I had to laugh at myself this weekend, as I prepared to perform a live gig with my band. How many other singers in bands spend their days spinning yarn and creating floral hair clips, then get all gussied up to perform on stage? Here’s the actual remark I posted to twitter:

@cayswann — do laundry, clean room, make 3 floral hair clips, spin 2 skeins of yarn, apply makeup, go be a Rock Star singer in a band. #TypicalDay

The gig went really well,  and I was just as struck by the surreal nature of performing as being artsy beforehand.

So then, to the Arts!

I’d been making so many yarns based on commissions, that I finally decided just to make a yarn because the fiber looked interesting. I bought some blended fibers on a whim on etsy, and thought the bright orange blend would be the perfect shiny and exciting yarn to lift my creative spirits.

MARIGOLD SPARKS – listed on etsy
Full set of photos start here (12 total): http://www.cayswann.com/v/Projects/2011/etsy_yarn/marigold_001.JPG.html

In the early morning sunshine

In the mid-day sunshine

Several examples of wraps per inch

My favorite is a 3-part image of an extreme close-up photo of yarns wrapped around my new “wrap per inch” cedar tool. I really love the little wooden tool, and I had the perfect custom kumihimo cord to string it that Dayle made for me and gave me last weekend at King’s Hunt.

I’m extremely thankful that I’ve been keeping extremely detailed records on where I purchased fiber, from whom, how much it weighed, how much it cost, etc. I was surprised when I figured the cost of materials into the finished yarn, because this orange yarn was deceptively soft and luxurious… lulling me into almost forgetting that I actually spent quite a bit on the luxury fiber before I spun the yarn. Recording keeping is going to save my sanity.

Then I assembled half a dozen commissioned small floral hair clips for a fundraiser, and one large hair clip for my store. I cannot show off the commissioned pieces yet, until their troupe store is in place. But here’s the personal stock I created.

SPIRAL JOY – listed on etsy
Full set of photos start here (6 total): http://www.cayswann.com/v/Projects/2011/etsy_flowers/spiral_blk-red_001.JPG.html

Spiral Joy – such a fun hair clip

Easily the largest floral hair clip I’ve assembled to date, both in length and height

I’ve noticed that I want to buy additional feathers for my stock. My selection is far too limited. *grin*

This week I’ll be working on two doll-hair yarn commissions, one personal-choice yarn (I’ve just passed the 50% mark on the fiber), and possibly building tassels. I need to check my home library for my tassel books. My friend Ellen has launched her henna business recently, and her booth at King’s Hunt was decorated with some of her tassels. She spun and dyed the yarns (natural dyestuffs, of course), and then created the tassels. I was really inspired by the variety of tassel designs she had assembled, reminding me to do some research before working on Natalie’s tassel belt (version 2.0).

		My very first clip, and it’s MINE all MINE!

But I’m excited to share a few photos of my evening.

Jean claimed this clip first, beating Lora to the punch

Claimed by Nicole

This floral clip is still available for sale, in my etsy store

The one clip that is left can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/71194578/summer-fireworks-red-yellow-blue-floral Looks like I’ll be making many more clips next week!

I’ve been spinning like a madwoman for the past several weeks, and now suddenly I have the urge to weave. The first idea bouncing around in my head is to learn the fundamentals of Backstrap Weaving. This site in particular, Backstrap Weaving by Laverne Waddington, just sends my brain into over-time with inspiration and excitement. She’s truly a master of weaving, story-telling, and inspirational photography.

There was a post I read about making circular rugs from t-shirt scraps on a hula-hoop frame. Suddenly I feel like going home, cutting up all the t-shirts I’ll never wear, and weaving or crocheting rag rugs. I can easily picture that turning into an investment in some good fabric dyes, to supplement the colors already found in my t-shirt stash.

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/hula-hoop-rug-995304/

Hula Hoop Rug by Nicole Blasenak Shapiro From FamilyFun Magazine

I’ve also been itching to spend more evenings making floral hair clips, both to increase my own stash to wear while dancing and to sell on etsy and at dance events. And speaking of dance, I’m finally well-stocked on skirts and hip belts, so I really want to sew several pairs of pants for my costume closet. And then I want to embroidery and stitch together fancy hip belts and tassel belts.

How about you? What projects are lurking in your brain, inspiring you to get into creative production mode?