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Vignettes of a Creative Space

March 20, 2017 ·

I believe that Virginia struck an essential truth when she wrote that one must have a room of one’s own in order to create art. I suppose some forms of art are formed best in the presence of others. But not the art that I am interested in making. In my process, creation is a wholly personal and private act. Even when the fella is in the studio, I can feel myself questioning design elements as he picks up unfinished pieces and turns them in his hands. When someone flips through my sketchbook, the renderings look particularly rough and hasty. Whispers of doubt in concept and skill.

And that is why a room of one’s own is so essential. In that private sanctuary, the work needs not please anyone but the maker. Paint can be mixed and dashed in bright, new ways. Clay can be pushed and pulled outside of the prescribed shapes. And of course, metal can be fired until bright pink, recklessly sawn, and sung into any imaginable form. Days spent out in the world, soaking in shape and color and theme, followed by precious evenings and weekends spent in my creative haven emptying pockets full of ideas and questions.

“Therefore I would ask you to write all kinds of books, hesitating at no subject however trivial or however vast. By hook or by crook, I hope that you will possess yourselves of money enough to travel and to idle, to contemplate the future or the past of the world, to dream over books and loiter at street corners and let the line of thought dip deep into the stream.” (A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf)

In my little room, Joni sings on the record player, Clover sleeps indifferently in her basket, and I am able to follow any strange path my mind leads. Life residue collides with the limits of sterling silver, and I am able to create honestly.

I can dream up a thousand lives, and create pieces for each of those imagined women. A moss agate cuff for she who idles afternoons with her toes in a stream. A delicate opal set in gold for she who takes lavender scented baths and only reads Edna St. Vincent Millay in the springtime. A generous slice of turquoise for she who knows the velvet muzzle of a chestnut horse better than she knows her own face.

Without this space, I wouldn’t be able to create quite so freely. Sprinkled with pleasing art, feathers I’ve found in the grass, and pieces of furniture I’ve lugged around for years, this room allows my hands to twist wire and swing hammers with abandon, and I love it dearly. Every part of it important to me.

The printers cabinet full of carefully collected and sorted gemstones.

The tremendous Maine pine stump on which I’ve struck and formed hundreds of pieces. (It is going to break my heart to leave her behind when we leave New York.)

The colorful splashes placed around the room that serve to hearten on even the dreariest of days.

Gifts from beloved and dearly missed friends.
(They make such a comfortable chatter as I swing my mallet.)

Apple orchard crates full of my mother’s records, and tools that allow me to preserve nature in my work.

Endless vases and jars and canisters and salt dips to hold all that I drag in from the outdoors.

Tools waiting to be learned and wielded, hopeful in their corners.

And of course, endless twinkle lights. What does your space look like? Are you able to create surrounded by people, or do you need a room of your own? Tell me, friend! I’d love to know.

Lately:
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Listening – to Bloc Party, because road trips to Canada, mishaps with roman candles, tiny basement punk shows, and nostalgia.

Watching – Fairy Tail, because here at the end of winter, I am craving color and cheer, and I cannot think of anything lighter and brighter than this anime. And with hundreds of episodes, it will serve to pull me out of many years worth of late-winter glumfests.

Reading – The Boilerplate Rhino: Nature in the Eye of the Beholder, because wanderlust and cabin-fever are sitting heavy on my shoulders right now.

Inspired by – fictional impossibles, such as alethiometers, Elessar, golden apples, time turners, and Borrowers. Oh, and inspired by Virginia Woolf, always always.

Filed In: At Home, In the Studio, Uncategorized / Tagged: artisan, artist, artists, creative process, inspiration, lifestyle, metalsmithing, studio

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Unless otherwise noted, all images, designs, and writing is property of Michaela Batstone. All rights reserved.

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The Presold Collection is closed! I have nearly fi The Presold Collection is closed! I have nearly finished making all the custom listings and ironing out details for everyone who reached out. 

I will be working on the commissions in the order they were received, alongside all my other collections in the works. (Hessonite garner, tanzanite, and Nocturne coming at ya!) Some of the stones are being cut and so I have to wait to receive them to get started. 

