ponder press – custom keycaps, jewelry and crafts handmade in Seattle

Another new year?!

It’s the end of another year. And this year I’ve been particularly bad about blog posts. Have I written any in 2022? I’m afraid to check.

But hope springs eternal at this time of the year. The market season is over, and it feels like there’s nothing but free time ahead of me. That’s what my heart tells me, but experience reminds me that those thoughts are pure folly.

“It is not that we have too little time to do all the things we need to do, it is that we feel the need to do too many things in the time we have.”
Gary W. Keller

First there will be jigsaw puzzle season which lasts approximately three weeks (or three puzzles—whichever comes first).

Then I have a pair of socks to knit for a friend. The good news there is that I will use random bits of sock yarn, so the change in patterns will keep me interested. (Knitting socks in a solid color can be a bit of a slog.)

In addition to the socks, I’m planning on giving watercolors a try: watercolor on paper and on fabric to embellish with embroidery.

And about the time I’ve decided that I’m no watercolorist, it will be time to think about getting a stockpile of items made for the market.

I want to do more bead embroidery, punch needle, embroidery, mini mosaics, bezel making and the list goes on..

Oh, and there’s always the hope that I’ll have the time to read a book in the afternoons. I’m not talking about reading a page or two on my kindle until I pass out with the lights already out. No, I want to read an actual book in some cozy spot with a cup of not tea nearby. Although, I fear that I might have lost the ability to do as much. We’ll see.

And then, between the new year and early May there will also be Art and Soul, some big birthdays, possible business travel, possible for-fun travel. And cleaning the very, very, very messy studio. It’s really bad. Tidying up will be like Christmas part 2 as I rediscover items that I’ve since forgotten. You know, that actually sounds like fun.

Here’s to a new year filled with new interests, new ideas and items. It’s gonna be great!

Back to the Redmond Saturday Market!

A little mixed-media embroidery is good for the soul.

Like so many people, I made it through 2020 only to be left evaluating what I want out of 2021 and beyond. Over the past year I learned that I love working from home. And that the husband and I are thankful that we each have our own offices. I learned that I like a slower-paced/low-commitment lifestyle. I also learned that I really love my husband/spending time with him. We were able to go for walks, chat midday and hang out on the deck in the afternoon — time that otherwise would have been spent commuting.
I also realized that I most certainly want to get back to the Redmond Saturday Market. Even though I enjoyed a summer of free weekends, to what end? I felt unmoored without my Saturday routine, without that community.

Of course I had to try some round weaving.

Once I made that decision, I wasn’t sure that jewelry was the right thing to sell. What I make is small, and people do seem to want to handle it a bit before making a purchase. So, I started weaving. Then I started some fun embroidery projects. And soon enough I even did some needle felting for the first time in ages.

I need to make more time for needle felting.

That all means that I’ll have a few new items to sell in addition to jewelry, which I did make plenty of last year. At least it feels like plenty. Maybe people are so starved for my stuff that it will all be snapped up. Wouldn’t that be a good problem to have.

Another good problem is that all of these new products have left me with more ideas than time. So now it’s time to rebalance. I know I’ll figure out a way to make it work.
Better yet: I’ve had my second vaccine, and Art and Soul Portland is happening next month. I am very much looking forward to all of the classes I’m taking. I’m so excited I could burst! Yahoo!!!
Until then I’ll keep on stitching, weaving and more. In short, I’ll keep on keeping on. I wish the same for anyone reading this

I love this photo of my mom and her parents. I wonder if the Moby Dick Lounge still be around?

Goodbye FusionBeads.com

Does anyone really need to say that 2020 is the darkest timeline? I’m doing my best to hold on to the things for which I’m thankful—having a job, having the studio and a house big enough to give the unicorn and me enough space to give each other plenty of alone time and having a lifetime of craft supplies in the studio.

One of the small (not small?!) changes that has bummed me out is the closing of FusionBead.com. The store and the site have been a constant in my life for the last 10 years. They have been around longer than that, but I only found them once I started making jewelry.

They announced in late January of this year that change was afoot and that the goal for 2020 was to “embrace change and grow in new directions.” On March 18 came another email saying they were downsizing their selection. And then, on May 11, came the email saying they were closing. I’m trying to not think too much about how things might have been different for Fusion Beads had there been no virus. (Note: I’m well aware that this long lament pales in comparison to all of the woes others are experiencing right now. This is just my goodbye to a business that has meant a lot to me.)

Ever since I began making jewelry, Fusion Beads has been my favorite source for beads and beading supplies. (When the store was open, it was important to differentiate between Fusion Beads and FusionBeads.com. For ease, I’m going to use Fusion Beads from here on out.)

