and what will you do with all that stuff?

When I make a decision to deep clean and re-arrange the gallery space in the studio it takes about a week to get it just right. Which means it looks like I am either moving in or moving out! Tomorrow I am getting a new display unit. I've been thinking about buying a new one for awhile because my needs have changed since I moved into this building. This display case just fell into my lap and it was FREE! Free is good! I have also acquired a really neat wooden trellis/gate and since it'll be another 5 months before I can put it in the backyard I am going to store it in the studio in the front window. I have some interesting ideas for a window display with it and some chili pepper lights and of course my umbrella skeleton and all those gears and empty frames....I will post pictures when it's finished OK?

mom...she's doing it again.....

Those of you who really know me are aware of the penchant I have for moving things around. I am sure serious psychological analysis would reveal some deep seeded fear of something that I could blame on my mother.

Today the deep cleaning bug hit me.
Hit me hard.
So I started moving stuff and washing glass shelves.
When I looked at the floor I saw dust bunnies under the loom.
So I moved the loom to reach under it.
As I was sweeping under the loom I noticed the hand prints all over the front of the glass cases.
I started cleaning the fronts of the glass cases and noticed there were some smudges inside the case.
This meant I had to go around to the back side of the counter and get on my knees to reach the smudges.
As I was getting up I noticed how dusty my pants legs were.
So I got down on my hands and knees and looked UNDER the glass cases.
Now I was going to have to move the cases so I could clean under them....

and so it goes....but when I am finished the studio will look so sparkly clean so I can have another party.
Then I'm sure I'll have to start all over again.

snow days and power tools

My dad was many things but handyman was NOT on his resume. Not one little bit. There were no power tools in my house and the only tool box belonged to my mom. Not that she was handy either but she was a bit more than dad was .My Dad had a handy man on retainer. No kidding. So where did I get this penchant for power tools? (I was giddy when James came home one day with a band saw. Oh the stuff I could cut up with that...)

Today was a snow day for us. Snow days mean I don't teach. If the kids can't go to school then they can't come to art class. I took advantage of an entire day of no interruptions to indulge in some jewelry creating. In all my years of junking I have accumulated quite a collection of old silverware. When I was in high school I used to wear a spoon ring that I "borrowed" from my mother ...(unfortunately I lost that ring at Reinharts Pits...slipped off my finger in the water) but I digress. Back to the old silverware. I find old silverware has a lot of charm and character and I found myself keeping some of the more interesting ones so I could maybe do something with them someday.

Someday is here. I've been in a search and re-purpose mode lately. Use it or give it away. That's when I came across the silverware. I Googled "uses for old silverware" scrolled through tons of images until that "A-HAH~" moment occurred.

Using my Dremel tool with the flexible shaft - this is my absolute must have tool for the shop- I went to work on some old silver pieces. And created two pretty unique bracelets. This one features matching salad forks and a round turquoise bead. The flatware has a sweet and delicate floral design on it. I was very pleased with the results.

So what do I do if I only have one piece of silverware in a pattern? And some odd links from a necklace? And some charms in the shape of a heart, teapot and key? Hmmmm......you get this bracelet. I call it Alice's Tea party. This bracelet features an interesting tea spoon with a hammered texture and a delicate Victorian design.

It's really too bad we won't get a third snow day because ideas are just buzzing in my head and I have about 40 more pieces of silver to play with. Like the fruit spoon and these vintage glass beads I picked up awhile ago in the shapes of apples, grapes, pears and bananas.....a fruit salad bracelet perhaps? We'll see........