Foxfire Daily: Onward and Upward...

Also known as: a step in the (hopefully) right direction.

Dragon has gotten a job... 45 minutes away. Prohibitive on gas, but at least he's working. Potential for great things, but also potential for this to be hugely wasted time. We're tired of the knife's edge... we're ready for something stable to stand on. We are both hopeful and discouraged. The oldest child is being overly teenager-ish, and the youngest is potty training. The middle child is wholly and uniquely herself in the midst of all the chaos, bless her. And in the meantime...

Dragon's creativity is being given an unexpected outlet at his work, which he's discovering he is both good at and enjoys - event organizing. Who knew? Parleying that into something greater... looking into it.

I have gotten my first official art commission in years... from a local church member, of all things. (insert absurd giggles here) It's giving me fits, but what does one expect? Church art. Creative brain does not want to even...

One step. Find gratitude. Another step. Synchronicity. Keep walking. Intention. Never stop moving.

This has been just a quick update; this blog and Twinflame Studios in general has suffered over the past few (very) busy months, and I'm feeling the call again, so... one small step. Etsy is no longer a viable option for us due to disagreements with their policies on certain things; Amazon's marketplace is untenable for the same reason. So we're looking for alternate options. Artfire requires a subscription of sorts, which is also unworkable right now. Fox's jewelry is up in several art galleries, including our FB gallery, but it's awkward to arrange purchases. Local craft shows cost money we don't have. It feels like there's too much take and not enough give, but I'm not sure where to prod to get it to come back into balance.

One day at a time. Breathe. Center. Believe. Intend. Small mercies. One step.

Blessings...
-your Artful White Fox.

Gratitude by kattything on deviantART

Artist's Sunday #9: Delicious, Rich, Creamy, Sensual...

...Amber. 

I bet you were expecting something like "lotion" or something foodie-related... but instead today is about Amber.

Amber is a fossil; tree resin (sap) that hardened and fossilized to form the delightful gemstone that ranges in shade from an almost-white cream to a deep brown that is nearly black. There is also Green Amber and Blue Amber, which is the most rare, and found almost exclusively in the Dominican Republic. In fact, blue amber only looks blue in certain light, because of its inclusions. Some of the most desirable pieces have preserved insects or small lizards captured within. Its colors are perfect for harvesttime, blend seamlessly with silver, and go with nearly any other color imaginable. It's the perfect statement accessory, and can be found in so many varieties of color and shape that the possibilities are endless. It is easily carved, polishes beautifully, and even looks gorgeous in the raw! When in the raw, it exudes an oil that is mildly anesthetic, hence its popular usage as a teething remedy, effective for both moms and babies. Essential oils and perfumes can be made from it.

This is, in my opinion, *the* gemstone for autumn. If you've ever seen it or touched it you know what I mean. The colors mirror the changing leaves. The texture is smooth when polished, like a misty autumn day... and it's one of my favorites, if you couldn't tell.

Now, on to the arts!

I have featured this artist before, but these wearable sculptures were too perfect for this edition of Artist's Sunday, so I had to feature another piece:

Hand Carved Wooden Bracelet with Natural Amber by AmberSculpture on deviantART

Amber Phoenix Egg Pendant by fairyfrog on deviantART

Kat French's Amber Spindle by Yonaka-Yamako on deviantART

Amber and Amethyst by kitten-of-woe on deviantART

Amber and Copper Acorn Necklace by AmberLeaves on Etsy

Natural Baltic Amber Bracelet by BalticAmberGiftShop on Etsy

Premium AMBER RESIN 5 Grams Natural Perfume Incense by DewberrysHerbal on Etsy

Genuine Baltic Amber Teething Necklace by AmazingAmberLove on Etsy

Blue Amber Pendant by LarimarAndSilver on Etsy

Until next time...
-your Artful White Fox

Artist's Sunday #8: October, an Introduction

For those of you who haven't been with us, I am the Artful White Fox of this place, Twinflame Studios. I craft a post on Sundays (I would say every Sunday, but I am a chaotic creature and it doesn't always work out the way I'd prefer) paying it forward to other artisan crafters out there whose art speaks for itself. If you want more details, find them here. Yes, I know it's not Sunday. Bear with me, as yesterday was the first Sunday in October, and it has been a very long week for your Artful White Fox and her Dragon. I won't bore you with details; that can be for another post. Instead, I'll get right to the fun parts, the artistic inspirations and creations:

Imagine...

