How to name your collection..

Yikes...haven't written since  February, before I had that surgery on my hand ! So much has happened...my goal is to write once a day this week... designing, family, shows and upcoming events,  gardening ...

Today tho, I am writing about how I created, and "named" my new collection...

Since last fall, I have been revisiting my love of designing. I have enjoyed every minute of it, even when some ideas never make it past my sketches.

I already have written how this all started for me. My most unhelpful studio mate (Flora Adora) and i had so many messes in the studio, it was time to clean it! Flora had about 24 toys, 5 socks of Steves' (she steals them from the laundry room if i don't remember to shut the door), chewy bones in various stages of icky, and papers, beads etc, that she had stolen from me, and "hidden" in her bed. She also hids the dustpan and whisk broom in her bed. She is sneaky...hides them under her blanket.

M work table was worse...I was working in a 2" space.. so, back to how I created this collection. While I was suppose to be cleaning, I got inspired "distracted" by the different elements on my table. I found it more fun to make things from what was there, than to clean it! I gave myself a challenge to design this way, and began to see a pattern. One  piece lead  to another, and I changed my own rules to try just to use thingsI have in my studio other than the metal bases.

I had my amazing metal cutter, and my stashes of vintage bits and pieces, but still no name for the line. Flora Adora, was too busy being adorable to bother with helping me, so I continued to refer to this as everyday bits and pieces, (mostly because the designs are not holiday specific, but can be used for holiday decor).

I asked experts in one of the business groups that I am in, I whined to my friends and family, and nothing...no name.

This whole time my head was full of ideas about designing; woodland animals, more angels, bigger pieces...still no name.

 I really feel that a name is so important..this is like naming your child, 4 legs or 2, or naming your boat (don't have one) or naming a wine...you can't just say.., dog, son, water thing, or grapey goodness..you need something more defined.

It finally happened one day, when 2 of my friends, who are also artists, and I were going someplace. I  had them trapped, because we were zooming down the freeway on a "road trip" (anything longer than 15 minutes driving in my world is a road trip). I started whing again about naming my new line..I think my friend, Anne of Mixed Up  Designs, was tired of it. She said, we are going to brain storm right now! Our  sweet friend and driver, Nicole of Captivating Designs was throwing out ideas, anne was listing things and I was in the backseat saying ..ok.I didn't want anything cutesy, trendy, and words were flying...then Anne came up with a great idea!

It was so obvious.....FLORAS ADORAS!!!!

everyday angel

butterfly

fox

owl

bird

queen bee

squirrel

raccoon

bear

Hedgehogs

flower

angel pendant or ornament

heart

Ta da!
A name!! Hooray! This leads into a whole world of pondering branding etc... that will come too! But for now, Flora Adora and I will joyfully keep making our studio messes! I have new designs started!!