If I Do Something...

It's very strange having a child move back home. That's not something I've experienced before. Guess, I'm growing up again. While he has a lot of things for one room, it's not a tremendous amount in terms of the moving time required so by dinner time Kyle was mostly back in his room, had requested a specific dinner, and had invited a friend over for dinner and a movie afterward. It was all very normal except for the comments on how clean the house smelled... the anticipation of sleeping in his own bed again... mentioning how fun it would be to cook in a kitchen with spices... and enjoying a large jug of milk... and... and... and... apparently a different child has moved in. So interesting.  Have you had a child (young adult) move back home? Any advice?

I have wrongly and unjustly accused some nameless, faceless person of stealing my garden ornament when all along it was buried under a taller than I thought pile of now melting snow. You can just see its fin. The garden fish was never gone, just hiding. Bad me!

Of the three sweaters bought last week, the hand knit one is being left for a different project and I'm using the blue and green ones for my version of the magazine inspired patchwork sweater.

Here's the page in Altered Couture again in case you missed the picture only mine will look way different because while it's inspired by this article, it's also inspired by a RTW sweater I tried on at a dress shop a week ago, and by the purple cardigan with frill I sewed in fall 2010 which was in turn inspired by...

... this frilly grey sweater from Winners. In attempting to find a picture of my purple version, I realized that I have a LOT of pictures that still need to be sorted. More work but work that would make things easier to find. It's amazing how many pictures you can take and how quickly they can get out of hand. Do you have a picture system? Does it work well? How?

Pictures aside - here's the pile of chopped up sweater scraps. The green and blue sweaters are from the pile above and the grey and dark blue sweaters were originally from my husband's closet and lately from my stash. Two lengths of grey yardage and one of purple yardage were added to the mix. I think that's enough to work with.

Starting can be the hardest thing. If you do something, you have something to respond to. If you do nothing, you have nothing. Last night, I serged together a few squares for center back. I've started and now I can keep going. I'm using black thread simply because it was already in the serger and it worked with the fabrics. There was no need to make things more complicated.

My friend Barb reminded me that I hadn't posted a picture of the finished purse. Here it is on Millicent. This is B12-1 - such an exciting label - the first of the to be sold bags. Several of my friends have asked for business cards because when they wear their purse, they receive inquiries about where to buy one. Once I have 6-10 of each - bags, bracelets, and necklaces - I'll set up my website with gallery pages and links to purchase and give them cards to give out. SO EXCITING.

This video is twenty minutes long. It's SO WORTH the time, at least it was for me and I think it would be for anyone who wants to be creative. It's about showing up and doing the work and a new (but actually old) way of looking at creativity that takes the pressure off of self. We don't need to be innately talented or creative geniuses. Our role is to show up and do the work. That's such a valuable step. I've discovered through showing up that we learn to do the work by doing the work.

Elizabeth talks about what comes next after having written the phenomenal best seller Eat Pray Love. She talks about her own fears and the ones others dump on her, about how she feels those fears but isn't willing to cave to them. That's something I struggled with - I'd ask myself what possible thing could I do next that would be as wonderful and fulfilling as the thing I was doing that I absolutely loved that has ended. Guess what. It's the very same thing, new version.

For Elizabeth, she's a writer. After writing a bestseller, her job is to continue writing no matter where that leads. I'm a maker. My joy is in the making of things and in the sharing of how those things were made. Whether those things ever become phenomenal best sellers - or not - my job is to make them and to share the lessons learned.

I've taught that lesson - do something - for years in my workshops and even so it took me a long time to apply my own lesson. If you do something, you'll have something to respond to and if you do nothing, you'll have nothing to respond to. So simple. The truth often is. You know how I circle. I may need to learn that lesson again but for now, it is good and enough.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - for vulnerability and sharing so that we can learn from each other.

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Personal Growth - In the video, Elizabeth shares a story of a poet who occasionally lost a poem because she wasn't ready to do the work when the words came to her. She talks about the poem rushing through her in search of another poet. If I do something, God will work with and through that something. If I do nothing, he'll have to find someone else to do "my" work. That's MY work. I need to show up. Do the work. Leave the results in His hands. LET GO!

The Scrap And Snippet Collection

Howard and I were both listless lumps on the couch yesterday. I did a bit of work in the studio - as detailed below - but not nearly as much as I would have liked. We had invited friends for dinner who declined saying they really needed an evening at home and that turned out to be a good decision. Apparently so did we.

