The creative dilemma.

 The questions that have been asked of creative types the world over is possibly, "Why do you do what you do?" "What compels you to create?" and "What do you do with all of the things that you make?" "Are you more about the process or the product?" These are certainly questions I ask myself.

I feel I'm stuck in my creative practice at the moment and it's not something that has just snuck up on me. It's been simmering away in the background for a few years now. I've been a maker for as long as I can remember. But a lot of that making was through necessity.  Translation- the cool thing that I saw was out of my price range. So I'd create a variation using the materials that I had.  For my personal use only, not to copy and resell.

In the mid 1990's, I made myself a handbag from some remnant decorator fabric I'd sourced, by pulling apart an old snap frame purse I had and tracing the pattern pieces. Once I had a basic understanding about how the pieces came together, I made a few more.  Then, my boss's wife asked me to make something from some fabric that she had, so I made different style bags for her. They were very basic shapes with a single pocket in the interior lining. There was very little hardware. I gave each bag a name so that I could keep track of it when I gave it away or sold it. I'm glad I had the foresight to take photos of nearly every one I made, even before digital photography was a thing.

The first Joystuff bags ever made!

 

Bags for the boss's wife.

Making these bags unlocked a new obsession in me. I'd scour the fabric warehouse around the corner from where I worked, often rummaging through piles of decorator samples for the most part of my lunch break. The bold florals and colourful stripes were my favourites. I still have a box full of them, despite not making things will florals much anymore. After most of my friends had received their very own Joystuff original handmade handbag, I decided that the best thing to do would be to sell them at markets and through retail shops. I had a few shops that took them on consignment and did okay selling them this way. I also attended the Craft Markets once a month, first with my 2 girls when they were babies, and then later, with the help of my best friend whilst The Bloke stayed at home with the girls.

Yarra Glen Twilight Market 2007

I did the markets for about 10-15 years. Most days were successful and I started to get some return customers. But towards the end, I wasn't enjoying the process of making.  I wasn't trying to push the boundaries and learn new techniques like the early days. I was making to have stock to sell the next month. I was also finding that despite my prices being incredibly reasonable (in hindsight, too cheap) customers were haggling for discounts. And I heard the occasional utterance under the breath of "I could make that." It was time to pack away the market stall and get back to sewing for the love of it.

All up, I made nearly 600 handbags and various other recycled fabric goodies, like bootstuffers, pincushions, wall hangings and cushions. 

I decided that the thing I liked to make the most once the desire to make handbags left, was wall hangings. I did some mid-century modern inspired hangings for my walls and really enjoyed the creative process. And as MCM was always popular, I figured I'd try to make some money as well.

You can see some of the finished wall hangings here.

I've sold a few of them over the years, but some of them took so long to complete that I couldn't put a price on them that I felt customers would be comfortable with.

The tiny hand stitching on the vinyl shapes took me forever! "My Heart Feels All of The Things." ©2019

I've often thought that maybe I should be someone with a message. Recycling and sustainability are issues that I've felt strongly about for a long time, and is the core of my creative practice. If I can repurpose materials or use something destined for landfill in a new and exciting way, then that has to count for something, right?

But what about politics? Social injustices? The worst parts of history repeating in real time, in front of our eyes? Shouldn't I have something to say about all of that? Yes, I should. But because there is so much injustice, hurt and the abuse of power happening around the world right now, I decided that the best thing for me to do is create something that brings joy. Whether that's to others, or just me, that's okay. If the radical, outspoken art doesn't come naturally, then why should I force it? I'll stick with detailed, hand stitched, full of texture, slow-crafting. 

While I wrestle with my conscience about whether one more fibre art wall hanging is going to push the climate catastrophe to breaking point, our governments are frothing at the bit to build massive AI Data Centres in our country. These energy vampires will do more damage to our environment than all of the items I could create in  my lifetime. 

"Bianca" A reworked porcelain doll that previously looked like a character from Little House on the Prairie.

So fuck it! I think I've just solved my dilemma. I shall keep making weird things even if no-one wants to buy them. Because when I look at the things around the house that I've made with my own two hands, I still smile and feel a sense of accomplishment. 

