another piece of chain to it, to make it look layered. My fingers move at the speed of light, putting things to together, taking them apart, stopping to take it all in, wondering if I should make it lighter or darker. I add black flowers to match her hair and tiny little blue ones to match her eyes. Purple beads are spread through out and I finally finish with adding some dark olive green flowers.
Once everything is all laid out I have to actually put it together. My eyes are feeling heavy but I really want to finish this. I twist and wrap wire around each bead, flower and charm then start attaching them to the chain. Over and over I make trips to the mirror with it around my neck, investigating the balance. I finally start taking my pliers with me on these mirror trips, making adjustments while wearing it. Once satisfied I take it off and place it into a little pink box. For whatever reason I imagine her wearing something tomorrow that will match it perfectly.
The next morning I look over the necklace again to make sure I still like it. Yup!
I give Kristen the necklace in between clients. She’s wearing a top that matches it and seeing her face light up when she opens the box makes my entire day.
“It’s so perfect!” she exclaims, putting it around her neck. “I love it!”
“Yay! I’m glad!” I laugh. Looking at her with it on makes me feel proud of myself in a way I’ve never experienced before.
I didn’t tell her that I wanted to keep it when I completed it. It reminds me of her. Everything I’ve made has been dreamed up from a memory I’ve had, a person I’ve met, a thought or feeling so I grow extremely attached to each piece. For once, I’m immersed in the process of creating something and I’m not psycho critical of myself like I am with writing, drawing, painting, or cutting hair. I get completely lost in it, letting it go in whatever direction it’s going to go in. I’m not sure how to let go of the control issue when it comes to everything else creative. I guess it’s one day at a time though right?