Wandering Minds Meet Missing Inspiration Fairies

Ever had a time in your life when your brain just wont shut down?  Mine's been on overdrive for the past month, almost to the day.  I had a life changing event a month ago and have seen the rippling effects throughout every aspect of my life.  When it comes to my bead work, it is almost comical at the form those ripples manifest themselves in.

I am so scattered that I cannot seem to think thoroughly through anything, let alone finish something that was only half way ill-conceived to begin with.  I find myself in a Catch-22, jotting down ideas half developed, beginning work on the ideas half heartedly, only to find myself less than confident in their developing shapes.

The inspiration fairy has actually been quite good to me, ideas flash into my mind quicker than I can pluck them from the ether, and I'm left with a shell of what I envisioned.  Usually, this part of the creation process is the challenge I have grown to crave.  I love sculpting a finished product from a fleeting thought.  I have not had the energy as of late to fully apply myself to this feat and my work has suffered, namely from my lack of confidence in it.

I expressed this crisis of confidence on my Facebook page and was immediately responded to by an artist who I truly admire.  Carol Dean Sharpe, from Sand Fibers.  Carol offered her time and energy to critique HONESTLY some of the work I had lost confidence in.  Mostly, these were just bits and pieces of cuffs which I had put down for some reason or another. 

Seeing an opportunity which was the proverbial open window for a shut door, I jumped at the chance (albeit a little scared that I may very well be told--Yeah, you were right, you should definitely just give this beading thing a rest).  I emailed Carol my work and quickly got a response back.  She confirmed some of my opinions on pieces, yet encouraged me to pick up "Mercury" where I had left off, because she "adored it." 

That was all I needed to grab my beads, tell myself to just shut up and sit down and finally finish something.  So, thank you Carol for assissting me in this time of need, thank you for your honesty and thank you for your confidence.  The fruits of my labor, Mercury: