So, people ask me all the time how I come up with my ideas. They want to know how I pick our colors, how I know what things will become trends, stuff like that. I never really know what to tell them. You see, it's just too long of a story. Maybe if you knew my parents, you'd understand.
Let's start with my mom. This is her art desk.
This is her craft closet. I am only showing about 1/3 of it in this photograph. She is better stocked than the average craft store! If you need something, she is sure to have it on hand. We were brought up knowing that experimenting with art supplies was a good thing, even if the project didn't turn out. She is famous for saying, "It's only a sheet of paper, you're not really out much" and "you're not going to learn any younger" and "why don't you try it".
Besides her art table, my mom also has another studio for messier projects like wood carving and clay. These are some of her carving tools, old spools and rolling pins waiting to be carved, and her potter's wheel that seems to have been forgotten lately.
So, what does she actually create with all this stuff? The short answer is anything she can imagine! But, she has a definite love for all things Santa!!
Now, my dad is a different character altogether. My mom, the art major married a logical, left-brained engineer. But, living around my mom is enough to bring out the creativity in even the most mathematical mind. My dad creates things in a much more symmetrical, rule-following way than my mom. But his work is just as beautiful. Let's start with his shop. Here you'll find more wood-working tools than in the "New Yankee Workshop." But there's also stuff for lapidary work too.
Here's some of my dad's work. He has a current passion for jewelery making, but he's also known for his mission style furniture.
So, from my environment growing up, to the genetics I inherited, my artsy side is really just who I am. Oh, and just for Natasja and all our Dutch friends, I snapped these from the dining room.
Speculaas anyone?
