2 Weeks Full -Part 2

I said 2 weeks full but in retrospect it's been about a month.

I am 2 weeks into 2 online classes with Susan Tuttle in photomanipulation ( 2&3)

Working in photoshop learning some new techniques and processes.

I have taken Susan's Layers class and Ghostly images in the past and decided to catch these 2 since she was repeating them this month before moving on to new workshops in the new year.

I highly recommend any of her classes if you are into photomanipulation and art photography.

Then, on a whim, at the suggestion of a friend i joined this online class with Sharon Tomlinson since i love doing collage and hate doing faces but love faces. Figured this might be a way out of that dilemma and so far it is proving to be a wonderful class and Ning group. Sharon's classes are ongoing and don't close so this was really nice as i can't do the work just yet.

Then, a class I signed up for as soon as it was announced, MONTHS AGO, and couldn't wait to take, is this encaustic class with the oh-so-talented Judy Wise.

It was so jam packed full of info, new videos and intructions 5 days a week for 4 glorious weeks with a yahoo group for Q&A and show and tell.

It was the best! I hated to see it end, i so enjoyed all the videos and Judy's calm voice so full of knowledge and peace, every morning.

Judy will be releasing an ebook and DVD for purchase on the class and i highly recommend this also if you're even the slightest bit interested in painting with encaustics.

Now, I haven't actually been able to do any of the classwork for these workshops yet, probably not until after the new year and things settle down but i am absorbing them and their creative energy like a sponge!

So much so that about 10 days ago, I was getting ready for sleep, TRYING to pray, and an epiphany came to me and my muse was yelling at me so loud that i had to get up, head to my desk, and start writing.

The ideas that came out on paper, drawings, process, ideas, names and titles was unreal!

I looked up supplies and info on the computer and had all the answers before I could head back to bed and quiet the noise in my head!

It was blissful though.

I began this blog about a year and a half ago to find my muse and my direction and my voice again.

It is found.

Loud and Clear.

Only problem is, my muse picked a heck of a time to show up, just when i won't be able to get to work on it until after the holidays!

My life right now is bottlenecking, more than usual, like 10 lanes of traffic trying to merge into 3.

We will be closing the restaurant from Nov 28th, right after Thanksgiving and reopening February 9,2012.

We used to close like this many years ago from right after Thanksgiving until the first week in February while things were slow here, tourism down and try to do renovations and upkeep and get a break before slamming into another season.

I think it will do us a world of good this year as it has been a trying year for sure.

There is just so much that i have to take care of to close and end the year, books, taxes, paperwork etc and I've been out of practice, having not done it this way in so long.

Hence the not being able to be creative just yet.

Then of course I am also in the middle of cleaning closets, reorganizing, trying to take care of things that don't get done while we are in the busy season, hosting company, getting ready for the holidays and finishing up the round robin I am involved in.

So, that's my 2 weeks.

Now to catch up on some blog reading!

SSShhhhh....It's A Secret!

So much has been happening behind the scenes that I am unable to share pictures of yet but I can tell you a little about it.

Art and Soul Hampton 2011 is fast approaching and there is much preparation to be done.

First on the to-do list was the fatbook pages.  My first Art and Soul retreat was 2009 and I never even heard of a fatbook much less participated, but when i saw the finished product I knew I had to join in. 

A fatbook is a keepsake book made up of individual pages, all 4"x4", each page created and elaborately embellished by a different artist and then bound together with a theme.

 2010 was my first and it was great fun to be a part of. This year there was so many wanting to participate that our gracious host, Mary, offered to create and bind 2 different books, book 1 and book 2 but i chose to just be a part of book 1. I had 40 pages to make and spent the better part of the long holiday weekend last week completing them and then mailing them off. A tremendous amount of thought and work goes into each page. The theme for this year's Art and Soul is "In the Garden" which made for a great many good ideas to work with. I will share a picture of my pages as soon as the deadline for submission arrives.

