Here We Are In Peoria, IL

It has been very slow going with the unpacking from the move, hence my absence from blogging. But, I have been busy. Busy mostly with getting settled into our new house, new state, new school, new job, new people, new everything. We are literally starting over. That has been a little bit tough on all of us. We moved from right outside the city of Atlanta, GA to Peoria, Illinois. And yes, parts of it really are just miles of corn fields. Closer to the river in the historic part of town it is much more green and lush. Eventually I will start scouting soon for photo shoot locations since my matchbox size, cookie cutter backyard isn't going to cut it.

Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios FL

In the mean time, let me get you up to speed.
Since all of my kids have their birthdays in July and we didn't have a house, we decided to take them to Universal Studios Florida for their birthdays. We made lots of wonderful memories. We also had a little party for them at SkyZone in Kennesaw, GA before we moved. I think their daddy had more fun than they did.

SkyZone in Kennesaw, GA

Then there are all the new items to make and photograph for the shop.

Several custom orders for birthdays and weddings

Then there are the seasonal items that are pretty popular, like mini top hats for women and children.

I am possibly going to be published in a book, that's very encouraging for me. Fox Publishing wants to publish some of my photos and products in their winter book coming out, Ice Princess Crafts or something of that nature.

 I was then contacted by a school in Ontario, Canada about replicating the icicles in the Snow Queen crown, on a large scale. As in 5 feet long large scale. That is what I am working on right now, while still unpacking the rest of our personal belongings.

My goal it to have us pretty much settled by then end of September so I can get back into my photography. We will see...

Design, Artisan Craftsmanship and Mess

I keep just about everything, broken jewelry, bits of paper and fabric. I just can't help myself. Fortunately, I am fairly organized so I kind of know what I have on hand when I get an idea for something.

Jelly jars to hold my bits and bobs, like Victorian era buttons and vintage gears

A tea box to hold my small works in progress pieces

The boxes that I store my personal photos for scrapbooking

I reuse lots of different things to store my stuff. However that doesn't mean it doesn't get messy. When I am actually designing pieces and crafting them I make a HUGE mess. I tend to get bored or stuck artistically, so I move to something else and just leave where I left off on what ever it was that I was working on. Because I do this it tends to look like all of my neat little boxes and jars just got dumped in the middle of the floor by my toddler. I assure you, it was me. Though my home is fairly tidy, my creative space it very messy. I have to pause and clean it up when it gets to the point that I can't find anything in the general area where I left it. Kind of like it is right now actually.

What my floor looks like when I am paper crafting

If it wasn't for my mess making I wouldn't be able to create my products and art pieces. I turn this mess into these beautiful things.

Yet to be listed bridal necklace crafted entirely out of vintage brooches

In teaching my children to value creativity and the things of the past, we read lots of literature together and look at artwork of all sorts. Some of our favorite stories are, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Through the Looking Glass-and What Alice Found There and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Well at the World’s End and Phantastes, and the artwork and illustrations that have been created by others inspired by these literary pieces.

Fantasy and whimsy have always influenced me and my creative process. This influence shows in my work. Steampunk, Victorian color palettes and a hint of our Celtic roots, myths and all, flavor my pieces. I pour a little bit of my heart, soul and history into everything I create.

I pull from my ancestry and the world in my head to create my Woodland line of products and fine art photography. It is the world I lived in as a child. When I create these pieces I am literally creating the images in my minds eye. I see these people and cultures, and see their lives, where everything has meaning. Which is why most of my pieces have a title and a story behind them. I photograph my woodland pieces in a story. It is my joy to create these images. It is my way of painting what I see. My way of honoring the One who created me. Using the Gifts I have been given to encourage others and tell stories, even the messy ones. 

Be Still- Merka of The Elves of the Woodland Realm series

A Pawn No Longer

I say, if your mess can help you create pieces that speak to you and to others, then have at it my friends. Makes mess, design, create, live life on all of it's roads, and only look back to remember that you have lived, even if it is messy. 

The Weaver