My Shares On Life Adrift by C.S. Alexis

Leaving My Wood Tokens in The Wild

2012-01-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

Now I am doing it.
Today I ship my first piece to the UK via one of my shop orders.
I get to send a little greeting to a customer over seas that I have never seen. I share a bit of myself this way.
I offer a gesture of kindness and hopefully they will pay it forward.

I did my part.
On a different note I have enough wood tokens made up to start doing what I had intended from the start.
Leaving the tokens in public places where somebody might just pick it up, and feel a sense of wonder about why the piece is there.
Hopefully they will pick it up and put it in their pocket.
Yes that is why I made them to fit inside a pocket.

I went for a walk on the trail and left a few tokens as I walked.
I took some photos too.
I know that some will make it and some of the pieces may be lost forever.
Left in the wild, my pieces are on their own.
I put my good energy out there and it is now free for the taker.
I figure if it catches someones attention, they might just get a good feeling about what they have found and BINGO.
Another positive message makes it's way in the wild.

I call it the wild because out in the world there is chaos, caused by people, caused by the elements, or a child who might come along, pick up one of my miniature wood tokens and toss it as far as they can.
Chaos rules.

As I take the photo certain emotions grapple with my mind.
I am abandoning one of my children, I am leaving a piece of myself.
I am offering a little good will to someone, a passer by.
The emotions are very mixed.
Just let it go.
It is just a little something but it is all good!

First Wood Art Token Goes To UK

2012-01-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow there will be a special addition in an order being shipped to the UK. That is the first Wood Art Token being sent inside the order. Now I have sent several tokens around the USA but this is going to be a first out of this country. I am so excited. This is a groundbreaking experience for me personally and for Adrift Art Studio....free art shipped across the ocean.

I am having fun with these wooden tokens. I got an order for a custom made one also. That I will be making today and I will include a photo of it tomorrow when I post to this blog. Now this little planned project of mine is moving along. I hope to put one in every package I ship. That means staying busy, pushing and driving. That is how I like to work. Staying busy is key.

Here are a couple of my latest tokens. This is #37 and #38. The dog head is really cool on a very small piece of driftwood. The cross was a piece I rejected for something else but turned it into a wooden token when I found it laying on the floor, and it turned out good. I love these little creations of re-purposed material made to mixed media artwork.

Laughing Dog, I just love it, sure hope whom ever gets it likes it too! Has an antiqued look about it and fits in a pocket very good. This is the opposite side of the first photo.

Starting to move this weekend

2012-01-27T08:06:00.000-08:00

We are going to take the next month to move out of one house and in to the other. The timing is perfect according to the weather here. It will be in the sixties everyday when we start and by the time we get settled in the other place it will be in the seventies everyday. The big thing is that I am going to have exceptional work space compared to where I have been working.

Pictured the tokens I made yesterday. They are some of my favorites. I am excited about the hole in the eye letting the light in. My weird fascination. Sticking with the small size, hand painting and wood burning has me pushing the space for ideas to fit. I like the eyes. They look cool, feel good in your fingers and have a wonderful message about letting the light in, a good thing to ponder in my way of thinking.
The piece is sanded and sealed with a mixture of beeswax and orange oil. It helps protect the paint and brings the wood grain to life too.

I have managed to start putting a token in with the orders that we ship from Adrift Art Studio. That really makes me feel good. So far I have not sent one of my keepsake tokens across the world, but it will come. Two orders were just shipped out of the country the day before I started putting the tokens in the orders.

I gave one to my niece too. She had posted on FaceBook that she like the lady in the circle so I gave it to her when I saw her last night. She smiled. I forgot to take a picture.

Free With Every Order Lucky Keepsake Token

2012-01-25T21:18:00.000-08:00

I am calling my tokens "lucky" because my Mother said so. She told me the one I gave to her was lucky so that is when I realized since they are all cut from the same good fortune they must all be lucky. I know I am really getting into making the keepsake tokens now. I have relaxed from the designing and figuring of the details. Now the pieces are coming out at will.

I have taken a turn away from the perfect circle, at least for a day. Change of pace is always good. I have myself hooked on the "now" and the focus of it all. There is something about the eyes and the light that have my attention.

