Open Table Nights

Every other Wednesday at Allegory Gallery, we host Open Table Night. It's like open mic night but without any singing talent! Lol

We gather together to make stuff and chit chat and it is so much fun! We do it so that folks who miss our weekday classes can get their creativity on. And beat the winter doldrums. Among other things!!!! But it is also a really great excuse to check out what is new and exciting at the shop and make a great project (or several)...

Alison and Zack and I challenged ourselves to try the 'Muffin Tin Project'

The idea is that you fill up a muffin pan with a mish mash of components from your stash that may have lingering around or that you just haven't had a chance to use yet.

I filled mine up and had a great time doing it. However, the lighting in my basement is not quite as true as I thought it was. So I had quite a surprise when some of the things that I thought went together, kind of didn't!

But, it didn't dissuade me! I always have a funky mixture of stuff in my bag at all times, so if I didn't find what I needed, the store always has the perfect component!

So after two Open Table Nights, you can see what has sprung out of my muffin tin!

I'm quite pleased! And once I find the right clasps for everything, I will be able to wear them!  (But that's an entirely different blog post!!!!)

So- here it goes. Day One:

My Muffin Tin, ready to create:

My progress after the first Open Table Night:

My progress while I waited for my Monday class to start the following week:

My progress after tonight's Open Table Session:

Crappy cell phone photos! BUT so excited to show off my projects. Be sure to check out Alison and what she has cooking at Alison Adorns and also, our creative genius Andrew Thornton at his blog The Art and Writing of Andrew Thornton. 

And finally, don't forget, all are welcome to join us! We would love for you to join us at the beading table. 

Spirit Walk Design Challenge

Happy New Year!!!!

I don't know about you, but nothing is better than starting off the new year with a new planner. I love how it feels when I write out all the things that need to be done and eventually crossed off the list. 

I also am a little strange in that I enjoy procrastinating. I think that over the years, I have convinced myself that it's an added personal challenge to see how long I can put something off, and then revel in what my finished product is when I 'whip something up' as the clock ticks.

I usually fly by the seat of my pants. It made my parents crazy, it makes my husband crazy, and I'm sure it makes other people crazy too! Sorry!!!!

So, I may be slightly sadistic, because even I have these moments where I ask myself why I waited so long to do something, but it's a small part of what makes me, ME!

Oddly enough, for this project, I knew that I would be crazy busy shopgirling before the holidays, so I had my projects taken care of and ready to reveal. So much so that I inadvertantly made this piece to wear with an awesome purple faux fur jacket for New Years Eve, and I totally forgot to wear it when the time came!!!!

So, moral of the story, I guess that it just doesn't work for me to be that planned out and ready to go. I had even taken pictures! What works best for me is that I have gotta work up to my deadline or things get lost! Things get forgotten! 

All in all, I guess it will be pretty to wear with something for Valentine's Day, so it works out in the end. As long as I don't misplace it...