latest goings on

Golly gee ... since we last chatted, I've been one productive little peep!  

I've built this nifty lightbox ...

I got the idea from this pin on Pinterest, but modified it a bit ... didn't really need the gizmo on top.  I made mine fairly tall (18") so's I could get some long and wide shots.  It's 16" deep and the inside is 24" wide with outside flanges that are 3" at the base and 4" on top.  The materials - PVC and fabric were about $15.  I already had the sheet of white plexi (which I sanded matte), the light fixtures and high intensity daylight CFL's. 

The PVC framework is super versatile.  I can clamp the lamps on the sides (rubbery shelf or rug stuff helps), use clamps to hang the backdrop and I can clip reflector fabric to the front as well.  Gotta say, after I've taken it apart for storage, it takes me a couple of minutes to figure out how it goes back together, but no big deal.

I've been making do with "chewing gum and spit" arrangements for years ... a total pain in the back and colossally annoying at best.  My new gizmo just makes me so happy.  Let me know if you've got any questions about making one for your ownself - it was really super easy! 

Also, happy to say my gorgeous lapis chunk bracelet generated a special order.  Been working on that and will share pics of the finished pieces after the client has made their choice.  Also, I made three pieces and whichever one(s) are not sold will be available in the shop ... so stay tuned!  Here's a few of the components in the works ...

And, in case you missed it ... I redid my home page.  I never did like that slide show thing and, even though it's what I started with, I'm really over the drapey tableau images.  So what's up now is exactly what I had in mind.  I still like the look of a still life, but I wanted it more sparse and flat ... which is how I like to arrange things around my house and on my worktable shrines.  This just feels much more modern, more au courant.

Also, I was thrilled to use my last scraps of block printed silk organza.  It's been almost 20 years since I printed that fabric and that's all I have left.  I'm thinking I should haul out my linoleum blocks and do some more fabric, but that really excellent fabric paint is no longer available.  Might need to do some research on that. 

All in all, it's been a pretty inspiring week.  It really does feel like this grand experiment is going to work.  Thanks so much for the comments ... responding to them and working my way through my email backlog will happen soon ... really!

l i g a - kvk