Stream of Consciousness Thread

the Saturday of Blade Show was the deadline for submissions to the local annual art show, and I decided a couple days before departing that I should submit a knife for consideration. This is something I've thought about doing for a while now, and I figured I'd give'r a try and see how things land. It was kind of a lark, really.

I got an email from the art show today, congratulating me on having my knife accepted for display. It's a weird feeling, I was totally expecting a different outcome. There is a sense of irony reeking up this joint, but that's for another time.
 
Lorien said:
the Saturday of Blade Show was the deadline for submissions to the local annual art show, and I decided a couple days before departing that I should submit a knife for consideration. This is something I've thought about doing for a while now, and I figured I'd give'r a try and see how things land. It was kind of a lark, really.

I got an email from the art show today, congratulating me on having my knife accepted for display. It's a weird feeling, I was totally expecting a different outcome. There is a sense of irony reeking up this joint, but that's for another time.
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Lorien, your creativity and ever growing skill deserves much credit. I hope the beautiful little sucker wins ! šŸ‘šŸ¼
 
EMCEE said:
Lorien, your creativity and ever growing skill deserves much credit. I hope the beautiful little sucker wins ! šŸ‘šŸ¼
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thanks Michael! As far as I'm concerned, this is a win no matter what :)
Tensegrity said:
Which piece?
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Autumn's Blade;

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the thing I like the most about where I'm at with knife making right now is the feeling like I'm always trying something new. The new things I try to do might be old things, but on a gradually smaller scale.
 
tonight was the shindig during the weeklong art show where people drink wine and stuff. Look at the art and most of the artist people are there and the movers and shakers in town, too
Definitely not a scene I care to be involved in on a regular basis, but I went with my kid and that was cool. The mayor commished a couple knives, and that was cool too
some of the work was really great, maybe not like 'High Art' or whatever, but a lot of really technically proficient painters, sculptors and photographers there
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well, I've decided that it's summer break time.

Been busting ass building a covered work area in the yard, and got the roof sealed up today well enough for at least one winter. There still is some bracing that needs done, but I now have a waterproofed area to get my shit organized, which will then become a smithy after all the clutter finds its home.

There are a lot of things I'll need before I can start smithing, but in my experience if you want anything done or to happen, a venue is at the top of the triangle. Finally have that now.

Gonna have a short camping trip with my kid at some music festival for a couple days, so I've been going through all my camping shit- which has been dormant for years. Hours of looking through boxes and packs, organizing things for car camping. We used to camp a lot, and I intend to get our lives back to that. We're in a beautiful area with lots of provincial parks, and the temperate climate is good for near year round car camping.

I'm picking up a new tent tomorrow, taking advantage of a sale happening and saving a couple hundred bucks- that shelter will be key. Again- top of the triangle

So, no more leatherwork or knifemaking til next week. I'll have my sketchbook with me, and a hammock, and am looking forward to some loungy design time.
 
the weekend outing went great, we had a good time and saw some pretty interesting performances.
We're all going back to that island next month- it's our anniversary coming up so that's as good an excuse as any to go camping!
I just ordered some air mattresses which will complete our camping kit. All we had last weekend were a couple air mattresses meant for floating around on a lake. Not the most comfortable for sleeping on.
Fingers crossed the campfire ban gets revoked by then, having a little fire is a part of the experience I love.

I've been back at it in the shop a bit. Still working on building my outdoor workspace, but it's coming along great and I should be able to take a break from that and start getting some knives finished soon. Also, taking it kind of easy still- putting the hammock to good use!
 
I was thinking today; as a trail builder, I've had it backward in the past- the trail doesn't need us. The opposite is the actual truth of the matter.
 
up til 20 days ago, I thought my time in the bike business had ended forever. Totally ok with it, moved on to make knives and sheaths, and after two years of that and barely scraping by I feel like I'm hitting my stride- making what I want and selling what I make. Planning ahead so that I can increase my output and actually start to make enough money to tool up and maybe treat the family to take out from time to time.

But it's lonely work. Day after day in the workshop, toiling and gritty. I don't mind it, but now that I'm out in the world again, I realized that it's kind of nice to be around other people while I work. Getting on that bummer train from time to time is a problem, mostly because it's tough to get off it- when the self doubt and negative thoughts start up, it's hard to shut them off when there's no one around to lighten the load.

holy smokes, though! Sooo many people! I owned a bike shop in this little town for almost 20 years and almost every person to pass through those days is a familiar face. The big difference now is that my job is to spin wrenches. I don't do sales, I'm not there to have conversations or feign interest in other people's stuff. I'm there to fix bikes and build out an efficient and productive service area. I'm able to ignore people and just work...

It's glorious!

I don't think I've ever been paid so well, or given the kind of flexibility with hours that leaves me time to focus on my first love, which is designing and making knives. After many years of carpets being pulled and disappointments, part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. But that kind of thinking is sabotage- there is a really good thing going on here. Just the knowledge that I'll be pulling in enough money from this job to pay our bills and keep food on the table changes everything. Knife making is feast or famine- there is no money coming in between jobs- and that creates this low level of anxiety that hums along day after day. The balance between buying new belts, for example, or picking up stuff at the grocery store which we really like, but that might be too expensive, is hard to reconcile at times.

anyway, not much time for the forum or anything else these days, but I love you all and thanks for being here!
 
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