1-30-17


So ... last night I started going through one of the last tubs of stuff I need to go through... that is in the studio space.
In it, is a large stack of vintage LIFE magazines that I had bought many years ago.
They are all from the late 40s, through the 50s.... and the artwork and such is just amazing.
Because they are in poor shape, they are not worth reselling... so I am taking this as an awesome opportunity to garner some more pictures for collage. And of course, along the way I am reading an article or two. There was a great article on the Korean War, and although the photos are not something I would want to use for collage... it was great to see. There was also one on the "re-education" of Nazi POWs that were going through some sort of rehabilitation camp here in the US. I don't think the article ever said where the location of this camp was, but it was something that I didn't even know existed in history. The photo above, was part of a civil rights campaign sweeping the midwest... and how women were coming out in droves... sounds sort of like the news this week...

And then there was this car/ airplane that was constructed in 1946. Whodathunkit.


And, naturally, I am also working on jewelry. One of the projects on tap this week is a necklace and earring set that I am making to donate to a local fundraiser for a lady dealing with cancer/ medical expenses. It will feature Hobai Turquoise, hematite, and golden amber toned pearls. All the metal/ wire will be hypoallergenic steel... and I think the color combo is amazing.
I'll show you photos when it's done.
In the meantime... keep creating!!  .... see you all tomorrow.


for the weekend


when you're too busy
just trying to survive life
focus on the good

--------

it's hard.
work is scarce, and even working all hours is not enough
insurance is sketchy
everything is expensive
health can be precarious
it can seem so futile
we're all in this together
at least there is art, music, love
dogs
trees and plants
good people
blue skies
hope for tomorrow

1-27-17


This is a digital collage I made last night, using some sheet music and lyrics written by a friend,
 coupled with a photograph I took of a bonfire, and one I took of an urban wall.
"Life is void of strife..."

1-26-17


I am not a fan of "bed-rest"... but I am doing what I have to do to get better. 
In the meantime, I feel woefully behind on so many things... ah well. 
On the plus side, I've been fiddling with some old illustrations I have --and adding some quotes.
Who knew I loved graphic design and illustration so much ...


The original illustration was done by Fern Bisel Peat, and was included in 
"A Children's Garden of Verses" from 1943.
I adore her work. Did you know she was from Erie PA?
Read more about her here.
See you all tomorrow.

