march 18 frustration

at a low ebb.

experimenting with wet felting. some successes and some failures. it is very physically demanding work. i worked on a felted origami hat yesterday. creating blocks of color using a resist in center to create a 2-layer square. realized that i just do not have enough space or facilities to work larger in felting. i believe i will continue to work small for

the moment, experimenting with texture and color. frustrated, but not giving up.

renewing my efforts to understand myself and pushing forward creatively into the unknown. ah yes, the journey to the unknown!

ok. i have just

posted pics of what i have been working on and i have learned a lot. had some good lessons and results. i do appreciate the positives. i especially love the nuno felted purse. i like the fabric, colors, and materials. will try more along these lines.

the next 13 weeks...FELTING

Finally, after 3 months I was able to attend to the cleaning up of my studio. It was a mess, so it was easy to tidy. The papers everywhere situation has been delaying my clean-up; I have wanted to sort images and pattern and types of paper. But I have been reluctant to begin this big reorganization. I finally realized that perhaps I am not yet ready to do so: not sure how to organize. So, I just tucked papers away in drawers and VOILA! they are off the work table! I still have several projects around the table: Wooden bases for mirrors - a metal embossing project of which I have completed one fabulous mirror! Misc. chaff all over.

Anyway, the cleaning up has begun enough to start my newest infatuation: wet felting. I have 2 new books: UNIQUELY FELT, by Christine White and EMBELLISH, STITCH, FELT by Sheila Smith. Both books have inspired me AND given me the tools I need to explore the medium of felting more intensely. I have begun at the beginning of Christine White's book with experimentation and simple projects: cording, nuno felting, felted balls. Wet felting is hard on my back, even tho I am trying to be correct in my posture.
But, I am so thrilled with the materials and the results, I can't wait to try the next "thing"!

To add to the studio clean-up, I have managed to, finally, clean out some cabinets downstairs that began as my first storage space for my artistic endeavors with my children and myself. I was cleaning up to ready for my youngest daughter's visit, when I just decided to JUST DO IT. 3 hours later, the garbage and recycling bins were filled up and a new pile of materials were added to my studio. Of course, these are still in boxes, bags, etc., on the studio floor. But, I am so happy to have accomplished the big clean out.

This does seem to be the year of cleaning out old stuff...what do i really need to save? After over 20 years in a house, all the small objects and piles that are saved and hidden in drawers need to be cleared out to make way for the new!

A Messy Studio

Sometimes the studio work is organizing and TIDYING. I tend to be very messy when I work. When I run out of room, I clean up. As I prepare for a craft show, the studio becomes chaotic. I work on many projects at once. I was hoping to make some more metal embossed mirrors, more felted Santas, more hair clips (to finish), and some cards. Pam has asked me to help with the awards for the Lodi Art Center's Small Works Show; we like to make wonderful small "ribbons"/awards for this show. This year we are going to make wired awards. I made a few prototypes this morning. We are hoping to work on them tomorrow. Wednesday through Sunday, we will be having guests and doing some visiting. I will be attempting to continue work on the above projects when I can.

Today I must also do some house cleaning-aargh!!!

end of week 13 and on to week 14

it's been a busy week: felting and finishing polymer wreaths. had to take down my mask show on tuesday. have to find new places for them as i filled the wall space with other work for the studio tour. i have been working on my displays for the craft fair. i am putting the felted barrettes on halloween wigs. here is the unfinished display for the small hair clips with zinnia. she loves to pose for pictures! the wig is attached to a large gourd which i have had for years... i have 2 more wigs to display hair clips.

and onto polymer wreaths

i began working with skinner blends using a pasta machine to roll out the polymer clay (sculpey) i was using what i had (not much) to make 3 " circles and had to piece pieces of blended clay, which is time consuming and not really a reliable way to do this. but mostly lovely. i also just undermixed the colors so that the blends weren't continuous gradations, but with a bit more steaking of colors. i finally made it to Joann's and renewed my supply of clay to finish this first and maybe, more wreaths. only bought red, blue, yellow, and a bit of green ( to facilitate some color blending).

i will continue to work on this project. i am finding the goal of completing one medium a week is quite impractical, but a good starting point and also a guideline, not a rule. because i am enjoying the wire so immensely and working with it in a satisfying way, i am continuing on that particular path while the inspiration is there. forays with the polymer will be completed this week - for the wreaths. hope to use more skinner blends, cookie cutter shape and perhaps some image transfers.

