Re-creation

It has always been my passion;

re-birthing/re-creation /re-purposing ...

turning something that is

old, tired, ugly

into something fresh & useful.

I've been doing that long before it was invented as a 'thing'.

Mostly because I am thrifty.

I think also because it's a deep part of my heritage, 

having been raised by a mother who lived through the depression.

I have a 'hoarder' gene.

I came across this little purse at Value Village.

$4.99

It is brand new.

Handy little spaces inside for a phone and other necessities.

It's got a long strap and a loop where you can attach it to your belt.

I really hate carrying a purse when I'm out and about on a mission.

I generally stuff things into my pockets so I don't have to.

This is small enough, light enough and useful enough

that I think I will give it a shot.

But it is UGLY.

Seriously, downright ugly.

Harvest gold from the 70's.

Scours.

Not speaking to me.

I bought it anyway.

Step 1: Gesso

Step 2: Think ... what colour does it WANT to be?

It's actually even uglier in real life.

I'm surprised that the gesso has still allowed it to be supple.
I'm going to give it two coats so that the palette is fresh and bright
to welcome some new colour.

CREATE

Three ... yes, 3 ... posts in 2015. 

That's pretty well as pathetic as it gets.

It's indicative of my entire year of

artistic endeavours.

My 'word of the year' for 2015 was

WRITE.

I did, a fair bit.

And published a book.

This year it is

CREATE.

That will be my intention,

my focus,

my challenge.

My intention is also 

to remember that I actually HAVE this blog,

and post more regularly.

Encased

The other thing that I have been working on

has been a big delight for me.

Something that I have wanted to make for

years and years.

I have one at our home in Newfoundland

and love it.

These frames are filled with

colourful pieces of glass, 

weathered sea glass,

pretty china

and other tiny little treasures.

They hang in your window

and the light dances through the

glass collage.

They are the Stonetown Arts Show

in St. Marys this weekend

and one will be on

display at The Emporium in St. Marys.

This should be hanging in a window ... it will be one day - not sure where.

This one is painted with antique white chaul paint. It will hang soon. I do know where. It lives in Stratford.

Brush Folk

I didn't truly do it again, but sort of.

Forget that I had a blog to share my creations.

I guess the more accurate truth is that

there hasn't been that much 'creating' happening.

I was glad to get back up to my studio

and mess around with paint and glue and wire and jewels

as the new community of 

Brush Folk 

were born.

They were created 

because I needed something to take to the

Stonetown Arts Show in St. Marys.

It was a wonderful excuse to get

playing again.

They had to get to where they were going

before I got a chance to name them.

That was really hard for me,

to send them off into the world 'nameless'.

"Sybil"

Sybil came into being for the simple reason that I am colour-crazy.

And fiber crazy.

It's always SO hard for me to make the decision of 

WHAT COLOUR?

There's so many too choose from.

So, I did half and half.

She's my pin cushion

and I think it kind of creeps people out

that she seems like a voodoo doll.

But she's not.

But I guess she could be.

Brush with ... losing my mind.

Yep ... sometimes I wonder about my head.

Is it just too full or is it getting worn out?

I was reading up on market tools & it talked about putting them on your blog.

I thought: 'Great idea! I should start a blog.'

It took me days to remember that I already have one.

Seriously.

That's likely the reson that I haven't posted all year.

So ...

I have a blog to promote my creations.

This is it.

I had 18 Brush Folk

12 found homes

6 are looking.

These are the ones who are still available.

Wavy

Midge

Ethel

Rosa

Gerta

Sally

Back in the Ark Business

Twenty five years ago last month I finished my first Noah's Ark.

Two and a half decades and more than a thousand arks later

I'm at it again.

This is the first for 2014

22 inches long by 13 inches high

Noah & the Mrs. and 12 handcarved animals...

giraffes, zebra, lions, donkeys, pigs & sheep.

All handcrafted from pine.

The cabin is painted, crackled & antiqued.

