Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Changes in the future?

There are changes afoot at the Penguin Float.  I have never been entirely happy with my house.  I outgrew it quickly, once I started exploring my artistic side.  What started as a tiny hobby in the corner of the garage is threatening to take over the entire house.  To be honest, it probably would have if Lord Opuson did not have such a strong foot.  As it is, I have a "studio" ( once was the second bedroom) full of shelves crammed with my "must have" art paraphernalia. And what does not fit on the shelves, has found a "temporary" home on the floor.
    And I have expanded into the bed room.  My excuse is that there is not enough light in the studio to bead (and there really isn't). I have 3 full shelves of books, 12 shoe boxes of beads (Opuson counted them this morning) and 3 tool cases of findings stacked against the wall at the foot of the bed.

I want to start exploring enameling and PMC, not to mention fused glass.  I have yet to use the kiln I won over a year ago - no real place to set up.

I NEED MORE ROOM.

OK, maybe need is a little too strong a word.  I would like more room. 
I am also looking at retirement in the not to distant future - several years away, but still needs to be planned for.
I do not want to retire in my current house.  So, this morning we visited the bank to start the whole process.  House hunting will begin in earnest. just have to decide WHERE I want to live.  Since I will no longer be tied to a job that limits my living area, the possibilities are wide open.  I am finally getting excited about retirement. 
   Of course, this means that I will probably not be able to pursue any creative outlets once we start the process in earnest.  Not only a new home to fix up, but we have major work to do here to get it ready to sell.  Busy times ahead.


Quinn's opinion of moving. 

Saturday, September 6, 2014

What's in a name?

Has anyone read Sage Bray's article in the latest issue of  "The Polymer Arts" Magazine?  The article about naming your work, that is.  Sage is a very prolific writer, so there are many articles she has authored.
    She makes several very valid points about the subject.  I know that as an artist, this is something that I should be doing .... but it is HARD. I tried doing it for some time back, and finally gave up as I ran out of descriptive words.
    Sage supplied some good advice on how to come up with names, so I proceeded to give them a try as I have been struggling to find a suitable word to call my newest obsession.  "Tile" earrings is really not a good name.  Tiles are more flat, these are shaped like little bricks (thank you, word association).
  The light bulb appeared over my head - hence "Bricka" Earrings are born.

It has been a crazy couple of weeks at work and around the domicile, so I have only created a few Bricka's.  Luckily this technique caters itself to working 10 minutes here and there .... there are a lot of steps that need drying time between them

Latest pictures also include a prop - trying to add a bit of interest to my pretty bla photos.  I have noticed that most of the pictures I pin on Pinterest have interesting backgrounds.

4 Hears

Waiting for Spring 

Full Circle

Poppy 

Morning Cuppa

Dots and Hearts

Sealed with xoxox