In The Studio - Wednesday

Busy at work this week and I love it!

I made one of my favorites, a lotus mandala for the final mosaic relating to the fund raiser. This is the one that has been generously donated back to me to list on Etsy and sell. It should be noted that the person who offered that to me also donated more money to the fund raiser around the same time.

I decided to use spring colors for this one. At first, I wasn't sure I liked it very much.

Using jewel tones was something I hadn't done in a long time. But as I filled in the petals, I knew it was the right choice.

Iridescent glass in pink was used and I put ball chain in the middle (not easy to see in this photo) as well as mirror in the center and within the petals.

Deep purple and more ball chain was added. As I was filling in the purple, I knew it was coming along nicely.

All filled in and ready for the grout pile!

I'm hoping to grout all 3 pieces I did for the fund raiser this coming weekend. Here are the other two:

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful.

Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics

In The Studio - Friday

Hello all! Have you missed me?

If you have missed me, chances are you've been wondering if I plan to continue with my mosaic business life or if I've retired completely.

Rest assured I will always have some sort of mosaic business, whether just doing custom work or selling online. As long as I can comfortably hold the tools and the mosaic muse stays with me, I'm continuing to do what I love!

While February was a slow month of mostly resting, getting over a nasty bug the entire household had and getting those awesome shelves that were put up recently in my room packed to the gills with boxes and mosaic supplies, March is starting out with a bang. I've completed one mosaic reward wall art piece (still not yet grouted) and will share the progress now.

I found my graphite paper (yay!) and used it to help draw a basic design on the 8 x 10 inch wood panel.

Then started looking through the glass.

Some of what is shown above made it into this piece, some did not.

I started with the palm tree and found some really cool dish shards that would work for fronds.

Switching sides, I worked on the rocks and water on the right side of this piece.

Filling in the sand and shadows was next.

Each day I did a little, some took hours, some took less. All-in-all, it took 7 days to complete, 8 hours in total.

I'm thinking gray or black grout. I want it to be intense. Either of those colors will make it so.

Good news on the Etsy shop! It is reopening in a few days! I decided to open it on the first day of Spring which is Monday, March 20th. I should start blogging 2-3 times a week at that point as well. Stay with me as I start anew once more.

For those who signed up for the newsletter, I'll be sending it out next week and then no more until the end of the year when things get busy on Etsy and discounts will be available around November, maybe. Most folks don't actually take advantage of the discounts I've offered each month in the past, so there is no need to make them until holiday time rolls around once more.

Meanwhile, stay with me here on the blog and see what the 2nd mosaic I'll be working on for the lucky person who donated money to my fund raiser last year. The 3rd one I had to do has been generously donated back to me to include in my Etsy shop and sell in that way getting even more money to add to the fund raiser.

For those who are also wondering about that, I'm very near my goal. Within the next few months, almost a year to the day that I started the gofundme campaign, I will have paid the debt completely. It is an amazing thing to have so much support when it's needed. I'm extremely blessed! I had a lot of help and I've been paying it myself now a little each month thanks in part to my social security retirement benefits. Grateful, humbled by the generous spirit I have encountered and amazed as I said, by the support.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful.

Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics

In The Studio - Wednesday

A few weeks have passed since my last post and I'm not much more settled in than I was then, truthfully. I seem to be mostly in hibernation mode for the winter. I've been handing mosaics to the fam to be placed here and there. I'm grateful to have a place to share my mosaics and in a home that appreciates art so much. It's a wonderful thing!

The Mosaic Muse is sleeping peacefully, slowly stretching her wings, not yet ready to wake up.

The Camera Goddess is wide awake however. I've been taking photos of the area around me, mostly from the porches and am so pleased with the results. I LOVE it when the Goddess is awake!

The weather has been either cold and/or very wet from rain and my bones are just as happy staying in a warm space.

I've been considering what to do and how to do it in this room so I can maximize the space I have available to me. I won't be able to do much or what I see in my head until I've paid off the debt I started the fund raiser for. That will be close to summer time in May or June.

