blog – Page 46 – ann wood handmade

my big creative year : the one task method

May 18, 2015

by annwood

At any given moment I have a lot of things started. I bounce around working on something for a bit and then move to something else. It is rare for me to start something and stay with it without interruption until it is complete.

And even if something is nearly done there might be some small detail avoided in a moment when something else felt more urgent. More and more things end up in the land of almost done and lots of little details, like stitching fox paws, add up to a day or more of work that I’m not really factoring in. I’m nickel and diming myself to death in the time department.

For the last couple weeks, just to see what would happen, I’ve been picking one thing, one project or task and staying with it until it’s done. I check it off the list, clean up the mess and start the next thing. I started with low hanging fruit to get the ball rolling – little projects or orders that were just about done. The choice always feels uncomfortable, feels counter intuitive when so much needs to move forward and it’s hard to get all the other stuff out of my head and focus – but I settle down after a little while and I found lots of benefits to working this way:

* It busts right through unrealistic expectations and wishful thinking – I get a much better sense of how long things really take.

* Crossing stuff of the list feels good, finishing feels good – it puts energy back in the bank – loose ends are distracting and draining.

* It forces me to do some important things I avoid by burying myself in busyness – prioritizing, making choices and planning realistically.

* There is no ambiguity at the end of the day – progress or lack of it is very clear.

* Individual projects get more forward momentum – I’m less inclined to linger unnecessarily in choices and possibilities and I’m more inclined to work through problems efficiently since I can’t escape into another task, it creates a kind of resolve – it’s your birthday owl – today is the day, not tomorrow, not next week, today.

sketchbook : week 13

May 16, 2015

by annwood

Week 13 in my yearlong sketchbook practice.

It’s odd, and interesting to me, what my brain churns up in these little daily exercises – this week’s themes seem to be domestic and dark.

on my work table

May 14, 2015

by annwood

I’m working on a bunch of things all at once that I hope I can show you finished next week. That’s the plan anyway – for the last ten days or so I’ve been working differently (p.s. still standing up) and it is having a magical effect…. I’ll tell you all about it on Monday. For now here’s a bit of what I’m working on:

A dastardly indigo fellow made from my most treasured pieces from Sri Threads. I love all the mending, the other hands and the layering and textures – so owly.

And ships and boats and little passengers – spring is always for building ships. I finished a large ship and owl and photographed them earlier this week – it’s been lingering here captainless and almost done for weeks. A note on photographing ships and boats – they move. They have sails so they twirl constantly – to help them be still for a sharp photo I tie a spool of thread to the stern and / or the bow and then use the spool to position them at the angle I want and anchor them – the thread is easy to get rid of in a photo editor like iphoto with the touch up tool.

Pattern notes if you would like to make your own ships:

The template and pattern for all the ships is here ( I sligtly altered the side template of the large ship for this one – it’s easy to do).

And the owl captain pattern is here.

sketchbook : week 12

May 9, 2015

by annwood

Week 12 in my yearlong sketchbook practice. I usually listen to music ( I have middle aged lady solo dance parties all the time) or podcasts while I work but I’ve gotten into the habit of listening to a sound machine app when I do my sketchbook work. And always the same sound – wind in the pines. I find it peacefull and soothing in general and it helps me settle into sketchbook brain more quickly – it’s become an important part ot the ritual.

brutus magazine and my mother’s dresses

May 7, 2015

by annwood

You may recall some months ago I was in a frenzy getting ready for a magazine shoot here. I am very, very pleased and excited to be included in Brutus Magazine’s New York Makers feature. Brutus is a Japanese culture magazine – it is always exquisite. It was shot by Yoko Takahashi and written by David G. Imber and Mika Yoshida – who made this happen for me – I’m truly grateful.

Seeing my Mother’s sewing machine in the feature made me think about what a long and interesting life it has had and how much she would have loved that. If you had known my Mother you would understand exactly where all those little birds came from. She collected fabric for me – before I knew I wanted it – and I saved many of her dresses and scrap bags and still sew from them ( she had excellent taste). In honor of Mother’s day I put together a little collection of some of things I have made over the last nine years or so from my Mother’s dresses.

make your own birds

Find the pattern for the little birds here and the merry wobblers here.

my big creative year : make believe

May 4, 2015

by annwood

I pursued a blue fox through the forest this past weekend (the Adirondack forest- it was a glorious weekend – the first real feeling of spring up there). I had a fabulous time – I got muddy and scratched and poked by sticks, was tormented by flies and wasps, and kneeled in enchanted poop but it was marvelous.

