Fiddling

The other night I watched an interesting show on PBS. It was part of their American Masters series and featured architect Frank Gehry. I was interested in watching it partly because my dad was an architect and I grew up around things architectural, and partly because I was curious about this man and how his creative mind works. Many have called him "extremely innovative" while others have said he's "downright crazy." Some of his designs can be seen here, including his most famous work which is the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

As I sat and watched the show, which I enjoyed very much, I found myself relating to his creative process. It's not so much different than mine, even though he's working with titanium and making $millions, and I'm working with muslin and sometimes only making my opening eBay bid. He starts out with cardboard and plastic and puts together a model that looks a little like a house of cards with some fan-folded corrugated cardboard for special effects. Then he cuts and snips and sometimes adds a little here and there. He called this "fiddling."

Fiddling is a word I've often used when trying to figure out just the right fabric for a hat decoration or witch boots. Many times he knows something is not right, but he can't say exactly what's wrong with it, so he has to let it sit awhile. This is what I had to do with my ladybug wings. Sometimes he hates his work, sometimes he procrastinates about starting it, and many times he is embarrassed by it once it's done. I can't tell you how many times I've finished up a bunch of dolls for a craft fair, and wished I had someone who could go sell them for me because I didn't want to be associated with them.

So here is one of things I'm fiddling with now. These are the painted boots I did for a witch--the one with the fishnet stockings. She has a rhinestone choker necklace, so I thought I'd put something kind of glitzy around her boots. I just don't know what. I may be fiddling through the weekend. Her name is Mitzi by the way....glitzy Mitzi. She has a red boa, and I may have to fiddle with the hat decoration after I'm done with the boot fiddling.

So just for a change of pace I ripped out the side and underarm seam of the Noro shawl-collared sweater and I'm ready to do it over with the instructions handy this time. I can only hope there will be no need for fiddling.....