after designing many but creating few, actual pieces of work, i managed to climb back into the right creating frame of mind. it certainly does get frustrating. but between this incredibly odd summer heat (no, folks- we don't have air conditioning) and shuttling my child to summer school and a job and having the inevitable doctor appointments... well, not much got done. however, a wee bit of meditation~a little centering and focus~ not to mention cleaning more of my work area and now, there are new pieces on my work bench. 
i have grown, with practice, to be able to pull myself away from the clamor of the daily noise with the simple trick of sending me to my room. literally. i know it has been done by wiser heads than mine for years to escape rampaging children, but mine is simply to escape life. the creation process begins like a song, but there must always be a first note. and i'll never hear that note until i can hear the silence.
so now i can place beads and precious metals on the mats and they fall into place all on their own. and the song in my head is calming.
i leave you with a bit of me i wrote long ago:
our friendship
grows
like a rose
green and growing
leaves spreading and gathering new life.
the petals are
soft like thin velvet
beautiful, but easily bruised
not without
thorns, for these
add protection
against loneliness.