I have spent much of my creative life in pursuit of the land of make believe, the world on the other side of the looking glass, down the rabbit hole, through the wardrobe…. It has always been something that captures and delights my imagination. I know what’s real and what isn’t. I’m pragmatic, practical and not terribly sentimental but I have spent a great deal of time and energy and resources to create a world, largely for myself, where enchanted creatures appear in the forest, or a ship might float through my open window. I wonder if I’m wired that way, I wonder if it was things I was exposed to as a small person, I wonder why I find the intersection of real and pretend so compelling – especially where pretend inhabits the natural world or where real is recreated, represented – like a soundstage, theater, dollhouse or diorama. The fascination has not diminished as I’ve gotten older, it has held on to me and I’ve given it more space, more time, more thought and more intention.

My weekend with the blue fox left me wanting more and wondering what else might happen to an elusive and elegant blue fox in the dark and shimmering forest – where is he going? What might he come upon? Whom might he meet?

sketchbook : week 11

May 2, 2015

by annwood

Week 11 in my yearlong sketchbook practice. I’m in the Adirondack park for a few days with minimal internet and without my scanner making due. I hope you’re having a lovely weekend too.

a sample sale and the alpha workshops auction

April 30, 2015

by annwood

Please meet Pietro – he’s mean, green and not afraid of pattern. Pietro is being auctioned to benefit The Alpha Workshops – you can find the auction here and more about the wonderful work that The Alpha Workshops does here.

And one other bit of news – I’m having a sample sale today – these are the sleepy lambs and goats I made while creating the sewing pattern – you can find them here. Or if you’d like to make your own the sewing pattern is here.

my big creative year : paper mache

April 27, 2015

by annwood

I have a long, happy history with paper mache. It’s always been one of my most favorite mediums, I loved it at first sight. I love the simplicity, the economy, and the endless possibilities. I don’t think you need a lot of skill to have fun with it and it invites improvisational thinking. I love to dive in to creating something without plan – just an idea and a pile of cardboard boxes, newspaper and masking tape. All sorts of problems and happy accidents occur – both spark new ideas. I think it’s good brain exercise. I spent part of this past weekend on an big paper mache experiment that failed dramatically but I learned a ton and it sent me in a new direction, I landed on and idea that intrigues me, a new approach to a project I’ve been stalled on for months – more on that soon.

In a similar experiment a few years ago I made a classical style bust while I was spending a weekend upstate – just for fun – with whatever was on hand. I like him, he’s silly and and I decorate him every Christmas.

Here he is in progress – lots of taped together cardboard and bunched up newspaper – I had a blast.

If you’ve never tried it before I have 2 free tutorials with templates and lots of instructions – paper mache boats and teacups. The tea cups are lovely for Mother’s day and both make great parent child collaboration projects.

sketchbook : week 10

April 25, 2015

by annwood

Week 10 in my yearlong sketchbook practice. 10 weeks, 70 little experiments. I started to lay them all out chronologically on the floor and realized I didn’t have enough space, it would take some time and it was going to be lots of fun. So I’m saving that for a while – maybe I’ll wait until I’m done. Also in answer to a question – I use a variety of things for these- usually a mix of pencil, charcoal, acrylic, gouache and watercolor and the little 4.5 inch squares are cut from Arches hot pressed paper – it’s my favorite.

sleepy lambs and goats : a sewing pattern

April 21, 2015

by annwood

I’m so happy to finally publish this pattern! I hope you enjoy it. A dear little lamb and goat to sew. What’s cuter than baby lambs and goats – nothing- absolutely nothing.

Please meet Smokey and Pearl:

Pattern details:

Skill level is advanced beginners and above – requiring basic hand and machine sewing experience. If you don’t have experience sewing 3 dimensional shapes this is an opportunity to learn about darts and gussets. There are tips along the way for beginners, and the instructions are very detailed.

Included:

full sized pattern pieces
detailed step-by-step instructions
color photographs – there are 54 instructional photos
resource list with links
A small glossary of terms for beginners

I hope you make lambs and goats! I feel like if you show up at a baby shower with your own handmade Smokey or Pearl you should be prepared to revive people – they are so sweet it’s almost too much.

P.S. – I’m having a sample sale at ~~the end of the week~~ of some of the many prototypes I made along the way – check back for details.

*Update – sorry for the delay – the sample sale will be up tomorrow – 4/30.

sketchbook : week 9

April 18, 2015

by annwood

Week 9 in my yearlong sketchbook practice. For todays entry I painted my sewing machine – my mother’s old cast iron white rotary, the machine I learned on. I’ve always found it beautiful – other old machines too – elegant lines- so much thought put into the aesthetics of it. I saw it’s twin at a flea market a couple years ago – regret not getting it.