Holding Pattern

So, I haven't been doing much crafting lately, and I feel mildly guilty, but I won't ride myself too much.  My efforts have been going to a good cause - mainly helping my Mother in Law with some spring cleaning (fall cleaning, whatever!)  This has been inspiring in an organization/family love sort of way, but doesn't' leave me much energy for creativity.

And that's ok.  It'll come back, it always does.  In my Callow Youth (tm), I used to despair every time I stalled on a necklace design, or a poem draft, or whatever.  And I'd beat myself up!  Goodness, what a waste of energy.

But now I've learned.  Some things go (brief flirtations with collage, papercraft) but many things remain (beading, multimedia pieces, writing).  There's no reason to stress over fallow periods.  Letting a field rest after a harvest is important - you can't wear out the dirt and water and dear little wormies by planting constantly.  Sometimes you have to let it be.

Besides, as important as getting a project done is, the journey is equally powerful.  When I take time off from crafting, or blogging, or whatever, I travel around and come back with amazing treasures to put back into my craft.  I feel like Calvino's Marco Polo, reclining with Kublai Khan, watching sinuous strands of smoke rising into the dusky evening - I don't transplant fallow-time experiences and impressions so much as I translate them.  Some nuances are lost, like the exact sound of rolling ocean waves, or the sizzle of plantains as Husband's cooking - but more are discovered.

The colors, the textures - these are things that come out in whatever I'm making, no matter how small.  Even if it's only a small pair of earrings, perhaps the color of the beads, or the sheen of glass, reminds me of a particular time and place.  Maybe an amber color bead was the sunset on my street.  Maybe a seashell was the feel of sand under my fingers on my honeymoon.  Sometimes the movement of an element is a friend's laughter over wine. 

The journeys of creativity never really finish - the road never ends.  And once more, I'm compelled to include a certain musician and the end of this post!

Loreena McKennitt: Amhran Duit   http://youtu.be/a-TWihu1bEM

Dreamworld III

Dreamworld III by veniceinwinter on Polyvore

Man in the Moon

Man in the Moon by veniceinwinter on Polyvore

I've had to physically tear myself away from collage making lately, and remember to actually use Polyvore for making adverts!  This one isn't so bad, could probably stand another tweak or two, but it does set off those earrings well...Those are some of my absolute favorite creations!  Copper charms and bead caps, with lilac glass beads.  And they wear so well...full of magic!

The crafting itself has seen a drop as I've been helping out with family things.  But it's never far from my mind!  Until I can get proper studio time and photography time, I'll showcase what's already listed.  I don't like marketing myself, but I figure if I'm having fun with the Polyvore thing, I feel more like I'm sharing more art with people, and less like I'm tooting my own horn.

So, to that end, here's a few more things I've cooked up, "Autumn" on my Polyvore page

Far too much fun

So I learned about this thing called "Polyvore" about a week ago, and I've been hitting it hard.  It started with a modest "oh, let's post a photo of some of my jewelry and put pictures of clothing I like next to it!"  I've seen other jewelry artists do this before, to give a potential buyer some idea of what they could wear with a piece...

Midsummer Breeze

Things got fancier quickly, as I found it addictive!

Silver Lace

Then I learned how to make templates and collages:

Be Dangerous Template

Venice in Winter template

Things became more abstract:

The Huntsman

And I'm hooked!  This feels like a more fun Pintrest.  Polyvore also makes me want to learn photoshop so I can do this with even more freedom.  But for now, it's a fun toy, and is keeping my mind off the heat and late summer doldrums.

Latest Piece

Ever have one of those pieces where it just falls together, practically making itself, then *BAM* one, final thing stumps you?  That's how I feel about this necklace.  Here's my latest, made from scraps: a leftover bead mix, a re-purposed bit of chain, and a pendant I've sat on for a while, waiting for the right piece to form around it.

 

The pendant is really special, something I found at AC Moore a few years ago and filled it with tiny treasures.

 

A dried flower, a watch gear, a sea shell, and a tiny scroll of the famous lines from "Cymbeline" :

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

 (IV.II.329-334, Bartleby.com has the 1914 version I quoted from)

 

The bead mix was truly a magpie's nest affaire - I have a bit of everything in there!  And there's little rhyme, less reason - I sprinkled the beads on the beadboard, and scooched them into the channels to hold them still for stringing.  There was very, very little deliberate positioning.

 

I'm pretty pleased with the colors, the amount of textures - and it's a light, wearable piece.  Nothing's overpowering, except...

That piece of sky blue embroidery floss.  It's there for a bit of color, and to hold all of the strands together at the top of the bail, to keep  them from sliding around.  It seemed like such a good idea, and I've really been eager to get more textiles into my work.  But does this work or not?  Should I pick the knot out and try a bit of vintage lace, or splurge on some seam binding?  I want that full feeling of satisfaction, knowing the piece is done.  But apparently that's not to be for a while. 

While I chew on this problem, enjoy Loreena McKennitt's divine interpretation of the Cymbeline speech!  (If there was going to be one artist I'd want to make a soundtrack for my life, it's her)