Protect Yourself...

“A new idea is delicate.

It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn;

it can be stabbed to death by a quip

and worried to death by a frown on the right man’s brow.”

— Charles Brower

My Crafty Abode - Art at the Fabric Store

Fabric is wonderful!

All kinds of fabric.

I especially like this piece of fabric.

It was from a bolt I found several years ago at the fabric store and I thought the painted design was so pretty I had to buy it. It spoke to me. I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I got it anyway.

It is sheer and the design is big so that limited a bit what I could make with it. I thought about adding it to a duvet cover but that didn't feel right.

So I decided to hang it from a decorative curtain rod like a piece of art. It is in our bedroom and I think the colorful design really stands out against our cream walls. It also looks a little like I could have painted it.

I attached a strip of black and while plaid ribbon across the top for stability and then sewed sheer red ribbon pieces, embellished with a variety of vintage buttons.

Tied to the rod it became a unique, affordable piece of art.

Courage

Creativity takes courage.

- Henri Matisse

(When I was younger, in an art class...the teacher compared my painting style to Matisse.)

Find Yourself...

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been.

You have to leave the city of your comfort

and go into the wilderness of your intuition.

What you’ll discover will be wonderful.

What you’ll discover is yourself.”

— Alan Alda

You Have Control

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning,

but anyone can start today

and make a new ending.”

- Maria Robinson quotes

Helpful Jewelry Tool - In your Sewing Box

When you need to measure while you work...

I found it helps to attach a section of a dressmakers tape to the front edge of your work table.

I just used decorative upholstery tacks to pin it up. Now when I need to measure the length of a jewelry piece I am working on, I can just hold it up to that.

Get Stimulated...

“When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do,

our work takes on the quality of play

and it is play that stimulates creativity.”

– Linda Naiman

My Crafty Abode - Captain's Chair

I have never been a big wood fan...

Always more drawn to metals and stone.

But as I grow older I have come to appreciate the natural beauty of wood and the art of carving.
This section is from a set of beautiful antique captain's chairs that my parents gave us.
The carving is so thick and textural...almost makes me want to take up carving myself!

I love the placement of the flowers...how they look natural facing both directions.
The scrolls are fluid and romantic.

Plus they have such personal meaning...being a gift from my parents.

Believe it - You NEED a Tripod

Sometimes I can be a little lazy.

...and it is at those times I think I can take a sharp picture, up close, by holding my breath and willing myself not to move the camera.

Truth is...I can't.

It is next to impossible to not move even a little bit when you snap a picture. Normally it doesn't matter for everyday pictures but for pictures where you are on your macro setting or need detail up close it is always wise to use a tripod AND set your camera timer.

Anyway, just a tip for better pictures...speaking from experience.

Creativity is...

Creativity

is

inventing,

experimenting,

growing,

taking risks,

breaking rules,

making mistakes,

and

having fun.

- Mary Lou Cook

Seasons

So I guess it's time to put away my beach bag.

It's been hanging on my laundry room door and I have been resistant to store it.

Seeing that it is November and I live in New England, I think it is safe to say there are no more beach days left this year.

I snapped this photo because I thought the angles of the bag looked cool and I liked the tones of white and gray. An everyday item but it looked artistic to me.

So long...until next year!

Small but Meaningful

We love to pick up small art pieces while traveling.

Not expensive or big...but small art made by locals.
This was a little pin made from driftwood that we purchased from an artist on a special trip to Aruba.

When I got home I framed it with the artist's tag intact...I just thought the tiny handwritten tag was so cute!

The shadow box gave it importance on our wall.

How do you See Things?

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns

in order to look at things in a different way.

- Edward De Bono

Maybe getting up real close or backing very far away might help you see things in a new light...opening your mind to new creative influence. A texture, a color, a silhouette, changes as you change your vantage point.

Unexpected Pattern Ideas

While waiting for my car to be serviced I noticed how cool the patterns were on new tires.

This is just a reminder to keep you mind and eyes open for unexpected inspiration...even if people look at you like you are crazy for taking pictures of unusual items!

