Winter in (and out of) the Studio

I found a beautiful little shriveled fern frond on the studio floor last week. Ferns are one of the leaves we work with frequently in the winter months because they are hardy enough to freeze. This one was discarded for one reason or another and after a night in the dry studio heat,  I was amazed to see the way parts of it resumed the fiddlehead shape it had as it was forming new in the spring. The leaves often remind me of connections to very different seasons of the year.  This time of year, it is most welcome to be reminded of spring.

_Outside of the studio, I spent a small part of last week in the stultifying New England cold helping my good husband clear the ice from atop my show van.  Even with a ladder I am hard pressed to reach the top. He kindly took care of that for me.  I helped clear the street after he knocked down the ice and snow.  My objective was to unload my retail show booth into a cleared section of my production room in hopes of improving it for the 2015 show season. Now is the time of year when we assess things from last year, determine what worked and look at what needs to be changed. Many changes are afoot in the earliest part of the year 2015.  I'm looking forward to all the year brings.