I am trying to get the feel for making the pieces each day as a part of my ritual. Right now having any sort of routine is sort of on the blink. We will be moving everything here in the next three or four weeks so routine is going to become a thing of the future until we get through that journey and settle on the other side.

In the meantime I am content to make the lucky wood token keepsakes and enjoy the ride. Right now I am making some very creative wooden hearts done especially for the Valentine's Day coming soon.

Let the light in. Focus is the game. I like the way it feels, the way it makes me feel, and the way it might impact others.

The piece is small, just about the size of the end of your thumb. I added the wood burning and just a bit of paint. I will look to do more like this style. They can be done in different eye colors and skin pigments too. This will come to be a fun keepsake.

I have been shipping them out with my orders. I got the idea to do that and went right on with it. I make a little envelope to hold the keepsake. Then I jot a little message on the paper envelope. It is a minor explanation of the gift, a simple token of gratitude. maybe one to help somebody focus. How cool is that?

You can purchase one of these keepsake tokens in our shop at Adrift Art Studio. I will do custom or we can do an at random purchase. Check it out.

Keepsake Tokens and the Love of Art

2012-01-23T02:18:00.000-08:00

Not planning to get rich when it comes to making cash for the wooden tokens I am working on. It feels more like a labor of love. I am up on my game. This is going to become more than I had figured it to be. I like the idea. I like the notion of it. My plan was to distribute my miniature little artwork gestures to the world. Free for the taking. That is what I am going to do. So I am up to number 30 and have a couple more pieces in the works. I am nearing time to send these little tokens out into the world.

The first pieces are most special to me because they are the ones that will and have shaped the ones to come. It is a process. It is a plan to reach out and touch as many people as I possible can... a plan to offer a simple gesture of kindness...a thought provoking simplicity...one that could create a very small impact....a very positive impact....a smile.
I am thinking just one smile per token and as many wooden tokens as I can make in a lifetime and I have created a multitude of smiles. Smiles are warm. Smiles are heart felt. Smiles go with my thinking that "it is all about the love"

Then I was thinking about how far I could reach with a smile. That is when it dawned on me. I could carry this gesture thing just a bit further. I could get my messages out through my existing work. I write about what I am doing. I work at my art studio and I try to share my work with as many people as possible, but I could do more.

My designs on the tokens are sometimes very simple. Symbols, single words and inspirations. They have texture. You can feel the smooth wood grain and the wood burned characters. They are very light weight. I have them down to a size that is easy to store away and they are relatively flat. I have guesstimated that each piece takes me about twenty minutes to produce.

Now I want to design an envelope to store my coins in. I want it to be a part of the whole design element. This is where I could individualize the pieces even more. Because I was thinking to start sending some of the pieces I have out with my orders from my shops. I am getting orders from around the world. That is very cool and I hope the sales will continue and I really hope that they even pick up and we can make a good go of our efforts. I do work at my studio as if it were a job.

My friend who sees me working each day lives just across the street. She stops by to say hello as she is coming and going and running her errands.
She tells me I must have great discipline for pushing myself each day not knowing where my next sale will come from.
It makes me laugh to think about it. I so love what I am doing. No I am not getting rich running to the bank with loads of cash from over the top sales...but I am happy. I work at what I love and I have the freedom to share my work with others. I am not hurting anyone and I am constantly offering up as much positive energy and goodness to anyone who is interested in having their share too. We all deserve the goodness and much of it is free for the taking. Here is just a bit of mine.

2012-01-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to finish up the pieces I have been working on for the first part of this adventure. I am thinking I have enough pieces to get going with this. The first pieces are going to be carried to an assortment of different public places and left to ponder the realities of the world we live in.

I intend to take them, photograph where I am leaving them and then come back and post it here. My objective is to send good greetings out into the world. This is a sort of pay it forward adventure with me using my handcrafted wooden token keepsakes as the offering. When I get these pieces out into the public world I will continue making more.
You can find the full story on this idea at the Henderson Art and Craft Examiner. Check it out for all the details!

This puts me up to number thirty. I am ready to take them to the streets. Just waiting for the weather to help me out. Right now it is just too windy. I think the wood token deposit is going to take some mild weather to get me out and taking the tokens on a journey.

Another Day Another Keepsake

2012-01-20T13:13:00.001-08:00

So it is much more time consuming than I had counted on to make the tokens I have been working on. Seems I can not count the numbers just right either.