After going out so many times this weekend - four viewings in all - I just wanted to be home. When another friend called asking to go for coffee, I told her that I wasn't leaving the house but she could come over. It was fun. We looked at everything I was working on in the studio and she gave me feedback on the handbag and jewelry prototypes. All good. And then I lay around lump-ish-like.

And today, I will clean and leave the house again because viewers 17 are coming through this afternoon. LOL - I've started numbering them.  On a down note, someone stole a garden ornament from our front yard last week. We're really hoping it wasn't one of the viewers - that's just yucky feeling - but we'll never know. It's gone and most likely not coming back so I hope they enjoy their stolen goods.

On Friday, Fabricland had three colors of dupioni silk in the Home Decor section on sale 50% off. It must have been old stock because the rest was full price. They were 60" wide meaning 0.30 meters was enough for two purse linings or for a front, back, and lining. I bought the two pieces above and a burgundy-brown piece and washed them without thinking about the edges ending up with this mess since dupioni silk frays like crazy. NOT a problem. I have jars... and jars... and jars... and...

... jars of frayed ends and thread bits. The one above is on the desk next to my sewing machine. No thread gets wasted, particularly rayon and decorative threads. I collect these snippets for making thread lace like on the flap of the purse. Occasionally, the snippet collection gets too big and I either throw some out or - more often - evolve it into fabric that can be used at a later date. Right now, I have many jars full and very little fabric, so I'm at that stage again.

The two ribbons above have wire edges. The blue is twisted cording. All three are from stash. The combination of colors seemed about right for the bag handle.

I used a wide stitch and rust thread to zigzag over the blue cording and the copper ribbon. The plaid ribbon has several zigzag runs of rust, green, and variegated threads otherwise the end result would have been too light in value. The ribbons were each twisted tight before zigzagging over them and then the three strands were braided to make the handle. It's quite strong.

More than one person complained about the button. Apparently, it was too plain and not in my typical interesting style although I didn't know I had a typical interesting button style. Needless to say, when more than one person disagrees with you, it's probably time to do something about that so...

... I protected the purse by placing several layers of paper under the button, sanded it, and then painted it a metallic brown color which was not quite right so I painted it again in copper. While the paint was...

... still wet, colored beads were dropped on top and then held in place with several coats of glossy varnish. I'm debating whether anything more is needed.

Here it is when the varnish was still wet and a bit white looking. All that work loosened the threads holding the button in place so I hot glue gunned it down and now it's there, like it or not. Of course, I could paint over the entire thing with copper and it'd be an interesting textured look BUT... hopefully this one meets better success.

The burgundy-brown dupioni was for the lining of this bag. The original lining was a bright cotton that seemed garish rather than fun once the bag was sewn closed. The main and bright lining fabrics were originally sewn together at the sides with French seams which created a lot of bulk. As I didn't like the look and had already decided to take the bag apart and change the lining to a drop in style, switching linings fabrics was easy. The dupioni was interfaced with fusible knit giving it a soft but flexible hand. I think I'll use that combination for all the bags. It's pretty and durable.

And - of course - there were more scraps from both the lining and the handles. Sometimes I wish I weren't quite so capable of seeing the potential of scraps because I end up with so many - the scrap and snippet collection - but luckily I have space limits on how much to keep. I'm pretty good at moving things along when I get to overload point. There was a larger piece of the dupioni silk left from this project that I'll use as a base for thread lace with these remnants although I doubt I'll get much time to sew today because...

... along with cleaning the house for the viewing, we are helping our youngest son to move back home. After two months of living on his own, he would like to return and this is good. It'll make things much easier for him although I imagine it'll be an adjustment for all of us. It's amazing how quickly Howard and I had gotten used to being childless - VBG. If I do get to sew, I will work on that sweater from Friday's posting. I have the pattern all ready to go.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - for many viewers increasing the odds of a sale and for no viewers yesterday with a day to sew and move slow

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Personal Growth - To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive. - Robert Louis Stevenson

I've learned that there's a time to pay attention to popular opinion and a time to ignore it and carve my own path.

Beads Brainstorming And The B-Witchy Stage

Even though I got up an hour earlier, it still took me until after nine to get on the road to my beading workshop. Thankfully, it was a private class and the times were flexible. Yesterday's viewers were very interested in our house although they have a house to sell first. That's good but not great news except that... apparently the cleaning was worth it! Today's viewers are visiting for the second time. Their house is already sold with a few subjects left to be removed. An offer and that could be great news. I hope so.

