Growth... Choices and Chances

When Alice ate the Mushroom ,she had to make a choice.
Which side should she eat?
Alice remained looking thoughtfully at the mushroom for a minute, trying to make out which were the two sides of it; and, as it was perfectly round, she found this a very difficult question. However, at last she stretched her arms round it as far as they would go, and broke off a bit of the edge with each hand.
As artists we are faced with a choice every time we sit down to create.
Do I want to Grow as an Artist or do I want to Grow my Income ?
Should I create something that I can sell ?
or
Should I create for Arts sake only ?
For most of us ,the ideal goal would be to grow with complete freedom of creativity
and to have the things we create be marketable !

But, how do we achieve that balance ?
Which side of the mushroom do we eat ?
If we eat the Merchandiser bit only,do we risk loosing artistic integrity ?
If we eat the Art for Art's sake morsel,do we chance the loss of welcome income ?

Is the division really always clear or do we have trouble
trying to make out which are the two sides of it ?
I suppose we must just stretch our arms round it as far as they will go, and break off a bit of the edge with each hand.
Taking small bites from each piece in turns ,we grow a little this way ,a little that way.
Our goal should be to keep our growth at a balance we find pleasing and acceptable.
In the end, I think the important thing is that we...
Bead Happy !!!
m.e . :)
Decision Maker Pendants by m.e.
*mushroom photo by my daughter Annie ...I'm a proud Mom :)

Is Less More ?

I have to admit ...I'm a More is More type of person .
I like lots of "stuff " around me . Some people mistake this for being a pack rat !
NO!!! I prefer to say I am Very Visual person !
I am inspired by the tiny details in everything I see .
When I am in create or decorate mode I have to remember stop myself.
If I don't ,I just keep adding and adding .............and adding !
I get caught up in detail .Sometimes I don't even look at a finished work .If I ponder things too much I always think I need to add something! Is that the reason for evolution ? " I think those dinosaurs should be a bit smaller ...and maybe I should add some fur................."

the Art Bead Scene monthly challenges give me a chance to stretch my creativity
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/
I do admire free form and abstract .
This month the painting "Insula Dulcamara " by Paul Klee really made me step outside the box !
The bold shapes and texture seemed to call for a spare and simple design.
Can an Add More Mind be happy with a Less is More creation ?
I am!!!
A few beads and some simple knots made my new favorite necklace!
Easy to wear and light enough for the hot ,humid Maryland summer soon to arrive !
I still love lots o'stuff creations .But ,it was relaxing and refreshing to make something simple .
If you are a More is More type you might like to try something Easy Breezy this week too!
It's fun!!!
Bead Happy , m.e. :)

Bird Brained

I enjoy bird watching year round .
But ,in the Spring I really become a bird brain !!!
As the weather warms I awake every morning to their songs.
Outside there is a flurry of pairing up and nest building .
The birds that winter here are joined by the summer residents.
The budding trees and greening lawn are fulled with my feathered friends !
It's hard to stop looking out windows or sitting on the porch to enjoy the show
This year I've discovered there is some great bird watching on my computer too!
I am hooked on the live web cam featuring Molly and McGee the barn owls
I love watching them raise their babies !
http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

The photo above is a baby we helped raise last year.
The tiny wren fell from the nest too early .
We could not reach the nest and our neighborhood is frequented by many cats
So we decided to house the baby in a cat proof wire cage under the tree.
We would care for it if needed.But, we were hoping the parents would feed the infant.
Indeed they did ,making many daily trips with "baby food " a plenty!
They did keep an eye on us . But, they didn't seem to mind us watching them .
They even tolerated the photo session .
A few days after the photos, the baby flew off to start life in the trees.
Perhaps this year it will be raising a family of it's own near by !

Most of you knew I was "beady eyed"
now you know I am a "bird brain " too !
are you ?
Bead Happy , m.e. :)

a few Bird Beadies !!!

Material Girl

Are you a Material Girl ???
I am !!!
Not in the literal sense of the word.
I love to create , I love the materials of creativity.
I seem to accumulate art mediums of every sort...conventional and unconventional.
People who love to "make things" seem compelled to collect "art stuff"
We ARE Material Girls!!!

Most of us have probably found a preferred medium. The means by which we can best express our inner artist. For me it is ,of course , polymer clay .
For others it maybe paint , glass , even jewelry components !
I do LOVE my clay. But,I'm not married to it ! I will date now and then .
From time to time ,I may just have a cup of coffee with some other art medium !
My closet is stuffed FULL of supplies !
Things I've tried and things I think I will get around to trying .
I have boxes of completed ,half completed and never will be completed projects !
But, I rarely "destash " 'cause you never know when "I just might need that" !
yep...I'm a Material Girl!!!

