Rolling...Creative Cue #4

Okay. Here is my creative cue homework from last Sunday when the word was "ROLLING".
I immediately thought of Tina Turner singing Rolling on the River. It reminded me of a day trip my husband and I took on the Mississippi Delta Queen riding the paddle wheeler down the Mississippi river. It also reminded me of a restored 1904 paddle wheeler we rode down the Rhine in Germany from Meintz to Cologne a few years back. That was an amazing experience.
Then I thought of the very first Marlboro Man "rolling" his cigarette out on the praire. Or Cheech and Chong rolling their choice of smoke. Well, neither of those interested me to craft!
So I decided to relate the word "rolling" to the beads I like to make. Way back in the sixties I made hundreds of beads from long triangles cut out of magazine pages. I would carefully wrap them around a knitting needle and glue the very tip so my beads would stay rolled very tightly and I could slide them off the knitting needle. I made so many I strung them on fishing line and made a full length curtain out of them for my doorway. Very hippy in those days.
Now I use either a cocktail straw or a drinking straw to roll the paper or fabric around. The straw actually stays in the bead but you don't see it. I have even used my paper towels from painting with all of the mix of colors and made beads that are quite interesting.
I have always enjoyed "ROLLING" my own beads.
Thank you http://threecreativestudios.com/blog/category/creative-cue/ for such a fun weekly challenge.

Valentine makings...

Hello bloggers. I am completely aware that January is almost coming to an end and next is February with Valentine's Day. So I have gathered a few supplies for Valentine makings.
Felt, ribbon, thread, feathers, pearl cotton, needle, heart shape pattern, Clover heart shape yo-yo maker, fabric and of course scissors.
These supplies are spread all over my table as I decide what I am going to actually make with them. I have a couple of ideas but if you have any ideas I would love to hear what you would make.
I really like working with all of these supplies. I will be hand sewing as opposed to machine sewing. Maybe I will include wonderful lavender buds that I have picked and dried from the lavender plants. I really love the smell of lavender and it has a relaxing and calming effect. Unfortunately my sister is allergic to lavender so none for her. Maybe another scent that she likes. Or...maybe no scent at all. I will figure out just what is right.
I always like the colors of red, pink and white for Valentines. I might surprise the standard colors and use some non-traditional colors such as blue or purple for example. Hmmm...
After I get something made I will post another photo.
Let me know what you would make with these Valentine supplies.

My wall...

This is a small wall in my studio that I just enjoy. I have shared some of the things on it however I thought I would show it as I get to see it each day. I get inspiration from the things I have here.
The top right gold framed painting is one that my mother hand painted. It is very special because she tried painting and this is her art. She is no longer with us but I at least have one of her creative endeavors to gaze at and remember what a wonderfully creative person she always was.
I previously posted the Nature inspiration my sister made for me which I love. It is a very calming and serene piece. The fairy poster was also a gift from my sister and I love it too.
Some of the things are gifts from friends and just feminine or fou-fou or whimsy. I have a tiny bag of fairy dust. A fairy wand to grant all those magical wishes. A tiny angel to watch over me. A handmade origami bird I adore. A top to spin and watch as it turns with abandon. A blue butterfly to remind me of all the happiness and new beginnings we experience every day.
This wall is for me. No one else has to look at it or understand it or enjoy it. This is my space and it makes me happy.
I know how fortunate I am to have this wall of my very own things that make me happy.
What makes you happy and inspires you to be creative?
Keep creating...

Designs on hold...

As it is Monday morning and already the beginning of the last week of January 2010 I was hoping to finish up these designs and get them listed in my etsy shop. Alas, I have another excuse for not being able to finish them. And beleive me I don't need any additional excuses.

I realized last week that I was missing a key element and so I placed my order online with www.FireMountainGems.com which is a great source of beading supplies. I got confirmation that my order shipped the very next day and I was so happy.

Then Fed Ex didn't deliver on time. Hmmm... Then another day delay and Fed Ex used the inclement weather excuse. Then another day and no delivery. I find this difficult to understand as our weather has been rainy and snow flurries but our road is completely snowplowed and our driveway which is usually horrible has been cleared every day by my wonderful DH. Now Fed Ex is predicting delivery tomorrow. What about today?!!

UPS has delivered here in worse conditions than this. They have even walked up our steep snow covered driveway and smiled while doing so just to deliver packages to us. Fed Ex take a cue from UPS...what can you do for us?

Alas, I shall get these completed and list them in February at worse case. I certainly have lots more projects to work on in the mean time. I decided today I would at least try to write up the descriptions for each of these. That always is a slow process for me.

