tweaking the same old, same old

when not at my 9-5, my time has been spent on some projects i've been working on to bring a little transformation to my living space. mostly small details to things i already own. recently, i was finally able to acquire a set of linen sheets; which beyond the expected visual treat, makes going to sleep at night a delightful pleasure.

but then i needed to spruce up the sadly worn yellow striped bolster cover. with a linen one (of course), made of an antique flour sack i came across years ago and which has been languishing in my closet. it's soft to the touch, almost like flannel, but very thickly spun and woven. i had just enough material, with some creative patchwork and different linen endcaps, to recover the entire length.

which led to replacing the simple nightstand lamp with a cheeky edison steampunk concoction i was inspired to make after obsessing over an anthropologie version on pinterest. a bit of legwork to hardware, antique stores, and hobby shops combined with things i already had, and i was able to create something of the feel of the original. it's very nifty, and the delicate bits are safe from the kitties and dust.

after a little rearranging of the pictures above the lamp, i'm quite content with the feel of the space; still mine, just renewed.

making in response to needing

i've been enjoying a spurt of creativity; setting a goal for the day and finishing it. being out of work has really encouraged me to focus my hours on making things which i could sell. "if you don't have work, make work to sell" is my new motto. in the past i worked on pin cushions, which went over okay, then i created boudoir cushions, which i only sold one of, and now i'm onto tea cosies. this last is probably a reflection of creating something with utilitarian uses and the amount of tea i find myself drinking. i've become something of a teaholic these last months (okay, last two years).

being in japan gave me a great respect for their green teas, as well as an appreciation for the umami and astringency which is a major aspect of ocha. it's a tea which i find myself drinking several cups of during the day, and because of the low caffeine, not suffering from jitters, nerves, and insomnia as a result. i love the roasted hojicha, the refreshing cold barley tea, the sweet uji-shimizu with almond milk, and the green freshness of sencha. although, i do enjoy a good black tea, fruity more often than not, with sweet things. luckily, the second cup brews caffeine free.

a major influence on the tea cosy front, is the work of tara badcock, a fantastic and prolific textile artist in australia. i've enjoyed seeing her pieces for years now, and happen to own an exquisite pincushion and change purse (which i use every day) she created. i've borrowed the ruched edge binding she does for my own cosies, as it adds an element of strong color, and a certain timeless grace. plus, who doesn't love something which is almost heedless rococo? as well, it reminds me of the costumes from marie antoinette, and gowns from that period.

all in all, i figure it's about time to live up to expectations and find my artistic footing. too often i find my creations driven from a certain selfishness; i want what i create, i create in response to things i want.  it's hard for me to part from my brood of artistic expressions. thereby making it hard to earn any money.  well, as it was once said, "onwards and upwards".

west coast living

well, i made it! i've been here in california for a little over a week, and am finally settling in. it's a lot to get used to, but i'm already finding places to go for interesting things, and am enjoying the farmers markets that abound here (must remember how to cook). most days are sunny, and becoming cool; which is lovely after the 90 degree+ days of the last few months.

the drive from east coast to west coast was dry, dusty, and with a hefty dose of the desert. while leaving albuquerque we watched some colorful and strangely acrobatic hot air balloons float over the city. all in all it's been a peculiar couple of weeks.

yummy fresh figs! fruit, i know what to do with, so these along with lots of strawberries, and peaches have been a sudden staple to my diet.

art makes my new space feel a little like home. the funny thing is, by being 3000 miles away from my family and nala and meiko, i realize that it's not stuff that makes a home, but the people who are in it. corny, but true.

finally happened along a tray for my teaware. trays are my new favorite thing. 

idleness, not really

i've managed to become busy in the last few weeks. making odds and ends art with washi tape, painting my toenails in an amazing green-gold polish, gouache painting another shopping bag, potting a teeny tiny cacti baby i found hidden in amongst larger brethren, sewing a tea cozy, knitting an extension onto my stainless steel scarf, watching the avengers (had to catch up on some of the movies leading up to it as well), sewing a linen shoulder bag, restocking my japanese tea, giving meiko a bath, going to a dayspa/hair convention in orlando...