Next on the list is the trades. If you have ever been to an art retreat you'll agree this is one of the most fun things to do. If you so choose, you can make up items to "trade" be it ATC's, charms, pins, jewelry, packages of ephemera, mini artwork,  whatever.  You include your contact info with the trade and it's a great way to meet new people and open conversations. You can follow the theme for the retreat or do your own thing, it's all good. I like to follow the theme and also to package my trades in a creative way.  It's always so nice to come home and go through all the loot and remember everyone you met. Typically I make about 50 trades.

Then there is the round robin that I have been participating in since we left Art and Soul a year ago.  A brilliant member of our "tribe", Joyce, suggested and is hosting a round robin to keep us all connected for the year between retreats. It consisted of each of us starting with an apron of our own, work style for most of us, and we had to embellish our own apron to start and then pass it along to be further embellished by each person in the group. We typically send out the next apron the first week of the month with the final apron being sent back to Joyce who will deliver them back to us upon arriving at the retreat. I can't wait to share pictures and stories of this, it's been hard to keep secret all year! I am awaiting the final apron to arrive so i can complete it and send it to Joyce. It was a wonderful idea and one that has kept us truly in touch with one another and has made the year pass by much more quickly!

Now to explain the photo at top-

I went to my first retreat as I said in 2009, Art and Soul Hampton.  It was there that I met the most wonderful, diverse group of kindred spirits I have ever known. Near the end of the retreat I said that I hated to leave as "I felt that I finally found my tribe". It was a feeling shared by all of us and we have developed lasting friendships over the past 2 years. The necklace hanging on my Santos in the picture was one I made for myself and also made one for every member of our "tribe" and gave to them last year at the retreat. The member medal is a component from antique Independent Order Of Oddfellows convention ribbons. The hand is for friendship, the roses are from vintage 1950's bracelets and although it cannot be seen there is also a heart locket dangling from the extender chain on the back both also for love and friendship. Each was made with czech crystals in the recipients favorite colors and capped and wrapped to resemble a vintage rosary. Vintage Haskell pearls, brass bolo chain, and rhinestone rondelles complete the pieces.

We all wore them the entire retreat last year and since coming home mine has hung on my Santos, where I can see and be reminded everyday of these friendships for which I am so grateful.

Soon it will be time to start gathering all my supplies and tools and packing to go to this year's retreat. If you happen to be going, I hope to meet you there and maybe even trade a little.

Home and Away (Giveaway That Is!)

As promised here is the follow up to yesterday's post ,of the studio at home. This came about last year when i was facing surgery and didn't know how long the recuperation was going to be, so I moved the jewelry components from my studio to home so as to be able to do something if I was stuck here for awhile. Fortunately all went well and I had a short recup but liked the ability to go to the worktable and put a little somethin somethin together while dinner was cooking or laundry was going , so here it has stayed.

This is one side of our enclosed front porch which faces East with a few North and South facing windows and has lovely light most of the day. There are 12 windows altogether. Being out here makes me happy, I love this space. This is where we usually drink our coffee/ tea in the mornings, listen to music and have a drink in the evenings and occassionally eat meals at the table and chairs on the other side.  It is very peaceful.

This is the worktable, again, NEVER looks this clean! See that beautiful roman glass? I can't wait to set that in a bezel and create something wonderful with it, if you remember I love everything glass! The necklace on the hand display was made by my grandaughter. The stacked white jewelry display trays hold seed beads by color groups.  Ok so I have a little latent OCD, not generally evident.

I take that back.... This is a bookcase which used to hold photo albums in the spare bedroom, now holds beads and gems and findings and vintage treasures. Organized for the most part by....you guessed it, color.

This is the enclosed south facing side porch, AKA the laundry room. This is the original workbench i bought from Harbor Freight which was set up while taking the homesteaders metalsmithing class. This is where I will be doing all my metalsmithing now. I have the flex shaft, brake shear, anvils (notice the larger one on the floor to the left) and bench grinder attached (thanks Ray). I can hammer out here without disturbing the peace too much now. The plastic containers hold the metals and I'm thinking of sliding them beneath the workbench so as to put more of the tools in easy access ( the knife box from yesterday will help here) and out of the drawers. I had avoided that so as to be able to vacuum under there easily.

Now, don't ever think if you drop by this will ever look like this again! Like I said yesterday it's because nothing is happening right now. As soon as it gets started all bets are off!

Now for the Giveaway!