We Could Learn Something from Cats

"Unlike us, cats never outgrow their delight in cat capacities,
nor do they settle finally for limitations.
Cats, I think, live out their lives fulfilling their expectations."

-Irving Townsend

My Crafty Abode - A Little Friend

Sometimes the smallest details can make us smile the most.

Take this little guy. Not something you would want on every cabinet...but with a single one on a lone cabinet it is just the right fit. A special accent...and one that makes me smile.

The other point to make is often artisan accessories like this can be cost prohibitive so only having to buy one or two isn't so painful!

Looking Back

I find it so interesting to look back at old work.

For me, usually, once I make something it is gone...removed from me.

Kind of like birth.

So it is fun to look back once in a while and see what I have done.

These necklaces represent where I was when I added my jewelry collection to my business years ago.

There is a definite style and feel to them. I see limitations when I look at them. It was new to me then...materials were new, techniques were new, packaging, display, finishes were new.

I was a different person then and it shows in my designs.

I like keeping pictures of previous work because it's very easy for me to forget where I was and how far I have come.

My Crafty Abode - Big Shoes to Fill

A very special gift...

This was a project my son and I did for my husband one Father's Day many years ago.

I used the sole of one of his shoes to make the black impression and then did Logan's (then) little foot to print on top...once the black was dry.

I loved how it shows the difference in size at the time.

I wrote around the images...
"Daddy, I have big shoes to fill..."

Matted and framed, it is a treasure.
It makes me happy everytime I see it hanging on the wall outside of our home office/studio.

Change

My creative space is always in flux.

When I took this picture I had just cleaned and organized it and had incorporated my PMC (Metal Clay) tools...as you can see from the mug warmers and playing cards.

I find that every so often, I need to overhaul my surroundings. Clean, rework, edit.

My work table is actually a little different right now and moved up against a wall. A lot of the same components but more refined in how they are arranged.

Just because you have something set up a certain way now doesn't mean you have to keep it that way. Try to add new containers, trays, and even regular household items like a lazy Susan...like the one above under the round tray.

I keep a small space in a storage area to hold on to items I really find useful. That way if I decided to switch them out I can work them back in at a later date. It doesn't feel so final that way. I have a hard time getting rid of things.

(but that is a topic for a whole other blog post!)

Fear...

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”

— Joseph Chilton Pierce

Unusual Materials

I love metal chain...

especially when it's used in unexpected ways.

This metal fringe is a perfect, interesting, light accent to the outside of this building.

The three tiers fully express the design in a bold but delicate way.

It's fun. This could be created from ball chain, metal links...even metallic ribbon could offer a similar look. (indoors, of course)

Healthy Treats

yes...they can be healthy!

Yum!

From Idea to Item

I was cleaning up my studio recently and found all of these...


They were in separate places and I thought it would be interesting to show the progression together.

I wish I knew where my original sketches are...that would have been cool to see with this.

Now that I thing of it, I actually think they may be in a very early post on here.

Found it... http://creativepotentialblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/birth-of-custom-jewelry-design-giraffe.html

Anyway, this design for a client went like this....

* I did a series of quick, ink sketches inspired by my client wanting a giraffe logo.

* Then I passed my sketches on to my friend who is a designer that was going to create a website and "brand" for this client.

* She played with my sketches and sent a logo idea back to me.

* Then I created this card stock template from that design.

* I used the template to make a couple of charms in Metal Clay to show my client.

* Once it was approved, I sculpted the charm in clay to give to my pewter casting guy.

* He used my mold to create a cast and made multiple charms in lead-free pewter.

* Then I had the charms gold and silver plated.

* Once done I added the split rings and the charms were attached to either a key ring or stick pin.

* They were packaged with a custom designed display card and slipped into a protective sleeve.

So, there you have it...from start to finish!

Children

"The child must know that he is a miracle,

that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been,

and until the end of the world there will not be,

another child like him."

- Pablo Casals

(Spanish cellist and conductor,1876-1973)