Happiness is a clean studio

A little, blurry shot of my newly organized studio, complete with buddies.

This is amazing. I want to go to this place, that lake!

LØV from Vanessa Bruno on Vimeo.

I have had the wool to make something similar to the furry stole she's wearing. This is the inspiration I needed to start it in earnest. Somehow.

Thanks Jillian for pointing this one out!

A studio needs...

Good, sturdy, functional pieces of furniture. 

Not just metal shelves, mind you.  I was beginning to get frustrated with my storage in the studio room... The shelves were functional, but not pretty, not inspiring. The bags and baskets my yarn lived in weren't conducive to finding things easily.  The crap was literally piling up on the other shelves.  I wish I had taken a before photo, but trust me, it wasn't pretty! 

May I now introduce to you, in his shining glory, 

Gustav, the curio cabinet of yarny wonder. 

 Now, when I want to start something new, I need only to walk into the studio, open the doors and breath in the warm sent of wool. Ah, yes, this makes me quite happy! Though I now realize I need a new pretty shelf to go with him.  And Dearie DEAR does this poor room need to be repainted!!!  

Any suggestions? What colors inspire you?

Isn't he glorious?  (In case you're wondering, no, I don't usually name furniture, but this is a special piece who demanded extra accolades.)

Dear, dear Mr.del Toro

I was on the way home tonight from happily delivering a cuff to a friend, and as usual NPR was on my radio. I don't know the show, but I know the interviewer's voice, and I've spent too much time trying to find it, so when I remember a few days from now, I'll come back to you. Or if you know, let me know! but back to the story.... The person being interviewed was none other than Mr. Guilliermo del Toro. Pan's Labrynth stole my breath and my heart, and I was thrilled to have happened upon him speaking with a damn fine interviewer.

and then he said something that made my soul catch, when he was describing his imagination, how it developed in his solitary childhood... he said: "when people say, oh, she is escaping the world, they are wrong. She is deciphering the world through that fantasy."

Did you swoon? I did. I pulled over to get gas for the car, and I quickly wrote down the quote as accurately as possible, and perhaps I messed a few words up, but the point is still the same.

To turn to fantasy is not to escape, it is to examine closely and carefully. To imagine the fantastic and beautiful is not to be naive, but studious. It is a breath of freedom for my artist soul, to hear another say what I didn't realize I believe in, at least, not so eloquently.


What support of imagining and fantasy has stopped you in your tracks? When was the last time something someone said caught your breath and sent you whirling back to your creative space?

sweet dreams my dears, I hope you're full of stars tonight