It's Finally Fall!

My favorite time of year is finally here!  Fall officially starts today, and remarkably, we even have cooler, fall-like temps to match! 

I recently discovered that my sister-in-law is driving along the exact creative path I thought I would be after having my daughter.  I guess her daughter/my niece inspired her to nurture her writing and become a successful blogger with paid ads and all.  She's also got a lot to say, which I'm finding lately, that I don't.  It's not that I'm too busy (anymore, thankfully), but I just haven't had much creative drive lately.  Anyway, that's brought me to this post. 

What do I love most about fall?  Not only the cooler weather - which as you probably know if you're a southerner, we don't always get quite yet - but dressing for it!  I've become known at work for my fashion sense, which is kind of amusing since one of my best friends and former college roommates used to tease me about it all the time.  She even threatened to put me on What Not to Wear!  I'll admit, I've come a long way since then. 

I'm a reference librarian and I love the look I'll call librarian chic.  It's professional and fun, and allows plenty of room for using accessories.  I own at least 17 scarves (I know this because I just bought at scarf holder from Amazon to help me organize them and create space in a dresser drawer); I have at least 6 jewelry boxes full of costume jewelry, which my husband is baffled by; and I've been trying to introduce colors other than grey, black, or blue to my closet.  Lately, I've been getting more prints, and some pink, and red.  Green is harder to find, but I'm continuing to look. 

The ladies at my daughter's school all compliment her style, too, which I totally take credit for.  Not that I buy all of her clothes, but the look I've set out to make hers has caught on, so friends and family who buy her outfits know what's acceptable (no huge bows, no ruffled leg pants, no wild patterns; Gymboree and Carter's threads are my faves). 

So while I'm not creating some masterpieces in the ways of painting, sculpting, or photographing, I have discovered that I have greater appreciation for my career now because I am a mother.  I think my daughter will think it's cool that her mom is a librarian.  While she's young, because I'll bring home all the pretty new picture books for her, and when she's older because I'll have an "in" for school project research and college prep.  And while it's no where near the avenue or level of creativity I thought would be inspired by motherhood, playing fashionista/accessory goddess (or whatever else my husband and co-workers are calling me in that realm) is pretty fun for now for me by myself and with our daughter.  I'll take creativity and innovation wherever I can find it!

mixing patterns is fun!

Re Invention

The last two months, I've gotten my upcycled sculptures together (and made a few new ones), and participated in an artists' market in Slidell.  There was a good turn out both times, especially most recently...until the rain came.  It was only halfway through the evening and a thunderstorm came out of nowhere. 

Anytime I've shown my work, whether it's retail, an art market, a community/farmer's market, or when I opened my Etsy shop, I get great feed back.  I also get a lot of ideas, inspire other people, and meet lots of strangers.  It's a nice time overall; however, the point of my participation in these events is to sell my work.  All but this last time, and I'm blaming the rain, I've sold one piece.  Just one at each venue/event.  It's better than selling none, I have to say, but even selling two pieces would make me feel better.  I'm tired of looking at this stuff.  Sorry, but that's the honest truth.  Most of it's been around for two years and I have no place to store it. 

Right now, I feel like I'm done with the market scene.  Another artist gave me an idea that I'd much prefer - if you can't buy, let's trade!  I love art, and not just my own.  I've traded with a classmate a few years ago, and would love to trade with anyone who's got something I'm interested in - a finished work or supplies, or something functional.  The vendor set up next to me at the last event had beautiful crab and oyster shell paintings.  She said she'd trade, but the rain - lovely, cooling rain - had her run for cover and like most vendors, she never really got back on track. 

I was planning on recycling all of my cans next time the recycle truck came around and we've got an empty bin; however, now I'm thinking I can just cut the tops and bottoms off all the cans I really like  and save the middles to make metal sculptures. By cutting the cans with an X-acto knife I can do much more detailed work, and either use glue or rivets (depending on the piece) to hold things together.  Plus, storing flat metal is much easier than round cans.