Struggling with words

Writing has been an avenue of expression for me, but it seems to me I’ve been struggling with the words of late.  Be it here, writing  a blog post, or in terms of writing snail mail (which I still do, no matter how archaic others may think it to be) — and it hasn’t been for lack of trying.  So here I am again.. doing just that: giving it one more shot.

The sun is out full force over Manhattan after we were buried in snow yesterday.  The city looks like any other typical “after snow” day with the usual mush and traces of white here and there, but things are a little different where I live in a homey neighborhood in Queens where I “waded” through a foot of snow on my stoop.  (The co-op management apparently had fallen behind with the clearing of snow.. )  Thankfully, my neighbors to the left had left for work before I did, shovelling a clear path down the 4 steps of stairs to ground level.  Since the snow is still in that “breathtaking” phase where the cold pretty much doesn’t bother me (yet), and there are huge swathes of white all over, I am not going to gripe about the inconvenience of winter.

I’ve been busy making pieces for my Etsy Shop.  When I’m not “creating”, I’m busy sorting and wiring beads and pearls so I can assemble them into something wearable faster.  It’s not as simple as “stringing” the beads after all.  I also finally started putting away my domino pendants — a project that had gotten me so engrossed before leaving for Manila in December and which saw my hands covered with cuts and other injuries which were hazards of making friends with a craft knife.

 I am actually sifting through the various pendants and will put one or two up for sale if not for give away (maybe here !) and others which need “repurposing” or repeat casting.  If anything at all, I’m grateful that my research into one facet of the altered domino pendant art I put together has brought me in touch with the Masters like Degas, Renoir, Da Vinci (of course I HAVE to have a Mona Lisa!) and other like creative minds like Alphonse Mucha and Fabrice de Villaneuve.  Beautiful, beautiful works that I hope to translate into my own pieces of decoupages boxes and resin cast pendants and charms.  I will write about this more when I have pictures to show.

I have taken to wearing my pieces — so I try to make one sample piece for myself other than what I am offering for sale.  This is really where the inspiration of putting up an Etsy shop had begun.  I had really bought materials for myself but what will I do with a full strand of rose quartz when all I meant to do was create earrings to go with the bracelets I bought at the Greenhills tiangge?  It never fails to flatter me no end when I get compliments for the pieces I wear.

There are nights when I don’t even turn on the laptop — so it is no surprise that my entries are few and far between.  I am trying to be more vigilant about posting again — but like reading, I have to work harder at it.

How time flies!  Next week is Ash Wednesday.  I feel like time is slipping away so fast.  I don’t even have to go through what I have been wanting to do against what I have actually managed to accomplish to realize this, because all I have to do is look at the little tyke who seems to be growing in leaps and bounds with each “sleep”.  He likes the pieces I’ve been creating.  He even liked the way the crystals were gleaming in the light — better than the marble he has in one of his boxes.  (Not a toy, honey.)

It’s just a phase — the struggle with the words .. with some luck and a lot of effort, I should be able to get out of this rut soon enough.  Meanwhile, on with the crafting!!