I learned a tremendous amount at the workshop. My mind buzzed with possibilities all the way home. Throughout the day I kept thinking my daughter would like to know this or that and wished she was there too because it was so something that would interest her as much as me and that we could do together. Perhaps when she's visiting sometime. Meanwhile, I may have learned a few tips and tricks I could teach her. What fun that would be.

The necklace above was bought to wear to my son's graduation this past June. It was strung on memory wire which I didn't like because the weight of the pendant kept pulling down the necklace plus the pendant wasn't secured properly and would always flip over. I restrung it using soft wire, crimps, crimp covers, wire protectors, and lobster clasps - twice - because I screwed up the bead order once and had different sides. That gave me more practice. Oh - and the jump rings holding the pendant were changed to a bail. LOL - look at me throwing all that jewelry terminology around. I'm starting to get it. I learned four methods for stringing a necklace. Two more are knotting - simply tying a knot between each bead - and attaching an end to thick cord or ribbon with beads strung on. No pictures of those.

The fourth technique was hard wire or wire wrapping. I used round nose pliers to turn the copper wire into a eye pin, run it through the beads, and turn it again on the other side. Units like this would be connected with a jump ring. I learned about how to open and close jump rings and split rings using different tools that save your fingernails. Good to know.

I prefer the soft wire techniques to the hard wire ones although it will be good to know some of those techniques for working with the textile pendants. The copper parts above were picked up on sale at Michaels. I brought them along to string another necklace using the pendant below - which I forgot to take with me - which means I'll get to try this on my own at home.

This necklace was given to me by a friend who received it as a gift from her husband who bought it in South America when he was down there on business. She didn't think he'd notice when she gave it to me. LOL - he did but didn't care so that's okay. I'm not sure why she passed it on because the coloring is perfect for her but I'll take it although I'm not a fan of cords. Adding the chain and beads will pretty it up significantly.

Carolyn - the bead and clay lady - has spent a lot of time thinking about what I am trying to accomplish and how I could do that. That meant a lot to me. So many times when you're in business talking to another person in business they are unwilling to share ideas never mind help you brainstorm possibilities.

Above, we've made - as in I watched and she rolled and created - a layer of textured polymer clay for the bottom of a pendant and then a frame that sits on the edge of the fabric. It's one option we explored along with several others that have huge potential. My mind is buzzing. I left with several ways to move forward with both the pendants and the bracelet cuffs that involve way less glue, a higher level of professionalism, and... polymer. Too fun. This is good.

To date, all of my beading supplies have been kept in a shallow drawer in the same unit that has my patterns only that's not big enough anymore especially as I don't have all the tools and supplies I'll need if I'm going to do more of this type of work - and it looks like I am. Carolyn has a storage unit from Ikea that is...

... perfect for holding all these bead containers. Isn't that a yummy looking drawer? So much potential and there are several drawers full like this. The containers are from the dollar store. They stack. I need to take a look for those as well as for the felt tray for laying out your necklace design. Carolyn is a dollar store expert and apparently I can find all kinds of useful items there. I'm thinking I should avoid the dollar store for a while - VBG - and preserve my budget.

These are tube and rondelle beads that Carolyn made. They're in common Myrna colors and should work well with some of the designs I have in mind. I couldn't leave without buying a few to take with me.

To say that I don't deal with new technology well would be to vastly understate reality. I cannot stand upgrades or new toys. I like to figure out how things work and then I want them to work the way they're supposed to and that's it. Don't change things. The truth is that when faced with new technology I go through the b-witchy stage. I'm rather cranky and irritated until I have things figured out and running smoothly - my friend says it's my control issues - and then I think that new toy or new software is the greatest things since sliced bread. I didn't realize that I'd do the crabby cranky thing with a new medium too because I haven't learned a new medium in years - plus I think my expectations were too high - but - I am more excited at the end of the month about jewelry making possibilities than I was at the beginning. YES!

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - an abundance of jewelry ideas and techniques to explore AND yesterday was the 33rd anniversary of our first date. I'm grateful for my husband and for his support and encouragement.