But I am still going to mosaic; as I already feel a slight tug to order more glue since it never made it here with me. I will be working on the fund raising rewards soon so that requires gathering a small amount of cash in the next few months to get the supplies I need to make those. I only need a few things which is great for the budget. I'll be using my bed, a box to hold the glass and other fun things I like to use when I mosaic and watch Netflix with a kitty purring at my feet.

Just because I don't have the dedicated studio space set up, doesn't mean I'm not dedicated to creating. I recently found my doodle pad and a pencil, so I am drawing a little bit. Woo-hoo!

Mostly I'm resting, still looking through boxes that line the hallway toward my room. Not even a small portion of boxes I showed here in the last post when I was packing up have made it to me yet. Those, I truly hope, made it to storage and weren't left behind.

I've had to give up a lot during this move. Just stuff, but still ... my stuff. Pretty sure those wonderful old mosaic stained glass windows I made were left behind due to time restraints and not having the room in cars and vans that were used to transport all of our belongings from one place to the other. My kids, bless their hearts, did what they could to get me in a safe environment and settled enough to be taken care of but I had to let go of so much. I'm in mourning, understandably, for the art I am missing and will be very surprised if I see most of what I am missing ever again.

Art ... so much art ... supplies, clothes. They tell me a lot is still in storage and safe but they don't know exactly what. When I ask about a specific thing, they don't really know if they saw the box, if it got into storage or if they had to leave it behind. I believe this is the Universe's way of telling me to truly start over, fresh, one must cut all ties of the past. Once I am at peace with the loss, I can continue to create new art and feel the renewed excitement once more.

The fam as a whole is now starting to get settled themselves here in our new home and blending in with the rhythm already established by family already living here and who opened their home up to us. What a blessing.

It's been a nice adventure so far, a welcome one. I like learning that I'm not the only elder, no longer alone in my dreams of an artist's life and finding kindred spirits in the young ones as well as the ones older than I am. We've all known each other since before my daughter had my grandson and got along really well. Now we are together every day and have started a few new traditions. One was creating a talking stick and a Gratitude Jar.

Photo credit: Siobhan Comisky

And with the New Year came some new opportunities, with a new job for my daughter's fiance, whom I refer to as The Big Man in his field of expertise --- something he's been struggling to find for almost a year since he was laid off. And night school is continuing for my daughter and of course she's still working too. It's a struggle for her ... makes it hard for her to raise a family, work and be in school, but she's done it so far and I'm very proud of her for it all.


We are all getting the nurturing we need. I only see bright skies ahead for everyone as a group and individually. I'm happy I have food to eat, companionship when I need it, quiet time when I need it, comfort of hot/cold running water. The basics are taken care of and the creative spark will continue soon once more, I'm positive.

Life is good!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Stay peaceful.

Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics
 

On A Personal Note ...

This week I'm adjusting to having diabetes and what it means. I'm using a new glucose meter to check my blood sugar levels. I don't like it much yet. It requires a lot of precision on my part to get it just right and I'm still clumsy when I use it. I've wasted lancets and test strips just trying to get one reading and enough blood to draw to get a reading. I didn't think it would be as difficult as it is. I'm hoping by the end of this week, I'll have it down and figured out.

I'm not going to give a review on different meters, I'm really not experienced enough to form an opinion, that isn't the purpose of this post. I will say learning how to use this one definitely takes time. I was not prepared for that because the other meter I used for a week before getting this one was much easier. Probably less precise; it's good to get the best results.

I'm also writing down everything I eat, when I eat it, what I weigh, what my blood sugar level numbers are each day. Granted, I've just started doing this for a little over a week (since I got my first meter) but I think there's a good chance I will keep it going. I like knowing what might be causing the high numbers when I take a reading and I switch each week to a different time so I can see the differences. It's new to me, so I'm vigilant about it all. I recently talked to someone who has lived with diabetes for close to 30 years and they aren't as careful or don't seem to be as concerned as I am. I'm not sure that's something I should do: become complacent about it. I am going to try to continue to be careful and make sure I keep track of it all.