I took so many classes there. Several of the employees knew me by name. The store was bright and colorful and welcoming, and I loved it. Even though I bought a lot of beads from FB online while the store was open, there was still something so nice about looking at beads in person and finding items I didn’t know that I needed or wanted.

Once the store closed, I supported the website to the best of my ability—and the insane amount of beads on my shelves are proof .

I’ve placed my final order from the site, and it’s not a great feeling. I know there are still other places to buy beads—even in Washington. I can’t shake the feeling that with the market not a reality for me this summer and and Fusion Beads closing, it’s some kind of message or sign for my business. I know that’s pure silliness, but it’s all part of the weirdness that is this year.

These photos are such a small representation of the classes I took. There were resin classes, an etching class, a twisty-wire-wrappy necklace, one with the Ricks beading loom and so many more. Fusion Beads. You were loved. You will be missed!

I did not make these in a class, but I turned to FusionBeads.com for these patterns.

Pandemic musings

Funny, I remember when the shelter-in-place order took effect. I thought that my often-longed-for dream of a non-permanent-record-marring house arrest might have come true. The reality is that I’ve been really busy with work and distracted enough that my creativity is a little sluggish.

It’s only right to kick things off with a little love.

One craft I’ve gotten back to is cross stitch. I think that following a pattern offers up some comfort right now. I stitched this Godzilla, the word “vote” and I’ve picked up a rooster pattern for the first time in a long time.

Don’t get me wrong, I have made some original pieces. I’ve stocked up on pressed-flower jewelry and more, hoping to be well prepared for next year’s market season. Although, I seem to be good at making pendants, but am struggling with doing what needs to be done to complete a project. Over the past few months I’ve dabbled with my gelli plate, polymer clay, micro mosaics and more.

I also nearly lost my mind when I saw that I could get a mold for keycaps. So after a good month of waiting, it showed up. Judge the results for yourself.

Even if I smoosh in the bottom piece to make the keycap Cherry MX switch compatible, I can’t get it to sit down far enough so that the keycap will fit on a switch. I’m left with resin that oozes out and a keycap that doesn’t work on the switch. I’ll give it a few more tries, but until then, marbling and other tiny embellishments for pre-made keycaps are my friends. Hey, what about a very tiny mosaic on top of a keycap? It’s worth a try.

The long weekend is a mere two days away, and I’m dreaming of locking myself into my studio and making all kinds of good things.

Hopefully what I make will inspire another post. Fingers crossed!

Moving trucks and wedding bells

Hello strangers. It’s been a long time, right? Oh well … onward and upward.

It’s the 6th day of October, and I’ve had to abandon all hopes of participating in Inktober. Maybe some day. Just not any of the 31 days of this month. If I can’t blog regularly, I have no business giving myself a new daily task. That said, I’m still harboring the hope that I can take on NaNoWriMo. Some ideas have been rattling around in my brain, and I think the exercise of daily creative writing would be good for me.

But, back to the now. Since I last had anything to say, the unicorn and I bought a house. We have a grand deck, big yard and a studio space in the back yard. At around 800-sq-ft, it’s truly an amazing studio space. I’m not sure how I ever packed all of my sh … stuff into either the condo or the rental house.

Now that we have a yard, it’s fun to have yard decorations. We have three pieces of beautiful glass art and 25 flamingoes in various colors and life stages.

We’ve also met — and like — our neighbors. This cutie is one of my favorites. I might even be able to forgive the tomato thieving and digging up of my plants. Yesterday she ran up to me as if to say “hi.” It took a lot of self control to not reach out to pet her. Man, do I miss having a pet.

I’ve had some vacation days since the move that have been spent in the studio, and they’ve been heavenly. Really I cannot say enough how thankful I am.

To round out our history of doing things kind of backwards and at our own pace, we got married. It’s something I never thought the unicorn would ever want to do. People have asked what it’s like to be married, and the truth is that it all feels the same. The only difference is that I say “husband” now.

The market season is nearly done. Only three more Saturdays — and chances are I’ll only be there for two of them. It’s amazing how quickly these past six months have passed. Oh, I’ll be vendor of the week next week. All is really means is that I’ll get a sign in front of my booth. And maybe the unicorn will come and spend some time with me.

Enough of the personal stuff. Let’s get to the goodies! I’ve been making things when I can. Especially because (and thanks to a kiln-enameling class) I got an enameling kiln. I want to enamel all the live-long day. It’s so much fun!

I’ve also been making journals, stringing beads and making many bracelets with my Endless Loom. That is an addiction to be sure.

After some stumbling blocks with keycaps, I had to dust myself off, do some R&D and get back to it. I think I’m ready to ready to put more in my Etsy shop and try some new things.

And now it’s time to finish the last of my Sunday chores so that I can get to playing/making for the rest of the day!