My New Studio

Setting up my studio again has not exactly been what I expected.  Take today for example.  I needed to go outside and stretch my legs, grabbed a can in case I found something I wanted to keep, like a pretty rock, or some wild flowers.  I live on the banks of Fall Creek that runs through Indianapolis.  There's always something interesting even though I also happen to live almost downtown. 

 

There's a small road behind my studio and I went back there to see if any of the wild flower seeds I'd sowed a few weeks back had came up. Not a single one, but almost hidden was a turtle snuggling headfirst under the bushes.  Ok, not even a turtle, it was a tortoise.  It was Huge!  Bigger than a football but not as big as a breadbox.  I wanted to take it back to the creek before someone hurt it, but I was a bit afraid to touch it.  Would it bite?  How fast could it move?  Would it like being found?  I got neighbor to help and, as it turns out, it was a pet of another neighbor just down the road that had been missing for two weeks. 

I know, not exactly like a deer that could dash out in front of a car, but it made me think about what it's been like to get my studio up and running.  Like that tourtise, it's not been very fast, but every day I've gotten up moved a bit further along.  My space is beautiful and it feels good to work there.  It's not often that an actual tortoise turns up out of the blue to remind me that in this world of rabbit fast media, gadgets and anxiety that someone else is going to beat you out of whatever you want to do, prove that there is a place for tortoises.  So I wanted to just warn everybody, watch out for speeding tortoises.  So busy watching out for the rabbits, those wiley over looked tortoises just might win too.

100 Mermaid Tiaras

From time to time, I have a request to make a lot of something I've invented.  Springing from the designs I make for little girls to play fabulous dress up, I made some, I must say, amazing mermaid costumes.  They went over so well I had to make new patterns for a total of three sizes to fit girls three to as old as eight.  Then they clamored for accessories, shoes, purses and of course jewelery.  Most desired was a tiara.

It grew into a Mermaid Teaparty for 100 girls. They liked them last year so much we decided to make that the take home gift.  That meant 100 mermaid tiaras.  100.  One Hundred!!!

As I sat there doing each step 100 times, I thought about where I started making things for the ballet students at a ballet school near me that changed me into becoming a designer and craftsman, over a decade of work all told including  a masters degree, internships, working in shops that made things for Lion King, American Ballet Theater, Disney World.  I thought most about the bump up from making something for fun and making as my job. There is a difference, the biggest is that when it's your job, you have a budget, deadline, and expectations to meet, if you want to keep that job.  It can't languish in a sewing bag until I get the itch to work on it some more.  I have to do it now!  Feel like it or not.

 They also have to be of professional quality and in this case especially, all the same.  Four and five year olds notice whose is bigger, more sparkly or not the same color and let you know about it.  Even if exact consistency is difficult, it is more easy than quelling 100 mermaids question, "why did she get the pink one and mine is purple."

I've done enough big projects it's worth describing how to do this.  It seems straight forward, but surprisingly, it isn't what you'd think.  The steps are:

• Make your prototype and edit it down to the amount of materials and time you can afford.  (Double the amount of time you think you'll need.  Trust me, just do it.)
• Make a test batch run of between five to ten.  Here you'll find the bugs, the pattern piece that needs adjusting, the glue technique that was fine making one but not for more,  that your materials estimate was too big for the flowers but too little for the sparkles, etc. restructure the steps of your process for a better flow from piece to piece.  Fix ALL those bugs Now!
• Proceed with the production run.  Make sure to take breaks when you notice your sensitivity to the task being frustrated.  Pace yourself.  Stop before you get too worked up.  Pushing through all of a step will just mean you'll have to go back and do them all over when you discover what just a little fatigue or frustration did to your work.
• When you finish, do something nice for yourself.  A treat or a phone call to a friend, your favorite trash on TV, whatever gives you the feeling of your batteries being recharged.
• Go back and check your work.  Make a check list of all the features and go over each piece for each checkpoint.  Fix your mistakes.
• Photograph one for your records.  You never know, it may turn up in your portfolio to other clients to get new work so take this step seriously.  Even if your client is hotfooting it, do not skip this step.  Keeping your job depends on it.  It helps to have a semi-dedicated set up for this.  It does not take a lot but if it means just plopping it down and snapping the shot, it will help you meet your deadline.
• Pack your work up well so it is delivered in the same condition it left your shop.  If possible, add a little pizzaz somehow.  Let your work be like a present to your client who wants to be as excited about it as you are.