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Personal Growth - Younger Self - who can be as balky and stubborn as the most cantankerous three-year-old - is not impressed by words. Like a native of Missouri, it wants to be shown. To arouse its interest, we must seduce it with pretty pictures and pleasurable sensations - take it out dining and dancing as it were. Only in this way can Deep Self be reached. - Starhawk, Theologian

Blank Canvas Opportunities

Yesterday's appointments and errands took until late afternoon. When I got back home, there was a message from my realtor about a showing today and one tomorrow. Since I'm going to the beading workshop today, that meant starting to clean house last night and finishing this morning. Thankfully, I've been slowly packing for the workshop all week, throwing possibilities into a box, and all I need to do is sort through it and make sure enough is packed to get going. We can work everything else out from there.

More cleaning is NOT what I'd had planned for yesterday afternoon. I really wanted to sew but... I didn't... so there's no sleeve muslin to show you. LOL - I'm starting to suffer from seller's fatigue. I don't think I've ever cleaned house this often. I'm normally clean but not this clean.

The box of scraps above is left over from The Handbag Project. Every time I write that term I think I should start using labels in my postings and then I realize I'd have over six hundred postings to go back through and that's daunting... and beside the point. The point is, there was lots left over. With the handbags and jewelry items I'm working on now, I'm trying to start with, or use something from, the box. It's perpetual because...

... every project creates more scraps. These are the ones left from the latest purse. There's enough of the napkin fabric to do something with but not of the red overlay. That little scrap is my last bit which is good because it'll force me to go in a different direction with the next bag. Starting from the scrap box provides some direction and challenge to the pieces and uses what I have. This is good.

Recycling has become something I really enjoy. At one time, it would have been nowhere on my radar. That's either me maturing or a sign of the times but I've become a fan of second hand stores. I spent half an hour at Value Village yesterday as this week's Artist Date as per The Artist's Way. In the book, Julia notes that your inner critic will try to talk you out of the artist's date with some version of it's bad for you. Mine was screaming you can't do this, you spend too much money yesterday when I bought these three sweaters and a leather jacket... and that's true... so I'll set some limits on artist date spending for next week but... the jacket was only 12.99 and it's an extra-large size, with dropped shoulders, lots of ease, and calf length which means I can cut it up into a lot of handbags and bracelet backings. GOOD DEAL.

The sweaters, combined with some textured knit fabrics in my stash, are to make a version of this vest from the current Altered Couture magazine. This one is a circle with holes cut into it for the arms. I plan to use my T & T t-shirt pattern to create a garment with more shape and add a peplum from the waist similar to a sweater I tried on in a dress shop yesterday. The fabrics I have are shades of grey. I bought the blue and green sweaters to add color and the grey one because it has wonderful textures on both sides. There will be a LOT of fabric left over so I'll be able to make several versions if I want.

The grey sweater made me a bit sad. The side shown above is the inside. The outside is a soft, fuzzy, angora-ish look. It's beautifully hand knit with a turned hem and virtually invisible seaming. Someone made it with love and there it was in a second hand store. I know it happens. I've done it myself. But it always make me sad so it's nice to be recycling it into something loved.

This purse was there for next to nothing, way less expensive than a pattern. The gusset along the bottom only comes up to the yoke level on the front and the lining and the front/back form the handles. It's cheaply sewn. Other than in the handle, there's no interfacing to give the bag structure BUT... it's perfect to take apart for a pattern and gives me a style option that requires less additional items - just a closure. Having two or three different styles to work with at the beginning will provide some structure while still leaving plenty of "blank canvas" opportunities.

I only realized looking at this picture now that the top ring is upside down. On the other side, there is a circle of small black stones with the chain wrapping between them AND... it's silver not antique gold as it looks in this picture BUT... this is the "gaudy" necklace I asked my husband and daughter for at Christmas. Back then, it was $50.00 which was IMHO overpriced but I loved it and that's the criteria for a gift. Yesterday, I bought it for $14.70. Much better.

And now I need to finish cleaning and packing and getting ready to go and head off to the bead workshop. YEAH - I love learning new things.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - two viewings even though I'm tired of cleaning

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Personal Growth - The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. - C. G. Jung  - - Like an ability or a muscle, hearing your inner wisdom is strengthened by doing it. - Robbie Gass

Learning to play, to explore without knowing the outcome, to risk imperfection, to take such things as a meandering artist's date simply to fill my well and imagination, is an ability that has taken time and practice to learn. It's not how I was raised but it's become a way of being that I absolutely love. I've learned that just as ideas come while doing repetitive things like cleaning bathrooms, they also come in other ways like play. Life is sweet and short and precious. It need not be all stress and business and work. It is through play, through relaxing the mind and having fun with few expectations, that we make exciting and personal discoveries. I remind myself of this every time my inner critic starts screaming that I'm wasting time.