Thank you for your patience, and I am so excited that some really deep cut designs get to be revisited!
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#uniquejewelry #artisanjewelry #bohemianjewelry #prettylittlethings #etsyhandmade #heytheremaker #ladysmith #makersvillage #madefromscratch #ardentfinds #bohoinspo #modernmaker #justmyart #madewithlove #makermovement #handmadeaf #handcraftedjewelry #handmadejewelry #bohoinspo #crystaljewelry #inherstudio #wildmagic #wildatheart #inspiredbynature #silversmith #moonspinner #etsyjewelry #flashesofdelight #etsysuccess  #instasmithy  #whatwomencreate
Thank you to everyone who has reached out so far t Thank you to everyone who has reached out so far to reserve a spot for a commission of a piece of my past work! I am slowly working through the requests, pulling gemstones, checking silver stock. Thank you for your patience, if you sent a message, I am on my way! 🙃🏃🏻‍♀️

I have gotten a fair number of requests for the Darkling Sea Rings.

(Can I just say how much it makes my soul sing that there are so many other mermaid-hearts out there!?)

And so I have put the preorder listing back into the shop from the last time I made them, if you'd like to catch one. (I am absolutely determined that everyone who wants one of these rings is able to get one! 🙇🏻‍♀️)
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#kyanite #kyanitering #kyanitejewelry #tealkyanite #oceanring #oceanjewelry #oceancore #gemstone #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #supportlocal #mermaidcore #mermaidjewelry
Okay, friends, the Presold Collection is finally a Okay, friends, the Presold Collection is finally a go!

✨ I am going to start by taking (24) commissions for past work, just to see how it goes. 
✨ If there is a design from my past that you'd like me to recreate for you, send me a message on Etsy and we can chat about whether it is possible or not, as I will have to see if I have the right gemstones, silver, etc.
✨ I won't be able to make modifications to the design, because custom work gets complicated quickly, so they will be the same as previously designed. 
✨ I wont be able to create designs from Mossflower, Honeybees, Nocturne, or Night Owls, as those will be coming back later this year. (Hurray!)
✨ I also wont be able to recreate designs from the collaborative collection I did with Maia Toll, as I promised those would be one of a kind pieces. 
✨ The turnaround time will be 8-10 weeks (sooner if I can manage it) between date of purchase and date of shipment. Production will be a bit slow as I am going to be working on these alongside other collections.
✨ I think it's easiest to pay in full up front, rather than figuring out invoices. That way I can pop your piece in the mail the moment its finished! And so once we've chatted over on Etsy about whether your request is possible, I will make you a custom listing to purchase. 
✨ Please be patient with my responses, as I am trying to do this will also pulling together two other collections for you. (A whole bunch of tanzanite rings, the very last of the stock I've had for years! As well as a big, beautify Hessonite garnet collection for February.)

And that's it! So if there's a past design that's been singing to you for years, send me a message and I will see if I can spin some magic for you. 
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#opthandmade #bohojewelry #instajewelry #jotd #shopsmall #handmadejewelry #bohemianjewelry #craftsposure #metalsmith #ladysmith #maker #artisanjewelry #artisan #freepeople #bohemian #livefolk #gypsystyle #bohostyle #dslooking #makersgonnamake #makersmovement #bohochic #gypsysoul #bohofashion #jewelrydesigner #festivalstyle #onthebench
✨ My endless gratitude, moving from Etsy to Shop ✨ My endless gratitude, moving from Etsy to Shopify, and a Presold Collection question for you! ✨ 
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Cozy friends, what can I say! Each Winter Berry Tea Ring was claimed within about 15 minutes. I like to imagine us all with our darkly brewed rings chatting an afternoon away. What a lucky gal I am! You are the sugar in my tea!
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Also, I know once again Etsy was a headache for some of you. Showing rings sometimes, and then disappearing again. Showing up if you sort by price, but not if you searched "Winter Berry." I couldn't even see any of the newly listed rings for almost 10 minutes... UGH. 

And so, with some computer work on my part, my next release (a batch of tanzanite rings) will be in a new Shopify shop. 

For the past week I have been setting up the new shop, figuring out Quickbooks integration, and getting through all the unfun parts. I am also learning how to make checkout fast so you can quickly catch your pieces. And I am loving the idea of early bird access for newsletter peeps. 

And best of all, no glitchy releases. (I hope! If you use Shopify and do timed releases, please let me know how they go for you.) 
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Also, I know some of you missed these rings. As well as many past designs. 

So! I am officially going to attempt my Presold Collection where you can request a past design. And if I have all the stones and silver necessary, I can then create a preorder listing for you and hit the bench running! 