So that is why I have created two pieces that are numbered with # 15....but I just kept on going
What, so I made a mistake and that we do but
should I discard one work for another?

I think not.

I am up to number 22. This one was made different. I smoothed out a triangular shape and wood burned a peace sign on one side and peace on the other.

Keepsake Tokens and Numbering

2012-01-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

Looks like I have already lost track of the count as I proceed in making my daily tokens. I realized I have managed to produce two tokens with the same number, 15 on them....and so it goes. It is all right by me. I am thinking the number 15 must be special.

This is one of them pictured with the number on the door.
This is also what I want to call a change up from the standard token shaped like a coin.
This piece is chunky. It is still quite small at 2 1/2" x 2".

I want to keep some variety going as I move forward with my coin operation. Keepsake tokens anyone?

Miniature Wooden Token Keepsakes

2012-01-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

I am not really sure at what point I plan to make my first coin deposit. That is the plan. When I have the right amount of wooden tokens finished I plan to take them and deposit them, with LOVE. I am going to give them away, though I hope to sell some also.
Right now just working on making a collection. My goal has been to get better at designing on such a small area and really making the tokens shine. Getting all the information out there on one small piece is a bit of a challenge. Here are the wooden tokens I worked on yesterday.

No not all of them are round and coin shaped. That is okay, already breaking my own rules. I like that because I have always said rules are like sandcastles, built to be challenged. The pieces are small though, and will fit in a pocket. It could be they would feel a little lumpy though. The fish with his mouth open is on the thick side.
I did not paint them yesterday, leaves me just a bit of catching up to do. I was not up for painting yesterday. All day suffering with very stiff joints and muscles from some physical labor I got myself into the day before. I am actually feeling it still today but much less.
Small bits of driftwood are really an effort. The wood is unpredictable. It flows, has hard and soft spots and is really the most fun if I can make a piece work.Driftwood is harder to paint too. The end result can either become magnificent and outstanding or get lost in the woods grain and turn out muddy. Much depends on the density and texture of the wood.

Adrift Art Studio is Moving One Last Time

2012-01-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is it. I still have some things in the boxes from the last four or five moves. It has gotten to the point where I have regretted calling my art studio "Adrift". When I dubbed her that I had no intention of making the studio live up to the name. Yet it is what it is and again I will be packing her up.

I must think this will be the last time. The destination has more than enough room to find some peace of mind in the work place. It appears I will be able to spread out, stretch and re-group with a location that will more than accommodate my studio needs. Much of the structural hardware necessary for functionality is built right in to the next facility. Shelving and storage are one of the biggest needs. I have some now but am truly unable to maximize my supplies access. I am keeping much of the materials I work with daily in boxes that are closed and quite difficult to find fast enough to keep me interested.

The plan is to begin moving the first week of February. The distance from our existing location and the new one is less than 15 minutes drive. That makes it much easier, as it won't take three full days of driving to go from point A to point B. I am ready to make this change and get it behind me.

Happy Week To All

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to send out a GREAT BIG HAPPY GREETING to the world. Not that anyone reads this but just in case someone is paying attention. Hope you have a good day today and a great week. I do not feel like writing so how about I just share some of what I worked on this past weekend? Hope it is enjoyable too!

a handful of my wooden tokens

Each piece is a work of art in and of itself. These are getting small enough to make a pendant out of. Each one wood burned on both sides and all around the edges. I also decided to offer them for sale in my shop. So now I will personalize them to your specifications as long as I am allowed to be creative and give it my best. Good vibrations as a keepsake, how cool is that?

Artwork on Sunday

2012-01-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

Working outside, open air studio makes for fun with passing neighbors and Sunday greetings. It is cool but nice. We have a few clouds in the sky but they won't last. Working on my wooden nickles and enjoying the day. I just finished # 14.
The fun thing was yesterday when I got to enjoy the reaction of my friend when I handed her a wooden nickle made especially for her birthday. She got #10, A Birthday Wish.


small enough to keep in your pocket or a coin purse

#10 was made especially for my friend

dated with her birthday and the year

Tammy's reaction was the gift to me

So I am having fun with this newest creative project and it looks like there will be plenty more to come in the future. It is a simple idea but my rewards are really priceless. Happy Birthday Tammy.

