Day3: What words or phrases do you find inspiring and why?

Day3: What words or phrases do you find inspiring and why?

"A creative mess is better than idle tidiness."

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."

"Two people are needed to make a painting...
the artist, and someone else
to hit him on the head with a hammer
when the painting is finished."

"Without art, the crudeness of reality would make life unbearable."

Day 2: What colors are meaningful to you and why?

Day 2: What colors are meaningful to you and why?

Pink, green, blue and black. I don't know why. I just like them.

30 days of creativity- Day 1

What the heck. I'm following along with craftcritique.com and doing 30 Days of Creativity.

Day 1: When you were a child, how did you express your creativity?

I drew on the cardboard that came in my dad's shirts from the cleaners. I used crayons, pens, pencils and glued on whatever junk I had around the house as well... for instance, cotton balls were snow. I drew and painted something all the time. I also liked to decorate my room but my mom was against that. She did however encourage my artistic angst.

What in the world

I was inspired by something i saw at Dollar Store Crafts blog and headed to the thrift store. I bought a silver plated saucer and promptly filed the handles off it. Found a green glass thingy which looks like it used to be the top of something and picked up a pilsner glass. The bottom of a silver plated drink coaster has some nice green leather on it and I like that battery operated push light thingy too. At the moment, I'm playing around with a finish for the outside of the silver saucer. I spray painted the inside black and copper leafed the outside but not loving it. I copper leafed the inside of the glass saucer thing and liking that. So far, I've spent a couple of bucks.


My son and I are in crafty mode. Wait till you see what we did with a uke we bought at the thrift store.


This is my dining room table. We're eating in the kitchen for the time being...


Can you guess what this stuff is going to be?

Back in business?

Despite the pain, I am making stuff. Here's some of it
I bought a ton of watch parts from the Waltham Watch Co at a flea market in New Hampshire in the fall. Got pretty involved with that. I have also inherited tons of tatting and lace from relatives that I'm beginning to drag out of cartons. I plan to dye some of it too.




I amassed a ton of interesting garments from the thrift store. I plan to dye and alter them. I also have a bunch of old clothes that are too big so I'm experimenting with dye and bleach. I was particularly obsessed with long line bras and bleach tie dye. I dyed some bras, but never got around to embellishing them because of the pain in my arm. Today I see the pain doc, so let's see what happens with that.


Stay tuned for more.

Okay. I'm Back.

update:

So I got really depressed after I lost my best friend and then lost my creative edge about 2 years ago... and that was the end of that


Then I had gastric bypass surgery in March 09 and lost my fat... I also noticed that I stopped posting right around the time of the gastric bypass.

I still hung out with the polymer clay crowd and went to workshops and retreats although I never finished anything...


then I got a new best friend ...

I got obsessed with Dia De Los Muertos

I got re-involved with astronomy and music performing...
then I started amassing craft supplies and jewelry supplies...
then I discovered thrift stores...

then I discovered the joys of getting rid of junk via eBay... Made room for more junk

I still can't find a job that pays more than minimum wage, so I won't be working. I can save more money than what I'd earn working by not buying stuff OR I can earn more money selling old stuff on eBay than what I'd make in a minimum wage job.

MWAH!

RIP Senator Edward Kennedy

Edward Kennedy passed away after battling brain cancer for a year at age 77. He will be remembered as the greatest US Senator. Kennedy was elected to the senate in 1962. He truly believed in what he stood for unlike most Senators who act according to what is most politically expedient. He will truly be missed. More

Wire Crazy

I got carried away with the wire winder thingy yesterday. Trying to keep my hands busy since I quit smoking, you know.

I'm getting ready to have gastric bypass surgery on Monday so blogging may be pretty light for a while... but then again, I may make stuff in the meantime.

Had such a wonderful time making polymer clay beads last week and want to make more... we'll see!

Cabin Fever Clay Festival

I had the most fun at the Cabin Fever Clay Festival this past week in Laurel Maryland. Most of all, I learned some amazing new techniques. As per usual, I didn't finish any projects but I bring you some of what is in various stages of completion from a few classes I took. I still have to find the rest of the incomplete stuff as I unpack.... I know... I know...

This picture doesn't do these pendants any justice. I must finish one of these as a necklace that matches the silks that teacher, Julie Picarello gave us. I call this, A River Runs Through It... very original.


Nan Roche brought fabulous Japanese molds and we made some pretty spectacular creations from the molds. I think this looks like wood.


This lotus pod mold is rather large but it really looks like bronze, doesn't it?


That's gold leaf on black clay. I like how it looks and feels.


These were really fun beads to make in Sarah Shriver's class. I really have to do the technique again at home to get them the way I want them, but overall, I was very pleased with the technique and want to do it again.


My most favorite beads were the Big Amber Beads taught by Tori Hughes. I think these look very real and straight out of Africa.



I suppose if I took more than 5 seconds to set up shots and set up the camera correctly, I could get better photos of the class results, but those of you who know me, know that this is the best you're going to get.

Cabin Fever Clay Festival

I'm off to the Cabin Fever Clay Festival in Laurel, Maryland.

See you on Thursday.