In other personal news, I'm losing a little weight. The medication I'm taking helps with that but I think walking 3-4 times a week, even as little as 5 minutes (most times it is longer, I average about 10-15 minutes), seems to make a difference as well. I love to walk. I take my camera and stop and take pictures of pretty flowers, goofy trees with faces or what look like mythical creatures (my artistic side loves to see things as art) and just enjoying the sun.

Sad faced tree with a wrinkled brow.

A goofy faced totem pole made naturally from cutting branches.

Mythical creature gator-lion-lizard.

Right now I'm having trouble finding the balance between when I'm "supposed" to eat and when I'm actually hungry. They don't always happen at the same time. According to the doctor, loss of appetite is possible with this medication (Metformin) but the nurse at the diabetes center I went to recently said I HAVE to eat 3 meals a day. I find 2 is good enough, thank you. And pushing to eat 3 meals is hard when you really don't want it. NO one is more surprised than I am that I don't want it!! Who have I become?!

Meanwhile, art keeps me happy and so do my family. Not necessarily in that order. I start to stress about the lack of things (mostly money and this debt still hanging over my head from the past and what I've got a fundraising campaign for ... I'm seriously so broke right now, as the saying goes: "I couldn't even pay attention") and I know staying in that stressful state keeps things from moving forward in a more plentiful way. I've had 30+ years of training with meditation and listening to inspirational audios to know that way of thinking (negative) is not productive at all. I learned depression too, is associated with diabetes. I have to work much harder to stay in a positive frame of mind. It's a whole new world.

What I would like to do is start to concentrate on the months ahead a little bit and work on mosaics to do a crafts show in August. I don't know yet how to gather the funds for it, but I know I have to do it. I actually want to do it. That is an unknown feeling for me. I never wanted or felt I needed to do craft shows. Now, with the lack of online sales and the shear volume of art for sale online, I think taking it to the streets is the way to go a few times a year. I seem to have everything in place except for the funds to reserve the space. The person running the crafts show told me I could bring money with me the day of the show. How awesome is that?! I have a few months to find a way to gather it up. A few online sales would be great.

And so, learning about life as a diabetic isn't all bad. It makes me aware of what I'm feeding myself, I'm watching portion control and sugar/carbs intake. There are days I just don't care to look and other days I won't touch anything unless I know exactly how much of what is in it. I think that makes me human.

Tomorrow's post will be the 3rd in the series of "how-to" instructions on making mosaic coasters. It's the last in the series for now. The next posts on Tuesday's will be sharing information on where to buy supplies, what kind of tools to use, and some of my all-time favorite mosaic artists.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

 

In The Studio/Personal Fundraising Campaign Update - Friday

Thanks to the last sale I had, my supplies budget increased enough to get what I needed to continue making new mosaics to sell. That is very exciting news. I just ordered some Wediboard too, which will be cut into some of my favorite shapes to mosaic on. Ohhhhh yeah!! Let the fun begin!!

Fresh supply of stained glass in all my favorite hippie colors. Yay!

I'm making some hanging framed stained glass mosaics for windows. Awesome-sauce!!

Just a quick reminder:

The sale continues in my shop on Storenvy. 15% off everything except instant digital downloads. Use the Coupon Code: FRESHSTART01.

From this point on, all proceeds from the above sale go into the GoFundMe campaign until the debt is paid. If you've wanted a custom order, now is the time. This discount applies to those as well! Check it out!

Here are some fairly cool ways I use broken dishes and a little glass here and there.

Stained glass and mirror. What a fantastic combo for mosaics.

This is just a small sampling of what is in the shop right now. Head on over and take a look for yourself. Gift-giving just got easier. And like I always say: "gift yourself ... you deserve it!".

The campaign is at a stand-still at the moment. I'd like to keep the momentum going in every way I can. Having said that, if you are connected to me through Facebook, there may come a time within the next 10 months when I ask you to share the links of the sales in my shop and the campaign too. I just sent out the call to 6 folks on my personal profile page privately, asking them to do this. So far 2 have responded. It doesn't guarantee sales but it does allow new people to see my mosaics and my shop. As the months progress, I'll pick others and ask the same question of them. The wider the circle there is, the more likely I'll have sales. And those that donate to the fundraiser have the option of getting a mosaic made as a thank you just for them depending on the amount of the donation. Custom made mosaic with the donation of $25, $50, $100, $250 and $500. If you donate $1,000 or more, you get FREE mosaics for life!! One person already took advantage of that deal! Woo-hoo!