Here's one thing I found out while cleaning, I am not allowing myself to order a book from Amazon or go to Barnes and Noble for the latest magazine, BEFORE CHECKING THE STUDIO FIRST!!!

Remember that pile of books and magazines on the floor? Well, once excavated i found that I must not have realized a particular book or magazine that i wanted was in said pile so i bought one again! To the tune of 6 very nice books and 6 magazines.  Good for you though, I have paired one book with one magazine so there will be 6 giveaways! 

Very simply leave a comment on this post, anything at all (please be nice) and on Sunday evening I will draw 6 names , first one drawn gets first choice, second one drawn gets second choice etc. Last one drawn will get whatever remains.  If you feel like spreading the word on your blog that would be very nice but not necessary. 

Good Luck and thanks for sticking with me through the studio redo!

AAAhhhhh.....That's Better

Otherwise known as the Great Reveal!

I know the law well that says everything takes longer than you think/hope it will. I live it. Last week I had high hopes of finishing the reorganization of my studio but was under the weather for most of the week and then had to play catchup at work. So this weekend I finally completed it. Bear witness, it may never look this good again!
Remember, you can click on the pictures to enlarge it and then do it a second time for a really BIG look see!

Standing once again at the front door looking straight ahead. The little flames you see near the rocking chair is the fire going in the gas fireplace, it got cold here the past few days. Some things didn't change, the redware pottery samples stayed until i decide what i want to do with them. The small bookcase and the large display case remain the same.

Standing at the front door looking to the right. You can actually see the top of the 8' display case now! That will never last. I tend to work on this as it is a very comfortable height. I like to stand when I work unless it's a job I have to sit for.

Again, standing at the front door looking towards the left. This area had the most changes. I moved the slate top science table to the front after taking out the sideboard. It now holds the bead and enameling kilns and a drill press. In it's place I put the new worktable from Harbor Freight that several of you may remember me mentioning before. I purchased one and set it up at home on my side porch when I was getting ready for my online class with Stephanie Lee, Homesteader's Metalsmithing.  Well, my husband really liked it so i ordered one for him. It has been sitting in the box because he really didn't have a spot to put it yet so i asked if i could have that one and we'd replace it when he is ready. Sooo... This one will be used for torch firing enamels and some metalsmithiing, the majority of the metal work will still be done at home on that bench. You can also see the top of the light table which I have lit. Another surface that disappears quickly!

Slate top table with the kilns. I have the very heavy t shirt press on a rolling dolly and the PMC kiln along with containers of glass molds, kiln supplies and torch firing supplies stored beneath. The paper is shelf paper for firing glass.

Looking down the corridor, I solved the problem of the book storage by removing the catalogued magazines and placing them beneath the light table, freeing up much needed shelf space in the bookcase to the right.

Paints, glues, glitters, resins, soldering supplies, scrimshaw supplies, alcohol inks, paper clay, sculpey supplies, paintbrushes , leather paints, and various other supplies reorganized.

Standing at the shells case looking towards the front door. As you can tell i have tried to reproduce the sequence of the first set of before pix to compare the progress. Then i took a few more up close this time around.

Hot glass worktable. Note the carriers on the floor to the right, one is filled with opaque enamels, the other transparents. The cookie sheets on the table have ceramic ramekins washed and ready to be filled with said enamels. My lampworking torch still isn't hooked up but all in due time my pretties! I would like to keep this table empty so as to be able to cover in damp newspaper to catch the enamel dust and removed after each session. The white basket is for the newspaper. Torch for enameling and the bead pulling station all set up and ready to go! Fire extinguisher at the ready!

Standing by the glass rods looking back across the front of the room. The rolling mill was purchased after coming home from Artbliss and taking my class with Melissa Manley. I used birthday money from my parents to aquire that new toy! Thanks Mom and Dad!

I took a picture of these desks before covering them up to share with you. The large oak desk is an old office desk that my Dad brought home from work many years ago when they were getting rid of the old and replacing, probably with metal. Anyway, i refinished that desk and it has been my best worktable ever! I love it. It has seen many quilts and sewing projects, handmade paper, jewelry, photography you name it. Best friends,  desk and I. The other is an old library table, it has 6 drawers, 2 on each side and 1 on each end. The carving and decorative spindles are what drew me to it years ago in an antique store. I will set it up with the little sewing machine for my grandaughter to use.

