Creativity is necessity

And already 2012 is coming to a close. Whew!
     I have been so busy with my "real" life that I have (sadly) had to set my creative life aside for a while. But every chance I get--late at night after everyone else in the house has fallen asleep--I surf the net and do some reading and plan yet another future project.
     Coppersmithing has really caught my fancy these days. I have ventured bravely into forging and hammering copper wire into bangles for my Etsy shop. No riveting or annealing yet, but have read everything I can get my hands on. Can't say that I've been really disappointed in anything yet (and have even sold four of them), although I have had at least one impressive blister as the result of a misplaced hammer strike.
     I have gotten pretty good at filing and sanding my copper beauties and have taken to finishing with a thorough steel shot tumbling for anywhere from two to four hours.
     Hobby Lobby has been a lovely little cyber-hideaway for me on a couple of occasions. They have offered those terrific 40% off coupons and I've purchased two letter stamp sets for my studio. I'm not much of a spender, but those were really good buys.
     I have spent today reading about etching solutions for copper and have even more ideas to try on copper sheet. Obviously, I've had to learn about PnP paper and the difference between Sharpie and Staetler pens as resist methods. I feel pretty smart and can't wait to try both methods.
     Of course, I am keeping all my new ideas and inspirations in Pinterest boards. There really is a wealth of information there and I love the easy organization it affords.
     As another update, I should add that I've gotten more consistent (though not yet perfect) results in photographing my pieces. Did some research in October on home-made white boxes and appropriate lighting. I still get bluish backgrounds, but am happy overall with the images.
     Finally, I've taken to checking my stats on Etsy and have tried to determine patterns of those items that receive the most views and favorites. Not sure about what patterns work best yet, so stand by after I figure this all out.
     As I started writing this blog entry,  I began with the idea of balancing "real" life with my creative life. As I finish, however, I want to remind us all that creativity is a necessity in life, not a luxury. How empty our lives would be if the required and the necessary were all that drives our existences. It is the artistic, the beautiful, the ephemeral that makes life, well, LIFE. And don't you forget it, especially when you find that you are too busy or too stressed to fit it in. That's when you must rediscover and indulge your creative self.
     And on that pontificating note, I will finish. It's been so long, I almost forgot my little sign-off phrase!! So here goes (and I will try to post more often than every three-four months):  Thanks for rolling in the Fluff & Ruff!   Till next time,   ~~Gigi