2012-01-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I broke away from my normal routine and drove down to the Las Vegas strip area to visit the Bellagio Art Gallery. The Gallery was closed for makeover and the next exhibit but the atrium was rocking with this magnificent display. It was really an eye opener. I was thankful I had my camera so I could capture some of the sights.


the mild weather was perfect at about 60 degrees

celebrating the Chinese New Year inside the atrium


all decked out with much flare

these mechanical dragons were oh so cool

The dragons could never be captured just perfect with a camera in such a short period of time especially with all the people moving about. They are big and they have eyes that light up and heads that bob. The thing I really found most impressive was the color of these magical figurines, designed mostly out of real flowers, and the colors rocked.

This is a visit worth making. It did not cost me a thing. Free parking included and the weather was perfect.

Bar B Que Ribs and Fairy Garden Art

2012-01-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

Last night we went out. It was a family affair. A few beers and good Barbecued Ribs seemed to be just the thing to get me going early this next morning.
That would be today.
I have my blogging to do, listings on the desk to publish,
brand new artwork I am having lots of fun with.
The new artwork is all about the little things in life that make us smile.
The things we should be thankful for
it is about the love.
So I worked on quite a few pieces. Not knowing exactly where I am headed with these mixed media pieces. I got the size down. The pieces I did yesterday are only 2". They will fit in a pocket and can actually be drilled and suspended from a cord or chain. This makes them useful as a focal bauble. A necklace pendant, a key ring charm, and so on....

Here is what I am doing. I made a handful of these pieces yesterday. Each one is dated, numbered and signed. Then I have applied a small gesture to the individual pieces. Little bits of goodness, happiness and maybe some hope. My feeling is to sometimes give the pieces as a gift. As is the case with the two samples in the photo. These were made especially for my young friends who live across the street.

I want to send out the message of love and faith and simple pleasures that together create happiness. I have so much of it to send, lend and give away. My sketchbooks are filled with creatures of love and well being.
So then when I give the pieces away I hope to be able to capture the expression of those who are receiving my gestures.

And so I did with the very first giveaway

Mom seemed to be delighted with my work. Moms are wonderful that way. They will put a stamp of approval on most any good thing their children offer up...

Now my consideration here is....what is a wooden nickel worth these days? Just look at Mom's face in the photo. I took it by surprise, she had no idea what I was up to.

A message on both sides of the wooden coin....makes me feel good to give it and it took only about twenty minutes to create. PRICELESS!

This is the lot of wooden nickels I produced yesterday, January 12, 2012. Three of them were planned as gifts to people I know. I intend to post more photos when I give the little girls their good gesture wooden coins. There is some magic to this idea. I saw it in my Mother's eyes.
She asked me to put a hole in it so she could string it on a chain, and so I did.
Last night Mom wore her new necklace to the casino. She said it was for good luck...
She did win just a bit....MAGIC
I have lots of fairy creatures in my sketch books just waiting for a chance to make their debut on my next fairy garden fantasy....
The magical coins, wooden nickels

I am excited to do this

2012-01-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

I decided that I am going to start doing my newest practice directly on the wood I love so much. This is how I plan to work it. I am going to put my sketchbook aside and do the drawings with my wood burner. Each day I hope to create new pieces that are finished.

I want to add dates to them...
I want the work to be small...
I hope to make them small enough to fit inside a pocket...
The first piece is bigger than I planned, but that is okay, it is finished.

This is #1 I call it "GiFT" Enjoy the sunshine

All of these pieces will be numbered...
All of these Numbered pieces will be dated...

"GiFT", Enjoy the sunshine Jan 11, 2012

Because I intend to use the wood that comes to me, re-purposed wood, driftwood and so on, all of the pieces will be one of a kind, original works of art. They will all have a message to lend.
This first work is about the light, warmth, growth...

I drilled holes in the characters eyes to let the "LIGHT" in ....the Gift is free for the taking....sunshine

My intention is to bring other peoples attention to the goodness and beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis. It is about counting our blessings, living in the now.

Another fun character I came up with yesterday was from an older sketch I made in Indiana a few months ago. I have been pondering the fairy garden. Love this fantasy ......
Little critters that are filled with magic.

We all need magic in our life. It gives us hope.


This is #2 "green is good" so plant something green...

I love this little bug critter....

