Forgive Me Father For I Have Sinned.

I love making jewelry

Actually, I love making anything.

And I love taking the pictures 

for my Etsy shop.

I had forgotten how much I loved

taking pictures.

I took photography in high school

Years ago.

Waaaaay before Gaga, and Timberlake, and CeeLo...

( I love the way the jewelry looks against the old handwritten letters)

After I graduated highschool

the photography teacher was kind enough

to let me continue coming in

 to use the darkroom.

Because of a teacher strike

school was in session for another month.

I loved experimenting in that old darkroom.

I loved the way it felt with the cozy darkness of that little red light bulb.

(It's the only light you can have in a dark room)

 I didn't even mind that sour chemical smell.

That is until...

The day I experimented with

Sepia toning.

Today we do it with a click of the mouse.

Back in the day to get the photo to go

from this

To the soft antique look you see above.

you had to dip the photo into several

chemical solution baths.

I didn't do it correctly.

Clearly.

Because when that chemically treated paper

hit that solution,

the stench that rolled out of that darkroom

 into the art room

was palatable.

And sickening.

 It was lunch time and everyone was gone.

Except me.

I ran out of that room,

coughing, wheezing, and gasping for air.

I headed for the ladies restroom.

When I returned to tell the art teacher

what I had done

 they were evacuating the entire third floor of the building.

The rumor was that someone 

had deliberately set off

A STINK BOMB!!

And THAT person

was in big, big trouble.

When and if they were ever found.

And instead of explaining myself, I chickened out.

I went downstairs with the rest of the class.

Hopped in my little green VW Bug.

And,

drove away.

Yup.

I slunk away like the coward I am.

I went back the next day. It was all cleared out by then.

I never told a single person.

Until now.

Confession.

It's good for the soul.