Spring Cleaning

Every time this year I get the "Urge to Purge".  All year long, I come across things I love but have no use for and I put  aside in a crate. Before you know it I have crates shoved in all corners of my house and I know Spring is coming because I have enough stuff for a yard sale.  I really scrutinize my crates before they become official for the sale.  It has to be something I really didnt miss all year or something I cant deconstruct and upcycle  for my Etsy Shop.  This time I have a specific goal and this yard sale has a duel purpose: First I get to clean out all my closets and draws and do some serious Spring Cleaning, and I will be giving my Art Studio, a long overdue, make over.  Right now my Studio is in my finished basement, so its not so bad, but it has taken over the whole area, which used to be my kids space.  As they grew older, there space trimmed down and mine grew larger and slowly I took over every last corner.  Although I did leave an area for my son, JoJo, some he can use his play station, yet some days he does need to seperate the clothes on the clothes rack so he can see the TV on the other side  :  )

I KNOW...WHAT A MESS

Each time I would rearrange a room, which is frequent, a piece of furniture ended up in  the basement and it quickly get consumed with either fabric, hardware, salvaged moldings or jewelry.  Thats basically how my area grew.  Well now its all cluttered and Im determined to give My Studio a more clean lined feel, so I can find my things more easily.  Ive been having an "Artists Block" and alittle rearranging is exactly what I need to rejuvenate my creativity.  So until I get that huge barn in my yard thats all my own space, you know the kind you see in magazines, this revamp will have to do, and its gonna be fab....Ill keep you posted with pics...

DREAM SPACE......

Ode To All Moms Past & Present

MY MOM THE FASHIONISTA

I love looking at old pictures of my mom, and comparing what her style was when she was at a similar phase in her life as I am now. Its strange how times have changed. She always looked put together.  I cant remember a time when she DIDNT have lipstick on!

Her hair was always perfectly coiffed, her clothes were always just so, and her makeup was always perfect.  As a child, I dont believe i have EVER seen my mom in sweats!  She was always a fahionista, and didnt even know it.  Still till this day, she remains true to herself.  Her hair is whiter, but still perfectly poofed!  Her clothes are more casual, but her style is still with the times.  Her makeup isnt as prominent, but just enough so she always looks Fab!

She is still beautiful inside and out.  If I can be half the mom she is, my life would be complete.  She always had dinner on the table,  no matter what, and it was always delicious.  She taught me that its not important whats on the table, as long as the family is together for that 15 minutes a day.  She always did without, so we could have more.  This is where her creative talents kept her in Style.  How about that HOT PINK Dress, or that cute bikini?  She made them...I KNOW!!!!!

She always, painstakingly, sees the good in EVERYONE, and even when she almost "cant" see it, she prays for them.  Its because of her I have learned to "make do with what Ive got"...and its because of her I cant sit still, because theres always something I can be doing.  And most importantly, its because of her I stop to look in the mirror before running out the door and hear her saying, "wheres your lipstick, Jame, you look tired."  Thats a good thing, because now I make that extra effort to care about me, as she did for herself, to be the FASHIONISTA that she always will be...I love you momma...

 

Talented Teens

So these gals are my first "2" hires.  Well they're working on commission.  Maddie & Shannon.  They are older sisters of my daughters friends.  Paris, my daughter, was showing me Maddies pictures on facebook, and I was pretty impressed.  Just the whole art of her pictures.  Then she showed me Shannons pics.  It was interesting to me how someone so young had such an eye for epic shots.  So I thought how perfect it would be to have these girls take a few pics for my Etsy Shop, being thats what slows me down when it comes to uploading my items.  They came over & were receptive to experiment in the working world, they spent the day taking pics.  The idea was for them to edit the pics & upload them onto my Flickr Account, I would then upoad them onto my Etsy Shop, when an item sells, I would give them a percentage.  No, I didnt say they would be raking in the money, but its a great opportunity for them and me. Its a job still in progress.  But they did get around to uploading a few pics on my Flickr Site http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmontesdesigns . Still waiting on some.  Hopefully for them, & me, some sales will be made, so they are encouraged to continue.  Who knows one of them can be the next Annie Leibovitz!!   I wished I had someone who believed in my talents when I was young, it would have saved me from going down a few wrong paths.      
                                    
SOME OF THEIR PICS    

Great Time In Jersey City

So many creative and  interesting vendors at the Craft Show this past weekend, like these guys from jersey, http://etsy.com/shop/propercriminals,  they make these really cool accessory key chains from handcuffs.  Or this other artist at http://funkycitybaby.blogspot.com, she made some really off the wall clothing, and then in the mix of it all she had these fab fedoras, and bags.  It was a great show, in this like warehouse district of  Jersey City.  The crowd vibe was like transient, you know like people from all over.  So they really were liking my stuff, which was awesome.  The big sell of the day was my letter necklaces...I would have sold more but I didnt have the right initials.  Many years ago flea marketing, I found a box of these brass letters, they must have come from an old sign, so the week of the show I made some necklaces. Last minute make, big sell.  I also sold my favorite necklace, Disco Nights, but I didnt mind so much cause she seemed to love it as much as I do.

This is the time that Indie Shows are EVERYWHERE, so stop by & check one out, you never know your next favorite artist may be there.

                                                      

COME SEE ME TOMORROW IF YOUR IN JERSEY