Valentines Day is my MOST favorite holiday, Im abit partial being that its also my birthday. When I was young, I always felt like the holiday was all mine, and everyone was celebrating the day just for me. Now that Im older.....I still feel that way..lol.
My mom alway had a Valentines Day party for me, with lots and lots of candy and a Heart Shaped Birthday Cake with pink icing. She would go all out with the decorations, everything was red and pink. From the chandelier center to the walls, she would hang crepe paper streamers, in pinks and red. I loved when I came home from school and saw the room decorated so beautifully.
I, too, passed that tradition on with my children. I decorated exactly how my mom did, recreating the that feeling I had as a child. My kids loved it, but secretly I really did it for me, I need to have my Heart Shaped Cake, or it just doesnt feel like its my Birthday.
Now my kiddies have no interest in Valentines Day parties, but I had to release that inner yearning for this special day. My outlet...My Art. I remember when I was dating my husband, and still now, Im always looking for unique jewelry. A few years ago I found this awesome artist out of Brooklyn who designed rings out of car keys. I know cool right? I had to have one. His favorite ride is his 68' Red Caddy. You know with a 68' Caddy comes a unique key. It came out awesome. The artist that made it asked if he could keep the mold so he could make others.
So this Valentines Day Im venturing into mens jewelry. It only made sense, cant find what your looking for....Make It. Yet I just couldnt become inspired. Well not this time.... LOVE inspired me. I made about 12 different mens chains for this lovers day, and they sold pretty fast. They are simple. Simplier the better. But sometimes for me the simplier is harder to create. Yet these came out quite fabulous, and they are priced right. After all, if you cant buy what you really want, vacation for 2 to Aruba, why not get alittle something for under $40.00? Let him know you were thinking of him in a unique way.
Kids went off to school, husband Joe is out and about, and my momma came by to help me price my goods for an upcoming show this Sunday in Brooklyn. http://www.artistsandfleas.com/ for more info. Today was suppose to be a productive day. It was, just not with what I had planned. My mom and I ended up cleaning every crystal on 3 of my chandeliers. Dont even ask how I got that side tracked, but I did, and they do look quite "Fabulous" . As for the other 5 chandeliers, well they're upstairs, just my kids see them.
After my mom left I started pulling stuff together for my show. Its not that easy to fit all my creations in a 5x7 space, you have to make it look like eye candy without looking so busy. I tend to design whatever inspires me at a given moment, with no rhyme or reason, so at times my goods dont flow with one another, and some need to be left behind. Thats okay, it is what it is. I cant sweat the small stuff, because now I need to rush off. Im meeting up at my twins school gym to take some measurements. Did I mention I sketched out their whole 5th grade luncheon theme today? Well I did, and I need to get the ball rolling with my decorating team because theres alot to design with a very little budget. Seems to be the way things go when I decorate, little budget. Thats when my creativity kicks in I suppose....
But I was able to spend some time at my desk and make a few fabulous bangles. The sparkling gems just make me smile on a Rainy Monday. And all of this done by 3:00 pm, because thats when I put on my favorite hat, being a mom; homework, dinner, music lessons, art classes and dance. Isnt that why we do what we do?
I try to do a show once a month, my latest shows have all been in Brooklyn for some reason. I feel maybe the "Brooklynites" may get my style and appreciate it. I am inspired by everything, it really gets overwhelming at times, because I have sooo many ideas, I dont know what to make first. I just recently started an Esty store, those of you who dont know what that is, its like Ebay but only for handmade items, and its been helping me set some deadlines for myself. I hate to admit, as I am an Artist, the whole marketing thing isnt really my favorite. Not that I dont know how to do it, its just Im focusing on making and creating, and, well, promoting just isnt as exciting, its like a have to, not a want to. Hence, the Starving Artist is born. Its a work in progress, everyone should always push themselves outside their comfort zone, it can only take you to better places. Here on my Blog, Im going to post my projects, revamps, & renovations maybe to inspire someone else to bring out their inner artist.