1-25-17


Back in June 2016, I started a new "series" of posts... if you will... 
 And so on Wednesdays; I've been posting an old photograph to inspire your creativity.
Write a poem!   
 Plot out a short story.
 Have inspiration for a piece of art or composition.... let your artistic soul shine.
--and occasionally I write my own sordid story or poem. 
 (you can click on the photos in this post to make it larger to see).

~~~

The Falkenrath sisters were a force to be reckoned with.
Their mother (seated in the photo), Eva the First... was the first woman Falconer in the Black Forest. It was rumored that she was a "wild child" having spent her entire youth learning the ways of the forest creatures. Truth be told, she learned most of her wisdom from her grandmother; lessons in herbology, lessons on the ways of the animals, learning to read the wind... She grew to be the village elder, wise beyond her years. And then the war came, and she amassed an "army" of falcons... who retrieved and sent messages to the resistance.
She literally saved her town on the wings of her birds.

No one knows the father of her girls (behind her in the photo).
It was rumored that he was a great winged beast himself... born of the air.
Elisa and Ellsbeth were just as strong willed as their mother, and grew even beyond her knowledge...
helping the sick, restoring healthy crops, keeping the animals safe... and guarding the deep forests they knew and loved. Working in tandem, they defied "progress" that threatened the earth and the forest creatures. They taught the local people the importance of the plants... the importance of compassion... the importance of defending and protecting earth's valuable resources. And of course, they still had their birds. Some even thought they had the power to change into raptors themselves... soaring through the clouds overseeing all they cared about... though it could never be proven.
So whenever you see a falcon flying high in the sky... think of the Falkenrath's.
Perhaps it is them still.

1-24-17


Wow! We have snow... and lots of it... and more coming down.
It is beautiful.

And last night, I finished up a super long scarf.
I am keeping this one, and I am (finally) out of yarn. Yep... not an inch of it is left.
On to other projects. .. not the least of which is some jewelry I am designing and making.

The other day we went to State College to put in an application to adopt a dog. The dog ended up going to another home that was pre-approved... (which is great for the dog)... but it means we didn't end up getting a furry friend for our house yet. So.... we went to Barnes & Noble for some tea, and I ended up finding a couple awesome books on jewelry design and small business practices. There are lots of great things in both of these books that I will be implementing into my own business... so there are some fun things to come.
See you all tomorrow.

1-23-17


Happy Maker Monday!
... my series of posts where I feature something the daughter or I are working on, 
and encourage the maker lifestyle.
________

This week I felt quite restless, yet exhausted.
So I found that I could only work in small bits of time. Because of this, I decided to work on a few pair of earrings .... comprised of new beads and ear wires, coupled with some salvaged pieces from my stash of broken jewelry.


I also made a cool steampunk inspired pendulum. 
It is made with an antique brass chain - a vintage radio tube - a vintage brass bell, vintage yak bone, 
hematite and brass beads... and lots of positive thoughts.



I also worked more on the "business end" of my work... designing a new Logo/ Avatar for some of my pages, new banners, and watermarks for both my photography work, and my "craft" work. I realized that most of them I had been using for many years (my logo has been in use since '98)... and it was time for a change. 



for the weekend


in a world so big
how can our minds be so small
today is prickly

-------------

there is so much going on...
Sometimes you have to take a step back and realize that the world is so much bigger
than we all realize... and compassion for our fellow travelers on this big old ball is a must.

1-20-17



For some reason... it's been a very rough couple of days. 
Here are some cool photos from a few years ago that I edited last night.
There is something almost soothing about the way the pipes are all connected...

1-19-17


This year, perhaps more than ever before... we have realized the importance of clearing out,
using things as much as you can (and in new ways)... and of salvaging and fixing things up.
To this end, I thought I would do a series of posts on clearing out and organizing, and living a simpler life.
I hope to do one once a week (Check out previous posts on Thursdays!)

---------------------------------------------------------

This is an older photograph that I took several years ago... but I love it.
So... let's talk about tv for a minute.

We have been without tv/ cable for just over a year now I think. And I'll be honest, I thought it was going to be really hard to live without. ... but I was wrong. Yes, it took some adjusting to... but I really don't miss it. There are certain shows I miss (like Project Runway).. but I have a friend who is willing to let me come and see it on occasion... which is really nice. We visit, we snack, and we watch.
What spurred us on to get rid of cable?... well, the fact that when your income is only $1000 a month (give or take --I'll talk more about this some other time)... you really can't justify spending $100 a month on tv. I'd much rather eat, frankly. But there are other ways you can get entertainment/ news/ movies and such.
If you have internet, you are sorta set. There are websites that show previously aired programs
(so for instance, I can watch older episodes of Project Runway on my computer, just not the current episode). There are places like Hulu and Sling where you can watch tv, Amazon prime does as well... and it's certainly more affordable than cable. There are streaming devices like Roku, where you can pay for just the shows you want to watch. There is also this and THIS.... but I haven't tried them.
And of course, there is Netflix, which we subscribe to and love.

There are other options too.
You can share movies with friends. You can see some great movies (and get to know your friend's better)... you can borrow movies from your local library (ours has a pretty good selection)... or heck, you can read more.
Now, I love to read, but frankly, when we had tv I was much more inclined to watch something stupid on tv than to read a good book. That has changed.
There are other "bonuses" as well. Once we started actually watching some of the movies we had, we decided that we didn't really like them as well as we thought. We then swapped with friends, or sold the ones we no longer wanted. This cut down on stuff we had, as well as brought in some extra dollars... which always helps.

We keep all our movies in this vintage washstand. It works perfectly.
See you all tomorrow.


1-18-17


Back in June 2016, I started a new "series" of posts... if you will... 
 And so on Wednesdays; I've been posting an old photograph to inspire your creativity.
Write a poem!   
 Plot out a short story.
 Have inspiration for a piece of art or composition.... let your artistic soul shine.
--and occasionally I write my own sordid story or poem. 
 (you can click on the photos in this post to make it larger to see).

~~~

Abitha Jane was a peculiar child. 
She had deep thoughts... and there was always a puzzlement to her gaze that unnerved even the most stalwart of townsfolk. So it was with no great surprise that she ended up at the Frosted Hills Home for Wayward Children, having been dropped off by her very nervous mother... quickly taking her to the stairs, ringing the bell... and running back to Floyd's (her then boyfriend) '37 coupe.
Slamming the door... she caught her stockings on the running boards... and smeared mud on her new secretary pumps.
That child, she must have done it... her mother winced.