There will be a few exceptions, like I wont be able to recreate any Mossflower, Honeybee, or Night Owl pieces, since those collections will be returning later this year!

I am likely only going to take on a few dozen commissions at first, just to see how things go. 

Production time will be a bit slow because I am going to be making the commissioned pieces alongside all my other collections (likely 8-10 weeks?). 

And so, if you are hoping to reserve a presold slot, let me know below what past design you are hoping for, so I can start peeking into my gemstone cabinet to see what's possible. 

And then in a few days, I will let you know more!
(Sold) All the Winter Berry Tea Rings are in the s (Sold) All the Winter Berry Tea Rings are in the shop! I hope you'll have a cuppa with me. ☕️💕
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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: TONIGHT, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #darkacademiaaesthetic #darkacademia #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
A love affair with rhodolite garnet on a snowy aft A love affair with rhodolite garnet on a snowy afternoon. 💕
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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: TONIGHT, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #darkacademiaaesthetic #darkacademia #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
Oh! I forgot to tell you, the blog preview of all Oh! I forgot to tell you, the blog preview of all the Winter Berry Tea Rings is up. There's a direct link to it in my profile, if you'd like to take a gander. 🌨🧣🫖✨
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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: TONIGHT, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #darkacademiaaesthetic #darkacademia #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
Tonight, tonight, cozy friends! I have brewed 48 l Tonight, tonight, cozy friends! I have brewed 48 little cups of garnet tea for you. I hope you'll join me! 

Also, thank you to everyone who pretended you were having a cuppa with me, and told me how you take your tea, what the weather is up to where you were, and what novels are on your nightstands. It was the loveliest tea time! 

It is bright and blue and cold here, and I am currently reading the manga "Rose of Versailles" as well as "Leviathan Wakes." Craving a classic these days though too. 

Any recommendations?
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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: TONIGHT, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #darkacademiaaesthetic #darkacademia #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
🫖 Winter Berry Tea Rings🧣 I just love these 🫖 Winter Berry Tea Rings🧣

I just love these rings. Spare and simple, but rich and comforting at the same time. 

Like a hot cup of berry tea on a  winter afternoon, shadows clinging to ever surface. 

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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: Sunday, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
🫖 Winter Berry Tea Rings🧣 I like to imagine 🫖 Winter Berry Tea Rings🧣

I like to imagine that each of these is a cup of tea I have made for you cozy souls. You would tell me whether you prefer yours sugared or no, and I would ask what novels you've been reading lately. 

We would drink our berry tea before it got cold while we watched the gannets meander down the river. And I would be watching the sky for snow.

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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: Sunday, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
A cup of winter berry tea while I photographed the A cup of winter berry tea while I photographed the Winter Berry Tea Rings. Each were equally comforting. 🧣🫖✨
🫖 Winter Berry Tea Rings🧣 Garnet is the per 🫖 Winter Berry Tea Rings🧣

Garnet is the perfect stone for January. 

Like this dusky, restrained month, rhodolite garnet is often quite dark. That is especially so in a low-dome cut, such as in this batch of gemstones. The color is rich, but furtive. 

When encased in silver, rhodolite garnet darkens to a deeply shadowed purplish red. 

But then, like those shining, bluebird days that we sometimes catch during January, the right conditions give the most saturated colors, light reflecting and refracting off every facet. 

When you wear these rings, they will be dark with flashes of berry red in the right light. On the hand, they look like dusky cups of the strongest pomegranate tea you can imagine. 

But since I have sawn out the backs, the promise of light and color is there for you. 

If it be a dark day and you need the bright comfort of a cup of tea, you can take your ring off, hold it to the light, and let it sing the warmest song you've ever heard.

Whoever chose garnet as a birthstone for January, I see what you did there. 

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✨ Winter Berry Tea Ring Release: Sunday, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. EST in the Etsy Shop ✨

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#artisanjewelry #birthstonejewelry #birthstonering #bookishjewelry #garnet #garnetring #gemstonejewelry #handmadejewelry #handmadering #instajewelry #januarybirthstone #januaryring #jewelrydesign #jewelrydesigner #jewelrygram #jewelrymaking #madewithlove #mainemade #moonspinner #natureinspired #natureinspiredjewelry #rhodolitegarnet #supportlocal
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