Organized chaos is achieved with the items mentioned in the title of this post. All of the necklaces that I have made have evolved from these ziploc bags and tupperware storage boxes. I use the name ziploc and tupperware sort of like I use the name kleenex. It covers all brands. Do they even make tupperware anymore? Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share the process with you…
This is the first stop. I rummage through all of these little plastic bags and find something that speaks to me. I never know what I am going to choose when I start flipping the little bags over and over. The beautiful decoupage basket was a gift from a friend so I especially love that it is the launch pad for my creativity. I need to tell her what I use this basket for. I think she would be happy to know that it is a “working” basket…..
I next turn 180 degrees and kick around these bags on the floor to choose what will be the body of the necklace. And yes – they are always on the floor. I have tried to keep them in the larger box shown but they just seem to jump out and stay out. I blame it on my pair of Golden Doodles – Frank and Steve, but I am not fooling anybody. Everyone that knows me expects to find me strung out all over the house when they drop by.
Then it gets fun. I swirl these beads with my hand until I find the ones that will accent the chosen pendant. I love the noise they make as I do this. I lay them out in my palm with the pendant and try different combinations until I think it is right. I usually know what I am looking for when I start the swirling. I know most of the beads in this box very well. All have been lovingly collected over the last two years. Now I am ready to knot – everything is gathered up and poured into a lap-size tupperware box and I am off to the chair. I am ready to slip into a parallel universe….
This recliner is where I make them all….I kick the foot rest up and put on a movie or some music and start knotting. That is my favorite mug on the table by the chair. It says “If you can’t lose it, decorate it” and it has a photo of two full figured women in swimsuits in a loud floral pattern. I love working out of my house. We live in the woods but are inside the city limits so I can slip into town for lunch with friends which I do almost every day. I am only two minutes away from everything unless I have on my pajamas and then I am five minutes from everywhere that serves food!
Photographs are taken on my back porch. All of them. You can see some of my bottles on the table. I take my photos with my husband’s camera and know nothing about photography except how to turn on the camera and keep it on automatic…
Meet Maypup. She is my assistant. You can see that she is highly skilled at what she is required to do and that is to keep me company. There is also a cat named Margie but she was MIA when the photos were being taken. Margie is a manx cat and is extremely entertaining. My husband, who is a veterinarian, says that they always have peculiar and funny personalities. I love that she thinks she has a tail.
That Life is Good lunch box is my camera bag. I sit the camera on top of the lunch box and connect it to my laptop to transfer the photos…other props are here, there and everywhere. Literally – everywhere.
A make-shift desk has been set up on top of this wine rack. My poor husband – he did not intend this to be part of my jewelry chaos. This is where I sit and edit photos and then list the necklaces on Etsy. Folders containing website info and tagging stuff are on the second shelf. The fourth shelf is kept empty and is used as a foot rest. I spend most of my day perched on this stool while working on the computer. I remember that my instructor in design school told me that design was only about 20% creativity and around 80% paperwork. That was in the 80’s – paperwork is now computer work.
My favorite part of the entire process is receiving feedback from my customers and friends. They send me great stories – some of which I have already shared with you through earlier blog entries. I also enjoy being connected to a global network of other artists via my little laptop. I correspond with the most interesting people and we attempt to promote each other in whatever way we can so I feel like I am never alone. The entire process is gratifying and I am thankful that I find myself on this journey. I am having fun and lots of it!
This is the most recent recliner creation……
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