Bridges on the Body

Yet another great site!  That’s two in one week!  I’ve learned so much from reading Bridges on the Body that I can barely catch my breath!  She’s doing all of Waugh’s Corsets and Crinolines, one corset at a time!

To quote: "When I complete this challenge I hope to be able to say, "yeah, I can sew," and "yeah, I know a bit about corsets.""
 
I’m more than ridiculously jealous and will have to follow suit, just to gain the experience that will come from embarking on such a project.  I’ve never even considered such a large-scale sewing project before!!
Go read and follow her!  It’s extremely motivating.

I’ve got to stop gushing and reading and get working.

Foundations Revealed

Joined an AMAZING corset-making group!!  It’s called Foundation’s Revealed out of the UK run by a woman named Cathy Hay who also runs Harmon Hay.  It’s too good to be believed, I’m so happy I’ve found it!  I’ve found a wealth of information there and I’d yak all about it but it’s taken me days to read it and absorb.  Many tips for fitting a corset, making corsets, and corset case studies.  You’ll just have to join and find out!
Today was my birthday and my mother in law gave me an adorable, yet large, box she picked up at Joann's or Michael's or someplace.  It's large enough to hold most of my small corset supplies, so they are all on one place.

Who’s that Tap-Tap-Tapping on my Chamber Door?

Started a new Etsy shop today.  I want Ophelia’s Chamber cleaned up for new, hand-made products, hence, I am moving the bulk of my vintage treasures to ChamberDoor.

Brooklyn Art Library's Sketchbook Project

In order to boost self into a permanent collection I've applied to be part of the sketchbook project at the new Brooklyn Art Library.  My theme is "Nighttime Stories", my moleskin cover is black.  It arrived today and it is due in January.  I'll be posting more as I go alone.

"The Girls" Necklace Finally Started

Pictures forthcoming due to dropping camera on the floor.  (Whoops!)
Laid out my necklace of copper and amethyst on the board and started stringing.  I like the way it's coming out!  Addiing "the Girls" will be a breeze!

Before the After

Am experiencing camera difficulties. Dropped it on floor. Technically, it still works, but it seems like the recharge-ables last for about 5 - 10 minutes. Which is what the problem was first out of the box. Then, the time improved up a few sessions of 6- 10 pics. After dropping it, everything is back down to 5 mins for batteries and 4 pictures before the stick is full.
I'm also stalling because I've spent time at stupid temp jobs instead of in my studio creating and cleaning. So, there is nothing to show. No work/artistic life balance going here. Nothing to see.

Focus on Nature XI

 James Gurney

Titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis)
Oil, 2009

from New York State Museum

Really amazing show of insects and other small, creepy and awesome animals going on at the New York State Museum.  Went with with Husband at his insistence.  (Sometimes, he just drags me out in spite of my self.)  Most of them used graphite and watercolor, but the control involved in their creation, so fine and clean is really amazing and I'm going back to see them again.  They seem primarily regional, but not necessarily so.

Still Cleaning

Process
The studio is still in the throws of being re-organized. Or perhaps, actually organized. Well, organized for this incarnation, for it actually "comes together and falls apart" [a quote from Pema Chodron] over and over again. What I noticed last night is that the paper I have falls into a few categories: For Scrapbooking; Visual Reference Material; Collage Material; Business Materials; Project Outlines; Stationary; Loose Journal Entries; Other Writing; Blog Reference Material; and Dead Files that I keep but cannot recall why. Additionally, the Visual Reference Material tends to go stale as it is subject to trends that once incorporated in my world view, are no longer necessary to hold onto. Some reference material of that nature is also repetitive, as I tend to collect the things I'm drawn to over and over: eyes, cats, bats, chandeliers, far-away places and cool clothing. The point is to collect far less of it and move on. Thankfully, most of what I had can be let go or was recycling on its way out the door to begin with.

The objects I have, while many, are not so many and of such significant variety that they are infinite in variety or defy categories or organization. I've been cursing the space, the objects and my self when in fact, once contained, I own a smattering of art & craft supplies that are very enjoyable. I used to think that organization was anathema to creation. It had reached a point where disorganization was preventing me from moving forward as an artist as well as a person. It feels really good to make decisions and start looking at less.

Studio Cleaning: Before

A Second Pair of Eyes
Map came over to help clear out the studio for two full days. Having the second pair of well-informed eyes was invaluable.

Best: I told him that it felt like a plug has been pulled on a tub of dirty bathwater. He knows all of my secrets, in fact, he gave most of them to me.

He cleared out the space behind the door. Not only does the door now open, I can walk in, it feels like a room, the sound quality has changed from over-stuffed closet to that of an actual chamber.

He was able to corral and contain my categories: something that would have taken me weeks. I just couldn’t see them any more. Now things are labeled and it feels really good.

No grocery store bags. They cannot be used to organize my stuff. I need clear containers and these containers must be labeled.

Fabric, even the recycled/upcycled, needs to be cut up if necessary and stored by color.

Do not keep art reference books, music cds or completed art projects in the studio. They belong somewhere else.

He kept me focused and did a ton of stuff and had lots of cool suggestions.

Worst: I felt rushed.

I kept hiding crap from him that I didn’t want him to toss or re-purpose or give to somewhere/somebody else.

