I am truly hoping to continue blogging once a week, but my creative journey took a slight turn and got me occupied with a new dope project. As a creative individual, I also have to be responsible with my creativity and go with the flow and say “YES” to new opportunities.
After my divorce and me having to close my art studio, I decided to build a second career as a nail artist and I stepped away from jewelry for a minute. Well, in reality, I had to step away from jewelry production for over 2 years. Yes, it was painful seeing my jewelry bench in the storage room. It was like a fucking knife to my heart. I knew I would be able get back to the bench one day, but not knowing when (and waiting for the perfect time) was like looking at my painful breakup daily. All I wanted for my life was to make jewelry full time and live happily ever after – oh, and walk my dogs to the post office and keep exploring life and learning new skills that benefit to my creative knowledge!
Someone smart said this: “The best things happen outside of your comfort-zone”. I had to step outside of that zone, and as a creative introvert I had to face my biggest fear - facing nail clients and building face to face relationships. Let me be honest, like really honest: I know myself well enough to recognize how I like to function, what part of creativity I belong to and how I prefer to work. Even having my dogs is a big part of my creative environment. I work best in the creativity of my introverted setting with things around me that bring me joy.
In the beginning of 2020, I started to build clientele. I had a small group of returning fans for my nail game. The best part of it is that each and every one of them are amazing women who appreciate the quality of my work. And each customer became more like a cool friend who I’d look forward to seeing for private girly chats, laughs, and sometimes cries during the nail session. But during the pandemic, my rising business in the nail game was blocked by the shut down. I knew I’d have to keep a positive attitude. Eventually the shut downs would be over and I’d get back into the game in no time.
And then this happened: Sometime in June of 2020, I had the OPI team message me and ask me if I would be interested in creating Halloween art tutorials for OPI using their amazing gel products. (Here is the links to last year OPI tutorials)
And guess what? I got invited again to create few looks for this summer! How could I ever say no? First of all - it’s OPI!!!! And a dream project for any creative introvert.
My dear friend noticed something about me and said this: “You always manage to keep moving forward and use all of your skills to adjust quickly as things change.” I did not even know this about me. It’s organic. I just surrender to things I love to do.
I’m sure many of you, my jewelry junkies, also love the nail game as much as I do. Once the project gets released by OPI this summer, I will update you with the video tutorial links.
I really hope this posts help you recognize something with in you. What fear is blocking you? What do you have to face to walk into your destiny and dream career?
Trust me - getting 500 hours in beauty school between 20 years old at the age of 40 was not easy at all. But I did it. I faced my fears and it’s been totally worth it. I get to live a life as an artist, whether I’m making jewelry or creating nail art. At the end of the day, I live according to my creative heart and get to uplift someone’s vibrations, either with my handmade jewelry or my nail art.
Love and follow my instagram account dedicated to nail game
“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”
― Saint Francis of Assisi
PS: You can also google the personality of an introvert/extravert and take a test to understand your life better.
After a few months experimenting behind the bench, I ran to my master jeweler for another few words of wisdom.
What next? I feel like I’m on a roll, but I’m not sure what direction my jewelry is rolling. How long should I sit behind the bench and experiment, because I feel like I can be behind the bench forever and experiment my whole life. But - but! I’m 42, and not really at the stage of my life where experimenting can be lavishly expressed like a hobby/business.
My jeweler looked me in the eye and he said: “You must choose a direction and build a cohesive jewelry collection”.
He’s right. I have to focus and manifest one epic and cohesive collection. I have everything I need to start, and with patience I feel like I can reach my goal.
I got home that day and looked at several pieces I’ve made in the last few months. I asked myself - do I have a collection? I looked at all of the items. All of them represent my journey of what I love and what speaks to my heart, but they are all different elements. It’s like a multiple personality jewelry collection.
I’ll be honest, I got horrified, questioning: WHAT IS MY STYLE? MY COLLECTION looks like NO COLLECTION! It’s like a restaurant with all the awesome recipes but totally different flavors. And here I’m, again, cock blocking my own path with overthinking.
I stared at my bench and the doubts of my existence started pouring like a mother fucking heavy rain. Voices of doubt, fear, and frustrations started to fuck with me louder than my appetite for sweets. I ASKED MYSELF - WHAT IS YOUR STYLE??? Do you even have one?