that now, i feel like doing exactly what nala is doing.

patches, patches, whose got the patches?

so, the story goes, i was at the eye doctor's and i thought i would have to wear an eyepatch; all because of a pesky tear duct. i looked at the ones available and my options were black, black, or black. blech. so, as a result of my findings, i decided i would make my own eyepatches and make a diverse range of them which i could theoretically choose from depending on how i was feeling. nobody really wants to look like a pirate day to day, or an extra from kill bill. some would say it was vanity, i will say it's a chance to create art where there is a void.

the first which i created is based on a peacock. i love the little feathers from the body of the bird, so green and shimmery, with hues of bronze and blue as it moves. the tail feathers are always associated with eyes, so it's only fitting that i embroider one for the center of the patch. i love this one. the bronze silk which was in the sneek peek photo was used as lining for the inside of the patch, it picks up on the bronze colors at the base of the feathers.

pussywillows fascinate me. i love to find softness in plants, it's the tactile quality of them; this one in particular is as fine as any silk velvet. this one evolved as i was laying it out. my sketch was of decreasing sizes of pussywillows, ending in the middle. but, as i was adding the third row, i saw the eye of an owl. so, i went with it. using the downy feathers i had snipped from the peacock feathers, i lined the eye, and created an iris from a swarovski crystal button i've been hoarding for nine years, and a blue tinted abalone shell button. the addition of the pink swarovksi crystal for the inner tear duct was the finishing touch. this eyepatch is lined in a pale blue dupioni silk, tacked down with light brown crystals, like a star studded dawn.

luckily, my eye healed and i didn't have to wear an eyepatch after all! but, i'm still pursuing the potential in them.

beginnings

i'm up to something. so far i've created three pieces for my next series, and a dozen or so sketches. it's based on some thinking i had while at the doctor's office. worry gets me to thinking; it's a survival mechanism i think.

here's a peek at one of them while i was figuring out placement. i'm still working on finishing details, else i would show them all. it's really satisfying seeing a piece through from idea, to sketch, from choosing materials, to finished item. plus, i love gathering the supplies for each idea.

it's always neat evolving the idea as you go, to leave room for the piece to speak to you as it's taking form. sometimes the best art comes from listening to what the piece is telling you.

surrounding oneself

the new workplace needed some artwork for the walls. as one who knows a thing about creating art, i figured i could help out. so, as something bigger than what i normally do would fill the space better, i got a 20" x 20" stretched canvas, some balsa wood strips, and painted something in a turquoise and green color scheme (it is a spa, after all). as an aside, i have to say that the new utrecht store in town is crazy awesome for someone on a budget.

four brushes, a couple of hours, a limited palette, some spatula painting, hammering tiny nails, and this is what happened. i wanted something abstract; focusing on colors, a sense of water, calmness, and thinking a bit of mark rothko didn't hurt things either. i think i like painting in this scale. in the purely abstract method only, though. if it had been figurative and detailed, i would have done a triptych or a series to be hung together. me and detailed large scale are not friends (see miniature dollhouse if you don't agree).

mixing it up

i wrote this awhile ago, but hadn't posted it.

i started my trained art life in illustration, using paint and paper. since graduating, i've slowly leaned towards fibers, and have focused on them in the last few years. every now and then i would take out the paints and canvas, work on a piece, and once complete, put the paints away again.

 the other day i had an inclination to do some needle lace, so i grabbed a scrap of linen, and practiced some lace edging. it was a small piece, and i wasn't really sure what to do with it other than find some way of framing it. riffling around under my bed, i came across two canvases i've had forever. ah, inspiration! i took out the paints again, and have completed two canvas's incorporating my fiber work. i like the texture of fiber, the color of paint, the mixture of flat 2-dimensional and the slightly more dimensional fabric.