If you can think of anything I should be doing, that I am not doing now to promote these things, let me know. Input is always welcome and appreciated. And please share the links of both the sale and the fundraising campaign wherever you can. Thank you!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

http://earthmothermosaics.storenvy.com/

My Creative Business Journey

Thanks for sharing the journey with me so far. I haven't accomplished a whole lot this week, but I have been working.

I've got a lot to do: read, watch business-oriented videos and filling out worksheets to narrow down and make clear what I want for the future of my business. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" shouldn't be hard to answer ... but it is for me. I see so much all at once and have to re-train my brain for the sake of focusing on one subject at a time. I really have to work for it. And it is exhausting. Look at this month's calendar!

Some things get pushed to the next week, next month or get canceled out completely (like the trip I was planning to Chicago). But for the most part, this keeps me on track and focused enough to keep moving forward, no matter what.

I mentioned the things I'm working on last week. For the most part, nothing has changed. I'm still working. The "Infinite Possibilities" Project by Mike Dooley is coming along. I don't do each thing daily (as suggested). Sometimes it takes 3 days to get through one daily project but I'm doing it. That is way more important than how long it takes.

The next thing I am doing is watching videos on the Small Business Association. Again, I mentioned this before but it's worth repeating. If you just want to get some free info on some basic business things, this is a good place to start. Sometimes they seem like a waste of time and then they will mention something I hadn't thought of. Worthy of writing it down and researching it further. That's a very good thing! Another good thing is that they have dedicated areas just for women, older women too or those who want to expand their business and aren't sure how. I recommend taking a look around the website if you live in the US. If you don't, there has to be an equivalent to what we have here wherever you live.

I'd like to caution you about contacting their mentors through SCORE. I'm not a fan. I couldn't find anyone who could mentor me in my area either locally or for the business I'm in. I found someone in Northern PA who worked in an unrelated field and she gave me very bad advice. I wrote to her hoping because she was in the same state as I was, she'd at least push me in the right direction toward someone she knew who might be able to help me. She didn't. She was very "matter of fact". I know I've mentioned all of this before. Obviously I'm not quite over it yet, even all these years later. I have moved on, but every so often what she said hurt me so much I realized I had to have had those same thoughts before writing to her. I didn't believe in myself then. So I have thanked her in my mind and am trying to forgive her for hurting my feelings. Not as easy. But I'm moving on and have come to a conclusion about mentoring.

I don't think a mentor should ever tell you not to pursue your dreams. Ever. That is what happened in my case. A mentor should help you find solutions in ways to make your goals a reality no matter how high the mountain is you need to climb in order to reach them.

This framed excerpt from the writings of Edgar A. Guest has been in my family for generations. I had it hanging near me for years but when I was moving things around a few months ago, I seemed to have put it in a "safe" place and can't locate it now. I need to find it and hang it back up, because it's the best!

It Couldn't Be Done

Okay, so ... I had a bad experience, but many more have had good ones with SCORE. Just be aware that not all advice that comes at you through any website, family and friends, no matter the source, is something you should take. Including mine! I do suggestion that you listen to all advice, be open to it all. Take that advice of mine, please. From there, make your own decisions based on how it feels inside when you think about what you've discussed, read or been told. Please don't give up. I did for quite a while and it changed who I was briefly. I have to work on my self-esteem once more but I'm getting there. Just remember: if it deflates you or devastates you when you're told you can't do it, move on and forget their advice! Forgive the person who "means well" but who doesn't understand your passion and continue on. NEVER GIVE UP.

I am always on the lookout for free workshops to take online. They usually get you on a mailing list for paid workshops or other services the people who do these workshops are in business for, but it's worth an email from them once in a while, pitching their services. It's actually a great learning tool in itself and something I might use myself one day. I've taken 3 free workshops, a few were a few weeks long. One came into my email daily to read, download worksheets and work on. Those I do at my own pace and I have found I'm focusing more on these things now than I was before when I first starting thinking about all of this. With each workshop and email I find to sign up for, I am becoming more clear in what I want for my business.

