Magpie Mouse Studios.: It took me like 3 hours to finish the shading on y...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: It took me like 3 hours to finish the shading on y...: This is better than what I did. The thing about being good at something is that in most cases a certain amount of practice is needed. No...

It took me like 3 hours to finish the shading on your upper lip.

This is better than what I did.

The thing about being good at something is that in most cases a certain amount of  practice is needed. Not in all circumstances, my husband is a shining example. He truly is blessed with the gift of art.  Myself, not so much.  I'm not bagging on myself in any way here but I know my limitations.  I love that I am a  wildly creative, crafting machine.  I hand sewed my Halloween costume a few years a ago and had absolutely no idea how to sew.  I'm sure Tim Gunn would of had a few technical issues with my seamstress skills but that's okay.  I love that I get an idea in my head and do it.  I do eat, drink, live, breath art.   I am a cliche and have absolutely no problem with that.
I guess the thing about art is generally at a young age you like it or you don't.  All kids do it. Some do it more than others and some do it better.  Some are told , "You should be an artist." after displaying their innate ability to color within the lines. It's kind of  a weird thing to have that said to you at such a young age.  Nobody says to kids playing with trucks in the dirt, "Hey your really good at moving dirt with those trucks, that's what you should do for a living.  I guess it's always been there in the back of my head, 'yeah, I'll probably be an artist one day.' Whatever that meant.  I actually wanted to study Marine Biology.  Some of the best high school memories I have are watching the old  Jaqcues Cousteau movies. This might explain my love for the movie  'The life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'   But Jaqcues was my first day dream for my life. Scratchy french subtitles and someone so happy to be doing what he loved.  I don't know why I didn't pursue it in college.  I guess I knew I was romanticizing it and perhaps knew that I would not be on a vessel at sea for months at a time but instead, in a lab comparing levels of saline from one test tube to another. No, thanks.
I  studied a lot of different things in college but loved art history the most.  Its through art history I learned about religion, war, government and politics.  Not in history or government classes. What a bore  that had no place in my life.  I think with all people trying to learn new things, if it's proposed to you in a way that you care about you are more apt to understand it.
Now, to the problem at hand, drawing.  I can't even begin to remember how to do that.  It feels to me that drawing always had a certain progression in the art world.  A chronology if you will.  As a kid, crayons. Then maybe some finger paints if you weren't a little jerk and ruin the walls with said crayons.  Then as a young adult the exciting word of graphite, colored pencils, charcoal.  Maybe later, chalk and oil pastels.  Then you start to paint, usually water color first, tempera, acrylic and finally the coup de grac,e oil paint.  Later, Spray paint, stone carving, pottery, glass,  fabric arts, encaustic, etching,  printmaking, metal-smithing,  black-smithing, anything and everything.  The anything and everything was my approach.  I settled on a few things that really make me happy and am confident in the fact that I will always be in school.  Always learning new things.
I tried to draw again yesterday morning.  What A colossal fail that was.  It's a fine line between forcing creativity and practicing to get better.  It felt super forced and contrived.  There I was with my makeshift sill-life. Blah.  and that's what happened. Blah. After taking a day to process what happened, I'm okay with it.  I'm at a point in my life where I don't want to do a rendering of a yellow flower in a vase. Who does? I would rather bend metal with pliers. I would rather felt wool. I would rather feel clay between my fingers.  I would rather sew.

The New Book.

However I do realize drawing needs to be revisited. I just need to make it applicable to my current life.   Then last night in class an opportunity presented itself.  Without even looking for it, a fellow jeweler showed me a book that happened to be for sale at the studio we were working at.  Fate. A book of Jewelry Illustration. I think this just may work.  I can already tell it will suck for the most part as it is all technical and mathy and nerdy.  Isn't it human response to stay in our comfort zone?  This is not my comfort zone but I do realize it is important.  Damn it. Wish me luck.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Upcycle! Leaf necklace.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Upcycle! Leaf necklace.: Last night I found myself with 5 whole hours to myself! Woo! Crazy Friday night, I know. I took apart an old necklace and wondered if I c...

Upcycle! Leaf necklace.

