Man it is a heavy one right now, like super heavy. Between Lock downs, Afghanistan,  the fight for human rights, and fear mongering. Well it folks its time to look for the light. To search out the bright spots, find  our happiness, our joy, and offer up the suffering.

Offering up the suffering, that is a difficult one folks. Like so hard, but why? Why is it so hard to offer it up and get it off our own selves? I don't have an answer. I struggle so much with it. I strive to do better, daily. Recently I have found that when I am really in the depths of the heavy, if I go make jewelry, if I go and find a way bring the Lord to the world, it is a little less heavy.  I can sort out a way to lay it at the foot of the cross when I get lost in my work. I know most of my pieces (right now) stay with me, but I create them with a prayer, I craft them with a mission, and I hope that one day they bring a little light into some ones world.

I hope and pray you find a way to bring some light into your heavy. To offer it up, to lay it at the foot of the cross and stop carrying your burden. Find a way to seek out the joy, the light, the happy. It is there, we just may have to look closer to home.

Well it has happened, the kids are off to yet another year of school. To be honest this year was a hard one for me. I struggled to send them, not because I am afraid, but because I am afraid. 
I am afraid the toll of the psychological impact of those living in fear will be too much. I am afraid of the effects of the chaos, unknowns, sudden changes on my sweet babies.
So I struggled as I am sure most momma's did this year for all the reasons. 
Thats the thing, when I get over my mad, step away from my outrage, and remember we are all momma's doing out best to protect our babies for the harshness of the World right now.
Its totally not just a right or left, good or bad, right or wrong thing, its a momma thing.
What does this have to do with jewelry... well not a whole lot except I now have some more time to work.....
At least uninterrupted work of a morning after they leave, before I head to the office I sneak in an hour or two of studio time. 
If you follow me on social media ( www.instagram.com/paintedeggjewelry ) you will have noticed I have expanded the collection to include Necklaces, rings, and Clay pieces. Having time to explore, and grow in these area's is a certain blessing. Making Catholic Jewelry, that allows women to show, speak, and proudly wear their faith. 
This right now fuels my peace. Gives me a purpose, helps me find a way to connect with all the other mothers out there. Collectively gathering us all under Mary's Mantle, and reminding me that we are one Church, one people, One nation guiding our families the best, serving the Lord the best. 
Its hard right now, its hard, but were all trying and were all doing what we feel is best. 
I just have to keep creating, making peace for myself, and praying for the world.
​k

Well we have made it through another Covid Summer, another set of plans abandoned, another round of new "scares", another bout of to school or not to school ( I am not decided still).
But here we are, at the end of another summer break. I struggle this time of year, the rush to get the supplies purchased, uniforms bought (btw its harder the older they are), and to soak up the last few weeks of sleeping in and family adventures. Its not my most favorite. When the kids were younger, I would look so forward to this time, yes they go back!!!! Now its a bittersweet time, I will miss them, I will miss waking up and being a little lazy together before we start our days. I will miss taking off early and headed to the river or stopping for snow cones before dinner.

I will miss working in the workshop with H and asking her opinion, and have W come in the feed his chickens and giving me a hug, even A popping her head in to say, hey just making sure you didn't leave with out me!  ( She is a stage five clinger folks)
I pray daily for peaceful year, for us to return to the normal we all crave, for the division in our country, our community, our schools to end. For my kids to be able to enjoy school with out the stress last year held. I pray that for all the worlds children. 
Sorry this message is a little blue, its been a rought couple of months folks, were all feeling it.

Bright sides,  kids are going back to school! They will love seeing their friends (with few exceptions, raising girls isn't for the faint hearted). We are opening up, the return to normal is happening, each week in church I notice new things returning and it brings my heart such joy. We haven't really worn masks all summer so thats been lovely. We are a blessed family, community and (even though some days its hard to see) Nation.
My family and I have the freedom to worship Our Lord as we see fit, and that is the brightest side~ 

Soooooo, as I say goodby to summer, and the laissez faire attitude we adopt over the break, I am going to focus on the good, the bright sides. I am going to channel my blues into creating new pieces for you to enjoy, and keep searching for the bright sides, I hope you do too! 

GUYS IT HAPPENING
I am so pumped, the first official Painted Egg Pop up and DIY Earring bar. Thats right I finally feel prepared enough to host a little shopping extravaganza. Local ladies can stop by July 15 from 5:30-7:30 at the Saint Patrick Parish Center to shop, sip and create. There will be something for every one, and of  course some show specials, surprises, and the best part is the Earring Bar. You can create your own Charm Earrings at the Earring Bar, take home something totally and uniquely yours.

For me this is a really big deal. To create enough jewelry to host a show, gather the necessary ingredients for the jewelry bar, and then pull it all together. Phew I am exhausted just thinking about all the items on my todo list for this. But I am so excited to bring the Painted Egg to my home town. To create a business that brings women together to channel creative energy and spend time together. Man it really just makes me smile. I love what I am doing, and love that I have this unique opportunity to serve God with my craft. Fellowship is such a wonderful and full-filling thing. Especially on the heels of the last 18 months. We all need a little glass of wine, and some girl time! 

