Fireplace

On the pictures, there is a fireplace with it's chimney.  All done by hand, even the meshed doors.  There is also a cradle for the fogs inside the fireplace.  That cradle is also hand made.  It is a kind of craft that should exist forever. A house with that kind of fireplace put something unique in the decor.  Of course, not having the same model of fireplace from home to home is okay.

Crafting is not just items for decor, decoration or for children.  Crafting is an artform, as on this fireplace.  It took some time to make but the result is majestic.  Now, I wish to be nearby this fireplace, roast some mashmallow and be warmed by the fire.

Flowers with impact

The two pictures says it all.  Flowers can have an impact in the environment.  I am not inclined in growing a garden because I have not an once of green thumb.  What I should do is incorporating flowers into my writing or try to incorporate it in my embroidery.  When I think of flowers, I usually think of small flowers like daysies.  I should also go for the bigger flowers as shown in the pictures.

Time to learn new flowers' names.  I have no idea how the flowers in the pictures are named.  I wonder and I guess it can be found: a website or a book with flowers' name and their pictures.  I am sure there are herbarium in some specialized library or bookstore.  Gardening is a section in bookstore, I am sure of it.

I will keep those pictures as reference.  First, for if I do experiment with embroidery and second, ti remind me to use and describe those flowers in some stories.  Gardening and flowers can be a topic that can be easily be included in writing.  It's not really advance the story but it help to create ambiance and add to the external scenery.  I admit I don't think about that when I write an outdoor scene.  It is a shame and I want to resolve that mishap.

Gear on in my little hamster wheel

There are slow creative time and there are more fruitful creative time.  It seems to fluctuate a bit.  Of course, it might be explained with a busy schedule.  When the busy schedule kick in, my mind seems a bit less creative because my mind and energy are put on concrete fact.   Right now, I leave a less productive creative fime to a more inspired one.  I guess that my mind was doing it's own work during my more hustling time.

All this give me much temptation: I want to be more on the creative side.  I want to put my ideas into concrete form.  I think I am in a period of testing various things.  Having a schedule and my mind clear, it seems more easy to find a balance.  I have secure a few places where I do daily choses (cleaning and phone call, for example) in the morning.  In the afternnon, it is more hands on croncrete and physical projects.  In the evening, it is writing.  I seems to be a night owl when it comes down to writing, so I am not changing a winning strategy.

I think I have found the winning combination for now.  I hope it will last long enough to be uselful.  Getting the perfect combination for a balance life is not easy.  I don't want to perturb that too much so I am crossing my fingers.  I don't want to be submerged by a period of appointement.  Those kind of periods are usually unsettling.  I find it harder to stay in touch with my creative self.  If it happen again, I will have to find a solution to keep in touch with my creative side.  If I can't do that, I will be sad.

Conneection to be made

Watch for number 4 on this list:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_egMMtJpTzI
It is a youtube video on turtle.  I learned a few facts from it.  The number 4 made me smile.  It also a proof that connecting the dots are in the eye of the beholder.

One of my relative «problem/blessing»  is that I make strange connection bewtten waht I see and what goes on in my head.  It can go into something great and it can also go into something weird.  Most often, it goes in the weird side of thing.  It is how my brain work.  Weirdness is my creative junk.  Of course, it can lead to trouble, especially if I am in parts unknowns, where no one knows me.  For those close to me, it is a source of fun.  I consider my weirdness to be my frosted side.  I don't know the connection are made but it is how I work.  Maybe I should pay someone to analyse how my mind work out.  The result should be something worth reading.

The video is great for learning some fact even if right now, it is useless for me.  I may use it later on or never.  I may forget about it and a vague memory will bubble up later on.  I also have a whole line of thought while watching the video.  Not worth make a transcript out of it but it lead to some fun thought.   I find it is a double experience: I learned something and I made some connections while watching it.  Nothing PG 18, just random healthy thought.  I enjoy having fun unconnected thought while looking at some video.  Both are unconnected and it is part of creativity.  I see it muscling my brain into brainstorming.  I know that small unconnected things can lead me to a genious idea.

PG 18 : Logo

Logo is a big part in the business world.  It help recognize compagny.  Even children are able to do the link between a logo and a compagny.  It involve graphic art and design. I find it is a bridge between a compagny's name and symbolism.  There are letters or pictures into logo.  So much can be done in that area.  I am sure that logo's creators are having a lot of fun creating logos.

It lead to this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdonKWlRsoM
The title is «Top 10 most embarassing logo fails»  The logos involved are mostly having an sexual bent to them.  This is why I put PG 18 in the title.  I wanted to be in a safe more even if PG 16 could have been used.  There are some logo that are hilarious in the video.  Still laughing on the Maple sirop one.  I should not do so because it is a serious organisation.  The video prove that logo must be well thought out before seeing the light of day.  They can be playful but the one on Kid's exchange and the number one are controversial.  Their meaning can be screw up very easity and quickly.  It prove that a publicity stunt can have a bad taste.