Last night I found myself with 5 whole hours to myself! Woo! Crazy Friday night, I know. I took apart an old necklace and wondered if I could turn it into something new and exciting. It had potential, just needed some tweeking . The necklace was comprised of lightweight metal leaves and an ugly chain they hung from. They were painted 3 uninteresting shades of dull red, dull green and dull blue. The paint was slowly flaking off and the 'leaves' were a generic,stock shape. First and foremost, I free them from their jump ring shackles off the tacky spray painted chain they were affixed to. I used a file and brought out some of the underlying metal. I left some of the original paint on because I thought it would make interesting lo-lights and add some depth and dimension to the leaves. Then with round nose pliers I slowly twist, turn, pull, and fold the leaves into more organic interesting shapes. Then I decided to repaint them with some alcohol inks of the same color scheme. As it stands, I now have a pile of really cool looking leaves. Jewelry soon to come...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Balance

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Balance: Why is it so hard for me to balance my life. Too much work. Too much play. Too much crafts. It's only bad because I forget there ar...

Balance

Why is it so hard for me to balance my life. Too much work. Too much play. Too much crafts. It's only bad because I forget there are other things that are important. I realized today I hadn't gone to yoga in 5 months. What? That's crazy. I love yoga. What happened? What happened to my bike I loved riding so much? What about slumber-parties with my friends? Traveling? Cooking new recipes not just the old standbys. So, in addition to the MMAFC, I will attempt to balance things. Some old, some new. I have also recently realized I don't like to do some of the things that I think I do. Maybe I used to, so I assume I still do, but that may not be the case. Conversely, there are things I love to do now that I never thought I would. So balance will be one of my new intentions. A little more play. A little more relaxing. Be a better friend. A better sister. A better wife. Watch movies with subtitles. Read more books. Meditate. Take self defense classes. Be confident. Offer to help others who need it. Remember how to draw. Go to more plays. Let go of the guilt associated with relaxing.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Do it everyday.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Do it everyday.: I recently read something that I think is important to share. Things are only exciting if you do them once or everyday. Of course my firs...

Do it everyday.

I recently read something that I think is important to share. Things are only exciting if you do them once or everyday. Of course my first thought was make a weird a face. (you can attain the same look by wincing only the left half of your face and slightly tilting your head backwards) but before I dismissed the idea I gave it some thought. Sure enough, I applied it to my life in the MMAFC, (Magpie Mouse Art-Fight Club) and yes art had become not only fun again but really enjoyable to do. It's not that I stopped doing it because of anything, I just was secure in knowing it was there and I can do it whenever I want. However, when you force your creativity everyday, your creation takes on a new life form, your art is a whole new animal. Not only are you actually getting better, your thinking of new ways to do things. And whoa, news flash, the more you do something the better you are at it! It's no wonder I have not advanced as an artist in the last 10 years, I wasn't doing it. A mediocre holding pattern if you will. Sure once every few months I'd do something to qualify as art but always wondered , shouldn't I be better at this by now?
A friend of mine told me yesterday that the MMAFC inspired her to start writing again! She is now just over a week in! How awesome is that?!?! I think this is 2 weeks for me. Going strong and it's not even a little boring. Art is more exciting than its ever been.

The days are starting to blur together...MMAFC.

(I did not make this Monkey)
Rest assured the Magpie Mouse Art-Fight Club, I think we shall be abbreviating from here on out, MMAFC, is in full swing. There will be no more daily count because I'm just going to do it (and for some reason I keep losing track of which day it is..8? ...9?...10? I just don't know)....For those of you who know me, if I say I'm going to do something, I do. So don't worry, I'm not bailing. I will be crafting everyday.
I want to be someone who when you cant find them, someone will say, "Oh, they're in the studio."
It's been a little rough juggling the work, craft, play combo but I'm managing.
It's been non-stop jewelry in the studio. I am in a filigree class on Mondays. It's very...trying?
I get it, it's just hard to execute. Basically you take 2 tiny wires, 24G, wrap them around each other using a flex shaft or hand drill. Build a frame out of heavier gauge wire, 18G, then make these tiny spirals in the frame and solder them in place. Until you know what you are doing they mostly fall out. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

As of late, its been occurring to me that I need to be the person who I think I am. The person I want other people to describe me as if I wasn't around. One of those things is charitable. I've done the Susan G Komen 60 mile walk twice and the act itself beyond words. But it's ahrd to be charitably when you don't even have a saving account. A few weeks back I helped make hats for kids at Childrens' Hospital. It was my birthday and I was having a great time!! Being around other creative, awesome people doing awesome things. My next charity is being organized through Craft Hope, a nonprofit organization that uses crafts for healing. Craft Hope is out of Texas which, as you may know suffered devastating wildfires this summer. More than 1,600 homes were destroyed by these fires. 87,000 acres in 24 hours. What they would like to do is give handmade sock monkeys to all the children displaced by these fires. Is that going to bring back their house? No. Is It going to make things better? Maybe a little. The cut off date is Nov 24th. If you would like to help let me know. So yes, as many handmade sock monkeys as possible.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Art-Fight Club Day 5 & 6 were both dedicated to be...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Art-Fight Club Day 5 & 6 were both dedicated to be...: Art-Fight Club Day 5 & 6 were both dedicated to bead work. Although this is not my focus on jewelry anymore, I have a shit ton of them. If...

