MY AUNT MADDIE'S DRESS

This is a picture of my Aunt Maddie who passed away in 2011 at the age of 99.  She was an amazing woman who had many talents.  She loved playing the piano and she had a wonderful personality.  I wish I knew where this dress is.  I think it is amazing don't you?  Can you imagine if we wore dresses like this?  But then I think.....where would I wear it?  No one dresses up to go anywhere anymore.  Not even to church.  I wonder where she might have been going?  I remember that grandma used to get dressed every time she went out to dinner.  Of course, they didn't go very often but I would love the way she smelled and looked.  Whenever I design anything I try to implement some part of a vintage flair.  It is my way of paying homage to my grandmothers and my aunts.

MY DOG GIBBS

This is a little video af my dog Gibbs.  He stays with me in the studio and plays with scraps of my material.  In this video however, he is in the living room.  

CAN YOU NAME MY FISH

Well, OK, it isn't exactly a photo of a rainbow trout but it is colorful don't you think.  I just don't know what to name him.  He is part of an art quilt challenge that was given to us during our last art quilt meeting.  Boy, did I Zen (I mean) zone out on this one.

The first part of the challenge started when we were asked to bring an assortment of material without knowing exactly what we were going to do.  This was to be our pallet. We then were given a picture of a fish which we traced and then transferred to muslin.  When we left we had a rough version of our fish to be completed at home.  I am not quite finished with the embellishments but once I am I will then include him in an art quilt to be taken to show and tell.  It will be so much fun to see the other quilt members interpretations.  

I would love to come to the meeting with a jazzy name for my fish.  Sooooo....if anyone out there has any ideas please let me know.  There is a prize waiting!!!!

THE ZEN OF CREATIVITY

I am reading a wonderful book called the Zen of Creativity.  The author is a Buddhist monk who writes about the origins of the faith/belief.  In this particular book he specifically writes about how human spirituality manifests itself in the form of art and it is through art that the human spirit expresses and translates reality.  The thought is provoking isn't it?

When I am in my studio creating I am certainly in a reality that feels grounded to me.  It is interesting that as my hands create my mind appears to be open and silent.  My hands seem to translate a thought process that I am not always aware of.  Then all of a sudden it is there..........a creative meditation.

WHAT IS CREATIVE MEDITATION

I spent  quite a bit of time today thinking about my creative process.  I chose the name Creative Meditations because the process for me is a meditation.  My time in the studio is focused and "in the moment".  My thoughts are centered around the project I am working on.  Sometimes the process is slow and deliberate and sometimes it is fast and furious.  It is much like a walking meditation but instead of walking and practicing mindfulness I am sewing or knitting or beading and am completely mindful of the art that flows through my hands.   Every creation begins with a meditation and every meditation begins with a quiet mind.

CUTTING UP IN THE STUDIO

I just spent the day cutting out slippers and mittens for the Art Council Boutique.  This is the hardest part for me whenever I design anything.  Once the cutting is done then I can get on to the more fun stuff......sewing and embellishing!  I love ribbons and beads and old lace.  I think they finish off a piece in the most elegant way.

I do need to rearrange my space a bit because I am feeling a bit cramped in here.  There is material everywhere even though I try to clean up before I leave every night.  There is one wall that could be used that would make a huge difference in clearing up floor space but for the moment there is a table against that wall with a huge TV sitting on top of it.  Scraps of material are piled high in beautiful baskets but take up so much floor and I am getting tired of walking around them.

Ongoing projects are piled high on part of my cutting table leaving me little room to negotiate my current project.  Yup, I am definitely feeling cramped up here.  If anyone has creative ways they have used to gain organization in their studio I would love to hear about it.  For now, I will just clear off a little space so I can do some beading.