A Giveaway at Lorelei's Blog

Brass Bracelet with Handmade Bird "Buttons," Lorelei of Lorelei's Blog, 2010

I follow a good number of blogs, mostly on jewelry and mosaic design, and I've been following Lorelei's for a few months now and just love it. Her work is unique and serenely beautiful, her photography is superb, and she writes with great personality. She's having a giveaway through Wednesday for some wonderful pendants she made by hand, and although I'm dying to win (especially since my birthday is Thursday, wink wink!) I also wanted to share this giveaway and point you to her inspiring blog. I am entranced both by the individual pieces she makes and with how she puts them together. Although I seem to be back in a creative lull, I'm very happy to read about and see what others are creating; thank you, Lorelei, for sharing with us.

Detail from panel of bird fabric

As I mentioned in my last post, aside from school (second-to last quarter of coursework, for an MS in marital/family therapy) I'm channeling my energy into NOT being even remotely eligible for the diagnosis of "hoarder" by sorting through boxes and bags of stuff I've been carrying around for one or even two decades. Fabric: I'm unloading most of my stash in my new Etsy shop. Books: I'm donating several boxes' worth (just about everything except jewelry and gardening books) to the local library and will send more over after I get the rest back from my ex-husband. Clothes and tchotchkes and household goods: I'm holding back a few essentials and family keepsakes but am donating several boxes and bags' worth to the local thrift store (a half-dozen boxes of my and the kids' oldish clothes are already there). And various papers: TO THE DUMP. Why have I been keeping bills and clippings and tons of other crap from 5 or 10 or more years ago? Because... I keep stuff out of habit, and then I get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it, and then everything gets stuffed into boxes and closets or crawl spaces or attics, and then when I have to move... Good God, what a mess.

No more. I'm letting go, finally, not only of stuff but also all the "history" it carries. For some of it, good riddance; for other stuff, especially beautiful stuff like batiks and flannel quilting fabric and wonderful kids' prints, if I can't use it it seems almost immoral to just stash it away. Plus, I'm really REALLY tired of moving boxes and boxes of stuff that never got opened after the last move (or two, or three).