Altar/ Alter, whatever it takes!

So I'm a firm believer in inspiration. We have to surround ourselves, and create for ourselves, experiences that help us to think about the world in a way we normally wouldn't. For me at least, this is what helps me stay inspired and keeps me wanting to create. When I don't spend time traveling, looking at art, looking at things that inspire me I start to feel disconnected from the world a little bit. I feel much more engaged when I'm able to incorporate a picture I actually took into my art... I remember what it was like in that time and place and helps me set a certain mood or invoke a certain emotion with the piece. To that end, I have a fun little travel altar in my bedroom that has a few things from when I traveled to Europe or picked up that reminded me to keep dreaming about places I want to see.

For example, I got the double decker bus and globe in a great kitschy store on Portabello road in London. The Queen card from a street vendor by Kensington Palace... which I never found but I did find a shoe store where I picked up a great pair of suede mary janes with purple stitching (trust me, they're adorable!) but when I see these things I laugh and remember how much the husband and I loved London and what a great afternoon that was and I make a collage or a piece of jewelry with that same sense of whimsy.

I guess the point of this long rambling message is to keep things around you that make you smile, make you think or even make you cry but with items that evoke a feeling because that's what spurs us on to create and be connected to the world.

Also, I'm adding the photo of the pin up girl bracelet I made so I would finally have something to show the hubby that would keep his attention instead of a passing "yeah, that's neat"... this time, he noticed what I used in the bottle caps! :)