I am sure that logo's makers are professional and that they know what they are doing.  In their places, I would excert some caution.  Maybe some external adive when pushing the envelop.  Logo are a useful and powerful in business.  I think it can go a long way and have a bigger impact than ads.  If I ever get a logo, I would think a lot and carefully choose my logo.  I won't jump at the first logo that I see.  I think it is something that must be wisely choosen.

Taking the longest road

I don't know if it is the effects of the Hollydays but I am in thinking mode lately.  Except for jewelry making, all my projects are big and long terms ones.  It is rare that I have a quickly made project.  If it my mind that think on the long term project?  Do I like doing those big projects?  Or I think it will get quickly done, more easier than it is really done.

Authers and other artists have an auras around them.  Their work is not done in the limelight.  We only see the end result without the hard work.  Reality must not be that all glamorous.  Only the ones that had success have their work shown.  It is a bit sad that it happen that way.  I may be attracted to the unknown and mysterious process of creation.  It should be better known and expressed.  It should be common knowledge.  Not classified under an aura of hidden parts.

People seems to forget the art part we had in school as they grow old.  They lose it but it must and should be kept.  It isn't just something that helped create famous Mona Lisa painting, for example.  It help us in so many area of our life.  For me, I seems to get idea for long term projects.  I have to find a way to get faster in the process of creation.  I need to shorten the whole process and get my hands on them and see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I need to see some finished projects.

Mission statement or Philosophy of creativity

I do have a curiosity on what other creators think, their visions and their focus.  For me, they seems to have a vision of their art and it seems so easy.  I don't have any philosophy on my art, no focus in my craft and no mission statement to live after.  If I would sell somthing, I don't even know what would be my demographic target nor my target of people that I should pursue.  I never really though of all that.  I have no clue on how to have it.  I guess it would come with thinking, some do and try.  It pretty much going into the dark to search for answers.  I don't even know if I will come with some results.

In interviews, it is never talked about.  I never saw someone talking on how he comes to his conclusion.  The artists seems to always had their thoughts on their arts and everything that touches their visions.  I never talked about it to the artists that I meet in my life.  It didn't cross my mind at the time.  In addition, they weren't the type to talk about that.  Anyway, I never felt enough at ease to talk about that to them.  So, I guess that I am on my own.

I find that nothing is easy when doing it right, creatively wise.  I feel a push to be on mhy own path.  Everything had pushed me in that direction including myself.  I never felt under the pressure of conformity.  I wonder why?  Marginality may not be that common or studied.  Well, I seems to have taken the least easy road of creativity.  Better go along and put extra work.  I guess I am at this point and I have to take some time to think of that.  Maybe it will help fromn know on for the rest of the road.

It is good to focus

After a few days into organizing and discarding some of my stuff, I feel the need to take a break.  I am not totally satisfied with my reorganisation but I need a break to think for a few details before returning to the end touches.  I am doing a bit of embroidery to change my mind.  One thing that I remarqued: I feel more focus doing the embroidery after doing the reorganization.  I finally enjoyed this discovery.  It was not something that I put attentions to.

Reorganisation and embroidery are not really on the same level.  They are both physical but reorganization Is a bit more physical than embroidery.  Reorganisation is about displacing and organizing physical object and making decisions.  It is a quick process.  Some hesitation can sneak in but it's not for long.  My mind is busy but it is more on decision making.  On the other hand, emborydery, I am hands on doing.  My mind focus on what I am doing but there is no decision making.  One part of my mind can focus on doing and another part, the world doesn't exist.

Both are good for the mind for different reason.  Alterning them is a good combo for me.  It is effective for my mind.  It is a nice discovery.  I wonder why I haven't realized that sooner.  This kind of thing seems to happen often amd I know I am not the only one to whom it happem.  Further experimentation is needed.  Otherwise, it is good to focus on something for a day.  It makes me feel that my mind is focusing on the task but at the same time, deeper, my mind seems to activate on another level.  My mind, tben, seems to be in it's hamster wheel working hard to get some ideas.

Pamper for creativity

One thing that I am discovering lately: there are things that can boost creativity.  Massage by a massage therapist is what comes to my mind.  I got one last week and it helped me a lot.  A relaxed state makes wonder to the mind and to the creative juices.  It let the ideas comes in.  Receptivity kick in instantly.  It should be in my life more often.

The experience can also be good source material for a story.  My experience of hot stone massage, last year, had comedic potential.  The stones were too hot for my back's sensitive skin.  I had a few unintentional jerk from the hot stones.  Even if I enjoyed myself at the time, I saw the irony in the situation.  I just have to find a way to translate it into an effective scene.  It was worth the try.

