Changing....but staying the same ~

I love what I get to do for my "job."

I work like most people, at least 8 hours a day. I have taught myself to focus, because I am so easily distracted.  Flora Adora distracts me, but I think I needed her! I work by myself all day and having her around reminds me to take breaks, laugh and move a bit. She is the silliest pet I have ever had. She has made me change how i do things...and when i do them!!

Everything is always changing, including my work. That is another thing that I love about my job.

Since last fall, I was "supposed" to be cleaning my work table, and instead, I challenged myself to make something from all the bits and pieces around me... and that is when the Everyday Angel came to fruition. I am having so much fun with them and found the shape i liked the best, I now have pieces of metal shapes cut for me. It was a process to do this and "bite the bullet" and invest in this direction. 

The Everyday Angel was the first piece. She originally was from a place card and I just kept adding things..wings, legs and arms of vintage findings, and of course, lots of sparkly vintage crystal.

My head was exploding with ideas for other pieces and start a "collection" of everyday bits and pieces items. However, I want to stay true to only being influenced from leftovers on my work table  to give me direction... hence a few designs at a time!

The bee, came to me when I had a picture of a vintage toy  on my table...the shape of the body reminded me of bees. I was giddy since I love bees. They remind me of my dad. When he settled into civilian life, he had bee hives, planted fruit trees, and at the end of the property, had a honey house, where he would jar honey and make candles. There was a window installed on the side of the house with a hive in it, so that people could come and watch the bees work!

The bird was more simple...saw a scrap of paper that was on my table with the shape of a bird, laying next to some vintage metal pieces that looked like bird legs.

Then there is the heart!! I love Valentines day, but I don't think hearts are only about that!! This heart was influenced by a vintage spinning charm that was on my table.  I wanted to use that to make something about love and life... a heart.

All of the pieces have the same feel to them. So... here is the change..they are all made of metals, a new material for me to be using! And here is staying the same... softened with the elements that I love the most, collage, color and embellishments.....using my collections of vintage and new pieces.  Each piece is made the way I make everything...with a love for what I get to do!

I hope you enjoy my new "work"... I have more pieces in process and will be sharing those as well. And because I have committed to building a collection, I doubt, my work table will ever be  cleaned since it is my source of inspiration!!!!

Thank you for taking time to read this.  
diana

there's a starman....

I woke up this morning, all ready to dive into my day of busyness ...

I made my coffee, and flora adora and i came down to the studio.

The first thing i read on my facebook page is that David Bowie has passed away...

I am stunned and sad.

I "grew up" with David Bowie... i have owned his album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, in every form possible ( 8 track, vinyl, cassette, cd). It is now downloaded on my computer, and often listen to it  (when i am not listening to opera and making up words while i "sing" along).

I was first introduced to David Bowie, in the early 70's, by my friend Leslie Vance. We were teenagers living in Iran, doing the things that we thought most teens do...We would sit on the roof of her house, listening to David Bowie from sunset to sunrise, smoking like fools, and talking like we had answers to things.

I carried David Bowie, on cassette, in my travel bag with me, as i traveled back to the states. I carried David Bowie to college with me. He was front and center in our music collection when i married, is always in my studio with me, was introduced to my son, was with me when i got a divorce and cancer, and i still, to this day, if one of his songs comes on the radio while i am driving....i turn it up and "sing" with him.

Rest in Peace, David Bowie.... you will always be the coolest person i ever "knew"... starman.....

(i found this image online, and don't know who to credit).

thank you!!!

diana

READYSETGO!

it has been so long since my last blog. the past few months were wonderfully busy! this was the first fall/christmas season in several years that i was not in the midst of treatments for cancer. i had energy. i am so lucky to love my job because i worked almost seven days a week for the last few months.

needless to say, my studio got neglected and ended up in more chaos than even i can handle. and believe me,  i can handle a really messy studio..with no embarrassment!!

this got me thinking beyond my "normal" mode....i love the beautiful books and magazines that show wonderfully neat and organized studios/work spaces. i wondered if i should aspire to have that for myself. i knew without another thought that i could only work in such order for a few minutes!! i am a messy thinker...thoughts going from here to who knows where, and that is how i work. eventually, it all comes together..my thinking and my art! (i still would like the studio to be more organized tho!!  i will keep working at that!)


this year i will turn 60 and i finally have given myself permission to be unapologetic and blissfully happy to work the way that i do!


i have to be realistic, so i am trying really hard to have the "business" part of my biz, not be like my creative part...(makes me anxious at tax time!). so, i actually gave myself a few things so that i can work more efficiently and professionally. i had a big beautiful table built for the "office" part of the studio and i worked with someone to design an organizer that works with the way that i think. by spending money on those things, i will not be lax in the other important side of my work - so far so good, two days into the new year, and i have stayed on task with it!!

my word this year is....READYSETGO!

i have taken many steps to get READY, the "office," i have designed several new pieces, started gettting all my supplies in order, so i am SET...and in the morning, i will officially start the new year at my new  "office" table (doing this blog) and then GO gleefully dive into my "work."

flora adora with be with me in the studio...and wherever i am for that matter. she has a new bed in the cart where she naps next to me. when she wakes up, the world becomes hers and that makes me take some time to play!!!

thank you for taking the time to read this blog. i always love to her from you!

planner from JANES AGENDA/etsy

table from JOLIE RAIMONDO, local artist extraordinare

diana