Moon Princess

The past few days have been dedicated to making this Moon Princess doll and her loyal steed. All made with a combination of sewing techniques, fabrics and paints.

Moving Around Blocks

© Melissa Gaggiano

You've got a plan, and you know you can bring it together. But then something breaks. Against all experience something just isn't quite working. It's the middle of the day and you really are only halfway there. What is there for you to do?

When there's a block no amount of lifting or swearing at it is going to move it. The only thing for it, is to take a tea/coffee/chocolate/drawing/walking break. Don't think about if for 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or however long it takes for you to see a fresh path. Then, and only then will the answers start to come to you – The thread is too weak; There is too much fabric; I need to sew more rows, et cetera.

Once you see the new path around the block, drink some water, brush your teeth and get back to the job at hand.

Paper House

My Poppet - Makes
Folding Paper Dollhouse tutorial

I am totally and completely proud to announce another tutorial contribution of mine over at My Poppet. If you like doll houses and paper crafting then this is for you. Check it out!

Journey

© Melissa Gaggiano

Affirmate This!

Multi Me
© Melissa Gaggiano

I am a doodler. I have side projects that I move between – 

... like a chef stirring multiple pots in the kitchen.

 ... like a bee gently hovering from flower to flower. 

... like Frogger leaping franticly from log to log to the other side of the screen.

Which ever analogy I choose, it doesn't really matter, because they're all me on different days.

I am a multi passionate artist – be it writing stories, writing imaginary book titles, drawing, painting, digital art, photography, paper crafts, design, doll making.  If you know me, then this a 'well duh' statement. But the thing is, for years I tied myself up in knots because I was fed this notion that I must choose just one thing and totally focus on that. 

That advice is great for people who are completely absorbed in one thing alone. But I'm not made of singular stuff. Anytime I tried this, whatever I was cutting out from my life left me feeling lost and empty. All the ways in which I invest my creative energy are as much a part of my programming as my DNA. So the only thing for it is to keep doing everything and not worry what the critics say about being a master of one thing, or whatever.

{gratuitous author's book link}

A friend put me onto a mind altering book [no drugs were involved] titled Steal Like An Artist created by Austin Kleon. Doesn't that name just roll? Well anyway... this book affirmates everything I do. The one difference is that post reading Steal Like An Artist I now feel more confident about how I've been using my time, with a couple of minor tweaks. As diverse as my interests are they lend and feed into each other.

Thank you Austin! For writing a book that I have always wanted to read, even before I knew it existed, and even before you knew it was meant to exist. If I was Marty McFly this would be one book that I would take back into the past.