Another Year Of Play

By the time I had finished exercising, studying, and writing and went for my one hour - but it takes an hour and half to get back and forth - acupuncture appointment and did a few chores around the house, the morning was over. It gives me a giggle when I've spent a whole morning going from one thing to another - including making a big pot of roasted vegetable turkey soup - and the thought crosses my mind that it's half way through the day and I haven't done anything yet. To me, doing something means being in the studio.

I've been keeping watch for any materials that could form a weighted core for the pendants. These disks are for stamping. They're regularly $29.99 for six and I bought them for $5.99 on sale at Michaels and then showed them to my husband and his friend who discussed how to cut and shape something similar and what materials to use. Along with the aluminum, copper, and brass options shown apparently there is a shim product used in mining that is a similar weight, inexpensive, easily drilled and cut, and just might work. They're bringing me a sample to see.

The aluminum cuffs that I purchased for bracelets are quite lightweight. You can see one of them by itself at the bottom of this picture. Apparently, the weight is perfect to allow for heavy beading when making beaded cuffs. Fabric isn't as heavy as dense beading so that's not a plus for me. I preferred the weight of the darker, thicker cuff at the top of the picture from Michaels. By doubling up the aluminum cuffs and using strong glue, paper-clips, and twenty-four hours to set, they have the same feel. The copper cylinders are from the plumbing section at the hardware store.  They have possibilities.

The cuffs are already formed. In retrospect, this may not have been the best choice because a flat base would allow me to stitch around the design before bending it into shape. I've ordered a few flat ones to test that theory. Either way, the inside curve becomes a 1/2" shorter than the outside curve once the bracelet is bent which means if the lining is the same length, once bent it'll be too long. I'm exploring stretch suede and stretch velvet for the lining with the intent that the inside fabric can stretch to fit the outside one when flat and condense to fit smooth without wrinkles when bent. Hopefully. What I want to know is where does that 1/2" go when the cuff gets bent? LOL - it was there lying flat.

Once I get going, I know I'll discover processes and methods that work for me and that the steps will get familiar and faster. Right now, things are moving tediously slow and there seems to be a lot of glue involved. I'm not really a glue person however... for now... I glued the cuffs together and then glued the bracelet design to the front and next I'll glue the lining to the inside and then do a beaded brick stitch around the outside to finish the edge. That's a step I'd rather not do every time so...

... with this second version, my plan is to wrap the seam allowance around to the inside of the cuff gluing it to hold and then glue a lining (like leather or suede) to the inside to finish. I'm not sure if that's the answer I want but it's the one I'm trying next.

Wednesday is going to be switch day - the one between things I'm doing for resale and things I'm creating for myself. I have an appointment this morning and then grocery shopping and a few errands and chores, and then the sleeve for the coat muslin and if those go well, the collar. I want to figure out the rest of the muslin and then put it aside until the beginning of March. Hopefully by then, I will be somewhat smaller and I'd rather make a coat in a smaller size so I can wear it in the fall too. The plan is to finish it for ArtFest at the end of March... or not... we'll see. All I know is that I wore my jeans to knit night yesterday and they were tight but not obscene and I didn't want to rip them off all night so I could breathe. This is progress. If things keep going in that direction, I'll wish I hadn't sewn the coat so big.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - large pots of yummy soup, leftovers

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Personal Growth - I'm working through Experiencing God section by section as opposed to chapter by chapter. It'll take a lot longer and that's okay. I can also absorb the information more fully. Whenever there's a question, that's where I stop. Yesterday, the question was: God revealed to me that He is all I need in _____ when He _____. The day before, in The Artist's Way, there was this sentence: one way you know that you are blocked is when there are artists you resent. Hmm...

Over the last few (long and excruciating, circling and often painful) years God has been revealing to me that what I thought I wanted is not what I actually want. When I see the success that some artists are enjoying, especially artists who have worked at their art for far less time than I did, I do occasionally feel a twinge of envy and resentment BUT... for the most part... having been there before... I know what's going on behind the obvious and the huge trade off - especially the loss of time to work on art without an audience. Most of a well know artist's time is spent teaching the classes she developed years ago and producing products that are known sellers. It's a lot of repetition and mass marketing focused on past developments with very little time for independent, searching, exploratory work.

