It all started when.... OR What does Creativity Look Like?

I couldn't decide which title would be the best for this blog entry so I used them both. It all started when I couldn't find my favorite white handled scissors. After dinner, I came back into my studio to putter as I call it and couldn't find my scissors. So... I looked everywhere, underneath piles of stuff, on the floor, even in other rooms of the house including the hall bath room which has been renamed the "studio annex". I'll tell you about that later. Anyway, during my search it occurred to me that this is what my studio looks like when I am being most productive. Then I decided that would make a great blog entry so I decided to take some pictures. Nothing is ever easy is it? I realized after I had taken the pictures that I still had the 1500 pictures from China and Tibet on the camera and I should probably erase those before I tried to download 5 more to post here. Now, of course I can easily remember how to delete a picture or two, but 1500? - time to get out the camera instructions. OK, pictures deleted, new pictures taken of the studio (oops I should have gotten one of the annex!), the discovery of my scissors right next to the glue gun. (When you see the pictures, you'll understand why I couldn't find it), pictures downloaded to computer, and here I am writing this blog. So you see, it all started when. . . and what creativity looks like are perfect titles!

WHEW!

Well that time went by very quickly! We are back home after a wonderful trip to China & Tibet and I plan today, to have everything put away in my studio so that I can start doing something other than, cleaning, sorting pictures etc, and catching up on life. I still have to finish uploading our pictures to Shutterlfy. When that's done, I'll let everyone know. Our trip was wonderful and so enlightening that I can't possibly sum it up in a word, a paragraph, or even a blog post.

I did take a few minutes to do a journal page one day while we were at the cabin. I saw the saying on something and it really struck me so here it is. More to follow and soon I hope - it's time to start doing Christmas isn't it?

Anticipation

Well, it's finally here. We leave tomorrow for 21 days in China and the only word I can use to describe my feelings is anticipation. I have thought about, talked about, planned and dreamed about this trip for a long, long time, and now all I have left to do is anticipate - anticipate the beauty, the culture, the countryside, the people, the ancient history and the crowded cities. It's going to be a wonderful trip and I, for one, can't wait to get started.

Last week, I bought a magazine that I don't normally purchase and in the first article, it had the artist's favorite quote. I thought it was quite appropriate for the way I feel about this trip and life in general:

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

-Mark Twain

Zai jian

Latest Work at Embellish

Before we left the cabin, I was busy making the button bracelets using vintage buttons, some collages, and several fall decor items. Once I delivered them to the store, I took some pictures of the displays. I also changed the display of the glass pendants by hanging them from the old wooden shuters. The "Pumpkins" and "Harvest" blocks as well as the "Harvest Thyme", "Autumn", and "Pumpkin Pickin'" signs on the bench are mine. I hope to teach a class on the canvas collage sometime this fall, if not, then next spring or summer.

By the time we left, I was filling the large hummingbird feeders once a day and the smaller window ones 3 times a day. I wonder what they are eating now - poor things? I brought most of my art supplies home with me since our return to the mountains may be short trips. We do hope to make our annual fall pie and leaf tour though! Can't miss that!

Probably, my next post will be after we return from our trip to China! WOW, I can't believe it's happening!

Friends - Old & New

It's been a busy few weeks, but now we are back in the cool (and hopefully rainy soon!) mountains. First we had a visit up here from my dearest and oldest friends, Lee and Carlanda (AKA BFF). We have been friends for over 20 years. We drank chocolate martinis & beer (not at the same time!), solved all of our problems and the problems of the world in just a few short nights. Isn't that amazing? She also attended her first (but not last, I hope!) yoga class. We even played Bananagrams so that our brains didn't go stagnant. What a fun weekend we had!

After they left, we headed for Tucson. I spent the next weekend with a wonderful group of women at a lovely historic resort in Tucson, The Arizona Inn. The pictures here, show just a glimpse of the lovely grounds. We drank, ate, and laughed our way through the weekend. It was so nice to feel so welcomed by a group of women that had known one another for over 30 years. I was definitely the newcomer, but sure didn't feel that way. Thank you all.

Finally, while in Tucson, I got to visit with two dear friends that I often meet for coffee, cribbage, a day of playing, shopping, or just to chat. We had a great visit and were even able to get in a "game night" with our husbands as well. What would we do without all of our friends? I am so lucky to have so many people that I can call my friend.

Now I have returned the the mountains along with bags of art supplies and I know many of them will never be used, but when the inspiration comes, you just have to have the right stuff, don't you? I am going to try to get a few collages and some button bracelets done before we leave again to put on consignment at Embellish. I am still struggling with the gel pendants and have one more thing to try before I officially give up.

Busy at Work

I haven't posted for a while because I have been busy making things. Even though I brought half my studio supplies with me(don't tell Stan), of course, there are many things that I am without. Despite the limit of supplies, I have been able to do a few more things to put on consignment in a great shop up here in the mountains called Embellish. Last week I delivered about 30 pendants, most of them seen in an earlier post. Some of them are soldered while others are made with a tray and resin. I am not sure which process I like better. I made the collage posted above here on a canvas that I started for something else, but was too small. I re-gessoed, painted and added the bird image and the collage elements. I am very pleased with how it turned out, but of course any more canvases that I have are in Tucson along with other bird and botanical images.

I also made these cute wallhanging/picture frame things using foamcore board. It is very light weight and easy to work with . The hardest part is cutting it! I think they turned out cute, but once again, it would have been nice to add some fabric and other ribbons that I have at home. I was pleased that other than the twill tape that I bought at Wal Mart to hang them. I used only items that I already had! WOHOO! I actually used some things that I probably purchased 10 years ago! Well maybe not that long, but you know what I mean!

Hummingbirds & Sunflowers

The monsoon rains have begun and for some reason this year the wild sunflowers have begun to bloom early. I can't remember ever seeing sunflowers in July! They are definitely not at their peak, and hopefully there will be a "peak" even with this early bloom. The Rufous hummingbirds have also made their appearance and I caught a few good shots of them guarding the feeders outside the window. We don't seem to have as many of them at our feeders this year, but my neighbor, Phyllis, has zillions of them I guess they are all hanging out at her place. Speaking of neighbors, we have some new ones and last night we had a small pot luck at our house. I made pasta with Sicilian sausage, Theresa brought a delicious salad, most of it fresh from her garden and Phyllis brought a homemade lemon meringue pie - only my favorite! It was all delicious, especially the pie. Maybe that is how she's keeping the hummingbirds around her house?