Each step, each thing I do, gets me closer to really knowing what I want. All the suggestions and advice have been wonderful and now I'm ready to take the time, however long it takes, to work on what I've learned and learn more.

I think next year will be a record-breaking year for my business. I predict, in that year, from this day to one year in the future, I will have made connections I never thought possible. I will have learned exactly what I needed and how to get exactly what I want for the studio workshop.

Here is the 3rd Vision Board I've made. For now, I'm not going to make more. I like the three I've done and can work on each one or all three in any given day. Once I feel like I'm ready for another challenge, I'll make the next board.

This board is called "Working On It". It shows one of my favorite quotes, my new logo (soon to be done in mosaic form), a nice template showing what I'm working on, the paperwork I'm doing, a possible space in the future for my studio and workshop (located near grocery stores and restaurants), how to find funding and lastly using online workshops. That covers a lot of visions. And ALL possible.

Those of you who have considered going 'legit' or expanding your business, I recommend using small vision boards. I can't tell you what a great tool these have turned out to be for me. I've done large ones before and gotten upset when I realize how much I want to accomplish and it seems overwhelming to see it all in one spot. Smaller boards, breaking up what I want to envision for myself, is the way to go for me. I printed out 2 copies and posted one near me and keep one in my worksheets and papers I need to read. They really work for me and keep me enthusiastic about the future. Especially on not so great days.

Tomorrow I will share an update about my personal fundraising campaign. If you haven't read it yet, please do. Share it if you would. The wider it goes, the more likely it'll be noticed. All donations are welcome and gratefully accepted. If you aren't comfortable with donating in that way, consider buying a piece of art from one of my shops or ordering a custom made mosaic. Right now all profits go toward the debt. Thank you!!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

Weekend Stuff

Normally I leave the weekends for family and crafty stuff exclusively, but today I wanted to let you all know that thanks to your donations and kindnesses through gofundme.com, I've gotten a new computer tower. This will keep my business flowing, even with fussy internet connections as we have at the moment (not my computer's fault after all ... whew ...).

The bad news is because of the internet wonkiness there might be times when I'm not saying hi for a day or two or four until the net stuff gets figured out by someone other than me. But the good news is, while I'm away, I'll be taking photos, creating art and building fun things so you can see what I'm doing when everything is figured out and I'm back online.

brandy new operating system - yay!!

This new tower came with a new keyboard and mouse (bonus!) and I've already decided the old mouse would look great as a mosaic and the old tower would be awesome as a mosaic stand for perhaps a gazing ball I've yet to create.

Those that have followed my blog posts for a while know I will not waste much of the old things just because they no longer function in the same capacity as they once did. If it's got a cool shape to it, it can become whatever I'd like it to become as a piece of art. There's a lot of potential in these "no longer useful as they are" items.

I've actually popped off keys from old keyboards in the past but they are very difficult to work with. However, I will still pop the ones off that I can from this one. And the board itself may become something else too ... time will tell ...

It's been a roller coaster for me with my computer and I've taken you all along with me. Feeling the need to share is part of who I am. I'm glad you all stuck with me. I appreciate you all. And send much love to you for your help.

The fund raiser is still open because I hadn't met the original goal and some think it would be a good idea to keep it "just in case" something else takes a nose dive relating to the new computer, such as monitor or speakers. I am not comfortable with this and actually never was comfortable with any of this from the start. But ... because I've been so up and down with everything (should I or shouldn't I?) I've decided to just do nothing about it at the moment. That is always the best thing for me to do when I am undecided about anything.

What I am thinking is to use any donations received at this point towards another gofundme user on the site. Pay it forward. Always a good thing.

Thank you all, once again, from the bottom of my heart for being here with me and helping when you could, however you could. Those that contributed have all gotten a thank you from me this morning through the site and now I'm ready to make a few "thank you" gifts. Woo-hoo!

Have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy it!

Stay peaceful,

Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics

Computer Update

Good day to you!

