Where Bloggers Create Party 2013. Tour my current studio here.

Monday, April 6, 2015

After National Craft Month

 I received a lovely email from Marietta Greg, Marketing Director at (and daughter of) Patience Brewster.  She asked if I would create a post about my craft/creativity and why it is important to me.
Check out the link above to see the wonderful unique, whimsical work of Patience. It always makes you smile.
I think everyone is creative. Some of us have a harder time suppressing it (not that you should!) and it is a big part of all they do.
My home is my canvas. Life is what gets in the way of spending the time I would like to being "creative,"  however I am able to fulfil my creative needs while cooking, baking, letter writing, taking pictures, blogging and so on.   While folding laundry or shovelling snow, cooking a meal and cleaning up afterwards my mind is free to create and craft in my mind, over and over again.

When I do get into the studio I am well primed to make something as I have been thinking about it for a while at the point.  I love to play with paper, making cards and creating collage pieces, favouring antique ephemera and watercolour paint as well as pen and ink.

Crafting/creating is both relaxing and exciting at the same time. It is fun to see things come together on paper or whatever surface I am working on, all the while making something tangible from my imagination.  I need to create, it is part of who I am as a person. No matter what is going on in my daily life, my imagination is always piecing things together, creating new pieces in my mind.


 When not able to "craft" I am more a curator gathering little groups of things together that I may have found over many years but seem to go well together. The elements above span decades of finds but found a home together under a large bell jar. It makes me smile every time I walk by. It reminds me of my time spent at the cottage and visits to the East Coast.

 Organising the studio is also a favourite pastime, keeping all those vintage finds sorted and stored while easy to find when needed. I like to decorate the plain wood boxes of drawers that store things. This box hold vintage paper dolls.

Found objects and altered elements, in this case the front of an antique "Patent Washable" doll head finds itself the centre of a flower, the petals made from old glass watch crystal envelopes, cut on the diagonal all tucked into a shadow box.

I listened to an interview recently with a friend of mine who also happens to be an award winning author. On her web site she has ten tips for teen writers. Tip number one is "write what you love." This applies to all those who love to create. Create what you love! Whether it is knitting, quilting, writing, collage, rubber stamping, assemblage;  whatever it is that gives you pleasure and joy, do it. Not for anyone but for yourself. When it is a true passion, that will speak to those who view your work.  March may have been National Craft Month, but creativity is an everyday thing, all year through.

Thank you, Marietta, for stopping by my blog! It was a pleasure to meet you!

1 comment:

Erica of Golden Egg Vintage said...

I was excited to see your post tonight, Jennifer! I was contacted by Marietta also, but haven't done my post yet.
I love your view on creativity! You're so right about it always going on in your mind, and even when you're doing everyday chores...our brains are still working at it!
Your "Bloom" shadow box is wonderful! You have a gift for creating unique and beautiful things. Thank you for sharing with us!
Erica
p.s. Can you believe all the work that goes into creating just one of Patience's pieces? Amazing! :)

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