Why do I make what I do? Because it's what I like to see around the house.

What compels me to create? Curiosity and the desire to learn new skills.

What do I do with all of the things I create? Display some, sell some, give some to friends and store the rest in tubs in the garage.

Am I more about the process or the product? I like to think that I'm all about the product, but I think I enjoy the process more.

Happy creating.

Spring Things.

 Well, hi there!

Can you believe that it's September already? I ask myself the same question every year. Where does the time go?

As usual, I had plans to achieve so much, but those plans were derailed by various life happenings, as is often the case. But that's ok. I'm a "go with the flow" kind of gal, so I'm not too stressed about not crossing things off my loosely scribbled to-do list.

I finished the quilted wall hanging that I was working on in my previous post.  I had some challenging moments when it looked uneven and then I was worried that I had cut my binding too narrow. But I persevered and finished it and I'm very happy with the outcome. It's listed here.

Finished abstract quilted wall hanging ©2024

I had a very different idea for the mounting, but despite spending a few days noodling around in the garage, I couldn't get that idea to work quite how I envisioned it. So I mounted this piece on some lovely scrap timber that I bought off a cabinet maker. I think it's oak.

I tried to get better at using power tools to do some of these timber projects, but honestly, most power tools are not made for small hands (and more so when those small hands are having grip strength issues!) I had to wait for days when The Bloke was available to do the timber work, because what would take me hours, he could knock over in a matter of minutes. I've got a nice batch of timber hangers in stock now, so that the next piece I make won't be held up by my not having them finished and ready to go. I've got a mix of plain timber, which I'll sand and then give a beeswax coating to, as well as some textured ply that I'm playing around with.

Textured wood hangers, painted in grey primer.

Timber scrap with an abstract pattern burnt onto the surface.

Timber hangers with paste applied to create a textured surface.

It's frustrating when you have an idea in your head, but can't work out how to make it a reality because you don't have the skills or the materials to make it work. And on top of that, when you try to do things in a sustainable way, that's an added hurdle to get over. Sure, I could 3D print something, or have it vacuum formed or moulded. But that's expensive, usually made from toxic materials, pricey or too slow for my impatient brain to wait for. The wood burning was a fail because the wood was too hard and the tool got stuck in the grain. If I tried that again, I would use a softer wood, like pine.

The wet, windy days we've had over Winter have been the perfect time to experiment in the garage. I did learn though, that sanding wood creates a fine dust that get's over everything! (I was wearing goggles and a ventilator.) All of the camping gear, exercise equipment and suitcases were covered in dust, so I need to invest in a better extraction fan or cover the stored items in tarps and boxes.

I haven't much felt the urge to start on a new project lately, but I have been working on some packaging/display options for the jewellery collection I made at the end of 2023, start of 2024. I really need to get them listed on my website, but wanted to make sure that if they did sell, I wouldn't be held up sending them off because I didn't have a suitable box to post them in.  I know that many businesses are all about branding and how they can be promoted on social media, but I have a problem with spending huge amounts of money on something that will be put in the (hopefully recycle) bin.  I sourced cardboard boxes locally, then have been using materials that I've collected from recycling facilities to create something to keep the necklaces safe and secure in transit.

Felt and leather jewellery display with cardboard easel. 

The biggest revelation was finally tracking down what I now know are called 'binding screws' or 'Chicago screws'. I had collected long ones from fabric sample books, but was desperate to get my hands on short ones, in a variety of finishes. I asked The Bloke if he knew of them, but his search came up empty handed. In frustration, I searched for "screws used to bind sample books together" and that's when my search yielded results. The screws give a nicer finish than using rivets. I also made some easel stands with scrap cardboard from Reverse Art Truck in Ringwood.  Now I just need to get them listed onto the website and fingers crossed, make a sale or two!  (Go and check it out and subscribe to the mailing list if you'd like to be kept up to date about new items.)

So that's what's been happening at Joystuff HQ. Cheers!

Trusting the process.

 G'day Stuffers! (Is it bold of me to give my readers a nickname? Does anyone else read this blog?)

