It's time for another ride on the merry-go-round! Jump on and join a group of 10 artists/crafts-women as they link around the world and tell you a little about their lives in art and craft.This month's question that myself and other merry-go-rounders will answer is "What inspires us? - a peak into journals, pinboards, folders or wherever we keep our little snippets of inspiring stuff...
My everyday visual "pinboard" is, in fact, a nest. Well, it is Birdland!
I have this little nest hanging from my ceiling in my studio. The ceiling to start with is very low and you can only stand up in the room right in the middle.....but I hang this nest that is very difficult to avoid and inside go little "trinkets" that I like and make me think of new designs.
Inside there is a kaleidoscope, a yo yo, a couple of birds, frog, horse, flower, car, truck, duck, spinning top, windmill, mannequin...and a few other snippets! I enjoy a little rummage through when I'm looking for inspiration.I also have a couple of folders and little books that I keep ideas in.
And inside I scribble! Alot of my scribblings are words - quotes or song lyrics or poems or ... Quotes and poems are increasingly inspiring to me lately.... I love collecting quotes as I come across them - the little stack of green cards in the photo is a different quotation on each page...some in different languages too....And then two books that I have that I find inspire me are:
Hmm. What does this say about me? I guess there isn't the usual "cut this out from a glossy magazine"....But if I am struggling for a new idea ( and thankfully, I don't seem to struggle very often) I suppose it is toys, kids illustrations, and quotes that are great sources of inspiration for me.
I photographed all these items on this little rug that only just fits in my studio. This is where I sit and rummage through my nest, folders, leather books and nursery rhyme books when I'm looking for new ideas! So now you can picture me, sat on the rug, reading nursery rhymes....
Let's go and see what inspires the other merry go rounders in their art. Here are their links:
Fabienne at Easterya http://easterya.blogspot.com
Wendren at Wren http://thewrendesign.com/
Sara at Sara's Texture Crafts http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com
Marian at Florcita http://florcitasart.blogspot.com
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com
Charlotte at FancyPicnic http://fancypicnic.blogspot.com
Lily Pang at Lily Pang Art http://lilypangart.blogspot.com
Jenny at Jenny Karlsson design http://designjennykarlsson.blogspot.com/
Nikki at Beaded Zen http://beadedzen.blogspot.com
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12 comments:
This bird nest of yours is SO cute!! And SUCH a good idea!! I also have a book of fairy tales I go into sometimes, looks like we all lean on the Classics!!
that is so incredibly sweet! The way you describe your studio and sitting on the carpet looking at a nest full of sweet treasures full of inspiration..it just sounded magical!
Quotes: www.quotationspage.com
Yes my mat/rug is integral! It has little birds all around it and is soft to sit on as I browse and rummage!
I can see how you spent part of your creative time. I feel more close to you now.
I also found that children books are interesting and good source of inspiration too.
I rely on words and word-play a lot too...
Thanks both. It is interesting to see how we get to know each other through our shared merry go rounds - it makes us focus on what we do and then can see the differences and similarities with others more clearly.
A nest!! Great idea - I wonder, do you rotate the items in there? I think they are loved and coveted items that just by touching and looking at them you can feel inspired..?
I was thrilled to see Richard Scarry there - wonderful! I can see how you use these inspirations, Ruth. Your whimsical works are a wonderful reflection of them. Now I shall go away, picturing you on your rug, surrounded by all of those books! Marvellous x
I really love the bird's nest idea... and I also love to cover the floor with my finds as I'm creating my ideas.
Sxx
Thanks Charlotte and Sara. I only found Richard Scarry a couple of years ago! Love his books!
I don't seem to rotate my nest items much - sometimes one will come out for a while, but it just seems to get busier and things get buried so you need to really rummage around!
Thats such a wonderful image....sitting on the floor, reading nursery rhymes. :) Im envious.
I love your bird nest. I think my whole desk could classify as a birds nest that way. ha ha.
Lovely post.
Great idea with the nest, and that you sort of just walk into inspiration where it hangs. :)
Words of wisdom are a huge inspiration for me too, in the way that there are beautiful words and it gives you energy and thoughts.. hm yes.. and childrens' books too! Yay! :)
Thanks Wendren and Jenny. Just spent some time on my rug today actually, knocking my head into the nest! Maybe that's how the ideas come - knocked through the skull!
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