is this the beginning? who knows, but it is fun.

lace is fantastic

while glancing through a piecework magazine i came across some needlelace. i'm always entranced by needlelace when i see it; it's really pretty, with delicate webbing, curving arabesques, tiny areas of transparency. venetian rose point lace, italian reticella, 17th/18th century italian lace, coraline, 17th century gros point de venise, point de neige, punto in aria, are all gorgeous examples. i decided to try my hand at making some, and found it quite mesmerizing, with lots of possibilities (you can't get more travel easy, it's just a needle and thread). my first tries are a little wonky, but i find them charming anyways.

one of the pieces i wove awhile back needed something more; needlelace in green would be just the thing. i went for a bit of playful flora, and attached it with a small brad which i painted with nail polish. i find it strange that antique lace was mostly made in white thread (some exceptions being black lace for mourning, and spanish mantilla lace). it would make it easier to change between clothing, and it would be punchier against the rich hues of the fabric, but i think lace could be so much more modern if it were done in color.

fond memories found in art

as the lighting was sunny today, i took some photos of the newly rearranged gallery walls.

two masked monkies i painted my great aunts years ago, along with a whimsical jellyfish painting by jennifer davis, and alice in wonderland puppets i bought at an estate sale in my college days, make up the bigger part of the wall. it's more colorful than the previous arrangement (i'm seeing a favorite colors scheme here).

the smaller wall is a little more subdued, the print of the doggies lining up hung in my great aunts bathroom; but as they have both passed on now, it is in my collection. my great aunts had the greatest stuff, usually lovely or funny, or a little bit dirty. i remember a charm i received from them when i was younger, it was a little silver boy peeing (like those found in water fountains), along with a little brass wishing well. they also had this hilda calendar which they would sneak out and show me, usually paired with a wink and a chuckle, every now and then. i hope i can be as kooky when i'm in my 90's. gads, i miss them.

finally finished

from time to time i've had thoughts of this painting i worked on last year; never feeling that it was finished. but i figured something would come to me eventually and when that time came i could hang it knowing it was done.

over the weekend i acquired four new pictures, three of which i decided to hang in my art gallery (a.k.a. bathroom-hey, good lighting and white walls). this required rearranging of the other pieces, and suddenly a space opened up which was in need of some art. so, i hung this octopus painting temporarily as a space filler. then today as i was gazing at it i finally saw what it needed: a funky umbrella.

out came the paper collage drawer and a print was chosen, cut, and glued to the painting. a good coating of satin glazing liquid after all was dry to even out the surface and protect the paper, and i can finally sign it and call it done.

arranging

a desktop still life: maeve's painting, covered tea vessel, wooden bento, pigment set, tree seeds, and an omiyage.

most awesomest ever

i read about the handmade market at kamigamo shrine, on the fourth sunday of the month, and knew i would have to attend. i've seen photos of the amazing hand crafts of japan, and most definitely wanted to see them in person. i was not let down, in any way. point of fact, i was really blown away by all the very creative and beautiful pieces people are doing!

there was plenty of delicate jewellery, an amazing selection of pan, cookies, and cakes, really pretty accessories made from old kimono, and adorableness with hints of kookiness everywhere. i wish i had brought more money with me, but regardless, i did manage to decimate my o-miyage list down to three items remaining. when i return home and gift the prettiness out, i will post photos. something i've noticed, and not only here today, is the attention paid to packaging in kyoto is really amazing; it makes me want to set a higher standard for myself when it comes to my work.

i did not think that the artists would want you taking photos, or i would have taken more, but when i noticed my friend kyo-san taking photos and the artists happily allowing it, i started photographing some of the things that caught my eye.

well, a return to class tomorrow; dyeing of the kasuri yarn.

tea please

i like tea; it's warm, flavorful, pretty, good for you, tastes lovely, goes well with baked goods. lately, i've started drinking a mug of green tea every day to help me relax when i get home from work. i've been using my hot cocoa mug, but started to feel that maybe it would be nice to have a dedicated tea mug.

