Last night, I went to a book signing by Frank Warren, the Post Secret guy. The bookstore was packed — maybe because secrets are universally interesting? Most secrets carry pain and suffering with them, and it's amazing to see how people put their experiences on paper. And how it's unburdening to confess them on a 4 x 6 card to a stranger.

Frank updates his blog on Sundays and I visit regularly, but I saw his books for the first time yesterday. The books are a whole different animal than the blog. First of all, they're not books that you read from start to finish. I'll look at a few pages and then think about one of the postcards (and about what that person might have been thinking). Also, I'm excited about having the books rather than scrolling down on my screen once a week. If you have the chance, you should see him in person and pick up one of his books.

By the way, I haven't forgotten that this is a blog about jewelry. But I think that anything that affects creativity is fair game, and lately I've been finding inspiration in unusual sources. How about you? Does what's going on in the rest of your life affect your approach to making jewelry, or do you look at jewelry as a hobby that's completely separate?