The Creative Drive. Where Does It Come From? Answered Here.

OK.  So I'm not very good at blogging entries. Actually it's been so long I didn't know how to get into this thing.

So why am I here now?

Well, I just had an interesting experience in how the creative (mine) mind works and I have this wonderful blog just sitting here doing nothing that I thought it needs to be the repository of creative genius at work.

People often ask "how did you come up with that design."  My answer:  "just happened."  Well it "just happened" and I am rather astounded at the process. and can actually document it.  Not that it will help anyone in figuring out how to be more creative.

I have been working very hard at organizing my studio space for the last week.  I've also spent months involved with a wonderful line of jewelry I love, but have been away from my gemstones which I have missed.

Last night, actually early this morning, until 7:30am, I created 2 beautiful, classic in my style, black pearl necklaces.  Ah, it was so nice to touch these beautiful pearls and admire their shinny deep luster.  It's with this happiness I was about to embark on working with some gorgeous black agate that I've been dying to get my hands on for months.  I have the design inside me and it's just dying to get out.

I haven't a clue as to how it happened, but instead of creating a lovely Grace Kelly type design that's my style....nothing fancy or ornate. I am of the "less is more" school.  Simplicity of design and all that.  My mind starts to wonder in an out of body experience.  I don't know which draw I opened of the 200 that stare at me on my work space, or which lovely caught my fancy.  But I was transported back into another time.  Another place.

I was in a hot musty attic, rummaging through great-great-great-grandmothers trunks.  Their had been talks of her exotic travels to the Orient and a great passionate love in India. But digging through her trunk I found no evedence of these stories.  Not until I came to find a wad of beautifuly embroidered exotic fabric. I picked it up and noticed that it was wrapped around something heavy.  Slowly and carefully I unwound the fabric, admiring it's richness of design and artistis skill until I found it's treasure.  Lying in my hand was an intrecitally carved box with an intoxicating aroma that smelled familiar, but I didn't know why.

It wasn't for awhile until I opened the box, and didn't think I would find anything in it, but I sat down on the attic floor to better examine my discovery.

The first thing I saw was a very yellowed old piece of folded paper.  I carefully lifted it out of the box, but the edges crumbled in my figures.  I was wondering if this could be something written by my long ago grandmother.  How exciting it would be to read something that she wrote, maybe about the adventure of this box and fabric I had discovered.

As I cautiously unfolded the paper that was still fairly in one piece, I was shocked by what it said.

"These are her dowry.  Please see that she gets them.  If you are to late, treasure them always, as I have you" Signed with a flourished "R."

I was so ingroused with the note thinking it could be from that great lady of ages past it didn't dawn on me that there was something else in the box.  A dowry?

There was a beautiful ice blue velvet piece of fabric looking at me.  I ran my fingures across it enjoying is silky texture.  So soft.  But I could also feel something underneath.  I held my breadth as I lifted it out of the box and carefully unfolded the fabric to reveal..............the earrings that I was making.

This story was going through my head as I took this piece then that piece. Tried another.  Ah, they fit! Slowly reveling a scrumptious earring of a different time.  A different age.  A different place.

Something SO radically different from what usually comes through the creative force that's within me.

It was like a puzzle.  No, a compulsion. To bring into being this exotic elegant design of ages past into the present.

A 10mm white freshwater pearl.

Several small antiqued silver pieces building a story around it.

A sparkel here, a small textured ring balancing the shapes of three other pieces on top of it.  There that works now.

No, no.  Take it a part and do it again. Upside down.

The smaller one, then the larger and smaller again.

Ah, the flow of the shapes. The luster of the pearl. The many layers of intricacy.

A journey ended.

An earring luxurious and mysterious and beautiful enough to be a brides dowry and worn on her wedding day.
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The creative process is a journey that an indescribable force takes one on, which draws from nothingness into small pieces of reality.......... revealing something that wasn't here before.

Springtime at The Christmas Corner: One of my favoriate people and shops

I can't remember exactly how we first met, but it definitely had something to do with me not knowing what I was doing on Etsy, and Audrey from The Christmas Corner being there to help me.  REALLY help me find my way around.  I still ply her with dumb questions that she always graciously has the time to answer.

Audrey is such a busy and talented lady her enthusiasm and energy leave me in the dust.

Don't let the name of her shop The Christmas Corner throw you off.  It is THE BEST shop to go to for wonderful hand-painted and other beautifully creative Christmas decor.  I bought my 2 grandsons heirloom quality hand painted Christmas ornaments this past year.  They were VERY reasonably priced works of art.

But Spring has sprung at The Christmas Corner, and as of right this minute Audrey has 122 wonderfully beautiful and useful items for sale.

One of Audrey's brand new items are bottle cap magnets.  So pretty,  bright  and spring-like. http://www.etsy.com/listing/65060949/chocolate-lovers-bottlecap-magnets

I LOVE "sayings."  And Audrey has something for everyone on ceramic coasters and magnets.

I also LOVE magnates and as I write this she is making a special set for me of some of my favorite artist's works.  Audrey does custom work and is very easy to communicate with.  I love pretty magnets, and you can have them with a picture of  your child or their art work, the family, your dog...anything.  I LOVE these.  Not only are they pretty and personalized they are practical too.  One of my favorite "sayings" is The Four Chocolate Food Groups.  Which says:

Their are 4 main food groups
Milk Chocolate
Dark Chocolate
White Chocolate
Chocolate Truffle 

You could just eat the graphic this is printed on, http://www.etsy.com/listing/67549742/chocolate-food-group-magnet there are so many other magnates to choose from.  Audrey also has ceramic coasters, again with great fun graphics or personalized.  At this stage of my life I thought myself not a coaster person.  My kids are grown up and I have only one piece of furniture someone could put a drink down on in my house.  Condo. But my favorite one is this: Families are Like Fudge   http://www.etsy.com/listing/67549854/families-are-like-fudge-magnet

There was a time that I did a lot of entertaining had plenty of antique furniture and a wonderful collection of antique maritime art. I would have HAD to have coasters done of all my paintings.

The customization option here is just so much fun!  When Audrey debuted the personalized coaster I just HAD to have one.  I sit in a big leather chair when doing computer work and would have to move important stuff out of the way to put my morning cups of coffee down... and at night, my quench my parched lips beer. I am SO HAPPY that this all important space is delineated by my perfectly coordinated and personalized coaster.  Audrey also had a mug done for me to match. You don't see to many items personalized "Maryanne."  My grandsons will definitely get their own personalized coasters for Christmas to use at "guns" house. (Grammy came out "gun" from my eldest grandson. Now they both call me this..they are not that old and both still in diapers.) 

Audrey also has a wonderful blog. Audrey's Country Crafts  http://audreyscountrycrafts.blogspot.com/  I don't know where she has the time to cook, but she does  (I don't) and offers mouth watering receipts...which just may get me cooking again.  Check out her Blog at http://audreyscountrycrafts.blogspot.com/   for a yummy easy recipe for "Cream Puff Dessert"  and make sure you visit Audrey's Etsy shop The Christmas Corner    http://www.etsy.com/shop/thechristmascorner click on the photo of "my mug." and especially remember it as a place you can go to and get marvelous, useful items for your home and gifts for others.