This month PCAGOE gave me a chance to try one of my wish list of crafts.
Best of all, I didn't need locate my stash of fabrics for the quilt I'm going to make someday !
The challenge theme is Inspired by Fabric .
My entry is this "quilted " flower pendant .

ck out this flickr link to see the entries as they come in http://www.flickr.com/groups/1089891@N25/

then be sure to go here to see the prizes you could win just for voting !!!!
Voting starts April 1 ...no foolin' !!!!
http://pcagoe.com/

I'm off to ck out ESTY and the inner-net for more art ideas and mediums I might want to try
'cause ....
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl

Bead Happy , m.e . :)

Spring Blub ..light bulb !!!

My bulbs are starting to bloom! The Sun is warm.
The birds are singing all day .
The spring peepers are singing all night.
My muse is filling my head with flowers !!!

But....I need to make a covered tin for the June PCAGOE challenge
Why so early ? Because the group is planing a Wonderful charity auction .
Stay tuned for details .You won't want to miss it!
Entries have to be mailed in soon so the organizers can organize !

But ,I have never covered a tin . I had no idea what I was going to do .
No help from da muse. She just kept filling my head with flower beads and pendants !
So I went out to take some inspiration photos.
I LOVE the early crocus !!! But, look closely at photo ...
one little blossom didn't wait for me to push back the leaves !!!
It grew right through them!
It just bloomed where it was planted !
wait a minute.....
"bloom where you are planted "
That would be a Perfect theme for my tin !!!
hummmmm...
now to plan the design ....................

You really never know when or where you'll find inspiration!!!
Bead Happy ,
m.e. :)

Something Old into Something New

I completed my entry for Art Bead Scene's monthly challenge !
My "Spring Morning "necklace incorporates my own polymer clay interpretation of VanGogh's "Almond Blossom " branch ,with recycled Sari ribbon to capture the wonderful shades of blues in the painting .
See all the beautiful entries at http://www.flickr.com/groups/artbeadscene/

If I had unlimited funds I would probably buy every new jewelery component I see !!!
I'm sure many of those "new "items would be old.
Oh how I wish I still had my Grandmother's huge stash of costume jewelry !
My mother gave it all way many , many years ago..."not worth anything" sigh.... :(

I love the look of re-purposed and recycled additions . They seem to give the design a certain soul that new and shiny doesn't have .
Don't misunderstand ,I do like new and shiny !
But, lately I'm fixated on old . Maybe because I'm old!!! LOL!

Right now I can Not get enough of recycled sari ribbon .
Wonderful textures ! Glorious colors !
I love the frayed "shabby chic " look of it . It may not be to everyone's taste .
The ribbons are a bit worn, wrinkled and they do have stray threads etc.
But , for me they have a certain charm and mystery .
I think they are perfect for Spring
They're reminiscent of laundry blowing in the breeze (remember that?) or the bits of thread birds love to use for nest building .
I have been collecting a draw FULL of irresistible sari ribbon shades !

It's been a long winter . Spring is coming at last !
I've seen my first robin and the flower bulbs are sprouting.
I think it's the perfect time of year to use
something old to create something fresh and new !

Bead Happy , m.e. :)

They're Here !

Finally the snow is melting!!! As it recedes it reveals a mushy muddy mess...
and ..... the first Spring sprouts ! WOO HOO !!!!
I planted a host of new flower bulbs in the fall . They have been hunkered under the mulch all winter . Frozen under a thick blanket of ice and snow .

Bulbs aren't really very promising looking when you plant them .
The brown unattractive little orbs never look very hopeful .
You'd think a winter in the dirt would do them in.
But ,then one day when you least expect it ,
they surprise you ! First the little green sprouts emerge .
They stretched toward the sun, then burst into bloom !!!
Truly a WONDER !!!

During the week I've been pondering this month's ABS challenge
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2010/03/march-monthly-challenge.html
Van Gogh's "Almond Blossoms"
My ideas are now in the Bulb stage.
Not very promising little things that need some time to rest and develop .
I am hoping when I least expect it little spouts of inspiration will appear,then blossom into a new clay creation !!!
I trusted in mother Nature when I planted those bulbs in the fall .
Finally flowers appearing from under the mud !
Now I must trust in my Muse to bring forth something from my muddled brain!

In an effort to be completely honest ..the photo at the top was taken by my daughter last Spring
The first sprouts of this year appeared around the cap to my septic tank !!!
Comparisons of my Spring bubs to my artistic inspirations will end here .
I do not wish to carry the analogy future...
I would rather not compare my brain to my septic tank !!!
Bead Happy,
m.e . :)