This jelly cupboard now holds all of my rug hooking supplies. Extra cutting mats stand against the wall.

The pie safe houses all my sewing supplies. Trades from the past 2 years at Art and Soul are in containers beneath the pie safe.

I forgot to open the doors but this green cupboard holds most of the same as before with a few new additions like vintage clay poker chips, cobalt glass for crushing, additional plates and glass for mosaics. The vintage suitcase rests atop. I WILL get the figureheads done!

Sewing area now.

Bookcase number one, to the right of the fireplace, holds books on pottery, ceramics, redware, collectibles, glass, lampworking, mosaics , soapmaking etc. Magazines are stacked in the bottom.

Bookcase number two holds books on quilts, sewing, fiber arts, dolls, mixed media, painting, paper arts. Dover design books and magazines are in the bottom.

Shells for sailor's valentines. Don't they look pretty?

Bookcase number three holds books on jewelry and creativity. Catalogs are stored beneath.

Workbench with light table. Small glass kiln stored beneath, lampworking tools organized in a commercial silverware bus tray. I ordered a smaller annealing pan for use at home so will use this one here.  Glass cutting system stored beneath light table. Extra dremel setup, toaster oven for polymer clay stored beneath worktable. Tumbler is on light table for the time being.

Paper mache body parts from vintage doll molds waiting to be brought to life but they make me smile just like they are. I'm rethinking the knife box, may take that home for tools. HHHmmmm....

Vintage sewing items, I don't collect these, really,  it just sort of happened to become a mini collection. The bird pincushion is sterling.

A few of my favorite things. Betty was my first dress form, won her on Ebay and had to pick her up in Pennsylvania. The thread case is a treasured win at a local auction as is the glass biscuit case . The childs mannequin head was a find at a local antiques gallery.  The small Santos figure was also my first.

Ok so we all know that none of this will last. The reason is because it's totally unrealistic! It looks good because there's nothing going on in here yet. Once a creative spark hits and you have to drag everything out and spread everything around for inspiration it'll be much better, don't you think? I love to LOOK at all of this now, but I can't WORK in this.  It is kinda nice to have in pictures for all posterity though!  Plus it proves I CAN be organized, I just find most times it gets in the way of creativity!

Next i will post pictures from the studio spaces at home. Stay tuned, there may even be a surprise at the end!

Over The Moon

I am over the moon happy about a workshop that I had the privilege of taking yesterday with Barbara Lewis. 

The day started out early, I left about 6:45 to drive to Annapolis to the Maryland Hall  for the Creative Arts where the workshop was being held. The moon was still up for a good long while as I drove, this was shot from my car.

I met up with several good friends, Anne, Bette and Carol who were also taking the workshop and also got to meet Lori Anderson whose blog I have been following as of late.

The class had been sold out for awhile and with only 10 students it made for a very intimate learning experience. Everything was set up and ready for us when we arrived which was SSoooo nice.  Barbara, shared all her knowledge of torch fired beads and we all got to freely play and experiment with the colors of the enamel rainbow!  Beads, enamels, and any portion of the torch setups were available for purchase so most of us left with an arsenal ready to play once home in our own studios! It was a very relaxing atmosphere and a most enjoyable workshop. Thank You Barbara (and Jim!)

 

Wanted: For Obstruction of Creativity

Ok, here's the disclaimer up front. This post will have a lot of pix- most of them are not pretty- please have all small children and pets leave the room as they may get lost in the clutter and i can't be held responsible! You can click on a picture and then click a second time to make it really large if you dare!