I've just taken a break from the studio to make myself a coffee, wash a few dishes that I left soaking in the sink and take some pain medication to try and get rid of the headache that is forming.

The very messy studio before it had a major clean up last month.

I'm not sure if the headache is a symptom of my erratic period (hello perimenopause) or if it's from too much computer work/end of financial year stressors.  I finished what work I had to do at around lunchtime today, then headed in to the studio for some creative time.  I've had so many ideas forming in my head lately, but I just haven't had the time to get stuck in to it. I actually have to write myself a list to remind myself to make time for crafting. It's so easy to be distracted by Pinterest or Instagram (although I'm trying to wean myself off the latter, now that Meta has decided to implement AI scraping), and I've often said that I sometimes spend so much time developing an idea that by the time I get around to creating it, the urge has gone.

Improv patchwork made from decorator remnants.

                                          

I've spent the past few months thinking about making things to add to my Madeit store. I was so excited when the site was refreshed and relaunched last year. The new owner, Leina Broughton, has a wealth of knowledge about selling online, and she was happy to give us all pointers on how to market ourselves and our products, how to take better photos and write better headings to make SEO work for us. But the more videos I watched and the more things I read from other sellers on the Facebook page, I began to wonder if it was the right platform for me. The push to constantly post on Instagram, and to create reels and videos of me in the studio, didn't sit well with me. I don't want to be a content creator. I want to make weird little things from the many piles of fabrics I've collected over the years. I don't have a consistent look to my work. It's something that has bothered me my whole creative life. But I've accepted the fact. I make what I make because I enjoy teaching myself new skills. I like to use the things that I've collected. I'm not about mass producing products. And I'm not in it for the money. (Although it's always nice to make a sale and then donate 10% of that sale to a deserving cause.)

So, I keep coming up with ideas and I keep trying to bring them to fruition. But I just don't have the drive like I did when I was making bags to sell at markets. I think it's a combination of an oversaturated market for anything anyone could possibly want, coupled with a feeling of not being good enough, or not having the skills to market myself. 

Improv patchwork piece with added stitching, that I started in May. It's sat idle for the last few weeks.

I'll keep plugging away. I like the fact that when I'm in the studio sorting through fabrics and playing around with ideas, it helps me to destress from 'real' work. It also means that I get some time to myself, as the family tend to leave me to my own devices when I'm in there with the music turned up loud. (I can't tell you how many times they've startled me when they open the door.)
And hopefully soon, I'll have some new items to add to my shop and feel like I've accomplished something. 

Welcome to the New Year!

 We have just ticked over to a New Year.  2022 is done and dusted and 2023 has just begun. (Well, it's actually mid afternoon now, but you get what I mean.)

I get excited during the Christmas/New Year period as it's a time to relax from the stresses of work and focus on what projects I'd like to tackle over the coming year.  As this time of year is usually hot and humid, it's a great time to sit inside with a fan running, doing some freehand stitching, or perusing books, websites and magazines and absorbing lots of creative inspiration.

This time last year, my focus was on jewellery making. I'd decided to tidy my workspace and sort the large quantity of beads and jewellery making supplies into a more organised system.

I sourced many images from my library of vintage textile books and started to form some ideas about the direction I wanted to take. I definitely wanted to combine embroidery and beading and use some of the many materials I had been acquiring over the years.

Ideas began to form. I wanted to try to have a better idea of how to make things with the materials that I already had on hand. Previously, I would get a vague idea of what I wanted to create, then become frustrated because I didn't have the right colour thread or the perfect bead. I had to focus on using what was on hand, not buying more.

I often think that I prefer the development and research stage more than the actual creating (which I have talked about previously). I can spend hours doing little scribbles on a page or flicking through books but more often than not, those ideas never become reality. I used to be annoyed at myself for this, but now, I realise that it's just who I am and I'm okay with that.

