Rebecca Sower

december already

In the studio a lot lately, working on some new journals and a few other things...

...to be listed in my shop on December 1.

Wow, is it December already??

studio inspiration

After digging the last sweet potato and leaving the garden to rest for the winter, I have made my way back inside to my studio.  My hands got busy right away, trying to keep up with the flood of ideas churning in my head.  Is this fun or frustrating or just enough of both?

Journals mostly, that's my first love.  Some new journal concepts and designs coming along.

And some side projects that I've wanted to work on for a while.  Like these sachets filled with french lavender.  They make me happy.  Or at least they make me smile.

 

And some new jewelry in the works whose inspiration came in the oddest of ways (aren't those the best though?).  I'll share that in my next post.

Until next time, dear friends.

coffee and rain

Woke this morning to more weather.  Rain this time, freezing rain actually.  So uninviting to sit and look out at those icy drops coming down.  Made better with a cup of hot coffee.

A cup of hot coffee and a quiet studio, just me and the cat.  Time to work on some of my own art journals that have been so long neglected and dusty.  And a little time to spend on this year's stitch sampler.

I even made you a coffee and rain playlist, if you're like me and fit your music to your mood.  It's a good morning.  Good and slow and I guess you'd say methodical.

grace and energy

Just a small extra measure of grace.  That's what I prayed for this morning, after dealing with this issue for the past couple of days.

My heart is grateful for all the support and emails I've gotten from you.  And for those of you who bought from the Haiti shop before they shut it down (with still no real reason or explanation).

The shop was only temporary at best, since our goal is for the Haitians to sell their handcrafts in Haiti.  We just weren't quite ready.

Anyway...

I suppose one good thing about sheer frustration is the energy burst.  That energy can go negatively (get angry, throw a tantrum, demand to see the manager :)...or it can work itself out positively.  I choose the latter...

...and head to my studio, with some loud music, and create.  And make something from a bunch of nothings.

...and make another something.

Feeling better already...

here

I am here, still.  Still busy in my studio getting ready for this upcoming event.  Still in summer mode even though kids went back to school today (i know, it's ridiculous).  Still trying to keep relatively cool in the dry heat that won't end.  I walked out last evening a thought 'wow, it's cooled down' then saw the temp was 91 degrees (yeah that's how hot it's been).  And my poor garden, so thirsty.

 

So I'm all but forced indoors.  And I suppose that's good for my creative work anyway.  I've spent more hours this summer in my studio than I ever have.  That room seems to be calling my name more than it has in summers past.  Well that and the fact that my kids pretty much have their own social lives that don't include me now.  Don't you feel sorry for me? :)  Actually, secretly, it's been pretty nice to have the summer to myself so to speak.  There have even been a couple nights where it was just my husband and me for dinner.  We just sort of look at each other like 'what's going on?'.  This is new for me, but I have an idea I should begin getting used to it.

This song feels really good to me today.  Some actual rain would feel even better. 

Sending love your way.

on the table today

Not much to share today.  Just a few shots of some things in progress on my work table...

Life is in overflow these days.  Until next time...

feeling the pull

Each summer I do this.  Wipe my hands on my work apron and walk out of my studio.  As much as I love to be in there, summer lures me into itself and surrounds me until I forget about my other life, the one where I create and become lost in that world.

But I am feeling the tug.  That feeling where my fingers itch and get a little jittery because I miss the creative process that I love so (or do I just need another starbucks?).

It's time to get back to what was left neglected on my table, these 'box' pieces that are therapeutic for me in their coming together.  Such fun and calming work.

 

But also very involved.  I make the boxes myself in my husband's workshop.  And about seven or eight layers of paint later, they are ready to come alive with a story (the fun part).

Look for these and others in my etsy shop within the next week or two.  Am excited (nervous?) to see how you like them.

A couple of upcoming things to let you know of, but will do that next time.  For now, enjoy this video...am loving it today.

the waiting wall

I love that feeling, when I look up or over and my eyes fall on a sight, a sort of vignette, that makes me happy, just the seeing it.  I always want to share.  So I photograph and of course the photo never looks quite like the original.  That's the case here for sure.  I looked up from my work yesterday and my eyes caught on my 'waiting wall', where I stick things, masking tape style, that are waiting in the wings to be added to one project or another.  Quickly stuck out of the way, off the chaos of the work table, but in sight should they speak to me.  And there with them a page torn out of a magazine, those tranquil colors reaching out to me as things that calm always do.

 

How wonderful it is

that nobody need wait a single moment

before starting to improve the world

{ anne frank }

 

Until we meet again...

whichever way the wind blows

When the winds of March blow through the limbs of my faithful old maple...

 

...she scatters her branches and twigs hodge-podge across the lawn, to be gathered and piled...

  

...and carried to the burn pile up to my studio... 

 

...where they will find their way into who-knows-which project...

  

Weekend blessings to you.

[loving her singing this song today] 

as small as the world and as big as alone

...to borrow my favorite line from my favorite e.e. cummings poem.

The kids are back in school from spring break.  I am alone.

So it's possible I may have time to read cummings and a few others from my new and highly-recommended poetry book...

 

...and possibly even some time to tackle this much-dreaded project.  This is for those of you who may have been thinking all in my world and studio are picture-perfect and ideal.  This is my main work table in my studio and can you now see why I haven't been very productive lately?  ugh!

  

But before I tackle that disaster, I would love to shout out a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the auction for the Haiti home.  The winners have been contacted, and with the auction money and donations that I'm aware of we raised over $700 more for this effort.  That brings our total very close to the amount needed to build one home--my heart is warmed!

sending love...