Why I Had An Art Attack

My booth at SoWa

Something didn't feel right. Fidgeting in my bed, I tossed and turned. My breathing was rapid, my toes were twitching, and my belly was churning. I had just returned home from the most successful weekend ever of selling my jewelry. Shoppers showed up in droves, I got to meet lots of sweet customers in person, and hear many kind words about my work. So why did I have such an uneasy feeling?

I finally got out of bed and, without making a conscious decision, grabbed my sketchbook and started drawing. Ideas poured out of me—some were influenced by all the beautiful things I had seen over the weekend, others were my own concepts, born from the renewed motivation I had just gained. In essence, I was having some sort of art attack. A physical reaction to my stirred soul. An actual burst of artistic energy.

I was a vendor at the 7th annual SoWa Holiday Market this weekend. Eighty artists and independent designers, including a good handful of jewelers—every one of them talented, friendly, supportive, and creative. Neither shoppers nor makers could roam the aisles without being tempted and stimulated.

Being counted among so much talent and energy made me humble. I left bursting—with the ideas that swirled madly in my head, with gratitude for the extra income earned, and with a sense of connection to a community of people I can learn so much from.

Here's a shout out to some of my amazing SoWa neighbors:
Gorgeous neck pieces made from vintage ties at Lillian Asterfeld
Adorable felt items and hand spun yarns at Migration Goods
Bold jewelry from Amy Casher
Ceramic and wood creations by Firewood Furniture
Sewn goodness from Fisherman's Daughter

Flowering, Budding

Oh, it is truly a cause to celebrate. Spring! My mind is flowering, and ideas are budding. My thoughts are brightly colored with...

All things garden

Spring-time crafts (Just paper mache a balloon, then cut out an opening. Stuff with some grass and give a pompom chick a new home!)

Tiny baskets, filled with goodies

...and Cyclops Bixters. Apparently, they come in sets of six, packaged neatly in egg cartons. Heh.

What's sprouting in your mind?

...And Even More Treasures

There's something else the girls always come back with from their basement-shopping extravaganzas I mentioned in my previous post. Tucked away in my parents' lower level are boxes of crafts and knick-knacks that my sister and I made over the years. She and I took a few years' worth of ceramics classes, which meant shelves full of statues, piggy banks, and figurines for every holiday and special occasion. My girls go crazy for them all, and one by one these items are making their way home with us—back to me, to occupy shelf space my own home now.(They're heeeeere! Say that like the little girl in Poltergeist, because I feel a little haunted by some of these figurines).
These salt and pepper shakers and pilgrim statues were among the latest treasures taken home with us— just in time to add them to our Thanksgiving table.

(Today, I'm thankful that my parents allowed us to take that ceramics class for so many years and fill their home with pilgrims, Santas, a menagerie of animal statues, and one too many ashtrays. I don't foresee any ceramics classes in the girls' near future.)

(Then again, they really seem to like those statues...)

Book Art

The girls have a new tradition when we visit my parents. My mom takes them to the basement and they go "shopping". To them, it's like going on a treasure hunt. They come back upstairs with bags full of old Christmas decorations, various plastic serving dishes, and out-dated costume jewelry. I brace myself to see what they found and, ultimately, want to take home (so much for trying to get rid of the clutter).

But the one thing they always come up with are books. Hardcover books that they have been granted permission to do whatever they please with. This is an absolute thrill to them, and I can see why. It's the joy of being given carte blanche to something that is usually to be treated with care and respect (careful, that's a library book!). And what they come up with is great...

Sometimes they write complete stories.

(some of them are suspense thrillers)

Sometimes they use the books like you would use a sketchbook, and doodle on each page.

The girls will sit for long periods of time with these books and write, draw and scribble in them just because they can. I save all of them, and the great thing is that all this work is bound neatly together already—no loose papers to gather up and go through.

Buying hardcover books would be a good purchase for the kids at a yard sale (instead of that skanky Snoopy stuffed animal they inevitably want). Tell them it's theirs to do whatever they please with, take it home, and watch their newly-granted licence inspire them.

...And Done

Sharing a few pix of the completed toy box with you this morning.

It's even better in person. The color is velvety, the surface absolutely smooth. I wish you could all run your hands over it.

