On my parsimoniousness...
I think I may have posted on this topic at an earlier date, but I'm feeling like it is important to me again, right now.
The definition of parsimonious is very frugal or ungenerous. I am NOT ungenerous. I choose to be frugal in most aspects of my life so that I can be generous without such consequence.
So I browse the Anthropologie website regularly and keep every catalog I receive as inspiration for expressing myself through my clothing and accessories. I am NOT a fashion-forward trend-maven, and I couldn't tell you what is "new" this season unless it is in the Anthro catalog. I frequent Target for essential items (not clothing) and end up seeing some of their selection, which generally seems to be inspired by the mainstream trends. I have bought pashmina scarves, big sunglasses and leggings as these trends have surfaced, but I don't let them die like I think a "fashionista" should. I own clothes from high school that I would definitely wear again, if only they would fit me. I think of what flatters me long before I think of what is popular.
This weekend I saw more corset belts - I LOVE them. I have no waist, so implying one with a belt, especially when I wear so many long layers and dresses, really appeals to me. Many of them are faux leather, part leather/part fabric, and some look like I could even make them by buying old belts at the thrift store, taking the ends off, and sewing them to a fabric section to create a new and nifty ANTHRO-copy!
I also like the ruched scarves that are in stores right now. They want upwards of $30 for them at the Limited. Some have little grapes and baubles on them. I thought that I could take mismatched sheer curtains from the thrift store, practice, and ruche them to make my own scarves.
Dangly earrings are the only earrings I wear - no studs or hoops for me (unless the hoops are big and there are several of them or dangly things on them). I found a few earrings on the anthro site that appear to be made of lockets and pendants, in a dangling cluster - very Betsey Johnson (who I also like). I was thinking of raiding my jewelry box of all of my 20 year old little kid earrings and going to town, reinventing new things that I like.
As you can see, none of these require me to buy something at retail price. Some even involve using things already in my home (this is very helpful in the decluttering process). I have aspirations of selling some of these at Wholly Craft (local craft consignment shop) but I fear I would want to keep them for myself. At least I would have new things and have spent less money on my shopping habit.
The reason this all came to mind, is that when I was saving pictures to upload on facebook for my "to make" file, I imagined showing my finished products to my maternal grandmother, Roberta, and realized that I am kind of the same creature. She raised four kids and scrimped and saved, making clothes and mending things most people probably throw away now. I assume this was the way she was raised, and I KNOW I got my artistic abilities and desire to DIY from her, but I never thought of how I probably inherited my "thriftiness" from her as well.
Sure, debt from school and life motivate me to save and spend less, but at heart, I just can't justify spending $45 on a belt that isn't even leather, especially when I can make it myself (and ENJOY the process).
I still don't know if this makes me an artist or not, but I feel really refreshed, and proud, and exhilarated when I finish each of these projects - and it seems to plumb the depths of a place in my brain that I haven't used in quite a long time.
My high school art teacher said that art is problem-solving...I think my problem is that I see things that are nice, but not quite as nice as they could be. So I take that inspiration and improve upon them. It's not for anyone else right now, but for me. I'm not sure that can be called art.
My views, from college and life, are that art can have public value. That it is for everyone, or makes a statement about life that each person can digest and respond to. This view is quite noble, in my opinion. Art can also be for expression...imagine the trouble artist, with demons inside of them that they must expell...on their canvas. Not necessarily for anyone but them, but can be enjoyed by others. My current projects are functional and practical - that conversation is the notion of art vs. craft.
Care to comment on who art is for or what it is? There are NO WRONG ANSWERS!
The definition of parsimonious is very frugal or ungenerous. I am NOT ungenerous. I choose to be frugal in most aspects of my life so that I can be generous without such consequence.
So I browse the Anthropologie website regularly and keep every catalog I receive as inspiration for expressing myself through my clothing and accessories. I am NOT a fashion-forward trend-maven, and I couldn't tell you what is "new" this season unless it is in the Anthro catalog. I frequent Target for essential items (not clothing) and end up seeing some of their selection, which generally seems to be inspired by the mainstream trends. I have bought pashmina scarves, big sunglasses and leggings as these trends have surfaced, but I don't let them die like I think a "fashionista" should. I own clothes from high school that I would definitely wear again, if only they would fit me. I think of what flatters me long before I think of what is popular.
This weekend I saw more corset belts - I LOVE them. I have no waist, so implying one with a belt, especially when I wear so many long layers and dresses, really appeals to me. Many of them are faux leather, part leather/part fabric, and some look like I could even make them by buying old belts at the thrift store, taking the ends off, and sewing them to a fabric section to create a new and nifty ANTHRO-copy!
I also like the ruched scarves that are in stores right now. They want upwards of $30 for them at the Limited. Some have little grapes and baubles on them. I thought that I could take mismatched sheer curtains from the thrift store, practice, and ruche them to make my own scarves.
Dangly earrings are the only earrings I wear - no studs or hoops for me (unless the hoops are big and there are several of them or dangly things on them). I found a few earrings on the anthro site that appear to be made of lockets and pendants, in a dangling cluster - very Betsey Johnson (who I also like). I was thinking of raiding my jewelry box of all of my 20 year old little kid earrings and going to town, reinventing new things that I like.
As you can see, none of these require me to buy something at retail price. Some even involve using things already in my home (this is very helpful in the decluttering process). I have aspirations of selling some of these at Wholly Craft (local craft consignment shop) but I fear I would want to keep them for myself. At least I would have new things and have spent less money on my shopping habit.
The reason this all came to mind, is that when I was saving pictures to upload on facebook for my "to make" file, I imagined showing my finished products to my maternal grandmother, Roberta, and realized that I am kind of the same creature. She raised four kids and scrimped and saved, making clothes and mending things most people probably throw away now. I assume this was the way she was raised, and I KNOW I got my artistic abilities and desire to DIY from her, but I never thought of how I probably inherited my "thriftiness" from her as well.
Sure, debt from school and life motivate me to save and spend less, but at heart, I just can't justify spending $45 on a belt that isn't even leather, especially when I can make it myself (and ENJOY the process).
I still don't know if this makes me an artist or not, but I feel really refreshed, and proud, and exhilarated when I finish each of these projects - and it seems to plumb the depths of a place in my brain that I haven't used in quite a long time.
My high school art teacher said that art is problem-solving...I think my problem is that I see things that are nice, but not quite as nice as they could be. So I take that inspiration and improve upon them. It's not for anyone else right now, but for me. I'm not sure that can be called art.
My views, from college and life, are that art can have public value. That it is for everyone, or makes a statement about life that each person can digest and respond to. This view is quite noble, in my opinion. Art can also be for expression...imagine the trouble artist, with demons inside of them that they must expell...on their canvas. Not necessarily for anyone but them, but can be enjoyed by others. My current projects are functional and practical - that conversation is the notion of art vs. craft.
Care to comment on who art is for or what it is? There are NO WRONG ANSWERS!