I am thinking of naming the first one with the blue and white "Moonlight Snow". The other one with all of it's turquoise and coral will be "Santa Fe Trail". What do you think?

Thanks for listening to me. If we could just have some sunshine I know I could smile.

Keep creating...

Inspiration for me...

A few postings ago I shared about my obsession with Mary Jane shoes and my unused stamp. Well, here is a 5 x 7 piece of artwork I made as inspiration for myself.

I used my stamp and embossed it with shiny black as in patent leather...one of my favorites.

I painted the canvas with gesso and then Golden Fluid acrylics and used my favorite colors...Phthalo Blue (Green Shade), Phthalo Green (Blue Shade) and Ultramarine Blue.

I used Golden Gel medium to adhere the "gold leaf" which is actually a golden colored wrapper from some chocolate I ate...yummy.

Then I embellished the entire canvas with buttons, ribbon, thread and heart shaped rhinestones.

Now my stamped Mary Janes took center focus with some photo corners. I left the stamped piece loose as I could change out the black shoes for another color if I want to.

All in all this is merely an artistic piece I made for myself as inspiration and to remind me of how far I have come on this creative journey I am on. I had fun making it and I am enjoying viewing it each day as I enter my studio where I have it hanging on a wall of lots of fun items.

Please tell me what is your favorite inspiration piece that helps you be creative?

Keep creating...

Creative Cue...

If you are looking for a weekly (or sporadic if you choose) creative challenge then I suggest you
check out this wonderful blog: http://threecreativestudios.com/blog/category/creative-cue/
Every Sunday they post a random word and then you can elect to participate or not. You can use any artistic medium you like to then interpret that week's cue word.
So I thought it might be fun. I began with a small 7" x 8" spiral scrapbook I had on the shelf. As you can see I decorated it.

Week one the word was EAST. Hmmm...one of many ideas came to my mind. However I decided that the sunrise in the East was the most promising for me as I do not prefer the dreary of Winter. So Sunrise to represent East it was.

Week two the word was HEEL. Well...I immediately thought of the high heel of a very sexy shoe only to see that Sue Bleiweiss http://suebleiweiss.com/blog of Three Creative Studios posted that exact thought and quite well I might say. I thought about heel for several days and this little puppy was the next best thing to a sexy high heel shoe.

Week three already and the word is TRACK. So...immediately I had to think of my good old Wilson Jones Columnar Pads that I used for so many years in my working days...Yes, before and during computers in the work place...to keep track of so many accounting and business functions.

I am having fun with this weekly Creative Cue challenge. Thank you to Sue, Teri and Vicki for being so creative.

I hope you check out this site and find some creative spark to expand your artwork.

What will you create?

Set SMART goals...

As I am getting into the fast pace of our new year 2010 (twenty ten is how I say it) I am reminded that I selected one word to help me achieve my goals this year.
So I was reading our local newspaper and I saw an article that is completely related to this. It was written by Machen MacDonald of Provoking Your Brilliance. He wrote, "The magic ingredient to achieving your goal is...FOCUS!" Find your way of keeping focused on your goal and avoid becoming distracted. Set SMART goals:
S specific
M measurable
A actionable
R relevant
T time-bound

After selecting my word FOCUS earlier this month my DH and I were having a discussion and he being the wise one said exactly this, "Your goal must be measurable." And so we have confirmation by way of SMART.
I am not an auditory person so it does help me to visualize by seeing it in print. This will help me work on my focus and stay on target for having a fabulous year. No more excuses for me...
What are you doing to get your new year off to the right start for you?

Keep creating.

Serenity...

This is the very creative hanging plaque that my sister Marie made me as one of my Christmas presents. It is so serene and I love it. The calming presence just looking at this hanging on my studio wall is amazing.

"Nature does nothing uselessly", Aristotle

That is the quote she selected to combine with this wonderful nature inspired photo. Of course she used blue ribbon as the accents because Marie knows blue is my favorite color.

I had previously shared the "Garage Rules" she made for my husband and it got wonderful comments and praise. I just had to share this one too.

I look at it each day and see serenity and purpose in it. It helps me to focus and accomplish what I need to get done.

Thank you Marie for being so very thoughtful and making this for me. I love it. I love you.

As January continues to rush along may you each be creative and accomplish all that you wish.

Curiouser and curiouser...

"Curiouser and Curiouser" is a quote from Alice in Wonderland. This photo is a sneak peak of a necklace I made in the spirit of the tale of Alice in Wonderland. It is fun, funky and very quirky which I do believe describes Alice and the characters surrounding her.