 I have failed to do all of these steps at one time or another. I was disappointed in myself each time.  Take it from someone who has been there, this time 100 times, these are not hard and the effort will come back to you many fold.  Right now, I'm imaging 100 mermaids.  Yes, it'd definitely worth it.

Note:  I left the sequins off the production version.  Although they would have been fine for the five year olds they were intended, I was concerned about younger kids getting their hands on their big sisters tiara!  My client liked the finished ones even better than this prototype I showed her.

Little Alters Anywhere

I had my first class.  It was a small, slow start, but I really enjoyed myself and the brave soul who decided to come to my class that I called "Little Alters Anywhere".  I made mine as a reminder of what I'm trying to do with my classes.

As mentioned earlier, I was laid off and consider myself in some ways unemployed.  I went to a  thing run by the NY Public Library about the stress of being unemployed long term.  I met many people unemployed for over a year.

The presenter didn't really handle the stress described by the audience and just pitched the standard job hunting techniques and was pretty un-empathic about it too.  I actually started feeling rather anxious about it all and was dismayed at tears welling up.  I tried to blink them away but as usual that didn't work.  I wondered how many others there felt the same, and it's been only a couple of months for me.

I felt even more ashamed of myself for feeling so upset compared to so many others I sat with.  Searching for a tissue I found the box I'd made earlier that day.  I was surprised by how much comfort it brought me.  It even stayed with me when I woke up this morning hopeful and ready to get to work.  I thought this class up for everyone else.  It looks like it helped me out as much as anyone I had hoped to reach.

My Very Own Fairy Godmother

I made this purse to go to a black tie event.  I had a dress, but that was it.  I needed accessories and fast! And of course, I had no money.  When the person taking me called and asked what I was doing and I told him, he said it sounds like I am being my very own fairy godmother.  At the time, I was impatient with him.  I think I was more than anything, disappointed at having to be my own FGM, again, as usual.

What did he know, he just had to come home jump in the shower then his tux and was ready.  He was a pretty sweet guy though.  And we had a great night out.  He made  me feel like he was the most lucky man there.  I realized the real work of an FGM isn't for me but for everybody.

So, to the nuts and bolts of it, for I can tell you, there is absolutely NO magic involved.  All that's needed is an ability to take what's on hand, okay, keep good stuff on hand, and when needed, know what to do with them.

Earlier, I had been to Bendel's on some retail therapy.  Looking is free!  In a catalog lying on a table was a picture of an evening purse that captured my imagination.  They were giving them away so I took it home.  I liked it so much I'd ripped it out and saved it.  I wondered what it would be like to have such a thing, to have an event to bring it to.  What must it feel like to have that look back over my shoulder?  I wanted to be her, not a super model, just someone capable of drawing the kind of attention I felt toward that picture.
I got out the picture, collected stuff, cleared off my worktable and set to work.

All told, a little bit of shopping in the garment district and an hour or two of work and it was done!

I was worried that everybody would see through my DIY make lemonade from lemons getup (I'd made my dress too but that is for another post) to only to find that I was one of the best and most envied women attending.  It was a bit scary, actually.  It turns out they were all intimidated when I told them I was a costume designer and heard about some of the things I'd worked on.  So I fessed up and told them it was all fake, I made it myself because I was a broke working artist.  They changed from being envious to admirers. I smiled to myself and thanked my FGM.  I should have trusted her all along.

Sewing Oasis Outside

I really wanted a dishwasher, but the building I was moving into only had a unit with a terrace in my price range.  I know, life should always be so difficult!  So, I've been busy making it into my outdoor room on a shoestring.  I'm lucky to have a Good Will Superstore close by.   It's been a nice reprieve from all the hours I'm putting into the computer.  Now all I need is some lemonade.  I hope to have a sewing bee out here soon.