That being said, yesterday was my husband's birthday. He spent part of it fishing with a few buds of his and then he had work he wanted to get done on his boat before the weather turned bad this week.  SSoooo... I had most of the day to myself. I decided to tackle ,start reorganizing what used to be known as my studio.  Now I'm not going so far as to even go into the pottery rooms, just the front room. I will start at the front door and try to give a surround view play by play. Here goes-

Standing inside my front door looking straight ahead.  When we first renovated this old store, the back rooms were for my studio, pottery and kilns, this front part was going to be a shop, but that was right before the fire at the restaurant when all those plans changed. So the antique display cases that we had for the shop are now being used for storage units.  Notice the storage containers on the floor, think they'll hold it all, nah, me either! The bookcases are filled to the brim , hence the books and magazines on the floor, will need to figure that out. The commercial t shirt machine was for when i made the shirts for my son's FIRST robotics competitions andmousepads for our restaurant.  There is a gas fireplace set beneath the mantle.

This is looking now to the back right corner. There is an old shoemakers rack with fabric on it, the red barnwood cabinets in the corner have beeswax figures that i cast from vintage chocolate molds, the green cupboard has ephemera, sealing wax, some plates for mosaics, cigar boxes and mache doll parts that i also cast. There are 2 ships figureheads on top of the green cabinet which i started and have yet to finish, they were for the restaurant as decor. The pie safe with the doors open houses sewing supplies and there are vintage sewing implements on top along with a redware doll i made who has yet to be dressed. Behind this glass display case sits a library table and vintage oak desk which I used to make all my jewelry on but since bringing those items into my home, it now is my sewing space. Notice the little purple sewing machine behind the spinner rack? It is a real sewing machine sized for little girls, for my grandaughter.

The 8' display case hold lots of vintage trims that I had used when i was making outfits for the redware dolls. The illustration on the left is from a book from the 1800's of a sailor and his mermaid. i'm a hopeless romantic what can I say? The cardboard drink holder on top of the display case holds dead butterflies, I had the holder in my car and when i would find a butterfly lying on the ground in the street or parking lot, i put them in there to keep from getting crushed in my car.  My nephew saves dragonflies for me from the Navy ship he is on, he says they come there to land and die so he collects them for me (all for jewelry) He gets the weird gene directly from me!

This is standing at the front door looking a little to the left. The black canister looking thingie on he floor in the front is a frit crusher, for crushing glass to cast. The open door at the end of the corridor is a closet that spans the length of the wall and is beneath the stairs leading to the Up-Art-Ment. The frame is from a rug I hooked (rug punch) The rack on the wall holds rubber stamps.  An enamel kiln, PMC kiln and small glass kiln sit atop an old science table with black stone top.  Behind the rug frame sits a light table that my husband built for me 20 years ago when i was back in school and needed a light table to do the series of silkscreens accurately.

From the front door looking left, you can see the original door from inside the building which leads to the upstairs apartment. Behind the white sideboard is an old formica table which is for the torch and hot glass setup. I plan on removing this sideboard and replacing it with a workbench for my enameling ( yea Barbara!) It currently has my glass saw and grinder and tumbler and a dremel set on top but is an inefficient use of space. (that's funny isn't it?)

The mantle has a wonderful old confessional sort of doors that had been backed with a mirror and also my dada doll from Linda and Opie O'Briens class. The shoe organizer holds glass rods.

A better view of that corner

A view down the corridor. The bookcase on the left has paints, glues etc on it, the black bookcase on the far wall has all varieties of shells for making Sailor's Valentines, and the white bookcase on the right has catalogued  magazines. The slant front display case, one of my favorites, used to hold all the clear plastic storage containers of beads and gemstones and findings for jewelry making. It was great to be able to see them all from both sides with the light passing through.

Standing in the door to the pottery room looking out into the corridor. The fridge holds inportant things like water, yogurt, apples and chocolate !

Standing at the bookcase with the shells looking back towards the front door.

Closer view of the hot glass table. Note the Carlisle mini cc torch on the hardi backer board which is protecting the floor. The Barnes and Noble bag (on the table) is full of cleaned cat food cans for use with the torch fired enamels.

Standing near the hot glass table looking back across the room.

Now some of you out there are probably thinking " I would never show this" but you see that's exactly why I am doing it. Life gets busy, things get dropped and stacked and shuffled and disorganized from time to time. It's been over a year since i worked in here. Other more important life happenings took precedent over this. I am on a mission now though and showing these pix will keep me to it, keep me honest so to speak. I will be back with the final results in pix as soon as i finish.

In the meantime....

Happy Birthday Ray!

Now let's eat cake!