To bead or not to bead, that is the question.

I am stagnant. I honestly don't feel creative. I always saw an artist as this beautiful, free spirited, wild haired tree hugger with paint stained, gluten free bib overalls and a cool tribal tattoo around her upper arm. Someone who hugged a lot, stood up for the little guy and smoked the occasional clove cigarette after sex and a good long day of art stuff. It might be the weather and the fact that I don't own any bib overalls any more that I have lost my mojo...I'm pretty sure I have a cool tribal tattoo left in me somewhere under my pajamas and saggy boobs. Sigh.



So it's winter in Wisconsin and the long cold days are dragging. I have cabin fever and my studio is too cold to venture. And...I have 4 kids, meaning, there will be no creativity in this house outside the realm of pipe cleaners and dollar store felt. Of course, there is the occasional googly eye...



Anyway, I have taken to indoor things. Amigurumi, hats, I painted some safety eyes to add a little life to said amigurumi--they make safety eyes so plain you know. Last night I found some sunflower spacer beads (sunflowers being my favorite flower ever) and decided as a midwinter blues present, to make myself some stitch markers. They are pretty friggin adorable.



I then decided to visit my old haunt Swap Bot. I soooo needed something...different to occupy my spare time. I have so little of it, why waste it you know? So, I signed up for a couple swaps and for fun, made up a few more stitch markers as extras, should I get paired up with a fellow crocheter. I'm starting to worry though, that I may have made them too big and bulky. Not heavy, just...in the way?

I can't wait to see the snow gone. I need my scroll saw and my kiln and my welder and my drill press. I miss my table vice. I want to open the double doors of the loft and let the sun in. I couldn't be more ready for summer...

Wind chimes on a rainy day

It's a rainy day today, the first all April. Already I can see the grass getting green. My husband picked up a stray beta fish on the way home from town the other day (someone was moving and handing out all her animals), so I've spent the morning working on a new home for little Wong Foo. He came in a cheesy lava lamp thing that lit up like a disco ball and looked like it spent the better part of the 90's on the bottom shelf of a thrift store. It was time to retire the funk and I have been working on a hanger for him. I'll probably post it after the paint drys.

Yesterday I went for a free form whatever in an attempt to use up my excess glass. I really need to get more of these fired. Possibly I can get the next batch to behave a bit better than this last one.

I managed to scavenge some chandelier crystals and I think I'll use them on my beta home today. I thought it would be pretty window decor in the kitchen.

The key and sunflower

I started out with the idea for windchimes, but both of these kind of gave me the impression that they could hold their own.

I am kind of toying with the idea of making an army of the sunflower things and swagging material through the ends and making some kitchen window treatments.

It may just be the sugar hangover talking, but I suddenly have such an urge to decorate...lol