Abitha didn't mind being blamed. And she didn't mind being left on the stoop.
 She knew the truth... and truth be told, she was quite relieved. 
She knew she didn't belong in that shoddy hotel down on 5th street with her mother and Floyd.
And this place suited her fine. She didn't care for toys... she just wanted a square meal.
And when the caretakers weren't watching especially close... she would sneak down to the great hall and read books. She knew her education was important, and she would get the finest.
She just knew it.

1-17-17


Today was an odd day, and one where I just couldn't seem to get myself around.
I know that there are days like this, and with a chronic illness, I have learned (for the most part) to work around them. I have also learned that sometimes it is best not to "force" things... Ie: if you don't feel up to something... it's probably a wise thing to not do it until you do feel up to it... because you're just going to mess things up and get frustrated. Ah... the lessons learned with Lupus.

On another note, I was VERY productive the other day... and the necklace above is one of the things I made. I've been going through old/ broken jewelry... and had this stamped cuff bracelet. The ends were decorative... but the middle was completely trashed. So... I got out my trusty jewelry saw, and cut off this one end, then filed it until the edges were smooth. Then I buffed it til it had an interesting texture, and was shiny. I drilled a hole in the bottom, and placed part of a vintage earring, that happened to be made from the same material. 
Going through my stash, I found some bulk chain that was a similar tone, and made the chain 20 inches in length, and added a lobster claw clasp. It is a simple design, but so cool that it is completely comprised of salvaged parts.

Keep creating folks....

1-16-17


Happy Maker Monday!
... my series of posts where I feature something the daughter or I are working on, 
and encourage the maker lifestyle.
________

It's been a very strange Monday... which somehow involved me taking a very long nap.
But this weekend, I was able to do some work in the studio.

These earrings feature pieces I was able to salvage from a broken piece of jewelry.
I love the trillion cut Peridot stones and Aquamarines.


This all-sterling necklace features a gemstone cut Colombian Emerald that I bought 20yrs ago, 
and never found the right setting for it. It has a magnetic clasp, and is 16 inches long.
It is tiny, but mighty in color... and exquisite.


And these earrings are made from some findings that were included in a cabinet I bought several years ago. I don't often work with gold, but these seemed to be just right...


Hope you are all being creative this week.... see you all tomorrow.

------------------------
(the photo at the top of today's post is one I took out in California a few years ago. It is the front facing of a French Hostel/ Hotel... and is absolutely fabulous. We were able to stay there for a night, and we had a wonderful time)

for the weekend


waves of mist .... rising
washing desert plains anew
with hope and mercy

(( This is an older photo, and one I had not edited until today.... taken in New Mexico ))

1-13-17


I love this photo.
A few years ago, the daughter and I traveled out to California to bring a (former) friend back to New Mexico. 
It was an awesome trip... made even better by the occasional stop to see things like this. 
If I had my druthers, I would have some kind of RV so that I could travel around and take photos. 
I am really at my best, as a person, as a photographer, as a human... when I am able to get out and about and see new things. That said... I am ok where I am. The caveat.... being that I wish my hubby had a job... and preferably, one that he really loved. It's been hard to be here... compounded by almost constant unemployment for the past 3+ years. But we are doing ok. Shockingly so... seeing as we have very little money coming in. The good news, is that it has taught us what is really important to us...  and it has spurred me on to doing art/ work that I truly LOVE.... and to not compromise. 
Life is too short to be doing things you hate. 
That which does not kill us... makes us stronger.
Carry on my fellow raptors... see you all tomorrow.

1-12-17


This year, perhaps more than ever before... we have realized the importance of clearing out,
using things as much as you can (and in new ways)... and of salvaging and fixing things up.
To this end, I thought I would do a series of posts on clearing out and organizing, and living a simpler life.
I hope to do one once a week (Check out previous posts on Thursdays!)