What I like about relaxing?  I can let inspiration come in.  I can take a story and think of it, adding or tweating a bit more the plotline.  I can be mental as I want.  I have free time to think about a story line or come up with a jewelry piece.  It is a time off for day to day down to earth consideration.  I am not the type to make resolution but I know where I want to do this year.  I want to schedule times where I can brainstorm ideas while my body get relax.  Even better if there is some essenstia oils as massage oil.  It smell good!

Learning everyday: Makeup chemistry

Just found that video on makeup chemistry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqK0VJhO7Wo
I ain't into makeup, not really even if I would like to have some once in a while.  I know a few things about some products that made makeup in the past, like lead in the products to whiten the skin of Elisabeth 1st.  It is like cooking: I hate cooking but I wouldn't mind if someone else do it.  It is the same with makeup.  I would like that someone else do it for me because I am a dummy in that area.  I don't apply makeup, so I don't know how to do it for myself.

Those people who are into makeup like in the film industry or to showcase products, are really artist.  I don't think I have the capacity to take their places.  I just respect their craft, as I would for any other crafts.  I haven't dabble into it much, so I can't judge all about the details.  It had more mysteries to me than anything else.

Seeing the video, I wonder if makeup products can be done without any chemical.  Chemistry have nice application into the world and makeup is a driving force for chemistry, I think.  Both seems to have a long history together.  Is there any organical products that can be used for that market.  I know there are vegan beauty and makeup products.  I wonder if it is the same than makeup more on the organical side.  There is a healthy question, I think,  There is much information out but is it realible?  I feel shooting in various directions but getting lost in makeup is something real.

Getting organized again

It seems that I need to get orgainzed once in a while.  Today is one of those days.  I like doing that.  Today, I am doing a part of it.  Today, it is more unhording and reclassifying my stuff.  I have done a lot since the past hollydays but it was not enouch.  I start to wonder if too much of crafting material is too much of a mess for one person.

On the other hand, doing this organization of my stuff is a good thing.  I often stumble on some items that I forgot that I have.  It also open up possibilities in finished projects.  I am an options person.  It is always good to have options.  I also sever some ties to some items, even if it is not the norm.  When it happen, it is because I had hit a unbreakable brick wall creative wise. Those items also have a low monetary value.

It is always a good moment when I do it.  I do it when I am really tired of my mess and ready to move on.  I know that keeping all neat is great.  I do have moment like that but I don't have the urge to clear the clutter as deep than I am doing right now.

Fingerprint art

Not long ago, I talked about inspiration.  Well, I found something that make me say «dah, why I haven't thought of that before!»  I have stumbled on an tableau with finderpirnt set in a way that give the impression of an image.  Here the (ugly) picture I took from the work of art in question:

Where the person got the idea?  It is a good idea, I wish I had thought of it.  Of course, if I do a project in that line of thought, I won't do the same.  I will also take my own hands and fingers.  A bigger canvas would be something I would do.  I would also take part of my hands and feet.  There are some possibilities here.

I am lucky to have some sourses of fresh ideas.  I also have an idea related with embroidery.  It would be the kind of picture that would look good in an embroidery format.  I should stop brainstorming right now.  I have already too many projects in my head.  I don't want to add more!

I love making necklace

One thing I enjoy making the most :necklace.  I also like when I find unusual beads.  Here is a necklace that combine the two together:

I should nave looked at the photo.  I guess that I should have used a dark background for this one.  I like this necklace.  One of the thing I like with my own creation is to wear them.  I would use this one on a more formal outing.  Would look good with a bright party gown I guess.  I am not really into matching my creation with clothes.  I haven't gained that kind of experience yet.  I haven't worked with a fashion designer.  I don't know if that kind of experience would worth it.

For that necklace, I have liked to create it.  The end result is not too bad.  There is beads that makes me think of marbles dangling from an chain.  I guess that I should take some photography classes just to get a little bit better at snapping picture of my jewelry.

Not into big bling but...

I am not into big fat bling.  Too big is too much for me.  It gives me the impression that big fat bling are for those who like to show off.  It can also be heavy and too much in the way.  I am really not attracted to that kind of jewelry.  There is a but.  Here is the biggest piece of jewelry that I made:

I didn't inteded to be that big.  It is made with nuts and one washer.  To assemble it, I took macrame cord.  It is also the macrame cord that is used to wear it on the neck.  Yes, it is a necklace.  Never wore it, never did a wear test, never thought I would done it.  Maybe I had a Napoleonic complex that day.  I must have been in a strange foreign mood to do it.

I like doing jewelry with item found in the hardware store.  I should return there to find new inspiration.  Doing barettes with that stuff is also fun to do!  Men that have longer hair should revendicate the right to use barette made with bolt and door's hinge.  I guess it would make a strong fashion statement.  Men jewelry fashin is too much conventional and classical.  They have to revendicate getting out of the usual.  They deserve some variety and out of the box jewelry.  It would look great in an informal party!