Got birds? Got nests? Got stuff?

Someone asked me recently how I decide what I am going to make on any given day (read: my weekends). I don't have a very scientific answer. Sometimes, I just know what I'm going to do because of a swap or contest with a deadline looming. I always like to get those out of the way as soon as possible, because I find I create better when I'm not working on something I have to do. I also like to get them in the mail in plenty of time, to avoid last-minute deadline panic. That's no fun nor any good for the creative bone.

Other than that, I do keep an up-to-date list of projects I have to do and want to do. Believe it or not, sometimes I can actually forget an idea I had even with the pieces and parts staring me in the face.

So usually the first thing I do Friday night or Saturday morning is to set up my work table in my studio. I do have a desk as well as a workbench and a "mess room" (cement floor for painting, sink for washing brushes, etc.,). But, what I really like to work on is an old card table covered with a thick old blanket, that I can wipe my hands on if I really feel like it. I pull up my big trash can, task light/floor lamp and my high-back executive (ha-ha, art executive, I guess) chair. I find if I set this up on Friday night, I am a lot more motivated on Saturday morning. I just don't like to keep it set up all the time, because I like my open spaces, and I've been known to crash into things in the dark of the night.

This morning I looked at my list and decided I wanted to make some sweet little bird nests because it had been a long time since I have made any, and the ones I made were sold on my Etsy site. So, time for more.

I got out all my possible bird and nest combinations along with vintage millinery flowers, beads and baubles, sheet music, glitter (lots), tickets, ribbons, wire, old jewelry, glue, twigs/sticks, rhinestones, mushrooms, tulle, and anything else that looked like a possibility.

This resulted in not only lack of space to work but also sensory overload, and I probably wasted and hour or more just admiring my treasures and trying unsuccessfully to put something together.

I decided to spray paint one of the nests blue and silver and sprinkle on white glitter while it was still wet. This allowed me to move a few things to the other room. Slowly I was creating a work space. I glittered up the birds, eggs and tickets and set everything aside to dry. More room to work. Finally, I knew if I just picked a color and started working, things would probably fall into place. And they did, five nests laters.

Now, on to the next project.