"Organization"

The word 'organization' can become  a challenge or a rebuff.  Hey, don't 'people' expect crafters or artists to be a bit disorganized?  Isn't that part of our charm?

At this point in my life I find that I do better if I'm working in an organized area -- of course there's always 'stuff' around (supplies, unfinished projects, etc.) but even they can be organized.  Somehow 'organization' makes me feel like I might have a bit of control over at least  one part of my life. *smile*.

Each evening, as I leave my studio, I arrange everything to begin anew the next day. Its so easy to get sidetracked if I have to stop and 'go through stuff' before I even begin the actual punching.
Happy organization to you all!

"Organization isn't about perfection, its about efficiency. Reducing stress and clutter, saving time and energy and improving your overall quality of life." -  Christine Scal

Letting It Come

Just doodling a few ideas.  Thoughts randomly flitting around inside my head and heart.  Changes coming, I feel it, new thoughts and ideas.  Perhaps even a few old ones, resurrected in a different form?

I’m being drawn for some reason – toward the old and the simple and the plain and the quietness of white and off-white and tea dyed luxuries and hanging vintage. Soft pinks and blues and aquas – all either stained or muted with off white

The shelves are filled to the brim with several communities of dolls.  Sitting here smiling at me – thanking me for their stories. 

And so I think that whatever is coming must hang on the wall – or from a dowel – or on a hanger of sorts – for there is no more room in the cubbies nor in the shelter of shelves.

Hmmm will these thoughts become something?  Or even some things?  Who knows – but for now I’ll just let them gather slowly…

"I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke.  Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?" - Zhuangzi

Hmmm - what do I want to do?

I'm playing around with a new art doll figure shape and type.  Somewhere on the edge of my mind I know what I want to do - but I can't quite bring it to the forefront.  A couple of pattern designs have been drawn.

I've changed the head from straight to tilted - I think I'll like that better. But I'm thinking about even more of a change.  I have some testing, trying to do and then..

This is the part of the creative process that can be frustrating or treated as an unfulfilled journey.  I'm tending toward the 'journey' but the frustration is starting to set in.

"You need chaos in your head to give birth to a dancing star." - Friedrich Nietzche

An Old Friend

When I am at a loss for words -- or even ideas I turn to this beautiful old book: "Abbott's Ready Reference Illustrated Self-Pronouncing Dictionary".  I found this lovely at an antique store quite a long time ago.  Although it had had a lot of use and was partially falling apart I decided to bring it home with me. 

In these days when questions are answered and pictures are searched on-line it is a step back into quieter times to open these pages (trying to protect those that have finally come popping out of the binding).   The pages have darkened to a beautiful tea-stained color which for me only enhances its beauty.

While paging through this time I found flowers that I had long ago pressed into the pages.  Still beautifully colored they lay on the pages where there is an illustraton of other flowers. As I paged further I found some leaves and other flowers sheltered within these pages.

Some illustrations have made their way, copied onto silk, into my earlier book art.  Others sit there waiting for their time.  Don't you love these pictures of shoes and boots?  I do love using words in my artwork -- perhaps it time to revisit this precious book once again and see what treasures I might find.

"I was reading the dictionary.  I thought it was a poem about everything."  - Steven Wright