Not feeling the love in the studio this week.....

 It's probably just recovering from this cold, but I"m having a hard time creating in the studio this week.  I have a bunch of paperwork type things to do.. like gathering all the tax info for my tax gal in a couple of weeks, and researching and applying to shows for the summer, so maybe it's just a hard to switch gears thing.  Since it's January ( and several months before I have a show) it's nice that hitting a minor creative dry patch isn't a huge deal.  No Pressure!  I plan tonight on organizing in the studio once I get my "home" chores done. (yes, that is code for dishes.  oy)

Since I adore organizing my stash, I am looking forward to this block of putter time.  If nothing else, my studio will be clean and organized again, always a worthy goal -- and often when I have stuff out of the boxes and playing with where it should live, it sparks ideas. 

For example, the piece above came about because I was trying to put stuff away.  I hit the colored butterfly wings while I had the liberty head gal on my desk, and it was magic.   It's actually a fairy with butterfly wings, but I don't like the fairy -- never have.  I keep covering her over with different things... I'm not sure why I don't like the fairy.. I guess she doesn't look happy or something.. I like happy components.  Ms liberty is a happy camper of a component!

A few more elements added until I liked the balance and boom! I have a lovely piece, even if I didn't get everything put away yet again.  I have a whole table ( and half the day bed) with stuff that needs to be organized and put away, and I need to redo my chain storage because they won't all fit into the current boxes. 

I love happy accidents.

Below is one of the recycled tin pieces from the weekend before. 

 See the shoe? it's truly a barbie doll shoe, which my Mom found for me, because the woman never throws anything away, even toy shoes. ( youngest girl in the family now is 14 -- and hasn't played with Barbie in some years)

I had to have a shoe for this piece... the Cinderella is actually a vintage watch face I've had in my hoard for a year or so.  I didn't think I would ever use it because so far, I like my watch faces either "pretty" or sort of grungie and old looking.  But something about the heart shape and coloring made me think of it, and then I had to add the bling because, gosh, it's Cinderella! and then, well what else could I dangle off a Cinderella heart but a shoe??   I've mentally dubbed this "someday my prince will come, in the meanwhile I'm gonna buy shoes... " 

 I'm really glad Mom doesn't throw stuff away because it's much harder to find barbie shoes than it used to be.

She found 4 of them, which I took with me.  ( 2 of them even form a pair!)  (earrings anyone?) I can remember they used to sell huge shoe packs, and other accessories for Barbie but a quick look down the barbie isle at Target ( not someplace I thought I would need to ever be again) shows that they mostly sell the dolls now.  I guess there just isn't much money in little plastic bits for Barbie anymore, but as a kid that was the funnest part.

 I probably have a few Barbie shoes somewhere myself, because I rarely throw away anything either.  I know somewhere in storage I have my old Barbies and the clothes my Sister Gretchie made for them.   (imagine late 70's fashion in Barbie size, but really well made... ) 

I doubt I have many shoes left though, because my daughter played with them as well,  and well, they are easy to lose.  Still, next time I have to dig in the closets I am keeping my eye out for them. 

The thing is now I want more barbie shoes, I have in my head an idea for a cha-cha bracelet made out of Barbie sized shoes, maybe a few pearls or crystals... I can see it soooo clearly in my head.


So, anyone have Barbie shoes to spare? Pairs accepted, but not necessary......