Today I just needed the bright spring colors of pink and green. We have sunshine for the moment however I understand a very big and wet storm is coming our way and should last several days.

So in the cheeriness of spring here is a glimpse of what I love to make. Very unique and individual pieces of jewelry that you won't see on anyone else but you. My creative muse is in high gear this season of after the holidays. I have so many ideas and want to create so many things.

I am reminding myself to focus and therefore I am getting a lot of things accomplished. And that feels super good. I am smiling and enjoying each day.

Promise kept...

So in my creative quest to make art and have fun and follow through I have finally inked one of my virgin stamps. I bought it years ago because it spoke to me. I would always set it out on my table but never use it. I don't know why but that is what would happen.

So as you can see, I inked my stamp and set it to paper, tissue and more paper. I embossed it, colored it and glittered it. Once I began there was no stopping me. I counted 44 pairs of shoes when I ran out of time.

What a simple little pair of shoes these are. What a powerful message they have. I call these Mary Jane shoes. I love them so much that I realized I was actually wearing a pair of my favorite black Mary Jane shoes while I was stamping.

So now I have used my little shoe stamp and what shall I ever do with so many stamped pairs of shoes?!! Well, I do have one little art project in the works and more in my head for the future. Stay tuned to see my current project.

Meanwhile keep creating and don't "save" your art supplies...use them and enjoy them. :o)

Black Diamond Satin Swarovski Bracelet...

In keeping with my 2010 idea to work on my focus and build my etsy online store I am listing another Swarovski bracelet. This one is black diamond satin in color.
If you have any gifts to buy for birthdays or possibly yourself I would say this is the time to purchase. My pricing is way below what it should be as I am merely trying to rebuild my purchasing funds. This is not allowing anything for my time spent making this item however I really need to build my sales.
In all honesty I have yet to find the formula for making sales on etsy. I believe it is possible to have an etsy store and make sales as I see so many other shops that are successful. This is my year to join the successful group.
Thank you for checking out http://createology.etsy.com
Let me know what you like or dislike. I am open to constructive criticism.

Albert Schweitzer said, "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

I do love what I am doing...therefore I will be successful.

Advance glance...

With a new "focus" on achieving my goals for 2010 I have already been tested beyond my normal patience level. I am not electronically, technologically or computer savvy and I do not intend to be such as my DH is the master at these things.

What I have just learned this week is that I am hopelessy attached to having working phone connections, computer connections that allow internet, email and blogging capabilities and I am all amiss when these things are not functioning well let alone at all.

Every winter we lose our phone lines properly working due to some "squirrel" chewing the phone lines according to our major phone carrier. Well this time it took four complete days, numerous calls (cell phone still worked) and my DH locating the troubles for the phone company and finally we are back online. So many people and so little concern was frustrating enough. Added to the fact that we could sometimes receive emails but not send responses was really frustrating. And the worst for me was losing my momentum with my blogging and building my "following of readers" and not being able to keep my personal committment of listing items on my etsy shop (shameless plug http://createology.etsy.com ). This is my weakest area and yet one of my most important goals for 2010 to build my online storefront and actually experience some sales.

So now we are back online and my excuses are null and void and thank you for letting me vent.

I am going to list my newest "Adorn Me!" jewelry item and post my photos. Lots of Swarovski crystals and sparkle. Please let me know how you like it.

I have had numerous compliments from family and friends...and we all know how nice they can be. LOL I really need to hear from the rest of you to have valid feedback.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and for checking out my online shop.

Saucy Chick Sherry

New Organized Space...

A photo of my new organized space with desk, computer, calendar and the things I need to blog, pay bills and keep my etsy shop maintained.

Part of DH retiring is to reorganize and relabel our home office space. He has always had a huge separate complete office with desks, chairs, conference table, file servers, computers, printers and a white board to name just some of the items. Now that he is retired he chose to eliminate some of these things and merely have a much more compact space that has just the essentials for staying computer connected to the world.

Therefore I have my new computer sitting on my desk and I am happy with my space. I am able to enjoy following blogs, Facebook, Twitter and all of the fun shopping sites I like. My space is user friendly with bills to pay, calendar to keep me aware of what day it is and lots of writing utensils in case I want to doodle. Oh, that reminds me I need to doodle which is something I discovered last year that I do not know how to do so I shall need to practice.

My new clean and organized space is happy and ready for me to be productive. I like it very much...well, except the mauve carpet. Mauve carpet is what my DH selected so it is fine. I would have preferred some nice easy to clean wood flooring.

January 2 is here and I am ready to function in an organized and simple new space. Thank you DH for working so very hard all these years. Now let's play, have fun, create art and explore!