My family knows well that I can be stubborn and push determination farther than I sometimes should.  Such an event occurred in June.  I was recovering a large cushion using a very old staple gun.  I knew it was very difficult to squeeze the gun and it took both hands but I was determined to finish the job that day.  After all, I've got other things to do!!

Unfortunately that one time it was extremely hard to squeeze the gun my left thumb slipped and when I saw it, heard it and felt it I knew I had caused serious damage but....the cushion wasn't done yet!  So I wrapped my hand, went to Home Depot to buy an electric staple gun and finished the job.  I've been in a splint since then so Fast forward to today....

I have seen two Orthopedic surgeons who both agreed I had dislocated my thumb and in the process tore major ligaments and the only repair is surgery.  I'm scheduled for surgery July 27th and have been told I will be in a splint for 2 weeks and then a cast for 4 more weeks.  Since I am a one-gal show with my art this puts a serious damper on creating my work and my show schedule.

Of course I am always looking towards the brighter side.  The 6 weeks I have already been in a splint has been productive in that I have reorganized my studio my supplies and my stones and I think for once in 6 years I know what I have and where it is!!  If I hadn't hurt my hand, I don't think I would have ever carved out the time to do that.

Now I am faced with another 6 weeks of downtime after surgery and the dilemna of how to minimize the impact on my art.  More often than not I design and create my pieces at the same time.  But then I thought about the times I have a particular stone or a particular idea that I want to do the design before I start.  I reflected on when I do the design before creating, it takes quite a bit of time before I can actually begin the execution.  

So this mishap with my hand is actually going to force me to delve into designing first.  I can create the designs and figure out the intricacies of execution so that when I get my hand back, I can jump into the studio and bring those designs to life.  My plan is to have a sketch book full of designs just waiting to be made.  It will be interesting if having to focus on the design first will change my art.  Hopefully it will open new doors in my mind!  So there is another positive to my injuring myself.

On my Facebook page I have posted pictures of work in progress or completed pieces.  Over this time period I will be posting pictures of my designs instead.  I'm not a good sketcher so maybe my drawing skills will improve as well.  Another bonus!  And thank goodness I hurt my left hand and I'm right handed!!