Working on a new idea

Recently, I was asked if I wanted to participate in a Nativity exhibit to be held, I think, at the Chartreuse Muse (here in Modesto) and since I love wood, in addition to all the other mediums that I enjoy working with, I thought sure, and I should do it in wood.
I may decide to do something in fabric or in ceramic but this is what popped into my head today while I was in church.
I think this is totally do- able.
And I think I'll love it,
although I haven't decided
if I want to put color on it
or not. Maybe I'll do both.
My base (in my head) will
be an old fence board, and
scrap wood will be the
mountains, trees, well
everything. And then on
the sides I'll have maybe
old nails if I can find them,
and brightly colored
ceramic cirles.

I didn't have my colored
pencils in church.... good
thing too, somebody
would have poked me for
not paying attention.

Kate

Heading to the Mountains

So I'm heading to the mountains for the weekend to renew and refresh my soul.

We can all use a little dusting off, a little new information, a quiet chunk of time with God from time to time, and I'm really looking forward to it.

This is the first retreat with women I don't know, that I've ever attended. I've always shyed away because I don't feel particularly "clubby" or "groupie" - although I DO like a responsive audience I've decided. Maybe somebody told me that... I don't know, but it's true.
In any case, I'm already anticipating breaking from the group... for me, seeking God is somewhere in my alone time. I've heard horror stories of not getting any sleep, pranks, loud talking all night, in past years. While I'm all about being funny, I'm not so much about being annoyed, or being annoying.

I'm taking my devotional bible because there's some really good commentary as well as scripture, and my sketch book and charcoal, my camera, my pillow (that's all I need) and my down comforter. And my Excederin. That's all I need ... (ala Steve Martin in "The Jerk.") And my thermos. And my favorite tea bags. No candy. Well maybe SOME candy. Or maybe just an apple. (Really, I don't know why they're letting me come at all.)

Seriously though, for me to be at one with God, I just need to sit still in the quiet of the outdoors, surrounded by the tall trees and the brisk air. No big explanation... there IS someone much greater than I who controls the universe, by His very word and I'm good with that. Takes all that responsibility off my shoulders.

Yeah, that's pretty much all I need.

Change is Good.... right?

Again, I must apologize... if only to myself, for not posting in over a month. It seems by doing this, I send my own personal "idea" diary out into the universe and it comes back with notes and thoughts and some ideas from others, which is fascinating to me. It's amazing.

The reason for my long absence? Transition I think. I left a job that I loved, working with people that I love, just because I thought it was 'time to go' and while I'm searching for another one, I'm going to do my best to make my art, be that job.
I'm kind of on the fence about whether or not this will work. I think it could, I think I have enough ideas, a modicum of talent, bravery though? .... not so sure that I have enough of that. Confidence... sometimes yes, lots of times no. But I'm going to give it a shot anyway, because really in the end, what have I got to lose, and what am I doing anyway? I'm just waiting for my resume to knock someone over with my 'ability to juggle twelve tasks in a single bound' basically. And I think there's a zillion people like me looking for a job. So I leave my future in the hands of God, and I'll just put one foot in front of the other and it's alllllll going to work out.

Now, to post a bunch of pictures of my latest art journey.

Kate

One picture is the body of a diaper bag in-progress, that I am making for a lovely little friend and her new baby Wyatt. The usual bags are much too boring and I like the idea of a gypsy/hobo/funky bag much better. I hope she will too... and their last name begins with "Q" ... hence the BeBe'Q... get it?

I've been a slacker....

I've been a slacker with posting... and it's not because I've not been doing anything - it's just that I've not accomplished what I thought I would. Our daughter is moving home so that's created some bit of upheaval (?) because I've needed to move my sewing out of that room and into the already chaotic family room. Seriously ... no family would dare go in there for fear of getting lost. I know pretty much where everything is, but I am hardpressed to do anything about the clutter because I just don't know WHAT to do. I've got a conglomeration of pottery fired, and unfired, glaze, clay, three sewing machines, a couple of cabinets, a hutch, two rocking chairs, a big honkin coffee table, that's too big to be useful and ends up being a 'flat surface'... of which I am the Queen. "FlatSurface Queen" that's me. And that's not even all of it, I've got half a dozen large flat tubs of wonderful had-to-have-it fabric, my drafting table that was an antique I found at an estate sale, four three-drawer plastic rolling carts, a box of gourds... I never told you about those? I do gourds as well.... book I would throw myself in front of a train to protect, although I've not picked up a one of them.

Is there an organizer in the house? My kids mention CleanSweep once in a while but THAT is not the answer... I'll throw the stuff I'm not using away, but nobody is ever allowed to touch any art/craft supplies. Seriously! I've found that I can use the tiny bits of driftwood I've collected and brought home years ago, to hang my tiny quilt bits and they look cool!

So.... I'd love to hear from a clutter or former clutter queen and how they got their groove going by sifting and sorting through their stuff because I could sure use direction.

More later, with pics.

K

Switching Mediums for a bit

So... in case anyone noticed, I haven't been around for a while. My wide range of interests took me outside where the weather was just so so so beautiful, and into my back yard to work on my potting wheel.

Because I have such a wide range of interests it's hard for me to stay with one thing for terribly long, and my sweet, sweet stack of wonderful fabric, is just sitting in my sewing room, waiting to welcome me back as soon as the summer gets too hot, or my hands get too sore or I run out of clothes that I like, to wear. Or I'm magically inspired again, which will be sometime soon, I'm sure.

Anyway, my love of all things clay, and the texture of it, and the quiet it brings me, and the fact that it ends up being me, outside, with my big, big dog, fooling around on my potting wheel, listening to the birds, and thinking in long long run-on sentences to myself --- has taken me to creating wall pieces. I did some bowls, and then I did some little wall pockets .......eh, they were okay, nothing really to write home about, but my latest little thing are these wall hangings.......I guess you'd call them that...... and so I'm posting a couple of pictures of them, still in raw clay form.........now to wait for them to dry and fire them.

I'm always in love with my new projects and it's the same with these........and they are the primary star (hopefully) in creating a nice little pot of money with which to put a down payment on my house - which could be selling later this year, and hopefully to us. (We're renting)

So I'm going to sell these on etsy.com and anywhere else I can hustle them, and work, work, work, until I've made the requred cash. I'm hoping by selling them for a nominal price, $5, $10, $15-$25, I can get a lot of people interested, especially since I'll do special orders and will also have a wonderful line of Christmas stuff probably in August.

So... if you've got any other ideas that I maybe haven't thought of - hit me back.

Kate

I've Got An Idea !!

Sorry for the delay. I've been just going crazy with allergies and such. I've been at the sewing machine but not producing too much in the way of great creativity. However I did come up with this little iPod case, which I think I'll make more of, and maybe even a teensy bit bigger to accomodate cell phones and such.

The iPod was kind of making me crazy because I'd have it sitting on my desk but if I turned around to get into a file, it would fall on the floor, or if I put it in my pocket, I'd worry about if it would fall out, and if I got up to go do something, it would be just sitting there. So I figured an eensy pocket might be quite perfect, and this is all just scrap material so it was just a little labor of love time. I may even put them on etsy to sell for $10 or $12. What do you think?

Kate

Whoops... I forgot to add this little 3x4 inch piece that I finished.