Carrying on from the "I have more materials than I could possible use in one lifetime", I changed tack Mid-January and acquired a whole bunch of necklaces from the Op-Shop. Vinnies and Salvos knew that they could appeal to my magpie tendencies, by bagging up broken and unloved old jewellery and selling it as a bulk lot.  I LOVE sorting through bags of broken and tangled beads! I think it goes back to when Mum would get boxes of old stuff from Uncle Frank (see previous post for more on him.)

I set myself a challenge to find an ugly old necklace and turn it into something completely different. It wasn't fully planned out- I just grabbed different bits of fabric and thread and started from there.

What was supposed to be a quick little project, ended up taking me about 5 months. I'd work on it for a bit, get frustrated at myself or the lack of findings and other components available in Australia and it would sit on my work table, taking up space.  I did make a few beading boards and that was helpful to be able to pick up the whole project and shift it out of the way. 

In June, I declared that the piece was finished and after photographing it on the mannequin, it now hangs in my hallway.  I'm not completely happy with the composition, but I'm pleased that I made it.

I have a recurring disc injury that made sitting at my desk quite painful, which explains the length of time it took to complete one thing. I'd get pins and needles in my arm if I sat for too long. I tried to complete some quick projects after that, but I could already see that my attention was shifting away from beads and back to textiles. I made few fun necklaces from old beads (some are for sale over at my website, if you're interested in purchasing.)

July saw me start on another piece using a dismantled necklace. I also started up a new sketchbook for jewellery making, to try to keep my ideas in one place. I needed to be better at recording techniques I wanted to try, as well as annotating my sketches with stitch and material ideas.

This piece, and the wall hanging behind it, both remain unfinished.

Another idea formed in August.  I discovered new materials that made working with beads so much easier, (I'm looking at you, bead backing and Fireline thread) and wished I had made this discovery so much earlier.  I had also recently acquired a lot of bugle beads in various colours (thankyou Op-Shop gods) and was kind of obsessed with them. So I started making gem pendants.

These are also currently unfinished and have been pinned to my WIP board for when I feel the urge to pick them up again.

I moved onto another beaded pendant, this time using some crystal chips from an old necklace.

I had an idea to create something weathered and worn, like a brutalist copper wall plaque, with mushrooms and moss growing on it. 

I've finished the stitching, but can't decide on how to mount it, so it's sitting on a bead board waiting for inspiration.

The latter half of the year seemed to be all about recovering from various bouts of Covid-19, respiratory infections or muscle tears.  We had floods and unusual weather for many months, so when the sun was shining, I tried to get out into the garden to make the most of it, and to get the jungle of weeds under control. I did spend a lot of time procrastinating this year. I think when you're not feeling 100% well, you self-soothe with the things that are the least taxing. I've spent way too many hours browsing on Pinterest and Instagram, or reading interior design books.  I've tried to be constant with getting some ideas into my sketchbook and I like going back to it for inspiration.

When I turned 50 at the end of 2020, I realised that I'm not going to make money from being creative like I did in my 20's and 30's. I needed to stop trying to create the Next Big Thing and just enjoy the act of crafting. Since having that revelation, I've enjoyed the creative process much more and I'm enjoying learning new things at my own pace. I read many stories of people that have had full careers, before deciding to live a creative life and having all of this success, seemingly overnight from it. The reality says otherwise. Many stitchers that I've spoken to have all said that they do it for the sheer enjoyment, or for the community that they found. Unless you are relentless with self promotion (which is harder now thanks to the changes to Facebook & Instagram), or market your products via sites like Etsy (which I refuse to because of their stance on CSA materials being sold on the site) or physical markets, how do you get seen?  There are various awards and art prizes that I could try for but truth be known, I don't seek external praise like I used to. I think I've finally realised that the only person that I need to create for, is me.

So in 2023, I've decided to revisit (and hopefully complete) old projects.  I'll fill blank spaces on my wall. I'll make random accessories when the mood strikes. I'll start a project halfway through something else I'm working on and then put the in a box with all of the rest, whether finished or not. 

Here's a few things started back in 2017, 2019 and later. 

I've got the red and green floral piece on an embroidery frame as I write this, and hope for some more hot and humid days over this Summer break, so that I can work on it.

So fingers crossed for a year of good health, free time and untangled threads. 

xx Joy