I found an old wicker chair that I plunked down $35 for.  The quart and a half of green outdoor paint it took to seal it well cost more!   Two Coats.  It got soaked yesterday in a thrilling downpour and came out just fine.

I made this pillow from the scraps leftover from a big millinery project.  For an opera I made about 20 or so turbans in this beautiful stripe.  I couldn't throw away the pieces so I matched them to make this pillow.  I love purple and green together.

I found these white trash cans at a bargain department store for $2.50 and drilled holes in the bottom, snuck some gravel from the parking lot (please don't tell on me!)  The Hostas are from Home Depot for $6.50 and the herb and swiss chard are from the Union Square market, all together about $13.00.

I found this solar powered light at Ikea and couldn't resist.  It isn't really good for sewing but it's nice to read by on a hot evening when indoors are still a bit intense.  The table was another Good Will find for about $10.00.  I thought about painting it too but ended up just touching up the black.  I have some nice tablecloths if I want some color and this is working goodstand in for a photo display table.

Come Make a Mess With Me!

I've had a change of plans. My company was bought out and the new company realized the preceeding company had so trashed the customer base for my line they didn't want to invest the money and time to get the business back.  I like the British explanation: I was made redundant.


I know I should be upset, but aside from the healthcare access thing, more than anything, I'm more, well, relieved. While I'm looking for another safety job (note that unemployment people--I am decidedly looking!) I'm also going to start my dream job.

What?


Yeah The thing is, I've done a lot of really cool stuff but it's hell to put on a resume. People love my resume, want me, but there's not a spot on their organizational charts for someone like me and they want to keep their jobs . . . can you really blame them?

So, what I'm going to do is share all that cool stuff that I've done. I've had some really weird and amazing jobs:

• Taking Miss Piggy's baby to the hairdresser and other glamorous errands that taught me where to get really cool stuff in New York, some of it that even I could afford
• Encasing Broadway stars in cheap cloth with gobs of safety pins
• Cut holes in, threw paint at, shredded and for all intensive purposes destroyed perfectly good clothes and got applause and payment to do it
• Pour over tons of magazines, search fashionista color and trend services and cover big pieces of cardboard with the stuff I really liked and convinced others why they should like it too
• Sit down with a four year old girl to help her draw her idea of a princess and make it happen for her
• Make an evening gown in a day to take a curtain call for my work at Lincoln Center—talk about DIY fairy godmother

The thing about it is most of this I taught myself to do. The difference between the person who picks up a beautiful glossy magazine and me is that I didn’t stop at just looking and dreaming and figured out how to make it happen. I would like to share not just the skills I learned, but how to not stop at the dream and create something that gives meaning to effort thoughtfully focused.

Check out my Craft Classes at catherinebarinas.com so see what I’ve cooked up this time.

Want Wings? 2.0

I tried a bit of an experiment.

butterflys by modparest

the fairy in her bower by kokoro

I had heard that people were "stealing" photos from etsy online shops like mine with out permission and using them to make "art" at a site called polyvore.com.

fly with me by taintedpure

I went to the site to find tons of girls, well, playing dress up! Far from being pissed, I was intrigued. Then I thought, would they like to play with my wings?!

Woman in the moon by Citizen Kane

They did. Over 1400 of them.*

A walk by mora3

While I'm not exactly exactly popular, girls from every continent except Africa have found and used them.

if you dance with water by woodelf-luna

At the time of writing girls all over the planet have used my wings, many from countries where English is not the major language, many from cultures where what it means to be a girl is very different from mine. I was floored. Clearly, the idea of wings, the ability to fly, the liberation of flight resonates with girls of every culture.

butterfly girl by bloody black wings

And their works are astonishing, full of hope, potential, and beauty. I was not expecting this from a site devoted to fashion and all that entails. Somehow I had offered a subversive act that was still fresh, clean, joyous. I didn't know that could happen.

*I updated the figure as of 3/20/10.

lovely lady by Donna24

To the artists, I contacted all of you and got permission to use your art. Everybody that got back to me said ok. I waited a month and figured if you didn't want to you'd let me know. If you want me to take you off the post, just let me know! Thanks!