And then I asked myself - what should I do?
Well, I did what I am really good at - I quit. I walked away from thinking of the collection and especially from thinking about the direction of my collection.
I thought, I will just pray on it. I will give this question to the Man above and with hope, dedication, and focus, the answers will come. Because I had to surrender. I just didn’t know what direction I was headed. I just knew that I love jewelry so much and I make jewelry that makes me happy.
I walked away, away from overthinking and from overthinking what my style is...
And soon I had my AHA moment! All of that overthinking feels so familiar, I’ve been there before, questioning my style.
As a teenager I struggled to fit in, but yet I always had this one of a kindness. I think it was around my early 30’s when I truly stopped looking for some kind of style and I started to roll as me, more authentically. And that’s when I started hearing from others – “It is so Galina”.
And it hit me - I’m the style; anything I love and make is Galina style.
And just like that, I was reminded to keep moving and focusing on jewelry I love. Jewelry that reflects me. Jewelry that speaks to this time in my life’s journey, to this moment of my existence, to this very second of my presence. Anything I do, anything I love, anything that comes from my heart IS my collection. And it has one direction - to make jewelry that will uplift your spirit and will become your reminder of who you are.
Many items are currently one of a kind and not part of any reproduction. Many items are just because - because I always wanted that statement ring with some kind of stone for my spiritual healing, or some kind of dangling pendant to layer with another necklace. I have no idea what is next and how my collection will look by September of 2021, but I know one thing - I know who I will be when I wake up tomorrow - creative and one of a kind - just like my new jewelry collection.
In Store Now
I guess it's time to start talking! Well, I mean blogging and talking about my journey. Creative journey. Just like many others, 2020 should be deleted out of my life book for good, but - but ! Wait. The 2020 pandemic made me really look deep into my creative closet - and I mean that literally and metaphorically.
In the beginning of the pandemic I opened my creative closet in my living room to organize it (trust me it looked exactly like Monica’s secret closet from that Friends episode). I started playing with all the creative projects I did in the past and got deeper into really making whatever I wanted out of all the tools and supplies I had. The 2020 pandemic kept me hostage in a creative bubble. I pulled out my sewing machine and for a hot minute started thinking of walking away from jewelry and beginning a clothing collection.
Growing up in a seamstress’ family, I had a knowledgeable foundation about how to make samples and then put them into production. I knew it would take time, but if I structured myself and didn’t rush, I could patiently build a collection of few things for late 2021-2022. Little did I know, the deeper I started looking into it, the more I realized how the world of sewing – the world that I grew up in - was no longer mine.
I went to my master jeweler for advice (he helped me build my Dumbbell Jewelry Collection). What should I do? How can I bring to life a brand new jewelry collection? His advice was simple - just stick to the bench.
He was right, all I had to do was sit behind the bench and let it come to me. I set up my jewelry bench in my living room, moved things around for the wax injector, cleared out the kitchen counter for the polishing machine, and since I don't cook I use my electrical flat top stove as a counter for the ultrasonic and my tumbler.
I'm not going to say sleepless nights exactly, but lots of hours went by, experimenting and melting, burning and breaking stones - his advice worked. With my dedication and his guidance, this is what I been up to. At this moment, these items are not in the store, and many items might not make it to the store and will only be available upon request.
These days I'm obsessed with silver rings, natural stones and bezel settings, tiny elements and an overload of magic! The more time I spend at my bench, the more and more I learn to surrender, be patient, and trust the process.
Visit my Instagram account to see more items that I made for last few months @CreativeGalina
On the next blog, I would love to share with you the process, the thoughts and creative struggle behind the scenes and I hope I can capture this magic in the right words. I’d love for you to see how some things just work without any explaining or overthinking.
Oh - and the other advice I got from my jeweler that got me stuck for few days (I was definitely overthinking!)
Handmade Silver Dumbbell jewelry designed with intention to become your daily reminder of your fitness goals, this fine fitness jewelry collectable became most wanted this season before even coming to the store. This simple piece of handmade Jewelry meets fitness and fashion with inspirational message of your one of a kind fitness journey.
