Its no secret that my artwork and writing tend to lean toward the moody side. There was a time when I tried to change that, make it more upbeat and what I thought people would like. I found that I got a poor response to that work, probably because it wasn't authentic and it showed in every stitch.
So I went back to whatever struck me when I happened to be working and there has been a consistent level of seriousness to what I make. Not all of it has a deep meaning, not all of it is tragic but I think its safe to say that I don't do cute.
But as I continued to work on my studio reorg (again), I realized something strange.
Perhaps I do do cute. I have to say that it was a little bit of a shock. But the proof is evident, I can't get around it.
For a while I've found myself picking up random pieces of commercial prints. Those mod retro ones and plaids (I blame it on having to wear a catholic school girl uniform for twelve years) are my ultimate weakness. Its resulted in plies like these:
I knew the fabric was there (I bought it after all) but I didn't realize how much of it was there. Its been a while since I've had a good reorg of the fabric stash.
All I could think was, "I seem to like cute."
I will say that I have a particular way that I like to use these fabrics. I like to make plushies like these wishing owls that are still waiting for faces and pockets:
There has to be a certain level of quirkiness or weirdness for me to accept its cuteness. Like these piggy plushies I just got from Kate. You can't help but squeeze them every time you walk by them. See? Totally quirky cute.
It doesn't seem to stop at the fabric, though. The cute spilled over into this as well:
I needed eyes for my wishing owls and didn't have any interesting buttons in my stash. So I went button shopping.
And they are? Come on, say it with me: c-u-t-e.
I don't know why I find this amount of cuteness so surprising. After all, I look at this every single day:
I just didn't realize it was in my studio.
I suppose I should embrace the cute, make some funky things and just roll with it.
Damn cuteness.
6 comments:
I know! It's like your dirty little secret. I discovered it the first time I laid eyes on Dooley-Dog...I was so surprised!
Can't wait to see where this discovery leads.
it's ok to like "cute" its the sicky sweet over the top stuff we would start to worry about you on.
and glitter.
and sunbonnet sue.
I think we all need just a bit of cute.
I'm about as far from cute as anyone can get, but every now and then, I've just gotta have some cute. In my closet full of dark jeans and black sweaters sits a teeny plush patchwork puppy. The cutest darn thing! And bunnies! I find them adorable and will buy my daughter fuzzy bunny jammies. And little bowls -- the cuter the better.
Everybody has to have a little cute.
Of course you like cute. Your so gosh-darn cute!
Cute can sneak up on ya. Just like pink. I am so not pink which makes all my pink fabric rather hard to explain! ;)
Oh that Westie is sure looking very white and fluffy - too cute!
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