free time...

Can you believe I have finally got some free time? I only have about 5 loads of laundry to do and the girls are actually getting along okay.. so as soon as Im finished here I will be able to work on the ornament hats and possibly get them done today.. YEAH!! Im actually not fond of production work at all, and I have grown to hate these little guys.. sigh. I downloaded a new class a while ago to make a Mary hoonie ( a little spirit with a shell for a bottom, very cute) but I always feel guilty about starting something new when I have things I havent finished. I had to have this class though, the pieces are adorable.. and I love the color pallete of the artist who created them, she works in a muted sepia toned pallete that I just cant seem to get enough of. Pics to follow soon of the finished ornaments and the Wisconsin Maryhoonie.

Zoya

Creative background...

What inspires you to create? Do you see beauty in the forms or colors around you? I love to mix in textures and colors (and who doesnt like a little bling... )but the most inspiring thing to me has always been faces. I see and read faces into everything.. from the inkblots on the page to the pattern in the snow where my girls have walked ( which with the shadows of the setting sun last night and the glow of the porch light created a rather cool face in my back yard.. wouldnt show up on the camera though :( )For the most part if you are actually looking at a persons face when they talk you can tell if they are lying to you or how they really feel about what they are saying. And recreating faces has always been the most interesting part of any sculpt to me. Creating the face and its expression always tells me what the rest of the doll/figure wants to be when its done. It gives the personality and its story. Am I in charge of the face...?? Sometimes, but not very often. Usually the doll calls the shots, I am just there to let that character come to life. No, Im not getting weird ( at least not more then usual) I dont think I have some spirit directing my sculpts.. but I dont feel like I am consciously creating the things I make all the time either. Perhaps the left side of my brain is in control? Or perhaps its just what feels right at the time. I have always been good at reading people, but latley I dont care what lies behind.. Im more interested in the expression, in recreating the emotion.

The count down..

So there's only like, what, 14 days until Christmas.. and most of my shopping is still undone! I have basics in mind for the girls, but havent picked up a whole lot of anything. Partly I suppose because I hate driving in the snow, and according to the weather this morning we have had over 17 inches of snow so far this year. YUCK. I had such good intentions this year too, I really didnt want to be doing this last minute... sigh. I suppose its going to be another one of those lets get it all done in one day jobs... rush to buy it, rush to wrap it. I hate this part of Christmas. :(

Arts and crafts and kids...

So we got our reindeer horns ( felt ones on a head band) decorated tonight. The girls seemed to enjoy adding pompons and little crystals to jazz them up. It gave them something to do since school was called off and you can only play in the snow for so long before you freeze your fingers and toes. And I ( without a moments guilt) finaly covered the trunk thats been sitting in my kitchen un-done for the past nine months! It looks pretty cool too.. check out the pic .. hard to believe its just a napkin and glue job! And here is a pic of the ornaments I have been working on. They need hats and cuffs for the hands, but I think they will be pretty cute! Not sure why the pic is up there, but at least you can see it!

Obviously they are still a work in progress, but I hope to have them done before to much longer. It sure is nice to have all this time to do things without a "real job" messing all the timing up. And the joy of not having to clean off my car to get to work, or go out into the cold if I dont want to .. well I dont think I have to tell you how nice that is.

The deep freeze

woke up this morning to a balmy 5 degrees out side. Cold enough to freeze the brass bra off a witch...hehehe. Anyway it actually makes it easier to create. Instead of moving around doing "house stuff" I am sitting in my comfy chair with my electric blanket and my clay stuff. Dont know how long the inspiration will last so Im making this short and getting right back to the clay!! Boy I wish I lived someplace warmer :)

Zoya

Schedule overload

Its getting more and more hectic... this kid needs costume parts for this and that one need s a gift for that and they all need money. I have to be at school on this day to help with the wrapping and then I have to factor in my sitting job and, of course, the hubby has his night school to teach right now, so he wont even be around to help. ARGGG!! Deep breath, I can do it all.

So the ornaments are almost done now, as is Mother Nature. Just some finishing touches and I can post pics for you to see! Its exciting to think they will be done soon and I can go back to making things to satisfy my creative urges again. I tend to get bored with production type work and these ornaments are killing me!!

Ah well back to the clay.

The end of the turkey..

Finally I will have some time to think again. Now that the husband and kids are gone in the morning I should have some free time to do what I want and need to get done.. except the snow storm last night shut down the schools for the day. Over 70 schools listed as closed this morning ( no, I didnt count, the news lady said so..) and there were more with delays too. Ah well, it gives me more time to bond with the girls...lol. I did some work on the ornaments yesterday, but I think utimatley the edges will need some sort of ribbon trim to be completed. That and some hands and feet and minor assembley with hair and a hat... actually it seems I do have quite a bit left to do. sigh. I guess I should get back to work!

Zoya