---------------------------------------------------------

Most folks I know are either in the process of taking down holiday decorations, or have just finished it up. I think when you talk about clearing out and minimizing your stuff... most people don't take into consideration seasonal decorations and the like. And if they do think about it... they are either of the mind to not have much at all.... or to "go all out."
My mother-in-law was definitely one of those "go big or go home" type of people when it came to decorations... especially Christmas. And yet, she was fairly well organized about it all. She knew how much space she had to put things in (she had a cubby/slanted roof attic-type space. .. and she used it all to the best of her ability, packing it all with tetris-like enthusiasm and precision.
I am the former. We have one (yes only one) tub for Christmas decorations. It holds (all) the ornaments, lights, stockings, and knick-knacks fitting the season. Now, I will preface this by saying, I am not "into" Christmas decorating.
But I will say, that I have helped many folks go thru their stuff... and I will reiterate what I say to them...  keep what you love.. those things that have deep and personal meaning to you. Give other stuff to friends and family that may appreciate it... or sell it... or donate it.
For my own life, I prefer to have the things I love out all year long.... or in cases like artwork; where we own more than can comfortably fit on our walls, we rotate it out every so often. I add season accents... like fresh pine boughs, flowers, shells or whatever... and to me, that says "holiday." You however, are the only one who can decide what is right for you.

--see you all tomorrow.


1-11-17


Back in June 2016, I started a new "series" of posts... if you will...
And so on Wednesdays; I've been posting an old photograph to inspire your creativity.
Write a poem!  
Plot out a short story!     
 Have inspiration for a piece of art or composition.... let your artistic soul shine.
--and occasionally I write my own sordid story or poem.
    
(you can click on the photos in this post to make it larger to see).

~~~

Baby Louisa was the happiest of babies.
No matter how cold it was in the shack she and her parents lived in, she would laugh.
Long days spent with her mother toiling away doing other people's laundry... made her giggle with glee. Always sensitive to other folk's moods... she remained upbeat and cheerful... no matter the circumstance she was thrust into. As she grew, she instinctively new when to be quiet, when to sing softly, when to bring tea. These traits would follow her throughout her life.
By adulthood, she would always know when folks were in trouble, and how to help.
She would wake in the middle of the night... knowing of the next day's events... and would plan ahead. She even knew long before her friends did, who they would meet... who they would fall in love with... who would eventually break their heart.
And yet... she remained calm and positive.
For she knew a secret.

She knew there was no use to be afraid... for everything works in a circle.
Good goes... good comes. There is no failure... only learning.
There are no endings... only new beginnings.
And so she was until the eve of her 92nd birthday... when it snowed one morning in July.
She knew it was the tears of angels... freezing as they fell from the sky...
overjoyed to finally be taking her home. 

1-10-17


Today was sort of an odd day. 
Restless, somewhat anxious... and sore all over... I seem to be having difficulty getting anything done 
(including today's post.... which is late).

But... the hubby was nice and started a fabulous roaring fire in the fireplace, 
and the daughter went and ordered food form the local Crittenden Hotel (photos above)...
and it is incredible. 
(Chicken Enchiladas-Ahi Tuna Taco Salad-Homemade Tortilla chips with fresh Guacamole)

I think I may just give up for the night... see you all tomorrow.

1-9-17


Happy Maker Monday!
... my series of posts where I feature something the daughter or I are working on, 
and encourage the maker lifestyle.
________

Hopefully you all had a great holiday break... and are easing back into the new year.
The holiday season is usually a busy time for making things, and this year was no exception. 
I had my usual "give-away" posts on facebook... and this year offered my handmade items. 
It was lots of fun... and think several folks were quite happy with things they won. 
And now it's the new year... and there are lots of new things to make. 

It's been a "balmy 44 degrees" or thereabouts, in the studio these past several days... which considering it's barely above zero outside, is a testament to how well built our house is. .. and I am grateful. I've been trying to work in the studio in spurts... coming upstairs for occasional hot drinks and to work on other things. I've been concentrating on finishing up some "little" jobs. ...
Like this custom bracelet for a friend.
((turquoise toned howlite, puka shells and carved coral beads... with diamond dust findings))


I finished all the scarves for a fundraiser for my local library... 18 scarves in all! 
And then I made 2 more from these chunky yarns I had. They are super soft, and very thick. I will be listing these in my Etsy shop.


I also fixed a pair of earrings for a friend, made a pair of earrings for another friend... and I've one more pair to make for yet another friend.... and then I made up this pair of earrings with some vintage filigree pieces I had salvaged from a broken piece of jewelry. I've added more of the Almandine faceted garnets.... and of course, lots of sterling silver. I will be listing these in the Etsy shop as well. 


Are you making things this week? Excellent! 
Keep creating! .... see you all tomorrow.