Art-Fight Club Day 5 & 6 were both dedicated to bead work. Although this is not my focus on jewelry anymore, I have a shit ton of them. If I can sell such beads I can pay for classes more in the metal-smithing arena. There is a local bar here called the comet tavern that hosts a bi-weekly rummage sale. Independent artists and vintage peddlers bring there wares for sale. I have done it twice so far and it has been not only fun but more importantly, a learning experience. I learned that hipsters really like the idea of handmade but will not pay for it. I actually already knew that but it defiantly got reinforced. Hipsters do not know the price of silver. So this week shall be a week of trying to get rid of surplus beads inexpensively. Die hipster scum.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Bird Art Folio Case

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Bird Art Folio Case: Day 2 of Art-Fight Club. Stencil. Why not? I have never used these things before. A long, long time ago I used to know how to draw so I ...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Day 3 Art-Fight Club

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Day 3 Art-Fight Club: Free Style Wooden Flower Vase So last night it occurred to me that some days are going to be harder than others to keep with the rule...

Day 3 Art-Fight Club

Free Style Wooden Flower Vase




So last night it occurred to me that some days are going to be harder than others to keep with the rules of the art-fight club. The rules are simple; make something everyday. Be creative every day. Sounds easy...except for days I work doubles...like today. Let's go back 24 hours to last night. I lay in bed trying to have some type of game plan.. okay, what to make tomorrow. Technically, I could stencil the other side of the case I worked on yesterday. That would totally count but I thought 'come on, I can do better than that. '
I remember that I had these little wooden boxes I bought at Michael's Arts & Crafts many, many years ago. One Christmas I painted them and did mini collages for friends that were personalized in content. Marvelous, I will do that. Good night, nurse.
So when I awoke this morning I was ready to paint some boxes. Easy Peasy. I opened this random drawer where I kept wooden things of all sorts. Crap. No more boxes. Shit. That was my plan. Uggghhh. I sifted around the drawer of misfit dreams, nothing really jumped out at me. Then I saw this weird half cylinder shaped piece of wood I have been holding on to for at least 2 years. I bought it for 99C at a thrift store, which is pretty inexpensive except for the fact that I had ABSOLUTELY no reason to buy it. It serves no purpose. It doesn't even pretend to. It's just a weird piece of wood bark. As I held it up and made faces at it, an idea started to form. 15 hours later, I have no idea what I was thinking this morning, I just started doing.
I had printed some orange birds on canvas the day before, this due largely in part to my inability to know how much ink to squeeze from a tube and the thought of wasting things kills me. Especially the color orange!! My favorite!I figured the best thing about stencils is the fact that you can make multiples of things you love, leaving lots of room for experimentation. I picked up one of these orange bird canvas scraps, my new unopened staple gun, box of staples, the wood piece in question and my coffee. I figured outside would be the best place for stapling as I had a sleeping boy in the next room for this early morning project.
This is where the rad part happens, I have no idea how I thought this was going to work, or knew that it wasn't not going to. This is what I do know about art, ' everything is possible until someone tells you it isn't. Because I had no one telling me that it wasn't going to work, it did. Step one, after loading the staple gun (by the way, it got ugly. One shouldn't attempt simple mechanics pre-coffee.)I began to secure the canvas to the inside of the wood. I left a little room for a pretend bottom made of the canvas then taughtly pulled the canvas to the sides and stapled away
I used a simple picture framing technique to make it wall mountable. Using 2 screw eye hangers, I threaded wire through one, wrapped the wire around itself about ten times tightly. Pull the wire firmly through the other eye hole and wrap tightly again. That was pretty much it. Living in Seattle, where it does rain a great deal of the time, I love the idea of bring the outdoors inside. This is perfect and I love it so much. Where do I get more of this wood? If you have some send it to me. I will put a bird on it!!

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Nothing breaks the winter slump faster than a tri...

