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.