Can You Tell What He's Doing?

Have you figured this out already?  I love this photo.  It's one of many from the very enjoyable site, theanthropologist.net.  This is primarily a pictorial tale of fly tier, Shawn Davis.  It tells his inspiration for a special fly he created and shows his work, materials and tools up close. Here is a direct link.

Poke around and visit the other stories too.  I love the combination of great photos and words- all telling individual's stories of their personal accomplishments- big scope and small, but all are interesting.

Sculpture Mini Class

I want to make better faces in glass.  There,  I said it publicly, so now I have to work on my performance.  Recently, I took an intro to sculpture one and a half hour class at our local arts center and loved it.  Our teacher, Tom Williams (check out that link to his website), was a delight.  He made our quick intro fun, and interesting, while he demonstrated how he teaches and sculpts.  And he gave us each a small chunk of Georgia clay to try a little of what he was showing us.

Bummed that it's only offered on Wednesday nights and that's our Southern Flames night, I will need to wait until summer, when my Flames Board position ends.  But believe me, I'll be in line, once I am free to try it.  I posted a close up of the lips on the bust that he showed as an example.  I have the hardest time forming lips and think this tactile craft form, will be a big help to gaining a better understanding of how to translate it into glass and perhaps into my watercolors as well.  And who knows, maybe I'll be adding clay to my list of top 5 favorite mediums, who knows?

You Are What You Craft

stationary from Sweet Perversion on Etsy.com

So do you agree?  You are what you craft.  I do.  But I think for some people it really is who they are and for others, it is just a part of them.

I'm one of the latter.  Perhaps it's the Gemini in me, but my whimsical art is what tends to come out of me, but I have a grown up side of me too.  It comes out sometimes.  I don't know what the catalyst is, but it does.  And then I get comments like, "it doesn't look like your work".  I know it's confusing, but to quote a famous thinker, "I yam what I yam."

Do you have two or more very diverse sides to what you do?  Do you have a single voice?  Have you evolved from one thing to something very different?  I'd love to hear more.  

and P.S., if you check out Sweet Perversion on Etsy, caution... there are a lot of "adult language" cards on her site.  Funny, but definitely not rated PG.

How Would You Use These Flowers?

Flowers everywhere.  You'd think I'd be content with the ones in my yard, but no, always need more.

These two flowers are some of the variety that I carry in my new shop, StudioMarcy'sWhimsy, on Etsy. 

I decided to sell them as handmade supplies, in hopes that artists and crafters might find them there.

You see, I think there are all kinds of places that they can be used.

Made on a medium gauge copper wire, they can be wire wrapped into a loop, so they'd work like large buttons.  I can just picture them as an awesome closure on a cool handbag.

Or jewelry makers could make them into focals or incorporate them easily into wired pieces.  I think pins, broaches or even handmade rings, (that's how I use them).

And of course, wouldn't they be great for brides or a bridal party?  No one has asked me for custom orders on them yet, but they could decorate a cake, be incorporated into bridal headpieces, bouquets, or boutonnieres.  (had to look that one up in the dictionary- my years of French classes didn't help at this hour in the morning).

I know this is a creative group of readers, so I'm opening up the comment hotline for your ideas.  How would you use flowers like these?  

Introducing Studio Marcy's Whimsy

Introducing my second Etsy shop, "Studio Marcy's Whimsy"

I listened and contemplated all the comments from you. After too much time and thought, I decided on a hybrid name.

Studio Marcy's Whimsy incorporates my other shop's name, thus easier to find, if you already know me. Although I really liked both choices of banners, this funky red one seemed to incorporate best the idea of what I was trying to convey. A shop full of a variety of items...creative supplies both handmade and commercial, vintage goodies, some of my artwork- (did you know I paint watercolors and weave baskets among other things?), and other items that have caught my fancy.

And although I liked the idea of a closet, I didn't want anyone to think it was all clothing. Yes, there will be some cool vintage clothes offered once in a while, (after all, I'm quite vintage myself, and I still have some of the funky stuff from years ago), but I wanted the name to convey more of the big picture. So I changed it to one of the words that often is used to describe my personal style. Whimsy. (I left out "quirky and offbeat" as well as "forgetful" and others I'd prefer not to mention.
So now, I'm rounding up some of my whimsical items (and some not so whimsical- but fun), so I can add at least one new listing every Monday through Friday.

And I'm also trying something new. I have a camera on my Apple computer. I take some silly photos with it. If you are on facebook, the photo of me in front of the Eiffel Tower was taken with my computer. And look closely to what I am wearing as my beret. It should make you laugh. (please feel free to "friend" me on facebook- I'd be happy to add you.) Sorry, I keep digressing.

Anyhow, I cropped a section of my new banner and loaded it as a background for my computer camera. Then I took a quick shot (and a few more), and voila, here's my new avatar for my Etsy shop too. I wanted to include a tie in to give my shop a cohesive look, but make it personal too.

And as a side note, can you see these kicking green ginko leaf earrings that I'm wearing? They're stained glass made out of recycled beer bottles that the artist meticulously consumed, so he could pursue his art. I love them. They were made by my crazy friend Brian of WesternArtGlass on Etsy. If you buy something, tell him Marcy sent you.

So stop by and visit my new Etsy shop. I'm offering a few items so far, but as I mentioned, there will be more added daily.