When I taught on-line, I spent three to five hours a day, seven days a week, forty-nine weeks a year interacting with students and an equal amount of time - or more - developing new workshops, creating samples, and producing pieces for exhibits. There was no time for fashion sewing or for exploratory art. Because that work ended due to circumstances and not due to my choice, there was a lot of confusion and grief that seemed to go on forever AND NOW...  I have reached a place where I am thankful to not be doing that any more. I know I've cycled through that feeling before. I think that's natural. I also think I may be nearing the end of those cycles. How fabulous that would be. Right now, I'm grateful that I can go into my studio and create whatever I want to create without worrying about "they" might want.  While that feeling may change in the future depending on what happens with the bags, bracelets, and necklaces, it's true for this next year. What a gift. It's like another Year of Play.

Rescuing Ugly Fabric

Not too long ago, I commented that it had occurred to me that I didn't need to get up at six anymore and could sleep in if I wanted to. Yesterday, I thought about starting to set my alarm an hour earlier and getting up at five. I'm so excited with what's happening in the studio, by what I've been learning and how things are coming together, that I want more time. YES YES!

It could be a combination of things. I decided that I was allowed to be a weather wimp if I wanted to be but that didn't excuse me from exercising so if I didn't want to go outside, I needed to do something inside. I've been spending 30-45 minutes a day on aerobic activities and will add some light weight and elastic exercises next week. I've also been spending an hour or so each morning working on a bible study (Experiencing God) and working through The Artist's Way and journal writing. These challenge my brain and stretch and grow me in positive ways. It's good.

I study and write and exercise before going into the studio otherwise, once I got there and was immersed in a project, I'd never get back to them even though they're important to me. I know myself, what I need to do first, and that I function WAY better with a routine, goals, and challenges.

Oil paint sticks have a bit of a smell so I washed the napkins a final time partly to get rid of the smell and partly to make sure the glitter would stick. Most of it did giving some energy to the napkin fabric. To add more, I cut up the napkins and spaced the pieces over a rust and blue batik. It took 2 1/2 of the six napkins to make this bag. The pieces were zigzag stitched around the edges with a rust thread securing them to the backing and batting. I forgot to take a picture of that stage.

Next, was a layer of red organza held in place with free motion thread work in a multi-colored thread. If you click on the image, you'll be able to see the rust stitching below. At this point, I was happy with the resulting fabric and especially with the sheen and richness that the organza added.

The thread lace was layered with batting and stitched with blue and then with rust thread to pull in those colors from the "napkin" fabric. The thread lace became the closure and the other fabric the main body of the purse. The blue button and variegated threads around the edge of the closure help to connect the two elements.

The sides and handle of the purse aren't finished yet. The beading workshop is this Thursday and we're going to discuss handle options. I'm waiting to see what I learn before closing the sides because the handles will need to be secured to the bag in some way and right now I'm thinking of a loop into the seam allowance. I want to see what ideas Carolyn - the clay and bead lady - has before I go ahead. A loop might not be the right support.

Not counting the dyeing and painting time, I've spent seven hours on this purse already. At any kind of hourly rate plus supplies and then doubled for the gallery fee that's an expensive purse which leaves me thinking about pricing, about the way I prefer to work, and about what motivates me.

Operating a home-based business will allow me to deduct a percentage of household expenses on my income tax as well as any supplies and research and development costs associated with the business. That includes the ArtFest and Marcy Tilton workshops, travel and accommodation, books and tools. If the business nets below a certain amount, Howard can deduct me as a dependent on his income taxes. Considering how lucrative a career in the arts usually isn't, that shouldn't be too difficult and makes owning a home-based business a win-win for our household.

SO... although I've said in the past that a business that makes money is a success and a business that does not make money is a failure, and I still believe that, I've decided to look at making money differently. Even though I may not be able to sell these products for what they should be worth, as long as I am covering my costs and making some profit it's a viable business and I am getting paid to do what I love to do. That's a change from what I'm doing now and gives me an opportunity to test the market and see the reaction to my work and how that differs from wall art - as in are there more opportunities for sales with wearable art than wall art.

AND... I'll be able to explore what if questions and to push my creativity. I love the idea of challenging myself to create forty bags, forty bracelets, and forty necklaces this year using a variety of skills and abilities. That's one a week for ten months and depending on how long they take, I may not hit that number but I can certainly head in that direction. Since I definitely do not need 120 wearable art items, I do need those gallery sales. I plan to market myself as an artist who creates high end, labour intensive, unique, one-of-a-kind, wearable art in limited quantities which will leave room to raise prices depending on which way things go. It's a different way of looking at things, especially for me. I've never been supportive of selling your work at cost plus a bit but that's the reality of our current economy and accepting it is a way for me to push ahead with my work. This is good. For the joy, the goal, and the challenge, I can learn to think differently.

