House of Style/Style of House

It's been a long time since I've typed an art blog. Thanks, pandemic for getting me back to doing some creative pursuits at home!  

I've just dabbled in a few things lately, and I actually have to think about what I want to get into since just about all of my art materials are in mini-storage now.  Currently, I'm painting a "Wash Hands" sign and next will paint a "Mask Up" sign.  Truth be told, I had ordered one from a local shop to find out that it was a photo of a regionally famous artists painting printed on a plastic signboard.  I returned it and decided to paint my own with acrylics on canvases.  

During all this extra time at home, the fam and I have been preparing for a move. The hubs' place will finally get relisted on the housing market before the end of the month.  It's been getting a facelift over the summer and looks great!  We've been starting to address repairs at my place where we live and will focus more on it once the place in Scott is officially up for sale. Once both places are listed, we can finally and seriously look for a new home.  

We will buy a house rather than another townhouse/condo.  I've been pinning room ideas and housing styles on Pinterest for a good while now, but for whatever reason, I think it's time to make a physical vision board.  Again, spending more time at home has allowed me to go through my collection of magazines from the last few years.  I'll make a collage and put the main ideas of what I want to have in our new home on the board.  Lots of windows (natural light), a fireplace (not a deal-breaker, but definitely a plus), at least 2.5 half bathrooms (master with a double sink, one for our daughter, half for guests), a kitchen at least three times of the size the tiny galley we have now, and a fenced-in backyard are the first items that come to mind.  

Many years ago when I worked in retail, I began my furniture and decor collections.  They lived in mini-storage until I bought my current abode.  When I was single, I loved the randomness of it all.  I still am not a fan of matching sets, but I do see the value of having more of a certain vibe or style happening throughout the home.  I've taken some style quizzes and don't agree with the results; however, what seems to have become a pet peeve of mine is "farmhouse".  I can't tell you why.  I even have some decor items that are exactly that style, but I want to either make them fit into a beach theme (very possible) or get rid of them altogether.  

It's refreshing to see that I'm honing in on what I really want and like as far as a floor plan and decor go.  It also seems like the hubs and I agree more and more on those things, too, which obviously is a good thing.  Here's a toast to the progress that we are slowly but surely making on this journey as a family - cheers!

My True Self

Here's a confession: I did not participate in the Red Dress Run last year because I thought my costume was too crappy.  Guess what?  I would have been overdressed with my idea of perfection and even with my "failure".

Tonight, my husband and our daughter went to the Mardi Gras Costume Museum for an opening featuring the Dames of Perlage.  As you may recall, I was a member of Persephone's Dragonflies for the first five years of their existence.  Since I've become a mother I've done Mardi Gras light.  I've been phoning it in.  My costume closet has only seen light because half of it holds my daughter and I's winter coats.  I've costumed a little bit for Halloween, but for the most part I phone it in. Again, compared to most people, I'm still big timing it, but in my head and my heart, I'm not putting in the effort I feel like my costumes need.

Mardi Gras is my favorite time of year and Halloween is a close second.  I love bringing out my alter-ego.  I love making my costumes and putting things together to create a character if you will. Drawing and sculpting and printmaking are all awesome and I love those, too, but for the last few years, my interest has really been in clothes and creating my own look.

I've also realized recently that I don't have my own life anymore.  When I lived by myself and was single, I was rarely home because I was always out socializing and meeting people.  My job is what provides that for me now.  My husband is the socialite and I oftentimes prefer to stay home.  what happened to me?  This year, I'm making myself go out and do things I really want to do.  So far, so good.  I no longer have the physical space to create - our daughter's bedroom is my former studio and she takes up the place.  She deserves her owns pace; I'm not saying the opposite.  It just means I do not have my own space anymore.