while sampling delicious honey at the savannah bee company store i came across a beautiful honey pot in my favorite shade of blue green. the colors used, undulating shape, mixture of matte and glossy finish, really drew my attention. plus the little bee lid was very cute, i figured it could keep my tea warm for me.

this lovely vessel was created by a local potter, giana eden, so i was definitely happy to make it a part of my tea ceremony. i don't know, but i feel good when i purchase works by other artists, maybe it creates good artist karma or something.

if it moves is it still illustration?

cartoons are delightful! just because one is an adult, i don't see why one can't continue watching cartoons. they are created by adults aren't they? see, my point exactly.

one of my recent favorites is the marvelous misadventures of flapjack. what is it about this spiffy show that tugs at my heart strings? besides the incredible texture, amazing color choices, delicate linework and awesome animation, the storyline is quite humorous, the characters are fleshed out and the voice acting is well matched.

and because of the great thing that is the internet, i can watch it whenever i want!

to be surrounded by lovely things.

i've an art gallery of sorts. in my bathroom. i think it's a great place to have art; the walls are painted white, the light is bright but soft as it is filtered by the frosted glass of the window. the small space really allows you to display varying sizes without the fear of needing to fill a large area.

as long as i don't shut the door when showering, humidity isn't really an issue.

purses, pincushions, fabric, oh my!

i adore and am constantly being inspired by the creative work of australian artist tara badcock. her pieces are not only quite aesthetic, tactile, and gorgeous, but entirely useful as her talent takes the form of pincushions, tea cozies, purses, and pillows. her embroidery pieces are divine, excellently crafted and oftentimes bare a deeper meaning of complex social and world issues that affect her.
i've had a photo of a colorful and zany pincushion she created saved on my computer for quite some time, and finally decided to ask the artist if she still had it. luckily for me, she did, and we struck up a wonderful series of conversations. ultimately this led me to acquiring not one, but two of her lovely pieces! i was also able to feed my fabric stash with many soft and cozy cuts of wool from waverley woollen mills of australia.

as you can see, it wasn't long before meiko decided she was going to help me sort. actually, help may not be the right verb here; sabotage or hide may be more apt.

they chose me!

i received a lovely email the other week from a person on etsy who chose to feature one of my pincushions on their treasury. needless to say i was very excited! this is my first (that i know of) and i took a screen capture of it. there it is on the bottom left; it's the first pincushion i made, after the rains. i'm such a proud creator to be included with all of the other lovelies.

fresh art in the bathroom

i love the work of jennifer davis; the color combinations, the textural softness against the detailed line work, the whimsy each piece exudes. last year i purchased a painting of a jellyfish. what really caught my eye was the little detail of the jellyfish's cap having a bow.
i've had my eye on a piece called "almost" ever since she posted it on her etsy store. i was finally able to acquire it this past week and i've made room for it in my gallery bathroom. my bathroom is painted polar white and what better place to put art then in a space where you can sit and admire it.

current books of interest

i tend to keep books that i look at frequently on my nightstand. they're within easy reach, and help me collect my thoughts when i'm exploring something new. i find that these books are also inspiring when one is in a slump. to list:

the cocktail: 200 fabulous drinks
(i love the illustrations by kat macleod)

urawaza: secret everyday tips and tricks from japan
(incredibly useful)

craft, inc.: turn your creative hobby into a business
(excellent resource)

the encyclopedia of embroidery techniques
(i've been using this for years, very good explanations)

mushrooms for dyes, paper, pigments & myco-stix
(mushroom dyes create extraordinary lightfast colors!)

printing by hand
(very clear instructions, great scandinavian designs)

the art of manipulating fabric
(just received the other day, the vast array of techniques is overwhelming and exciting!)

kay nielson
(the illustrations make me drool, such gorgeous details and patterns)

tricia guild pattern
(the colors! the variety of prints! a flocked velvet cover!)