A New Look!

Well now, how do I look?  I loved my old background and header, but needed a change. This time of year, I like to look at things in a different way. It is good to refresh things, isn't it? The thought of facing the whole winter in the same digs inspires me to rearrange and redo.

 

Still cleaning out things. The only problem is it looks like nothing has changed.  Many of my weedings and sortings are inside cabinets and bins, or in corners that had somehow stuffed themselves with things and stuff!  This week I got rid of the dying exercise bike and cleaned out the old computer armoir (how DO you spell that word?) and made a sewing center in it. It works nicely and tucks away without a mess. I also put a chair in front of my cubey cabinet in the kitchen and cleaned. Without changing the looks of it at all, I filled a whole trash bag! It is amazing how papers pile up and seemingly important things lose their value over time. The thing about cube shelves is having enough matching containers to hide the stuff!

We got a lovely blizzard last night-I got up early and shoveled my way out of the driveway to go to work. I was about 1 foot from the street when my brother Jim came out and said if I waited a while, he'd plow it. Too late-I wanted to get my hours in at work, as I won't get paid while I recover from my knee surgery (Jan 10). I was the only one in the whole building for the first hour. I'm sure it is haunted! That old heating system with its clanking pipes and water dripping sounds...! I work in my old grammar school building, which now contains our Town Offices and Senior Center. I work in the office of the Senior Center part time. A nice little job to supplement my meager retirement.

Craft Fair Rant:  This year I sold my collages and photography at 4 different craft fairs. I had nice matted photo prints, framed photos, and greeting cards. I made a new line of cheeky victorian collages, called "Slightly Twisted," which I scanned and made note cards and gift tags. I used them and my photos to make theme banners. I made nifty bookmarks from the spines of the books I altered to make my collages. I covered little composition books with collage themes. People loved my collages. Many laughed out loud and bought a card or two. If the photos struck a cord with them they looked for a card to buy. I sold many $3.00 cards, some gift tags, a couple of original collages and 3 matted prints in four fairs! I packed my car, set up and took down everything by myself. I had fun with the other crafters and bartered for some nice Christmas presents. So what is wrong with this picture? Well, I spent 2-3 times what I took in on materials. Kind of depressing!

I guess the whole rant really is to say I loved doing those little inexpensive gifty things, but should I continue? I've dreamed for years of having an Etsy store. Just got to take the first step, I guess!

I am trying to look at my art in a brand new way. I hope to be able to make more sincere art-starting with large canvases, painting, texturing and incorporating collage elements to tell a story... I am ready to start my first one and I'm pretty excited about the process. I will keep you posted. Meanwhile I am exposing you to my Slightly Twisted collages.

Have you heard about the Grow Your Blog Party at 2 Bags Full? Check it out here. We hope to meet lots of other bloggers and make many new friends. A great way to expand our blogs. Join us if you can!

I hope you can look at things in a "different way" now and then, too--

Refresh your life!

Hugs,

Sherry