Sore Hands & An Australian Adventure!

Today, as I was cutting through some memory wire to finish off yet another bracelet at my store, I realized something: My hands are really sore!!

I guess that shouldn't really surprise me, considering that I work with my hands for many hours almost every single day. And it's not just general "work" that I do with my hands--it's super detailed, exacting work, that requires a whole lot of bending, twisting, sculpting, and stringing. And I have the blisters and callouses to prove it! I forget too that my jewelry making also takes a toll on not only my hands, but other parts of me as well--after a particularly long day, my left wrist aches (fun fact about me: I'm left-handed!), and even my shoulders hurt from hunching over my work station. I almost feel ridiculous when I come home sore from a long day of jewelry-making--you'd think I was breaking rocks!!

I think it's kind of hilarious that I used to work jobs that were much more physically demanding--back in my technical theater days, I spent my time running up and down ladders, often carrying, installing, and removing pieces of very heavy equipment! What I do now seems like it should be "easier" on my body, so I forget that making jewelry actually is still physically demanding, in a very different way. So I guess I need to start doing more hand and wrist stretches or something!! Let me know if you have any suggestions of what I should do :)

And speaking of the days of my technical theater past, I have something exciting to report--I am coming out of my retirement (???) to go on tour with Banana Bag & Bodice next March! I will be spending two weeks on tour with them in Australia, and I can't wait. Banana Bag & Bodice is actually the first company that I ever worked with in New York City, back in the summer of 2006. I have worked with them many times since, and I am so happy that I have the opportunity to work with them again. If you're not familiar with Banana Bag & Bodice and their work, well, you should be! Yes, they are my friends, but they are also pretty freaking awesome, and I feel like I am being objective when I say this :) You can learn more about them HERE.

And hey, if you're going to be in Australia next March, then you should come check out the show! Of course I don't even know which city I will be in yet or what the dates are :) But I will keep you posted! I think the tour will be a fun reprisal of my lighting past, and I will enjoy the opportunity to take a little break from NYC! And maybe I can find a way to spread some of my jewelry around Australia....many more details to come :)