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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The Joy Project

Here is the truth:
The waters of my soul have been anything but smooth lately.  Swift currents have kicked up and left me speechless, gritty waves have threatened the light of hope I hold tight against my sternum.  There is no one tidy answer, no magic pill, just a determined plunking of one muddied boot after the other.  There have been days filled with so much light and goodness that I've had to shade my eyes, but also days where the fog has rolled in and I've wandered in silence through the river beds.
But if I can tell you one thing about me it is this:
I am a fighter.
My name, my birth name, is Kelly Nichole which very directly translates to Victorious Warrior.
And there is something deep within my heart that is shifting, some hidden mortar crumbling, some tectonic plate of soul that is stretching and ripping as it moves in exactly the way it was meant to move.
It's uncomfortable to say the least.  But I know that somewhere, some hold on my life is being wrenched free and that when I emerge on the other side a brightness will spill from my chest the likes of which I've never seen.
So until then, I'm finding all the small joys I can gather.  Purposefully acknowledging the slightest things that move the corners of my mouth, marking them as GOOD, as a GIFT and holding on to them for dear hope. 
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And here is where I'd love for you to join me.
I've just begun a new Flickr group.
It's called The Joy Project.
The idea is simple: take a photo, it can be a self-portrait (in the broadest sense), a snippet of your home, a snap of your daily view, WHATEVER you feel a sense of joy in for that day, for that moment.  Upload it to the group with a short caption of one thing that you have taken joy in that day.  And that's it!  Safe, easy, no huge commitments to months or years, just a gentle sharing and fostering of like-minded community.
Would you like to join me?
Pop on over to the group, The Joy Project, right HERE.

And while we're on the subject of joy, I need to express just how much the rhythmic thrumping of hammers and soft glow of metal has bouyed my heart lately.  I can't stay out of the studio!
My sketchbook is stuffed with ideas and my bench is covered with works in progress.  So much so that I think there may be a very official shop update in the works shortly...
But for now a little sneak peek:
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Ten Thousand Small Histories No 2
Sterling Silver and Northern California Beach Pottery 
To learn about the inspiration behind this piece, click here
(Can I tell you one thing about these bits of perfectly sea-weathered pottery?  I've carried these two  slices with me for years now, in a tiny mason jar, pulling them out every once in a while to admire and roll about in the palm of my hand.  The off-white piece features a beautiful bit of illustration - I believe it was a branch at one time, but now is a lesson in the perfection of abstraction.  Sigh.  I even remember the squeal I let out when I found it.)
(Lastly, I'm planning a shop update for next Monday, December 5th - whoot! - however if this necklace speaks to you before then, it is absolutely RESERVABLE!  Just drop me an Etsy convo HERE.  Reserved!)

16 comments:

Sierra Keylin said...

Somebody's got some major studio mojo goin' on...The necklace is so beautiful! Isn't it the best when the ideas are flowing, and the materials respond so easily to the vision in your head! About the beautiful thoughts you shared...
I feel as though you have reached through this screen and read my heart...Your words ring true to my state of mind, my situation, and the general vibe of my world right now. Thank you for putting it down so beautifully, I think I will have to read this over and over a few more times!

UmberDove said...

Oh girl, I've thought about you quite a bit the last two days... you need to take some photos of that clean fridge and POST THEM! HA! Mustard and creamer and all.

Cat said...

This is why I love you~
the honest heart of the warrior....
beautiful

Love and Light

Sierra Keylin said...

P.S. I forgot to mention that I am in LOVE with this Joy Project idea! See you there...Aloha!

Snailentina said...

Joined and committed! So many souls are in unrest, we need this joy, wherever it comes from, we have to snatch it.

Emma O said...

Wise thoughts from a wise woman.
I'd love to join the Joy project! [But I must first (finally!) buy myself a new cord for my camera (to replace the one I got lost somehow) so I can transfer pictures again.] Thanks for the lovely idea and inspiration. I'll be honored to join you over at Flickr!

she said...

you've been heavy on my mind lately and after reading this, i can understand why. so even the miles can't keep our atmospheres from colliding somewhere 14 miles above sea level...

know i'm always with you in thought and deed (and especially last night when i got a shipment of tall boots and was trying to jam my irritatingly muscular legs into them...i quite literally almost called you to say, "want a partial calf transplant??? because you could use a little and i could use a little less! eff!!").

as for the joy project, i'm still dreaming about one leggy redwood running unabashedly down a short hill, laughing like a child all the way.

LOVE.

UmberDove said...

Can I tell you all how incredibly excited I am about this project? About how many have already come together to share some joy?

I love you ladies-fine.
Cross my heart I do.

resolute twig said...

fantastic idea, and I so love what has been coming out of your studio latley. Fantastic. xo

candacemorris said...

1. It's beautiful.
2. I am proud of you and all you make. It's always of utmost taste, intention, and kindness to self.
3. I am sorry you've been rubbed so raw lately. In a different life, we could have sipped a pot of tea curled up on your couch, or most likely been at a sushi bar sipping sake and eating - all the while our souls dripping out of us unwillingly, sensing a capable and generous receptacle across the table. I always have a chair waiting for you.

cheryl.mccann said...

the necklace is beautiful - and so are your words.

Unknown said...

I hear you sister. Amen to the honesty from your soul.

Just an ordinary day said...

Hi, The Joy Project is a wonderful idea! I am actually writing from Germany and I do have a similar blog with two other girls here in Germany. We live in different part of our country and post every day about our wonderful 'ordinary days'. Because we think life is not taking part in the extraordinary but in the ordinary moments we often overlook. We have found so much joy in this every day 'ordinariness' and started to appreciate the little things much more again. (Please see: www.a-glimpse-of-an-ordinary-day.blogspot.com).
Thanks for your wonderful blog, it is a pleasure to peak into it every once in a while. Please excuse all my mistakes i probably made - but English is not my mother tongue.
Kind regards
Anja

creative quest said...

oh thank you for this project!
I need a joy injection!
Going through difficult transition right now and it's wonderful to be reminded of all the light and love around us.

UmberDove said...

HOORAY FOR THE PROJECT!!!!! I'm so excited to see you all there!

Carrie said...

an inspiration as always, thank you xx