Sooooo please bring a  friend, spread the word and come out for this fun evening. 
-K

SO yesterday I was gifted unexpected work in the studio time. It was precious for so many reasons. This is the place I can recharge and as we have jumped into the deep end of parenting a teen, recharging is a must. 
(side note my baby turns 13 tomorrow and I feel many feels about that) 
But being in the studio is also a great time for me bc I need to feed my creative soul in order to be a better mom, wife, Catholic. I tend to pump up my Top Christian music station and let the work come.
Lastly for me this week studio time was a blessing bc I had been working on the specifics of a new design, it had been in my brain and on my heart for a long time. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a very special title for the Blessed Mother in our family. We feel drawn to her for so many reasons, so I am always inspired by her, the images of her, and her symbolism.
I had been working on a way to really embrace her in my earrings. What better way to honor her than by creating art dedicated to her and then proudly wearing them and sharing her with your world.
These statement pieces are technically different from most of my other pieces so required me to think differently in order to make them "work".
I wanted to show a little sliver of the work in progress with you. Most of my work station is messy, it makes my OCD husband cranky but I know where things are most of the time and I like it that way. I usually start by laying out the components of what 1 want to include. Then start kind of laying it out, followed by testing to see how things will fit together. Finally its assembly time. This particular piece took many incarnations before I was happy with it. Sometimes things don't lay correctly, or they hide something, or they aren't even. So a few revisions are required. However with patience and perseverance and prayer I usually land where I would like to be.
I hope each and every one of you has a place or activity that brings you a little closer to your self, and God, that you have a way to unwind and recharge. These are so important.  
​Peace and Blessings to you all! 

My trio is off to the last Friday of the school year. As we circled up for our family prayer before they left with Dad, I was reminded of how odd the last 15 months have been. From last years abrupt and chaotic end of school year, an elongated summer break, and home schooling. To Fighting over Masks with the School and my children, social distancing with their peers, and general strangeness that accompanied this year. I just really looked at the three of them and thought, well we made it.
I honestly didn't know if we would this year. So many factors went into determining if I would home school, vs send them, how do we tackle the conflict of rules with our personal stance. What is the best choice for all of us?????

There is no way I am alone in these thoughts, we, all of us, collectively battled for our kids over the turbulence of the last 15 months. I can't even begin to count the house mom's have spent awake at night wondering if they are doing this "right".

Well, we were, all of us who showed up, stood up, and spoke up on behalf of our kids, to the teacher, principal, social media, friends, and to them. We did it right for us and for our kids. They will be touched by this, no doubt the psychological ramifications of "covid" will far out live the physical ones. But Hopefully they will see us, in retrospect, as their voices, guides, and safe place.

Lord knows I tried to be those things for our kids, to provide them with as much normalcy as I could. To keep on keeping on when it was a struggle, to not give in to the fear. 
SO today as they finish a full year of masking at school, social distancing with friends on the playground, and a whole bunch of things I can't go into here. I am amazed at their resilience, stamina, and adaptability. So cheers kiddos, we made it! 

This has nothing at all to do with Earrings, but I really felt called to share these thoughts this morning. I work from home to support being at home. To be able to drop what I am doing on a moments notice to stay home with a "quarantined" kid, or teach when schools close. To be present constantly in those little lives for the short time we have them. Thank you to all of you who support small business's everywhere so mommas and daddies can be present. We love and need you ! 

​K 

In case you haven't figured it out, today is a Monday. Possible the Mondayest, Monday that it could be. Dreary and Rainy, less than desirable behavior from my kiddo's this morning, and lots of little mundane tasks to start the week off.
However, In an effort to make it a little less bleh, I am working to find the bright side, (easier said than done when the Sun is Hiding!!)

So what does finding the bright side look like for me, well sharing new finished pieces. This makes me smile, to see them come from concept at the workbench, to de-molded, cured, findings added to photographed. Each piece takes its own little journey through my creative process and each time I really am surprised by the outcome.
Sometimes it is a little less than pleasant surprise but still I am learning what works and what doesn't, what I need to reproduce and what is not ever to see my workbench again! 
Another way I am working on lightening my mood today  is be focusing on being present. I am a type A all the way, my brain is always racing ahead to work on the next problem, and I need to desperately be present in the moment more often than I am not.
Truthfully I have no idea what this looks like in practice other than concentrated effort, prayer, and more prayer. Some days I fail miserably and others I feel slightly more successful. But today, I have tasked myself with unclenching the jaw, relaxing the shoulders and just giving it over to the Lord. 
So while its a short list, it is my list, and fingers crossed with a little bit of patience, a lot of prayer and some extra love from Momma Mary, I can find the bright side of this rain dreary Monday. 

I hope you can find the bright side in your day, Monday or not.
​K

Guys! I am so super excited, the great plan is finally coming together. My molds will be here soon for all the Marian Pieces. and I finalized some design work and ordered the final component of a new design! 
May being Mary's month is really showing her blessing on this project. I can feel that she is watching over me as all this gels, and becomes a real live thing. I am super grateful for all the things, there are no words really.
I am spending a lot of my prayer time in thanksgiving for all this. I can't believe this vision has grown and become what I hope it will be.

Today I finished a prototype for the Mary Garden design. Its rough, and super in need of refining but behold below the Mary Garden Large Tear drop earring. I will be adding, a mini Miraculous Medal to these to complete them, but they are so sweet,  I just love them! 

Thats about all for now. Please find me on Instagram @LittleMother1 for new design drops, details and updates. I try to keep this site as up to date as I can but it gets tricky some times! 
​K