The bottom opens up & there is a ramp as well.

$495.00

#2 has a solid bottom.

It's just a little shorter - 21" x 11"

Noah, Joan and 12 animals all handcarved.

The cabin is made from 100+ year old lathe.

$450.

The story behind my years of building Arks

is on my blog - EVolution. 

Ev Scott Studio

Times change.

  

I started selling at Craft Shows in 1974.

I did that until I went into Retail with a store in 1989.

Then I offered my wares in US magazines -

The Country Sampler and Country Folk Art in 1994.

And then I started selling wholesale at trade shows

in Pennsylvannia & Ohio.

That was craziness.

Supplying 65 stores through the USA

and tackling the challenge of crossing the border.

The most difficult thing though

was being inundated with orders

until the joy of creating was smothered 

by the sheer weight of it all.

So then I went to Retail Shows in the US.

No orders hanging over my head, 

but going through customs after 9/11 was 

a headache.

So I did shows here.

That was fun but not viable and sustainable in the long run.

So I started selling on Ebay.

Oh my goodness - that was fun.

And entertaining.

I met so many wonderful people and loved watching

the auction part of it.

A few years ago, when I didn't have enough time

left for the auction, I did

'BUY IT NOW'

That was fun too.

And now comes FACEBOOK.

A Business Page called

EV SCOTT STUDIO

Now that is great fun too!

I still may list some things on Ebay.

And I may start an Esty Shop.

And I plan on pinning some things on Pinterest.

Yes, times change.

Things change.

They get just get better and better.

And the world gets smaller

and closer to our fingertips.

Creating Again

There hasn't been much happening here over the last number of months.

There hasn't been much happening in my Studio either.

Until September.

And then I was too busy creating to actually talk about it.

Oh how I enjoyed being up there again.

Rooting through my massive stash.

Finding inspiration in everything I lay my hands on.

Finding stuff that I had totally forgotten I have.

While I work away from morning til night, 

content in my chaotic mess,

someone reads to me.

It's an important part of my process.

It not only allows me to catch up on books

that I never seem to have time to actually sit down and read,

but it also keeps me focused -

my mind on the task at hand.

I sit still longer.

I created 20 pieces.

And now they are ready to move off in the world.

Saturday Needle Felting Class

So looking forward to hanging out with wonderful, creative women!

Pokin' Away

We just nicely got back from a wonderful excursion down to Mississippi to visit a dear friend, then over to Kansas to spend time with another dear friend.  Almost 60 hours of driving.

I'm not so good at 'just sittin', so of course I had to drag along some stuff to work on.

The perfect thing for me is my needlefelting.  It wasn't quite necessary to take every single piece of fiber that I owned 'just in case' ... but I prety well did. What if I would have needed '...' colour and I didn't have it.

This is my ipad acquarium ... thick & soft to protect my screen.

The fish just swim on the front.

This one is a little pouch to keep my flash drives in style.

I love felting old sweaters. I finally did something with one of them ... made the sleeve into a little pocket for my ipod.

Needle Felting Again

Had such fun with the last class, I've got another set to go :-D

I am determined to be offering at least one class every month ... 

hopefully when I get back in the groove, two or three.

Needle Felting Class

It was great that the weather was so perfect for driving, for the folks coming from Bayfield and London for class today. And nice for the 'locals' - Stratford & St. Marys too.

I love sitting around the table and watching creative energy & imagination at work.

And to get to spend the afternoon with such lovely gals.

Teaching Again!

I'm excited about being back to teaching!

It's been a couple years since I gathered folks around the table to play together. 

Tomorrow we do Needle Felting!

For Life

A sweet darling 11 year old local girl has been working hard

to collect pennies for a 'Free the Children'

$25. will buy a person water for Life.

Tomorrow night, at our WINGS meeting,

I'm selling tickets on these

Victorian cones

with the money going to Keara.

So far she's collected $700.

That a lot of pennies.

And water for 28 people

for Life.