Half fairy, half insect maybe?

#2 is smaller and starting to fit into my plan better

This piece is suitable for play as long as the child does not put their toys in their mouth. It was finished with a mixture of beeswax and orange oil. I am thinking that orange oil will not be tasting too good. This happy lad measures about 3" x 3" x 3/4 ". I am happier with the size but I am still thinking a little smaller. He is really just a baby!

Now the #3 piece I finished is looking like a cookie. It is still too large to suit me but I am pleased with the way it turned out.

#3 takes it's design from the natural wood for starters

I like using the natural elements of the wood as in the case of this big knot that goes through on both sides making for the basics of my design.


#3 Jan 11, 2012 Dance Under The Moon

These creatures also came from my sketches and they are enjoying one of the many freedoms of life, moon!
Simple things in life that make me smile, my shares....

#3 has a pair in dance by the light, sweet!

The #3 artwork is a three inch circle and is about 1/4" thick, sorta like a cookie but yummier!!! The numbers add up.

Painted Frog

2012-01-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I like to do things a little different like painting my neighbors frog

Art and Visual Fruit

2012-01-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

Bringing my visions to fruit...

I have been interested in the fairy kingdom and doll making for some time now. Many years ago I made a bunch of dolls with apple heads. I probably handcrafted over 75 dolls. I had gotten on a roll with it. The thing was I lived next door to a man who grew apples so the reason for using them for the doll's heads made good economical sense. The apples were right there. I did not have to leave the yard as they hung across the fence on branches loaded to the ground.
I have moved on from that time to making jewelry and other forms of mixed media. Pyrography and wood construction has played a major factor in my artwork. I have even mixed the jewelry, wood and pyrography together as I so like to do. I actually enjoy mixing that work with this work of writing. It all seems to go together. For me it all goes out to communication in one form or another. So with that I am ready to put yet another task to the test. This one is all about walking the walk and talking the talk.
Putting what I believe in my heart down and sending it out into the world....good vibrations.....my next art form come to life

Hearts in my art studio...

2012-01-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Seems I am stuck on the Valentine thing and can't get off of it now. I am ready to move on. I'm a bit tired of the hearts. The past week has been heart mania.

Now I want to do something different.

I need to photograph the last of the hearts and get them in our shops. It will take one more day to wrap them up and then I will be moving my attentions on to spring, gardens, flowers and maybe take a look at Easter and Mother's Day.

Spring is right around the corner.


One of my newest Mixed Media designs inspired by Love and Nature

I have more little people waiting to be dressed for Walk Softly 13. Fairy Garden time is coming soon.

2012-01-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

Taking time to enjoy my work. Many people might think that being an artist is all about fun and games.The other day I overheard someone say I was playing. I suppose it would appear that way to many. They most likely do not understand my motivation.

For me, it is all about the love. I say it often, because I really mean it.

Let me tell you something, there is suppose to be lots of play and fun when it comes to love.

Not that it is a game, but then again....

The game of love is work. This is especially true if you intend to win the game.

I do. I work hard at it, and I pray a lot too!

My play spills over into my work because I love what I am doing. Right now that means designing jewelry for the upcoming Valentine's Day. I am also working on some very spiritual artworks. These are meant to carry positive energy and compliment the inner desire to live full and care filled lives. Everybody should reach for all that is good, count our blessings and share our love with friends and family and all those who need more goodness in their lives.

Hearts of Wood for Valetine Designs in Jewelry Making

2012-01-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

Last winter in Chicago I was running very low on my supply of driftwood. The harsh, cold weather was setting in hard. It looked like it would be a couple of months before I would be able to get out and replenish the wood. That is when I started experimenting with cutting random shapes from the pile of small scrap pieces I keep in a waste bin.

I was more or less fooling around when I discovered I could cut out really cool looking hearts from small pieces that would otherwise go to the compost or the fire pit.
I love making something out of nothing!
I made stars and hearts and birds and acorns amongst other shapes and patterns. Cutting and sanding away at the small pieces I came up with quite the collection of heart shaped cut outs.

With a little practice I got pretty good at seeing what I could do with different kinds of driftwood and different kinds of shapes. I tried all kinds of tricks and turns to make my heart shapes different from others I have seen for sale. The mixture of wood varieties made for some really nice pieces being cut. I took a liking to these experiments.