Talk soon - Myrna


Grateful - rescuing ugly fabric

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Personal Growth - When we open ourselves to exploring creativity, we open ourselves to God: good orderly direction. - pg 3, The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron

Still Ugly Fabric

Self Expressions is a course that I used to teach about how to create independent (as in no commercial pattern) textile art in your style. Previously, all of my quilts, writing, and workshops were developed around patterns or techniques. This course took all three in a completely different direction. It came about as a result of my Year of Play which happened between September 2004 and September 2005. Having spent fifteen years - at that point - in a fabric related career, I was feeling burnt out and unsure and planned this time off to determine if I still liked fabric and what direction I wanted to go in. The year was one of those worst of times - best of times experiences that resulted in tremendous growth in my life, my art, and my teaching and in a way of working that I now prefer.

One of the assignments is to take something you dislike and use it as the starting point of a piece. Typically students chose a piece of fabric. The objective is to continue working with the item one step at a time until the piece says it's finished. Later on in the course we talked about knowing when to push through and finish the piece and when to give up and be finished with it but for the purposes of this assignment, the students were not allowed to quit. Success was finishing. Masterpieces were a bonus. That requirement to not quit allows our inner artist to begin weighing out options and asking what if questions and allows for risk taking and experimentation. MUCH better than a masterpiece.

The napkins in the first picture are part of a placemat set that my son brought me back from Guatemala. There are still six placemats and a table runner intact in the drawer however the napkins were unused and small, about 11" x 9", in a combination of colors that doesn't really appeal to me. In other words, they were ugly fabric. My first thought was to overdye them in a blue/green. The goal was to change the white to blue/green, the yellow to lime, the red to brown, and darken the green. My assumption that the fabric was 100% cotton was wrong. I have no idea what the fibre content is but it doesn't absorb dye well. I ended up with ugly fabric with a neon overtone.

Before I went any further, I cut the fringe off each end, pulled the threads apart and spread them over a black (recycled from a dress that didn't work) dupioni base, placed a layer of green tulle and wash away stabilizer over top, and used variegated gold thread to make thread lace. This is the result. It'll be an interesting accent element for a purse. AND THEN...

... doing one more thing to hopefully save the fabric, I added a layer of blue paint. Dye is absorbed into the fabric while paint sits on top. I'd hoped the paint would pull differently and it did. The napkins then had a neon blue overtone. Still ugly fabric.

Right now, I'm waiting for oil paint sticks to set. I used an antique gold to add a glitter element to the fabric. It's now glittery, still ugly, fabric and not progressing significantly BUT... I'm going to stick with it. Not only has finding a way to use this fabric become a challenge - just as in class - my what if, evaluating, artist-come-out-to-play, juices are running and this is always a good thing.

The weather warmed up only somewhat - not to +6 - and that's okay because I spent most of the weekend tucked up in my studio creating. The second coat muslin is finished and fits well and I'm ready to figure out the sleeves. I worked on the bag fabric above, made a bracelet prototype that needs a bit more adjusting, watched more how-to videos on YouTube, ordered some tools and fabric to help with jewelry making and some purse frames and other parts to help with bag making, and discovered two possibilities for strengthening the necklace pendants that I'm experimenting with. Mostly, I just enjoyed that feeling that all is well, wonderful, and creative in my studio. It was a fabulous weekend. I hope yours was equally wonderful.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - ideas and warmth

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Personal Growth - Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything.    Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers. I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."  - Job 42: 1-6 (The Message)

Sunday's sermon talked about how God doesn't owe me anything and about how our impression of God will influence how we handle pain and suffering. I thought about that in terms of being a parent. My children did not ask to be born. I chose to have them. I've raised them with as much love as I can shower them with and have attempted to transfer whatever wisdom I might have in order to best equip them for life as an adult. I did my best and now it's their turn to care for themselves to the best of their maturing ability with my continued love and support. I don't owe them anything. I do not expect to take care of them for the rest of their days. I cannot make their lives run painless and perfect. And yet, I will always be there with love and support.