Attending the opening tonight stirred something up in me.  I need my own life, I need to find a space to create again, and I need to get out socially again.  My job is not my life and I can't keep using it as my form of entertainment and dose of culture (even though that is the type of programming I try to provide).  While I'm very proud of my job and my family, I need to reclaim my sense of self so I don't disappear into work, parenthood, motherhood.  That wouldn't be beneficial for anyone.  I need to be me again, and if that means costuming in full force (my version) ...I need to make the time and the space. I need to honor my true self. 

Miss Me?

If you watched BBC's "Sherlock", that title has a little extra meaning for you.  😉

A friend of mine posted a picture of her spare room that is supposed to serve as her craft space, and said she hadn't been in there in a long time.  My old "studio" is now my daughter's room.  As with any toddler, her stuff has taken over the entire house, and my art stuff is blocked into the back corner of her room.  It takes up about a quarter of the space, which she desperately needs, and I'd like to get at so I can do stuff.

So, my friend said she's going to clean out her spare room and make it usable again. Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury - we just need to move - however, I am going to try and make some time and a small work space so I can at least clear off all of the "repair" projects that have been accumulating on my drafting table.  There's a sizable amount of things that need to be hot glued, and probably next in line is jewelry repairs.  Some are projects that have been laid out, and others are literally things that are broken.

Oh, I also began making another no-sew tutu over the weekend.  Haven't done that in a few years!  I promptly ran out of tulle, but boy did the bed get full of green glitter quick! Then it spread all over the house and I've been unintentionally wearing it every day since (glitter)!

My job allows me a good bit of creative license, both in the actual job description and in what I wear to work, but I still miss making things with my hands.  Either way, I'm thankful to be in the same boat as creative friends so that we can inspire each other to get out of our ruts!

Art Market

I've participated in the Carey Street Crawl three times now.  The last time I did it, I said that was my last time; however, last night's space was split with a coworker friend, which made it easier to commit to.

It was an enjoyable evening, although a bit chilly.  There were several more vendors than in the past, probably because we're officially in holiday shopping season.  There was a  decent crowd, but we realized it was heavily influenced by the band's intermissions, most likely because of the cooler temps.

Again, I had no sales, but lots of lookers.  I even tried not putting price tags on things to get people to ask and tried a different display, but it didn't help.  My friend sold only one of her scarves, but also had lots of lookers.

Since I've done the market a few times now, I feel like I'm one of the gang.  There are some folks who have participated since day one; I think the first Carey Street Crawl was in March of this year. But the long time vendors seem to recognize me and I them, which makes it more like the community gathering that it's supposed to be.  For similar thoughts, read this post.

Lifestyle

Happy 2014!!!  This will be an even bigger year for us than last with the impending birth of our daughter and all the lifestyle changes that accompany being parents.  While that's incredibly exciting for us, I want to talk about a different lifestyle here.

There are so many art associations and involvement type organizations for people to join all over the place both online and in person.  Local ones, such as the St. Tammany Art Association and The Arts Council of New Orleans; regional ones, like Louisiana Division of the Arts; national ones, like Freelancers Union and the National Endowment of the Arts; and selling focused types, like Etsy and Big Cartel all offer membership and benefits of varying degrees for a fee.  Freelancers Union offers health insurance benefits for any type of entrepreneur (not just artists), which is pretty cool and to my knowledge, fairly unusual.

What these organizations offer collectively is a certain lifestyle. You can be a part of one or all, and depending on how involved or active in these groups you become, they can act as your professionsl network all the way to your social life. There's a sense of belonging with your own type and profession.
 

This post was originally typed in January 2014.  It was never published until now because I never thought it was finished.  Today, I decided it was ready.  

Mourning - 'Tis the Season

Today is the last day for tours of the Otis House in Fairview State Park.  Here are some other events going on that celebrate the season:

http://www.pitothouse.org/events/special-tour-st-louis-cemetery-no-3-and-pitot-house-museum-2

http://www.hgghh.org/exhibit/mourning/

http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/death-becomes-her

My favorite to observe, aside from Halloween, is Day of the Dead.

Halloween 2010 - Maleficent

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!