Yesterday, which was Tuesday for those who like to keep track, I did not have a post. What I did have was a long, long day fixing computer problems. Again it crashed during the night and I'm fairly sure it has something to do with an automated update that doesn't seem to want to update. The final decision was to take all the automated things off and do them myself each week until I get a new computer.

That brings me to the fund raiser for a new computer. While I have been asking for funds to help me keep my business running, I never explained why I've done it this way instead of taking out a business loan or some other avenue that most small businesses do. I am not really a small business. I'm a short, chubby Nana who likes to craft in her spare time. I have no collateral, no savings, no way to pay back a loan should a miracle occur and I actually was approved for one. The upswing with the economy has been great for many but I have not had anything change for me since the end of 2009. I make the most of what I have, don't dwell on what was taken away, nor do I sigh sadly about the missed opportunities because funding wasn't available. What I do is find a way, whether conventional or maybe not so conventional, to find what I need to get through the next 24 hours. Actually I often don't think much past the next hour. So much can change in 60 minutes!

Please don't misunderstand. It's a good idea to dream and plan and set goals and I do that often. I even meet some of them and add news ones to the list. One of the things on the list is to find a few sponsors to help me with costs of running my business, or the business I have envisioned I'd like to have. Finding a financial wizard who can handle funds for said business and who will, in return, accept free mosaics or other craft things I create for life. And the ever popular goal; getting backers and artist type people to gather together with me and find a place to share our art, play together a few times a week, sell what we do ... all in one bricks and mortar building.

After the computer crashed yesterday, all I could think of was how uncomfortable I am asking for money to get a new computer. It's my upbringing mostly to believe that if I can't figure out a way to get it myself, I can't have it. My Dad handed me a phone book (remember those big paper books with businesses and residence phone numbers in them?) when I was 12 and asked for a stereo for my birthday. He said: "get a job". And that was that. I found one and another and another and eventually got a stereo, a car, an apartment, a life by working for it. I wasn't given much because we didn't have much. My Dad was a full time artisan and had been for years by the time I was 12. He worked hard, long, long hours building furniture, repairing antiques and doing shows to sell his wonderful, handcrafted things (he's close to 80 years old and still does all these things - lots slower and with tons more pain in his hands and joints, but he does it). It's no wonder I decided my life would be happier if I continued to do what I do, no matter what the cost to me physically or emotionally. It's in my blood.

My life is very different now that I've reached 59. I have been out of work since the end of 2009 and stopped looking in 2011. I hadn't been on an interview although I applied for hundreds because what I did was no longer useful and I really didn't love what I did - I felt the odds of my being happy doing anything other than mosaics were slim to none. My savings ran out, unemployment stopped abruptly just when I needed it most. I had no where to go, a large bill to pay for back rent and utilities. My art was selling but not steadily. I keep my work priced on the low side except for a piece here and there that really took a lot of time, patience or materials to build and/or create. Truthfully, if I charged $1,000 for a piece of mosaic wall art and it actually sold, I'd have been closer to paying off the bills and would have made 1/2 of what I make during an entire year in selling my art. It's not a bad side business but it's the only funds I get. I'm happy to get it, grateful that I do and feel often very blessed to be able to do what I do at all! I keep the prices low because it's not all about money to me. I enjoy what I do and I want people to get a piece of mosaic art they love at a price they feel is fair. I do crafty things, not fine art pieces (I can honestly say I've only got maybe 5 pieces I'd consider labeling in that way and putting more than $500 on a piece of art makes me uncomfortable even if it's worth it to those who are buying it), and crafty things can be done by anyone who is crafty. If I taught myself, anyone can learn how to do a mosaic. What I find is that people who buy my work like it because they want to learn how to do it themselves. I love that! Everyone should experience the joy I have when creating. No matter if it's inspired by a stained glass candle holder or a dot painted cross. I'd love to have a central location to share my work and have people come to learn how to do it. Or just play on their own with things I provide plus a little experience along the way.