I made small hearts, big hearts, huge hearts too.
Some of them weighing more than a pound!
Some of them turned out rugged and some came out smooth. Hearts made from driftwood and weathered wood have a lot of character. They are really fun to work with and make great pieces for designing jewelry. This is especially true for making Valentine's Day Jewelry.
Necklaces and earrings, bracelets and key chains can all be created using these one of a kind heart shaped jewelry pendants and charms.

I have a good selection of heart shapes for sale in my Tinker's Attic shop. Some I have dressed up with drilled holes for stringing. Some I left solid to be finished up by the jewelry maker as needed. I painted and wood burned some of the hearts too. These pieces are ready to go. All you need to do is purchase the exact pieces you want to use for your jewelry designs.

The pieces in the photo above can be painted, sanded, polished, wood burned and adorned in so many different ways it makes the hearts most versatile. This is a good size for a medallion or focal bead pendant. The dark color is natural too. Actually most of the hearts can be manipulated with a variety of mediums. One of the things I have been doing to produce some pretty heart pendants is adding a bit of clay to the wood surface. This gives the piece a very chic look. Rustic, natural and organic is the flavor of the moment.

2012 Positive Attitude and Motivated Actions

2012-01-04T06:13:00.000-08:00

I am not feeling alone when I suggest 2011 was a rough road to travel on many different avenues, it just felt difficult. Ah but the important thing is, it was survived. Life is going on and there is room for hopefulness and faithfulness in what comes next. Last year forced me to make serious changes in my lifestyle. This year I intend to make those changes produce more and worry less.

Good intention and positive action spent together can only make for a winning team. I am certain that my works will produce as long as I continue to get up and go to work. Just coming off the holidays when everything seemed to roll in and stop on the doorstep, I am certain to put my ship back out to float, get turned around and pressed for the next shoreline. There is where my goals will be reached, at least another bank on the river of curves.

Now I am working on Valentine hearts and handcrafted pendants using mixed media. I love mixed media in everything. Would be an understatement to say it is my favorite medium...sssss.

I did a custom request turning large chunky hearts into buttons for a maker of purses. This custom order prompted me to add a set of heart shaped buttons to my shop. These shown in the photo are my first buttons made with intention.

Art Comes In Many Forms

2011-08-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get so caught up in what I am doing I do not post here as often as I would like to do. Then there are other times when I feel like I need to let go of the "All About Me" drama and cast your attentions in another direction. This is one of those kind of times.

Last night I had a wonderful opportunity to go out and enjoy some live music. We went to The Hideout in Chicago. Always nice to get out and even better when in the company of good friends. Turned out to be a very special night. Not because I went to Chicago. Not because I was in the company of two of my very favorite people. Those things were the plate and the cake. The icing?
A live band we experienced, hales from Portland Oregon. OH MY GOD!
I want to share them with the world. That's all. RADIATION CITY

Happy Birthday an Artist's Way

2011-08-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

Yup. YUP!

I am adding another mark to the years I have been drifting this specific life's journey. Just a couple days until the big 57 comes calling. I am excited about it and glad to be here. Things are looking bright in my life. It is summertime and I do so LOVE the summer. I have been spending much time working and Mother Nature has been kind to me this past week.
Past years I have taken more than my share of days to celebrate my coming down this road. Twists and turns have paved my path. A few fallen trees, rock slides and bumps have made it interesting and often educational. The past year has been no exception.
I like to reflect on what has been of late and what is mine for the dreaming future. I have plans, some BIG and some smaller, always making new goals, reaching old ones, and trying to survive and ENJOY the NOW!
I started out my Birthday Holiday a week or so ago by ordering some much desired paper clay for future artwork. So that was delivered yesterday but in the meantime....

Hunting driftwood, rocks and sea glass, bones and beach trash has been my way of paying homage to my inner child's spirit. I have truly been enjoying it and working hard to boot. It is so good to work at what I love.

The studio is looking like mine, as I pour out, and sift through my collections. Some goes straight to the cleaners, the dryer, or honed for our shops on Etsy.com. This is how I make my living and my living seems, well, "OH SO GOOD" would cover the feelings I have right now. Not that I am making lots of money but I have learned how to be rich on a shoe string budget!