It really puts our own toy box to shame. Luckily, I've got an in with this woodworker I know...

You can read more about the making of this toy box here.

Custom Toy Box

A while back, "A" was commissioned to make a custom toy box for a couple who wanted a new family heirloom for their home. It will be a toy chest for their grandchildren now, perhaps blanket storage or a hope chest some time down the road. They wanted, something that would fit perfectly in the space they have reserved for it, and it had be a quality piece that would last for years to come.

It's been amazing, watching a board of wood be transformed into a beautiful box. Here's my version of the process (warning: I am sure I'm not using proper furniture-making terminology here so if you're a carpenter, forgive me!):

It started with this giant board of Royal Cedar, 22" wide by 10' long

After cutting and planing the boards much of it was reduced to these shavings on his workshop floor (the kids love playing with those thin curls of wood, and so do I. A craft project just waiting to happen!).

cutting the dovetails

the separate pieces ready to be assembled

And here's a shot of the box with the finish applied. I love how the dovetails pop in contrast.

"A" is working on the lid now, and once the whole things is complete I'll share some pics of that, too.

If you'd like to browse some more of A's work, here's his portfolio.

Accidental Gifts

Back—after a quick trip to visit family in New Jersey and a much appreciated change of scenery. It was a whirlwind road trip that blended the relaxing and the non-stop in perfect proportions.

We spent a day in NYC and, despite the touristy things we did, it was getting caught in a downpour at the Central Park water playground that was the highlight. Oh, you can plan to wow the kids with this and that, but when it comes down to it, it's so often the spontaneous events that are the memory makers. I find this to be true with fabricating jewelry and, really, any art I create. The unintentional becomes the focal point. A series of fortuitous events is frequently the way a new design is born.

It can be so frustrating, though, can't it? The accidental can be a gift, but keeping that in mind is much easier said than done. In fact, it's something I seem to have to re-learn everytime it happens.

"Craftsman/Piano Playing Coffee Barista?"

"Craftsman/piano playing coffee barista"—that is how my good friend recently described my husband. As a major creative force in our home, I think it's time you got to know him.

He is a carpenter by trade and an artist in all aspects of his life. Having him as part of our family is good in so many ways. We get live piano performances daily, custom made furniture to fit the wonky spaces in our old house, home made candy (his sweet tooth benefits us all in that way), and lattes or cappuccinos whenever we (ok, I) need one.

His current wood shop projects include chess pieces, a bench to go with the table he recently completed, and a banjo. Yup, he's making a banjo.

So that's him in a nutshell. Now that you've heard a bit about this endlessly talented man I get to call my husband, you'll feel like you know him when I include him in future posts. His projects and experiences leave me no shortage of expertly crafted items and interesting stories to blog about. Tune in soon to see more of his work...

Summer Sale

I am making way for some new pieces, so a few of the old ones (including the one pictured above) must go. Check out the "SALE" section of my shop.

A Flag Waving Weekend

Over the long weekend we were granted plenty of time to complete some of the projects we've had on our family's wish list.

My husband completed our new patio (just in time for BBQ season -- hooray!) and my girls and I made these fun flags. We finished this "Birthday Garland" in time for our daughter's upcoming party, but we will surely be using it for all our future family celebrations. I have a sneaky suspicion it will be used as a decoration in the girls' bedroom between gatherings, too, as they can't seem to get enough of it.

The beauty of the fabric garland is that you can make one to fit any occasion, holiday, special person, or season. I also like that they are reusable, cutting down on party waste.

The idea and instructions came from the book The Creative Family. The author, Amanda Blake Soule, also has a ridiculously inspiring blog called Soule Mama.

Blog Debut

The first blog post!

This is a good time to let you know what AGA Elemental is all about:
my influences
my interests
my jewelry

Or, to be specific: nature, metal, all things handmade and local, fashion, sustainable living, books, the craft world, gardening, design, creative inspirations and last but not least, trying to make a living through my craft

Please join me as I explore this vast world of crafts and the Internet in an effort to nurture an awareness of handmade crafts, inspire people, promote my own work and the outstanding work of others, and become entrenched in this community of bloggers and crafters and tweeters and...