Creative Miscellany

I am a terrible diarist/blogger.

That said, the new house is awesome, I've been able to personalize most of it with paint and/or accessories, and I have more than adequate space to store my supplies. Life's pretty good, even if we're not 100% unpacked yet, but we're getting there.

Shattered Photos now lives at Wise Women Gallery & Gifts in Lake Zurich, IL, where I'm getting exposure I'd never have had otherwise, even if I'm not getting rich -- yet! The woman who owns and runs the place is experienced with both shop ownership and with artistry (she's one herself), and is a nice, creative, and business-minded woman. I respect her a lot.

So many things have been on hold for so long. Before, it was that I didn't have space to create much of anything, now I've been busy getting the house in order, unpacking, painting, decorating, enrolling the child in school, more unpacking/painting, then the holidays... We've been here 6 months now, and I hope this is the year I finally finish the Hallowe'en necklace I've been imagining since June 2008.

Belle Armoire Jewelry accepts submissions to their fall issue until April 15th. If I don't make that deadline, there's always next year. Thing is, I still don't know for sure what I want to do, so there it all sits, and I try to find the inspiration I need to make it happen.

A friend posted a Facebook invitation - 1 free handmade item to the first 5 commenters who also repost the invitation - I accepted the invitation. Yesterday I finished the first of my 5 handmade items: a needle felted pirate cat, complete with eyepatch, pegleg and sword. I mailed it today. I hope she loves it as much as I do. (And this is another bit of aggravation -- the inspiration for Calico Jack, pirate cat, came quickly and clearly. Why won't this necklace come to me?!) I'll post a photo or 2 after the recipient gets it. Three of the remaining 4 I have planned, and the last will require a bit more thought.