The proof is in the plastic...crap I collected while hunting driftwood treasures. This pile will go to shop when I take the time to clean it up. Yes that might sound a little crazy but "hey", crazy is as crazy does.

I am picking up after some others who are not so CARE FILLED as they should be, have some R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Mother Nature....pretty please. I am hell bent on finding other mindful artists who understands the meaning of our blessings here on Earth.

Good things are coming from this holiday. I have some new jewelery designs I am feeling very proud to call my own. They might not be the prettiest, they are not cast in gold or silver and there are no diamonds mounted high and loud, but the sentiment living in the heart of these new jewelry pieces makes them priceless in my mind's eye......VERY Affordable too!

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Art and Craft Supplies Re-Purposed, Recycled and Handcrafted in USA

2011-08-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

My studio is not really all that big but it serves my purpose and I am feeling at home there. Over the past month I have gotten thing much more organized and functional. This is a good thing now that I have been loading up on driftwood and other materials to work with.

Some really interesting art and craft materials have been finding their way inside our studio doors. There is more than I will ever be able to manufacture into finished artwork. This is what prompted me to start a new shop on Etsy.com. I am very excited about the future of this shop, my reason?

I actually have several reasons. One came home to my heart yesterday, and it has really motivated my journey. A few years ago I wrote this wonderful article about using recycled and re-purposed materials for arts and crafts. You see the "green" movement has been a part of my heart much longer than the current popularity we find today.

Pictured is a sample of some early wood burning I did while staying in Texas. This one goes back to the 1990's and I was all out recycle and re-purpose back then. I pushed it and many people laughed at me.

Ah but here we are today and the "throw away society" we have been marching with seems to have come to some realizations about waste and greed and making do. Makes my heart sing, LALALALA.....JOY!

Yes I want to make some money and I want to create artwork and I want to be able to work. I love to work and I love most being able to work at what I love. So here I go. I am collecting, searching, seeking and finding material for ARTISTS and CRAFTSMEN, Women and children too!

Now here is how excited I am and passionate for my calling. I got a message in my Tinker's Attic Shop the other day. It was from a girl named Kelly. She was questioning the possibility of purchasing a piece of driftwood I had for sale in the shop. She liked the way it looked and thought it might serve a specific purpose she had with a particular craft project she is pursuing.

After reading the message and recalling the specific piece of wood I realized it was not the piece she needed. She wanted to slice it up or have me slice it for her. Her goal was to make some whirligig wings from the slices. I was certain the driftwood she had selected would split and fall apart during the slicing because of a huge knot in the woods grain. That is when I went to work for Kelly.

A few days later and several messages back and forth and the deal was done on my end. I managed to do a bit of research about whirligigs, browse through the vast selection of driftwood I have in stock, and come up with what Kelly needed. Dropped her order for wings in the mail this morning. Felt so good!

Helping others does not make you rich with gold but it fills your heart with "gold light" that lifts your spirit, and makes you know deep down inside, you are doing what you are suppose to be doing. That is what my Tinker's Attic Shop is all about. Artists, Art Materials and Helping others make their creative ventures come to life. Thanks Kelly!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Cooling For Creativity

2011-08-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

Last night the wind picked up strong. Trees whipping around and rain blowing in sideways just before dark promised a cooler tomorrow. The humidity is still high because the cloud cover has not burned off, but I see a better day for weather brewing here in NW Indiana. Good for me and my work in the studio.

It is due time because I have been feeling somewhat frustrated with the events of past July. Hot in more ways than weather. It had become intolerable. That is when I decided to back up and punt. Got to do that sometimes. Lazing in the air conditioner gets old for me real quick. It messes up my sleep routine and generally edges my spiritual being. Hot is fine outside if I am living on the water. Not the case this year.

Looking to get away from writing today and into the studio. Might even make it a late night. Thank You to Mother Nature for the welcome break in hot! I did write a couple of articles on my HubPages. The first is a review about using Hemp Cord in jewelry making. I vote for Hemp, great material.

Another article I just posted yesterday is about selling your art and craft designs on Etsy.com. There is potential to make extra income if you want to take the time and energy to set up a shop on Etsy.
I love Etsy and I feel it is the best website for handcrafted items. Anyone can do it if they have the motivation and drive to make it happen. Check out my links, you might just find something interesting in one of my 155 articles. Many of them deal with the art and craft industry.