Dreamland

A to Z.

My new creative habit:  Thanks to Amy at Spirit Out!, I have added a new creative habit to my toolbox.  Once a week (when I can), I like to have a mini-retreat.  I head down to the coffee shop with a notebook and pen (or sometimes a totebag full of notebooks and pens..and colored pencils), to do a little brainstorming.  Today's theme:  my upcoming 20th anniversary.  Woot woot!  But in addition to the usual fevered scribbling of ideas, I added a new layer:  I put the pen down, closed my eyes, and gave myself a few minutes to consider how I'm feeling about it.  (Really proud of myself for one, really grateful to my customers for another.) 

I'm excited about all the ways I could celebrate:  20 giveaways for 20 days?  one great big party?  I would love to hear your suggestions!

Applique.

A new hand-stitched piece I'm working on.  This one is regular applique, with individual pieces stitched to the surface (rather than reverse applique, with parts cut away, which is what I often do).

The above photos are the back of a long sleeve shirt; the front has a keyhole opening at the neckline:

I learned early that when you're sewing with 100% cotton jersey, it's best to start out on the snug side.  Even washing & drying by machine does do much for the recovery of the knit.  Wish I had figured that out before I made the skirt!

Tweet, tweet.

New year, new goals, new tweets:

Follow @GinaSekelsky

A to Z.

Not a lot to say with a U.  In fact, I couldn't even make up my mind about the quote for this page, so I left that for "later."

Yesterday, I had a conversation with Amy of Spirit Out!, and I dwelled on parts of it for the rest of the day.  Amy encouraged me to connect with my mind, heart, and body -- and although I always claim I'm well-balanced with my left brain/right brain, her questions about accessing my heart, and how I feel, had me speechless.  Am I letting my left brain dominate?  Have I become so goal-oriented that I've forgotten how to feel?  Where's my intuition? 

Amy's strength is helping artists recognize that they hold their own wisdom:  the "answers" are in me (not to mention, more questions), I just need the tools to find them, use them.  Great food for thought in my quest to honor my gifts this year!

New work this week.

In the middle of this grey winter, I needed a little color.  I started with a paper collage in blues and greens:

I tidied it up and am having it printed at Spoonflower:

So far, my plan is to print one plain and one with the lines of a poem written in each block (although I may just change my mind!).

Yesterday, I made this little yellow-orange-red piece from old sheets of stamp artwork:

I started with four layers of paper painted with Dynaflow, sandwiched with randomly cut pieces of synthetic organza.

I stitched all the layers onto a piece of Peltex I had sprayed with color.  (The Peltex really absorbed the pigment; I didn't care much as this is the back side.)

I cut between the stitching, through all the layers except the Peltex, and then roughed it up with my hands and a wire brush.  I made this just as a practice for the technique, but I love the way it turned out!  I'm thinking of adding a few beads, nestled between the layers.  I'll keep you posted!

A to Z.

My creative habit:  I've been working on my textile art for most of the week -- cutting, stitching, painting, screenprinting -- and have been starting each day with a few pages from Art & Fear, by David Bayles & Ted Orland.  One little chapter is enough to chew on for a whole day.  Some of my favorite insights so far:

Most artists don't daydream about making great art -- they daydream about having made great art.

The function of the majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction of your artwork that soars.

Making art provides uncomfortably accurate feedback about the gap that inevitably exists between what you intended to do, and what you did.

Vision is always ahead of execution -- and it should be.

Art is like beginning a sentence before you know its ending.

(Obviously, I have been dwelling on all the projects started, how they're proceeding, new projects I can't get to yet, and why all of it never looks the way I thought it would when I started!)

A to Z.

Nearly done with my A to Z journal!  I just have two spots to add finishing touches (so to speak, since this project may never be really finished).

I've been leaving a blank pair of pages after each letter, just in case I need more room...and I finally did with the letter S.

My new year's resolution...so far.

Edit:  I thought this had posted yesterday via mobile upload.

So far, so good in my resolution to dwell on the lightness of my gifts (instead of the darkness in the world).  I usually wake up early, which gives me a few minutes to think consciously about my intentions while the house is still quiet and dark.

And this week I'm trying to spend an hour at the start of each day planning, regrouping, dreaming.  Today I'm using the journal J made me for Christmas, to linger over the question:  What work do I see myself doing in 2012?

New stitching.

Winter break is always a movie marathon around here -- which means plenty of stitching time for me.  Here's the start of a sundress:

I made a stencil for this one, then layered two pieces of the fabric together.

I stitched through both layers, using button thread & matte pewter bugle beads.  The running stitch indicates where the dart will be, so I know where to skip the beading.

I cut out the center of the leaves on the top layer, and stitched the dart in place.

I have the two pieces of the bodice back nearly done, then its on to the front of the bodice.  I'm planning to leave the skirt plain...but you just never know.

Giveaway winner!

Congratulations to MoniQ in WI:

I am in snyc with you -- but many steps behind!  I have creative talents I do not nurture...I don't allow myself to "play" (create) until all the work is done (housework, parenting, paid employment, family attention).  You know what that means:  rarely do I make anything, other than the knitting I can take along with me to commitments (and that knitting so often has a gift-related deadline).  My resolution is to create weekly...which is a big step from where I have been.

Please send me an email with your mailing address:  lettergirl66{at}gmail{dot}com.

I appreciated all the thoughts on my resolution and all the sharing of your own resolutions.  I've considered the one little word approach, but usually it is more that I have a goal and the word "reveals" itself to me as the year goes on.  (Like in the fall of 2008, when I realized I had to make some big changes to sustain my business...and through diligent effort, 2009's word became "embrace" -- not just doing new & different things, but embracing them was key to my success.  I just didn't figure that out till I was knee deep already.)  There may be a word for this year, who knows!

In the meantime, it's one foot in front of the other:  starting each day with conscious positive thoughts.  Last fall, I applied for a textile arts grant, and when I didn't get it, I decided that if I really wanted to do my grant proposal project, I would have to find a way to make it happen, if at a different scale.  I wanted to use some of the funds to go on a creative retreat in January and another in August.  My etsy shop & design studio have been so very busy (yay) that it is nearly impossible to dedicate time to any other pursuit.  So...

My studio and etsy shop will be closed January 9th-23rd.  I'm hoping to use the first week to get caught up on work and on cleaning my holiday-season-ravaged office.  Not sure all that can be done in a week!  But the second week is definitely for play.  Of course, the kids are home from school on that Monday (MLK), so it is a short week...but a four-day week still sounds heavenly.

Three days left to make etsy purchases at the 2011 rates!  After my break, I'll be retiring a few designs and adding a few new ones.  I'll try to share some ongoing projects while my studio is closed, as I've been eking out bits of time for scrapbooks and stitching.  (And I'm always grateful for your comments!)