Magpie Mouse Studios.:
Nothing breaks the winter slump faster than a tri...: Nothing breaks the winter slump faster than a trip to Mexico. Now, most people go to lay on the beach and relax, not I. I went for a week l...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Sewing with Toni.. easy on the eyes and the finge...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Sewing with Toni.. easy on the eyes and the finge...: Sewing with Toni!! Just like sewing with nancy, just a little crazier and a whole lot better looking. Back in our grey November Tone Ca...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: I love weddings.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: I love weddings.: Another rainy July. I'm over waiting for the sun, instead, like most Seattleites do, I have made the indoors my escape. I met with a g...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Bird Art Folio Case

Magpie Mouse Studios.: Bird Art Folio Case: Day 2 of Art-Fight Club. Stencil. Why not? I have never used these things before. A long, long time ago I used to know how to draw so I ...

Bird Art Folio Case

Day 2 of Art-Fight Club. Stencil. Why not? I have never used these things before. A long, long time ago I used to know how to draw so I never understood why you wouln't just hand draw your design. I get it now. I bought this super cheap beat up wooden case at a local thrift store. I think its contents once were a beginning brush and paint set. Its dinged and a little warped but so what, I am taking more risks as an artist. I have it somewhere in this head of mine that if its not a masterpiece by my standards why do it? Which unfortunately leads me to just that, not doing it.
Referring again to this inspiring book I'm reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, as a writer she also got caught up in the perfection of her craft. Pg 78, "...I didn't want to be the novelist who spent so much time rewriting his first sentence that he never wrote his second." That, in one sentence, is me. I don't allow myself room for error or practice. That is hopefully what the Art-Fight Club will do for me. Some things will be failures of epic proportion but they will be my failures and they will get better. As a matter of fact I just learned with these stencils that if you use them repetitively and don't wipe off the backs it leaves a neat little ghost print around your real image!! Hooray!! I get to go in with a damp Q-tip and try to clean it off without ruining the stenciled image. Lesson learned. But, at least i learned it. and now I know.

Magpie Mouse Studios.: The Art-Fight Club...

Magpie Mouse Studios.: The Art-Fight Club...: There are 2 Rules to the Art-Fight Club. The first rule about the Art Fight Club is, Do it. The second rule, No Excuses. I am currently ...

The Art-Fight Club...

There are 2 Rules to the Art-Fight Club. The first rule about the Art Fight Club is, Do it. The second rule, No Excuses.

I am currently reading a book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This morning while drinking my coffee and reading said book, I came across a sentence that really struck me. Pg 78 " The more elements make up your identity, the less threatening it is when any one element is threatened." For example if you lose your job, you wont be crushed because you have other versions of yourself that are not affected. You might be an awesome writer, artist, parent, dog walker, seamstress, musician...what have you. These things make up who you really are. The things you really identify with. If you by chance had a job that you did love, well, I don't know who you are but you'll figure it out:-)
I have decided as a personal goal, I am going to do something wildly artistic everyday. Will this change the world? Probably not, well maybe a little. But it will change me. I love art. Everything about it. The process. The smell of paint. Making huge messes. But most importantly, forcing myself to be willing to take risks and fail. Failure is what keeps people from trying new things, myself included. This ends today.
I feel as a society we get lost in the roles we play in other people's lives. Why do we forget who we are. Why do we dismiss our dreams so easily?Let us remember who we are. Who we see ourselves as without a mirror.? It's time we live out our real 'lives,' instead of our 'maybe one day lives.'

I love weddings.

Another rainy July. I'm over waiting for the sun, instead, like most Seattleites do, I have made the indoors my escape. I met with a good friend today and supplied her with bridal gifts and maybe a little something for herself.

Super excited about sewing class tomorrow night. Toni, Melissa, and Clare will be kicking it old school and reclaiming our domestic godessness by learning and conquering a sewing machine. Fingers may get cut, hair may get caught, obscenities will be shouted but an apron we shall make.

Sewing with Toni.. easy on the eyes and the fingers.

Sewing with Toni!! Just like sewing with nancy, just a little crazier and a whole lot better looking. Back in our grey November Tone Capone and I took a sewing class at Stitches. We choose our fabric and accent color and away we went. This was both of our first time sewwing on a machine.. not to bad i think. No needles through thumbs or anything!!

Nothing breaks the winter slump faster than a trip to Mexico. Now, most people go to lay on the beach and relax, not I. I went for a week long printmaking workshop. Lino cut, etching, photo transfers, the works. 80 degrees and perfect.

Spingtime

Winter is ending (let's hope) and with the diminishing of the gray let their be color in all forms. It's almost like we need that time off to let they creativity start flowing again. To catch up breifly on some winter craftiness lets see... Toni and I took a sewing class together. awesome. I went to mexico with my Husband and took a printmaking intensive workshop together. Probably little things here and there. Christmas time was BUSY! I actually had orders..and orders...and orders... what a great feeling that was. Can I actually do this as a job?