as i have committed myself to a holiday craft fair in mid November, i am also continuing to finish some beaded necklaces and earrings, and more of the felted barrettes, which i adore! i bought a glass head and added a voluptuous halloween wig to display some barrettes, and also a gourd with purple sticky-uppy hair to display others. i want to attract some interest with the display.

so i have once again gone in many directions at once. my goal was to focus on one medium or technique at a time, but this is just not a possiblity in my world! it's what i aim for, but often the materials take me on an adventure. i must go! i feel good if i am working in the studio, enjoying the work, and hopefully, the results.

it's all good.

it is about time! week 10

it's amazing how fast time flies by when you are trying to adhere to a schedule! i am not a disciplined person; i find it difficult to follow a set routine. boredom? undisciplined? i prefer to think of it as the wacky way of the creative personality! however, this project is my attempt to learn to work consistently while also exploring and expanding my boundaries. this is certainly challenging.

of course, life does affect the keeping to the challenge: i have spent almost 2 weeks out of town in september.

week 9 and part of week 8 are lost... i hope to make up those 2 weeks, or perhaps this is part of the experiment? life happens. ipart of the time was spent drawing zentangles (just a few). on the last trip i made no artistic efforts other than to deliver my felted lollipop flowers wall hanging to my sister-in-law and her new husband! also, how can one possibly work with an adorable granddaughter around?

can work hard in my studio, but life holds other experiences that make the accomplishment of portions of this work nearly

impossible to complete. that is certainly a valuable lesson.

Week 10 is a meshing of work i have started in the past and not completed with some wire work with which i hope to finish these projects and perhaps begin some new ones. i love to needle-felt wool and have made numerous flowers to use as bracelet/cuffs. the problem was making a band which was adjustable.

i began with a felted strap held closed with velcro for some room for adjustment, but wrists just vary too much to make a band one size.

my daughter, emi, suggested i crochet the strap and use a button to slip through the stitches to close the bracelet. brilliant idea! my crochet skills are very limited. my knitting skill is a bit

more elevated: i can knit. i did want to use a more durable material than yarn, so i used a 26 gauge wire. i have wanted to play with wire knitting and crocheting after seeing some bracelets made of wire and beads. the work becomes lacy and weblike, yet strong.

i will try to do some crocheting- wish me luck!

i will continue also to clean and tidy the studio for the studio tour on the 17 & 18 of october. it's a wonderfully busy autumn!

i believe this is week 7

my trip to chicago interrupted week 6. my intention was to zentangle myself silly. however, not much time was devoted to drawing. i have posted my meager efforts. it is different working out of one's home environment. disciplin becomes much more important: setting up a time and a place to work.

this week i will be finishing up masks, labels, etc for my solo mask show october 2-31 at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi, California. The reception is on October 2 from 5:30 -8:30pm- with wine, music, and friends.

my theme for this week will be felting- i will work on creating a few atcs, and finishing up some hair clips, brooches, and perhaps fashion a felt mask of mira's lovely face!

i am flexible with my themes. what i work on is affected by what is going on in my life, not just a projected creative work flow. hence, since i need to work on felting projects, that is what i shall work on! i am happy as long as i am creating, experimenting, and learning.

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.
- Ursula Le Guin

felting on the side

i have been felting the last month and cannot seem to stop. i ordered some wonderful felt from sara's texture crafts on etsy. the colors are amazing! i have become enamored of felt squares and circles. http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

i am attending 2 weddings in september and decided to make the gifts - felted wall hangings. i have made them both. i haven't decided how to frame them; but will take them in to be framed next week. perhaps in a double matted glassed frame. i am hesitant about leaving the felt open to the elements (dirt/dust in particular).

the felting itself is very calming. i love forming it with my hands. fiber sculpture, sort of...
and of course, i am continuing to make brooches and hair clips from felt. i am documenting all this here so i don't forget that i was busy with other projects beside the main 52 week projects. a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

i have a very clever friend, mira, who has reminded me that if i look back on what i have done, i will be able to see the common threads which run through my work and define me as an artist. one revelation i had this morning while driving in the car, is this: i work in bold strokes and am less interested in the details, than the whole. i have been looking at some beautifully detailed and crafted needle felting with embroidery. i love the hand sewing detail, but it is just not my thing! i become too impatient! i am more of an expressionist in my work. the process is my focus and what excites me most, especially when it expresses my vision.