October's almost finished! As I run this course of life, I wonder where the time goes! October is the big birthday month around here; I turned 69....a fortuitous age perhaps? I'm like  Grandma
  Walton in the episode I witnessed on TV so long ago--she's older, but doesn't FEEL any older! I do believe we need to keep our passions with us in order to remain "young". Since I was quite a bit younger when I viewed this particular TV lesson, it made an impression on me: would I feel the same as Grandma, or would I know I was considered "old" by most of society who believes that one's usefulness diminishes upon age-ing?? My mantra has been, "Ya gotta keep going!"

I've not done much new creative stuff lately; I've been cleaning out the "Creative Room', and organizing it so that I'd have more "room" to walk about and less clutter. A rather large project, to be sure.I bought one of those fancy drawer-ed plastic (lucite?) units from JoAnn Fabrics and managed to fill every drawer with jewelry creating items! And....today I did create some jewelry!

Of course, the date is now November 2nd. Sister and I had a lovely trip to Dunbar, WV to visit our brother/wife down there during the last week of October. I'm trying to make a list of items to complete next; I have also been searching out new teddy/doll shows to travel to. I'd like some new venues!

These are all the current artist bear pincushions that have been created for under $70. These may be viewed more closely--more pictures--at bagsbeadsbears/shop/.etsy.com. Each is a One-Of-A-Kind item.

I love creating lapel pins using various face and semi-precious stone cabochons. Here's a selection of these.

I have more of these to create for the upcoming Christmas season!

August Blues.....

I was never too fond of August; especially when I was teaching school. It was the last month before the major push to go back to the school teaching job......the job I grew to dislike as the years went on. The job changed: kids were not so respectful, parents weren't either; lack of support from any administration. But I'm done with this august problem and in the next phase of living my life. I have one creative show coming up this month at the 1000 Islands Arts Center in Clayton, NY. The dates are August 24 and 25th, 2013. Clayton is a lovely town! It's on the St. Lawrence River....quiet, beautiful...and refreshing to this soul.

I'm taking items that I usually take: handmade jewelry, artsy pin cushions, and artist handbags. I decided I better check for any inventory today, so I'd have a bit of time to create new stuff! My "Creative Room" is a mess; I'm in the throes of cleaning out and moving stuff around....taking inventory of what props, fabrics, etc., that I have for my various projects......checking to see what I can let go of by selling on my Etsy.com sites. (At my age, I'm afraid I'll never get to use it all)!
So, I have nothing new yet to show, but please "bear" with me; there will be more new stuff to come.

If you visit these pages and enjoy them, please become a "follower". Otherwise, this exercise in writing is just another journalling attempt.

Thanks! Maggie Newman

June "Is Bustin' Out All Over!"

I sit here at the computer and see rhododendron blossoms, iris flowering, and soon to be peonies. Love the new green that comes this time of year. Early in the morning, all the many birds are singing...geese are honking....I do so love the country! We had a lovely show at the Philadelphia Art Doll and Art Bear show in May. A busy month, May was. I hope to get time this month to do a photo shoot of projects completed, and books to sell on Etsy.com. The Crawl Space in Little York, NY is now open with some new handbags and Maggie-jewelry available there. Here's the artist bear project that I completed for Philadelphia. It is a vintage potato chip can, with an opening cut out for displaying many dolls and bears. I used small items from my own collection, and many bear/doll artists are represented. There are lights on the inside of the tin lid to illuminate the critters. Mohair head, arms and legs were jointed onto the tin top and sides to create an illusion of a large bear "hugging" the contents. I LOVE doing multi-faceted projects like this; I feel that I am "stretching" my creativity.

Not sure what I'm up to next....I do have some new ideas for "Ladies With a Past" or "Vintage Vixens" combining vintage VASES with upper body dolls and unique faces. We'll see how these work out!

STILL Snowing!! Sigh....

Typical weather for Central New York....cold, too. But I finished my "Looking at the World Through Rose Colored Glasses" piece for the May show in PA. I want to document it here...a sweet and happy piece.

Hmmm....smaller pictures here, I see, but here it s for all to see.
Enjoy your life!! Especially if you do look at the world through rose colored glasses. Maggie....

The Ides of March!!

March is going on forever here! Snow most everyday and bone-chilling-cold. BUT, I have managed to make pretty good use of this weather by being in the Creative Room most everyday. The red biker bear has sold through the Artisans Guild, 148 Main Street, Oneonta, NY; I am putting a couple more bears in the shop when I go down to work there this week.  I have been working on "junque" projects for the artist doll and bear show convention in Philadelphia, PA the first full weekend in May. Here's a couple of my "outsider"(assemblage) art pieces.

This is "A BearMaker's Sampler"....a showcase of possible bear creations offered by the teddy bear artist.

This next piece is titled "Shoo, Shoe, Baby" a take-off of the musical theme from 1942 by the Andrews' Sisters. Music does inspire many imaginative meanderings of my mind, and it does keep me peaceful during long winters. HAH!

Many vintage /antique items are found in this piece: an old tin doll head with "roving" eyes, a shoe box with sandbag, old metal shoe measurer from a shoe shop, multi-trims, metal buckles, shoe spacers with wired beads, metal netted trims, music paper, vintage black sued-ed shoe, vintage red roses floral pins.....


The next piece to be shown is the "art doll created by the teddy bear artist" titled "Looking At The World Through Rose Colored Glasses." I have not sculpted in years now, since I've discovered this "assemblage/outsider" art form. I've just had SO MUCH FUN creating some of these things.

A January Thaw???

The newest creations from the Creative Room! Trying to get ready for the Philadelphia ArtDoll and Artist Teddy Bear Convention. This show is a wonderful show, full of "eye candy" for any figurative sculpture artist. I have other new ideas in the works and will try to show these in the months to come!
Right now, I'm trying to bead and create myself through the winter months that seem so long in Central New York State.