If I think that God is a "divine butler and a cosmic therapist" as the pastor put it, I may think His role is to make my life smooth and wonderful, to bring health and wealth, and when it turns out to not be so, I might believe that God has not kept His promise to me (one He never made) or that He is less than who He is. It's delusional to think that no pain or suffering should happen to me. Why not me? It has come in the past and it will come again. Pain and suffering are an inevitable part of life. Thank God that when it happens He will be my comforter and my guide, that he is always there with divine love and eternal support. That's a promise He did make and will keep.

Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. - Mathew 28:20 (The Message)

An Overwhelming YES!

The weather is supposed to improve today. I've been warm and cozy in the studio only because there are two space heaters running in the basement otherwise, it's freezing out. It may seem like Canadians are constantly fixated on the weather and we are. We have reason to be. We actually have weather. Yesterday was -22 degrees and today it's supposed to warm up to +6. That's a HUGE change that goes from snow on the ground to water in the streets. You can see why we talk.

Brenda wrote - I wish I had your patience in making muslins but I never seem to have the time but I think I have my fit off fine for now.

You're not alone. When I was teaching Creative Wearables, the majority of my students approached sewing the muslin kicking and screaming but usually by the end of the class I'd converted them because I take the opposite approach. My time is too valuable. I can't afford NOT to muslin especially with a project as labour intensive and potentially costly as a coat. I muslin any garment I'm not sure of because an extra hour or two is worth it to me in terms of less frustration and fewer wadders.

Even in muslin, the lines of the Vogue 8626 coat are far more flattering. I really like the deep inverted pleat. The smaller pleats should - IMHO - be pressed the opposite way and stitched down but maybe not. I'll try that on the next muslin and compare which is better.

The front is stitched together along the center front line making it easier to try on without having to pin all the way down. Once again, the garment has a very close fit and not nearly enough ease for a coat. With the second muslin, I'll stitch the princess seams from 5/8" at the shoulders out to 1/4" through the bust and down and sew the side seams at 1/4" adding 4 1/2" of ease. Because the back seams are...

... armscye princess and sewing them at 1/4" would drop the back armhole, I rotated the seam line to create a shoulder princess seam instead and...

... eliminated the extra width I'd added at the hip. In the front, it was one size and in the back, three sizes only it wasn't needed because of the flare of the garment. The extra just pools at the sides. And... because the seams will now be sewn at 1/4"... there will be an extra 4 1/2" of ease at the hips which means no extra flare needed.

With the first muslin, I didn't make my usual 1" petite adjustment through the armhole just in case it wasn't needed. The bodice was too long so I'm testing that alteration on the next muslin along with the extra ease and beginning to work on the sleeves.

The pieces were cut at the longer length even though I want to hem the coat just above the knee because the pattern is drafted with 5/8" hems which are way too skimpy for a coat. By starting with the longer length, I can decide where to hem it and alter the pattern without having to add more paper.

I marked the Butterick 5685 muslin with the necessary information and made some notes to go with the pattern instructions and packaged them away together. Next time I decide to work on this pattern, I'll be further ahead and know where I'm at. I only discard a muslin if I'm not going to ever sew the garment and then I give the pattern away too.

Susan wrote - Could you please take a photo of the sleeve pattern piece that has the following alterations on it....

As soon as I knew that sleeve wasn't going to work, I threw out the piece - something I always do to make sure I don't accidentally use the wrong piece next time HOWEVER... in the posting Elbow Length or Elbow Dart from August 2010, I talk about tipping the shoulder. Hopefully that will help and if you need info on adding to the bicep, let me know.

Considering it didn't start out the greatest, this has been a far more positive week. YES! I've enjoyed being in the studio which once again highlights how important it is for me to be making things and to have goals and challenges to work toward. I did some more research yesterday into purses and have been making notes on directions and possibilities and I'm feeling quite energized about the potential. It definitely has that bubble of yes. And now... I'm off the clean house.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - ending the week on a positive note

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Personal Growth - Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. - First Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Someone is looking at our house this afternoon... again. I am cleaning... again. It has never taken this long to sell one of our homes before. I'm impatient and remind myself to remain positive and grateful that the house at the top of our buy list is still available. This could be good.

Although the year hasn't started as planned, I have had such an overwhelming YES! in terms of feedback and encouragement around the purses that I'm 99.9% committed to going in that direction and VERY thankful for all the input. Considering we're only 3/52 into the year, that actually sounds quite good.

While it's yet still another "gift" of the great M, my five week cycle just shortened itself to two and I'm tap dancing happy because it means I've been dealing with PMS and not SAD this week, which makes the rest of winter look a whole lot more positive. LOL - the things we're happy about.