Last week was the grand opening at Mind Body & Soap.

My husband made the perfect display for my new line of soldered delights, Adornments.

I especially love the mirror he place behind the display so that both sides of the Adornments can be noticed.

The Adornments are made to hang from knobs, hooks, large bottles or vases, etc, to adorn and add beauty. Using only vintage ephemera, no copies, the raw imperfections and texture found in the photos and papers add so much more to the story that each adornment tells.

Play:

Even the stamped letters are made using vintage stamps from the 1940s.

Family:

The pearls come from a beautiful vintage choker and the little charms frame my grandmother-in-law’s handwriting from her college days. I love the blueprint on the backside.

Success:

This boy’s expression brings such a smile to my face. He is obviously not comfortable in his suit. I wonder what the occasion was.

Tree:

Rather than vintage ephemera, this adornment features some of my own artwork. Trees are a recurring symbol in my art. These could be considered self portraits. Attached to the twigs are soldered acorns.

These belt buckles are so fun to make. I love finding the perfect image for the glass, giving me a good excuse to wander through my delicious drawers full of ephemera.

And these key chain clips satisfied my marble muse.

I love the Mind Body & Soap shop. What an eclectic store. I especially love the smell of homeade soap. I began making soap over a decade ago, but haven’t made much of late. The whole process fills my head with sensual delight. My favorite part of soapmaking, saponification. It all comes together at that point. I totally respect the work and time that is involved with making soap.

Inside their lovely shop:

On a separate note, I’ve been reading and learning so much from the book, Boundaries, by Henry Cloud. This year has been a challenge for me as I accepted a position that I was really not prepared for, one that I truly desired to help with, knew the need was great. I said yes for all the right reasons, but my stress level hit the roof. I am glad for the experience even with the stress. It has helped me to prioritize in a godly way, to take inventory of my time and interests, to redefine my goals, and to understand that importance of saying no even to a worthy request.

Right now I am re-evaluating my (lack of a) business plan. One course I would love to take, but the timing is not quite right for me (being respectful of my boundaries and capacity) is the Right-Brain Business Plan e-Course by Jennifer Lee. And another fabulous e-course that is making my brain spin, Flying Lessons by Kelly Rae Roberts. One thing that is very clear is my need for a good plan, and a loose schedule for my days. To find focus within my own timing, I’m incorporating the read-everything-on-this-list strategy. But really, I’m going to get my paws on this gem, The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real by Lisa Sonora Beam first.

The great lesson that I did learn from being overextended is that I am MOST DEFINITELY an artist, and truly not a left-brained thinker. Phew! Good to have that affirmation. Now let’s get this show on the road.

amanda ∞