Because the Universe works as it does, during that time, the more I tried to get people to buy my work to help me defer the cost of living on my own, it seemed the more people were really not interested in what I had to sell. Sales dried up for a long, long time; folks claimed they were saving their money and weren't buying non-essentials. Or that they'd say they liked what I was selling but just couldn't afford the $25 I was charging for something that normally would've sold for $50. This is what I do, it's my work, my career, my living. But having to put a price on things I create from my heart and have my followers tell me it's not worth it, made me feel unworthy for about a minute. Maybe two. I understood what they were saying but it made it hard on me. This was/is what I was meant to do - I found my calling - hooray! I had never been told whether I'd be paid for it when I followed the inner voices that led me here. I know it isn't supposed to matter. What is supposed to matter is finding what makes my soul sing. I did that and am happy I did. I knew even then faced with eviction and no where to go at one point, that I was to continue with my crafts, every day, forever, no matter what. The rest would work itself out. And it has.

My daughter and her family scooped me up and brought me here where I am now living, in one room sharing space with stained glass, paints, clothes, too many dishes and the wonky computer plus just about everything from the 3 bedroom apt I could get into one room. Plus all my art - every piece I ever made that hasn't gone on to a new home. And I'm happy. I have my family here with me every day. My grandson and the cats. Life is different but really nothing to be upset about or sad. No complaints. I'm in a safe place, they feed me and keep me warm and/or cool. I'm loved. It's a wonderful life.

But my computer helps me share these thoughts. And my business is done online. When I asked my daughter's boyfriend for help yesterday to get back online before he left for work, it occurred to me that perhaps it was time to ask my family for help. I had mentioned things ... the fund raiser, the things they see online, the fact that my computer crashes every 2 weeks. They knew this. But I never asked for their help. I just reached out to the very giving community I have come to love in cyberspace and got a nice little nest egg for the next computer. I suppose since I like metaphors, this one would be that I reached for the 2013's version of a phone book to try to find what I needed. Just like I did when I was 12.

In asking Mark if his company has any plans to get rid of their old computers, as they sometimes do, he started looking into it when he got to work. The results weren't good and the chances of getting a laptop through that avenue was slim.

Once he spent some time chatting with co-workers, all tech savvy peeps, they suggested he build me a computer. I don't need a monitor, speakers, keyboard or mouse really although if I were to get the funds I asked for, I would get all those things. What I needed was a tower with a OS that didn't crash twice a month, sometimes more. I hope by the end of today, he should have info for me to figure out how much it will cost to build one himself. He built his here at home that he uses, so I know he can build me one too. I also know what he'll need financially is more than I have been gifted doing the fund raiser. It's more than I had when my troubles began, however.

FYI: I have planned to close the fund raiser at the end of this month and give him what I have towards the new build. I hope he will fund the rest because he knows how important it is to me. And of course I will try to find a way to pay him back as I make sales by sharing what I make online each day with a new computer, if he'll take it.

So ends the saga of the computer crisis. And life continues to be awesome!

The fund raiser is still open until the end of September and if you think you might like to donate a little bit or a lot, here's the link. http://www.gofundme.com/49qepk

If you want to donate but don't want to use their methods of payment, you can send it to my email address through PayPal or contact me directly for a mailing address if you'd prefer to send a check or money order, note that it is a donation for the computer somewhere important so I'll see it, at earthmothermosaics@yahoo.com and I'll be sure to keep it separate from the other funds in my accounts.

Now ... so that something besides my goofy grin is shown when I post today, I'll share a few things I did yesterday while watching updates and other fun things being run on the computer to fix it.

This is another dot painted ATC. 3.5 x 2.5 inches. Not sure of a title but I'm leaning towards "Circuits". You should be able to figure out why if you've read the above.

This piece below is 6.5 inches, called "Many Moons" was renewed and updated on Etsy this morning. Some smaller pieces of wall art will be brought back because I never know from week to week what I should do with all my art. Expect to see some you've seen before when I declared they were never heading back to Etsy. I don't know ... I change my mind often ... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Mosaic Stained Glass Wall Art // Abstract // Moons // Wall Hanging // Recycled // Wall Decor // Mosaic Wall Art // White Blue Purple Green

AND ... I started some 4 x 4 inch coasters. Peace signs. Earth tones. Groovy.

Stay peaceful,
Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics