studiosuzanne

Haunted Studio?!

Okay, true story. I've been working on cleaning up my studio for the past couple of weeks.  I set myself a goal to let some things go so the things I like the best can be better appreciated. I'd like my studio to be pretty again, as well as organized. About a month ago, I found a small chandelier that was in desperate need of attention.  I bought it, removed the old wiring, cleaned it and started the hunt for vintage crystals and replacement parts.  It has been a totally fun project!  Last week, I finally got to install it and admire my work. Pleased with my progress, I moved little trinkets around, playing with the room layout.  

I have two vintage dress forms in my studio and I love them both.  The oldest is Camille, who is about 100 years old. The other dress form is a Stockman from around the 1950's. I haven't named her yet.  (I try to get to know my antiques first.)  When I bought Camille, she had a lovely black beaded shawl displayed around her shoulders, the part of her that is the most worn.  I bought the shawl as well, joking to the antique store clerk that the shawl "belonged" to the dress form and I shouldn't part them.  As I rearranged my room, I decided to see how the shawl would look on the other dress form.  I removed it from the old form's shoulders and draped it over the Stockman.  

I sat down to consider, looking from one dress form to the other, when I noticed that the chandelier was swaying.  I sat and watched as the chandelier rocked like a pendulum, back and forth, back and forth and waited for it to still.  I waited. And waited. It kept rocking! I checked the air vent and it wasn't on. I ran my hands over the window sill, looking for any moving air and couldn't find any. I even tried to physically stop it, but every touch seemed to send it spinning and shimmering. I finally gave up and moved my breakable cherub out from under it in case the chandelier fell.

I went back to my table and looked at the forms again, keeping an eye on the swaying light. Deciding that the beaded shawl wasn't right for my busty young dress form, I removed it - and the light stopped swinging.  I tossed the black shawl over Camille and went back to check out the chandelier. It was completely still.  I tried stomping back and forth between the dress forms to see if I was somehow creating a vibration. Nothing.  I went close to the chandelier and blew out a breath. Nothing.  I got closer and blew as hard as I could.  The tiny crystals shivered and then stilled. I touched the base with the tip of my finger and started it swinging, but it quickly came to a rest.  I was baffled!

When my teen-aged daughter came in the room I excitedly told her the tale.  I finished with, "So I guess my new chandelier is haunted!"  She smirked.  "No, Mom. It sounds like you just pissed off Camille." 

The chandelier has not moved since and I have not been brave enough to put Camille to the test.  She can keep her shawl!

Suzanne

Trick or Treat!

 

Two Gothic Art pieces from the Oxford Impressions mailbox!  The first is from Shelly Hickox.  She used images from our "Wicked" rubber stamp collection to create this spooky postcard.  Lynn Stevens created some "dark" art with our latest stamp collection, "Haunted".  Thank you both for putting a little Halloween scare into me!

 

 P.S. If I only wear my Halloween shirt once a year, how long is this shirt going to last?! My daughter said until I outgrow it - frightening thought! Oh, maybe she was speaking of maturity level, not size. Still scary.

P.P.S. Check back later tonight for my spooky studio incident ... 

(No, Cyndi. I didn't set my carpet on fire again.)

Suzanne

What I've been doing...

 

This has been an odd week.  I have been getting some great art in my mailbox this week.  I don't have any to show you, though.  I've been nursing a sick Guinea Pig.  My 11 year-old daughter has a piggy named Abby. Abby became awfully sick last week - so sick, that I took her to the exotic pet vet.  I paid an obscene amount of money for the treatment of a $20.00 little animal.  I am syringe-feeding her three times a day and medicating her multiple times - all while she resists. Then I have to clean up the liquid hay from the pig, the towel, my hair, the floor, etc.  You'd think I'd get better with time and practice, but I'm not! Gaa! The use of "she" in my description of Abby is significant.  Up until about 10 days ago, Abby was an "it" to me, the rodent that lived in my daughter's room.  I was not at all interested in the creature and had never picked her up or held her. I am a softie at heart though, and when I saw she was suffering, I had to do what I could to save her.  Now, after swaddling her like a baby and spending all this time holding her, I'm emotionally invested. Great. Wish me luck!

Suzanne

Letting go

Many of my artist friends seem to have the same affliction, we keep everything! I think we view a multitude of items as potential art material. I am totally guilty of this. I adore prowling around antique stores and flea markets.  I buy ephemera whenever I find it.  Really, I don't think I could leave paper behind if the price was at all reasonable. I never have! I've never looked at a box of sheet music and thought,"Well, I already have two boxes of this at home..." I will also keep broken household items, thinking that some day I'll use them in a mixed media project.  At a recent art festival I saw a woman who had incorporated an old cheese grater into her work. Dang! I lamented finally throwing away my rusted one.  See, it WAS useful! It DID have potential!

I've been thinking this way for about 15 years, since I began my love affair with rubber stamps. At some point, the "stuff" exceeded my capacity to store it. Still, I clung to it, unable to part with it's potential. I don't know when the tide began to shift, but now, instead of seeing endless assets, I feel burdened by it. I have a great studio/office space that has never been beautiful. I have interesting art and artifacts, but I can't enjoy them.  Every shelf is crammed full, every surface covered with multiple items. I have more wall art than I can enjoy.  There is no place for the eye to rest. I have finally called ENOUGH!

I started with the mountain of magazines, the oldest first.  I had Rubberstampmadness back to 1997. I have also kept Somerset Studio since its initial publication, along with most of it's sister magazines.  I have Legacy, Stamper's Sampler, Take Ten, Catch Up issues, Somerset Gallery, Inspiration, Somerset Memories, Artful Blogging, etc.  I also have stored magazines that are no longer in business like Expression, Correspondence Art and The Rubber Stamper. I have a healthy dose of issues that I've picked up randomly such as Cloth, Paper Scissors, Altered Arts, Home Companion, Craft's N Things, Card Creations, Creative Keepsakes, Making Memories. 

I sat down this weekend with an exacto knife and started the huge task of letting go.  It was so much fun going through the older magazines that I almost put them back to experience again at a later date! Back in the late 90's, stamping was really at a fun stage.  Everything was exciting.  There were TONS of rubber stamp companies, and a huge number of conventions.  We didn't have all the tools, printed papers, and embellishments that prevail in the market today. All that mattered was the rubber and embossing powder was magic! I loved revisiting that era and looking at all the ads for stamp companies of the past.  I enjoyed looking at cards made with stamps I haven't touched in a decade. Still, I was strong.  I religiously stacked magazine after magazine outside my door until the pile was three feet tall. Monday morning, minutes before the city services truck was coming, I filled the recycle bin and ran back inside.  I couldn't watch. So far, there are no regrets...of course it is only Tuesday! That empty space in the floor looks promising. I'm not even half way through the magazines, but that golden stretch of revealed carpet is a sign of progress and the hope of good things to come! Wish me luck!

Suzanne

Haunted Glass Art

 

I've been getting some lovely art in my mailbox lately and I just have to show it off.  Check out the beautiful glass art piece created by Lynn Stevens. Lynn used the new "Haunted" rubber stamp collection. I love it! Thank you!

Suzanne

Stamp Versatility

 

Versatility is always key for me as a designer.  I want stamps that will work in many situations.  I want images that work together!  I have designed pre-collaged images, but only a very few.  I don't find them as interesting.  They look the same - every time.  One card stamped with it looks much like every other. I strongly prefer bits and pieces that can be combined in multiple, exciting ways.  I always look forward to seeing customer and design team artwork.  Everyone has the exact same tools, but the art is always so different!

Another key versatility point for me is that Oxford Impressions rubber stamp collections work together, not compete with each other.  I don't want to make the same stamp plate over and over.  That isn't fun for me or desirable for my customers.  I want the collections to compliment each other.  Some key elements, like people, are sized on the same scale, so they can work together. Other elements are deliberately sized so they can be used in different applications.  For example, there are bats on all three of Oxford Impressions Halloween collections.  There is a tiny bat and a cute bat on "Trick or Treat". There is a menacing bat flying from the side on "Wicked".  "Haunted" has a much larger bat with a full wing spread.  I designed this particular bat so the wings could be used on most Oxford Impressions free standing figures. I could have just made a pair of bat wings, but it is more versatile to have the whole bat!

I was excited to see the above card created by Rosemary Reid.  She effectively combined stamps from all three Halloween collections.  Since the girl with the doll image is the largest, she placed it in the front. By doing so and stamping the other children a bit higher on the page (look at their feet), she created a wonderful sense of perspective. I love the way this card illustrates how different collections can work together and the elements combined give the artist a multitude of new composition choices.  I love that card, Rosemary!

Suzanne

Overflowing with art!

I'm finding more Art than bills in the mailbox these days! Lucky me!  I have to show you what Wendy Robinson sent. She managed to put a sweet twist on the new "Haunted" Halloween stamps by Oxford Impressions.