Blah

Feeling very dull, "off" or something like that, creatively speaking.


I do love that I have good light at my work table, even on a rainy day, thanks to my skylight. Maybe something interesting will happen there tomorrow.

It will get worse before it gets better

The next photo is indeed proof of that statement.


I thought we should take photos after we had made the studio really messy. That way ANYTHING would be an improvement. We couldn't completely clear the room so at first it felt like rubics cube...things were moving but there still isn't any empty space! I'm afraid it looks like we are hoarders and require intervention. But things are getting better.

This will be the metal/solder/clay oven area - the far side of the room in the first photo. Hate to the lose the window but thats where the vent will go. The work table is an IKEA hack. We purchased the wooden shelves when we got married and they've served so many purposes. Here they have been cut in 1/2 and have a plain interior door for a work surface. And thats my new portable jewelers bench there a top it. To the left of the window will be the solder station.


On the opposite side of the room (where Kyle stood to take that first "help I am buried in my stuff!" shot) ) we'll have the generalized storage area. The entire family uses this room but we had sorely neglected this fact, with lack of dedicated, organized, storage space for art supplies. We regularly have googley eyes, yarn, wool, card stock, oil paints, pastels, oil paint...lets put it this way, if you are out of something, let me know. We took the other parts of the IKEA shelves and added a corner.

Hopefully we'll get a lot more finished by the weekend.

Newer than expected

Something about the New Year compels me to rip rooms apart.
I had planned for January 2011 to be the time do so in my studio but my husband pushed things one step further by purchasing a torch and jewelers bench for me for Christmas. (He certainly knows the way to this woman's heart!) So we are now taking the whole room apart, installing new shelving, lighting, a solder station and ventilation.


All I have to show for it right now is a room in disarray (no photo - use your imagination) and a few things I was working on right before we started to make a mess.


I purchased these lovely, lovely tools from Celie Fago's Etsy shop. I really enjoy carving! Celie even provides a companion carving tutorial on her blog.


Perhaps I'll do some before and after or progress photos of the studio.

Things are heating up

After quite a search and several returns, I have finally found a new oven for curing polymer! The Black and Decker one did not, over a serious of tests, keep temperature precisely enough. An Oster convection oven is the winner and I'll be running some test pieces tonight. (below is one of the last pieces completed before the death of the trusty old oven - may it rest in peace)


During this whole process I have wondered (aloud) about the cost of just going whole hog and setting up the metal studio. My husband seems to think its not quite as costly a venture as I suspected - after all I already have some of the equipment. Hmmm...I don't want to get too excited...but its difficult.

We are waiting to find out if my husband will be awarded another grant that would take us out of the country for a longer period of time and all things considered, if that happens, sinking the money into something I couldn't take with me wouldn't exactly be wise. Can you tell I am waffling here?