Studio Session

The best place for indulging creativity is a little home for your soul...what some artists call their studio. My photographer friend Khara Plicanic was kind enough to capture mine--it's a little place of solace where I can write, sew, and create. 

There are some great books at Amazon on studio spaces. One in particular, The Studio Book, is a treasure of eclectic studios featuring 36 unique spaces that have emerged from a unique studio tradition. 

There is also a publication from Somerset Press called Cloth Paper Scissors: Studios which showcases everyday spaces from creative people everywhere. I am constantly inspired by these amazing spaces. 

My question is: if you are creative, where do YOU create? 

Zakka Cuteness

So, I don't crochet, but if I did, I'd make these darling crocheted robots. I've been finding the term "zakka" everywhere in the crafts section at the bookstore, so thought I'd look it up (along with "kawaii" and "amigurimi".)

Zakka ends up being a pretty cool theory that centers around anything and everything that improves your life, your home and your outlook. It's a very Japanese idea. 

Kawaii has to do with all things cute and adorable; the term is used generally in pop culture but in Japanese means something more specific: the affection of a parent for a child coupled with protectiveness for the innocent and weak. Thus, Hello Kitty is considered "kawaii" because it exemplifies childlike innocence and evokes protective, caring instincts. 

Amagurimi is the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting stuffed animals. Their predominant feature is oversized heads. 

When you're looking for cute, it seems like three cheers for Japan!