While I’d just geared up, he was over and done. I can clean for hours and hours. He has about a 2-3 hour window, and then must move on to sitting in coffee shops, talking and reading: endeavors which are fun, but not nearly as productive for me. Know when to call it quits.

He’s afraid that I’m just going to gum up my space again.



Best Insight: That by having so very much stuff around me, the sifting, turning, sorting and re-stacking turns into the enjoyable, creative endeavor for me, rather than the actual production of something useful and/or beautiful. (In the field of clutter control this is called “churning”.) The cleaning becomes the creative endeavor in and of itself. The bottom line is: do I want to paint, collage and sew corsets, dolls, clothing and bags or do I just want to root around in the dust with 4 year old Vogue magazines? It was tough.

Second Best Insight: I’m carrying my past, my family, my wishes for my long-past future, my lost friends, my dreams and conditions in all of my stuff. I’ve avoided cleaning because to clean is to admit that certain times, eras, ideas and possibilities for my life are over.

Third: That most of my books are completely obsolete and should have been gone from my life years ago. This also shakes me to my core.

Today I Painted

Which, as you can see,  I very rarely do. It has to do with the relationship I get into with the painting when I'm doing it and how I hate them all. But regardless, I hauled out some brushes, but then decided they were no good and ended up using a spoon, an empty tin can and a cat whisker for much of it. I did use brushes for the larger parts. Mostly, I don't like to waste paint so I just put it directly on the canvas.

I'm in The Business Review!

Since I graduated from my Entrepreneurial Training Class on Tuesday, Ophelia's Chamber was mentioned in The Business Review, Albany, New York.
Check it!

Red Linen

Finally have time to start working on the draft I did a few months ago. Is red linen and I decided to have a hand at trapunto. My initial design for the quilting was too intricate for my basic machine set up (w/ out a free-motion foot; I've lost all feet and am left with a zipper foot, will replace feet as money allows). So, I made up the machine quilting on the fly. In the process, I re-used pillow innards as the batting. This was not the best move. In ripping out chunks of batting, getting them even was a challenge but I didn't really know that until I was done quilting. Subsequently, the left side is a little puckered, the right side is nice and smooth. The left side is also where I made the design change part way through so, it shows.
Other issues: the front placket was originally going to be a busk, but I don't have the correct busk length in stock right now, so I eliminated the other side's placket and just stitched the whole thing together. Which is fine, except that it isn't cut exactly on the center grain, and I can see that, and it's irritating me. Next time, I'll take my time instead of doing my cutting all willy-nilly.

Corset Poll

What is the highest price you've paid for your ready-to-wear corsets?

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• $150-$200
• $200-$250
• $250-$300
• Above $300

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What is the highest price you paid for your custom corsets?

• $150 - $200
• $200-$300
• $300 - $400
• $400 -$500
• Above $500

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Think of your favorite corset. What one thing do you like best about it?

• The Fit
• Matches everythink I have.
• Perfectly constructed.
• Other

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• 2-3
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• 4 and above

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Step on a Crack....

...break yer momma's back: Mom was in an accident on Sunday or Monday (I didn't receive the message until Thursday, for a variety of reasons). She's broken the T9, the ninth thoracic vertebra, and bruised 2 others. She is in a turtle shell cast of some sort for 12 weeks. I've offered to make her a corset for support and moral, so, I'm awaiting her measurements. I'm thinking side or front lacings to remove pressure off of the spine. It was a weird week, following the walk around Cohoes. A haunted city and a broken back feels like a lot to think about. Thank goodness it was wasn't worse. Then, in business class, a chiropractor showed up to sit with us and discuss marketing strategies. See? Weird, I tell you. It does remind me to "crack" open my Anatomy & Physiology text for fitness class.

A Visit to Cohoes, New York

"O" is for "Ophelia"

Took a long walk around Cohoes with MAP on Thursday to scope out studio space. Found the Foundry, which is intriguing, exclusive, etc., and one or two other spaces to call for a look. There are exactly five businesses on Remsen St.: a knitting store; a wine shop; a Russian supermarket; Satchel - a purse/gift shop; and the Bread & Jam coffee shop. We met Sal at Bread & Jam and declared his coffee house amazing. He was wonderful and gave us instructions to one of the studio buildings we were scoping.
Cohoes itself has fallen apart in the most sad, beautiful way. It is a veritable slum/ghost town as people struggle economically in the houses and apartments built by their great-grandparents – structures made of ornately carved wood followed by bricks starting from the 1860’s forward. Then like everywhere else, there were a couple of wars, immigrants and a boom. And then there was a Depression. And then there was another war.
And then, recently, nearly everything disappeared. Word on the lips of local artists is that it’s ripe for a low-rent, artsy take-over. Let the transformation begin!

Petunias & Fans...

… go together like summer rain and bare feet. If you cultivate some petunias (an awkward name for a gorgeous flower, far better to use their Latin Solanaceae) in front of a window and then mount a large fan in the same window, the room fills with the essence of spicy-sweet honey.

Tonight, I turned on our new, large fan for the first time. I’ve been (attempting to) grow some large, velvety, amethyst petunias for a month. To keep the room a little cooler, I’ve turned out the light and the room in pulsing with the scent. Amazing.