Necklooses'.........Abound!

Does "neckloose" sound too much like neck noose? If it does then good..........why not invent your own word for something. I think everyone should have their own dialect.......and dictionary of words etc. that mean something to them. I mean we all mostly misunderstand ourselves, and others anyway, so why bother. Besides with art it's good not to be understood.......that way everything you do is open for interpretation, and meaningful in an individual way. I had this discussion over the weekend with friends.......it doesn't matter what the truth is........it's everyone's perception that counts.........Anyway, why do we have to wear jewelry in a conventional way, or call it by some universal label? Wear your necklooses' draped down your back.........you should look at least as good going as coming. Or scatter some pins, like a fabric dog and his bone in different spots.............dog on your shoulder, bone on your knee......but only if you are wearing pants. Here are some necklooses, as I call them to be worn in your own individual way!

My Great........Grandparents from Sweden who like to hang around.........
Looks like a watch and when people ask the time I just make up one...........

Same story.........looks like a relative, and when people ask..........it's always a different one....I personally like it's my cousin on my Mother's side once removed...........

This always gets me........it's true people are always trying to be politically correct........they ask if this a relative..........look closely.........I don't think so........I say in my mind............but then again I guess Americans are are a composite of many different cultures............

Perfect for some unknown reason......... a Victorian figure with a cartoon background.....

I call this an odd bit.......fabric and a bit of recycled whatever.........formerly known as jewelry........

This was a mistake........which of course is my fave piece................the best things come from unexpected places..........

Old ribbon befitting an old woman..........who came out of the shoe.....

Scatter pin.......where is her fan?

Yes, I do wear all the pieces I make.......try them out.....discovering if by chance that it get in the way of what I am doing, or catches on a doorknob.....ornamentation is the spice of life!

Never take yourself or anyone else too seriously...........

The Way I Roll..............

I was thinking about how many ways we create art and the inspiration for our creations, and I decided that probably I might be a little weird in the way I approach both. I don't want to sound like I think I may be unique in how I approach things........that idea got shot down in third grade when the teacher explained that is there is not much new in the world, but only different ways in which to re-invent things in it. Soooooooo, my way of re-inventing things for the sake of agreement.......I will say is different. I do not plan what I am going to make, other than to make sure that I have random piles of "good", as opposed to bad junk surrounding me at all times for inspiration. Art has a life of it's own....so it really is futile to try and plan a creation. I rely on instinct at that moment when I see something.........I grab it.......I see something else I grab it and somehow it all comes together. That is why I probably could never teach a class on what I do.........because I don't know what it is until I do it. It is risky to create this way, because I am in fear that maybe the right mix of things will not come together. So far that has never happened. I always seem to find the one thing I need to add to the next. The frustrating thing about this is though, that I know I have boxes and bins of great junk.........stored that I may be missing out on using. I can't store everything I have in my studio. A couple of other things that makes my methods madness is that I like to think of stories, and titles of works before the works are created.........then if something I happen to make clicks with a story or a title it's a match. I like to work in the late evening and into the early morning. There is just something odd about creating during the day. There is not the same vibe as in the night. Maybe what I do is a secret from myself and when I wake in the day.........I can surprise myself with what I have made. I do that you know...........things look differently in the daylight.

I get inspiration from a variety of sources........below are a few pictures from a recent vacation to Alaska. I am true to myself today I created four totally unexpected unplanned pieces for the Tinsel and Treasures on September 18th.

Off The Cuff..........

First Cuff.......Fista Cuffs........... Old velvet and found bangles.......

Who would think that the word cuff, with a variety of meanings, would be that big a deal. Apparently, I would.....I am fascinated by cuffs of all kinds. I decided to create my version of a cuff. I had some old material sample books that were crying out to be used, plus the fact that I was always tripping over them. The material from the small books was just the right size to fit around my wrist........serendipity......did I really write that? Anyway, it is no small feat to get the material out of the sample books. It was a struggle to take out the gigantic staples, and then scrape all the paper off the back of the material........but I must live up to the myth of the struggling artist. I timidly created the first cuff, and then was reminded....that there are no rules when creating art. What other pursuit can you do exactly what you want to do, and when you want to do it? What I want to do is everything, and my time of choice is between the hours of 11 PM and 3 AM........The cuffs below are just the beginning, and will continue until I am on to something else. They are one of a kind, and I plan to wear them at the end of a shirt that is either long sleeved or short sleeved. Word of warning, however, it's not the smartest thing in the world to wear them on a cruise ship.......they can be mistaken for sea sickness sea bands.........trust me I know.

Photo transfer/fabric.....treated to simulate oil cloth......

Handcuffs also have their place........but for now......it's Just these BeCuffs! And you know what I like best about them........they do not look "robotically" created.