October. Warm, spicy apple cider (and/or mulled wine!). Trees shedding their suits of green in favor of gowns in gold and crimson. A chill settling into the wind, in some places already bringing snow. In more southerly climes, it merely heralds a change in what blooms, and what will grow. Animals make a final push toward hibernation, scrounging for the last bits of calories to pile on. Giant, noisy machines begin to harvest fields ripe and ready. Pumpkins and gourds are ripe on the vine (and in our supermarkets!), ready for harvest, for carving, for pies and muffins and anything else you can imagine flavored with pumpkin spice... like the caramel apple cider and pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. I know, I know, they're made with terrible ingredients and not always fair trade... but even your Artful White Fox has her guilty pleasures. Don't hate me.

Fused Glass Autumn Wall Decor by JudiHartmanGLASSART on Etsy 

Falling Leaves Autumn Harvest Earrings by whimsydaisydesigns on Etsy 

 

 Green Pumpkin Necklace by ForTheCrossJewelry on Etsy

Autumn Fairy Plush Doll PDF Pattern by Noialand on Etsy 

Early Harvest 5 Silk Ribbons Hand Dyed and Sewn by Jamnglass on Etsy 

Autumn Bangle by kerinewton on deviantART

Autumn Tunes by Samidare-Jin on deviantART

The Start of Autumn by e-Sidera on deviantART

Autumn by Yagoryo on deviantART

Autumn, the time of year when the warmest colors herald the coldest days. What does your autumn look like, feel like, smell like?

Foxfire Daily: Documented Life Project, Chapter 2

Week 4: Write a secret message and paint over all but one word.

Ok, so I cheated slightly and painted (colored-penciled) over all but 4 words. But Artistic License is what it's all about, right? And I do love me some artistic license... I look at this and see amateurish work - too many angles combined with the organic look of other parts, crappy color combnations, and let's not even go into the "doodles" on the left-hand side of the page - but then I remind myself that I'm out of practice. And I don't have a lot of materials to work with. The only part of this I'm really pleased with is the message I chose, and the Celtic knotwork at the top of the page. 

 Now, next up, for your perusal... remember those leaves from my last post? With no glue, no fancy-pants gouache or any other such thing, I found some gift-wrap tape at the bottom of a box and went to town. You can barely tell where the edges of the tape are. (I hope.) I'm just glad my Bic markers actually stayed on the tape.

Thirdly, my initial (official) attempt at the Week 5 Doodled Border, which mutated into something with no border as of yet, but... well, see for yourself:

Week 6: Open Your Pinterest Board and be Inspired. The lotus has been blooming in my mind lately, as you can see in this in-progress pic. My inspiration was not any one board or artist, but antique Chinese jade carvings. I actually went a little hog-wild for a couple of days straight, obsessively collecting pictures of various and sundry jade sculptures, urns, jewelry, etc and pinning them to my board. You can see the WIP results:

This last one... the flame and the lotus roots... was in part brought into being due to my uncle's touching tribute to his father, who went on to the Summerlands very recently. He was a sweet, darling man who inspired his sons and was greatly loved. His passing came just after a trip with several family members to Panama, where he had done psychoanalytical work with dreams with a tribal chieftan. The chief actually came from several islands away to visit with this man during the vacation. The photos from the trip were a beautiful tribute to my uncle's father, and such a blessing that he got to have that adventure with his family before taking a path they couldn't follow. May we all be so lucky when it's our time.

Live, Love, and Make Art
Ever Yours,
-the Artful White Fox.