Hanging Out with a Misfit

When I first met digital misfit, she pm'd me on Crafster about offering up some of my embroidery for a charity quilt. I couldn't refuse to help out a fellow Craftster and friendship soon ensued. This girl has got some moxy! I love her quick wit! I know when I see a pm or email from her I will be rolling off my chair laughing.


Who is digital misfit and what is she all about?
Digital Misfit is someone different every day (or sometimes many times in one day).  She ... ahhh screw it, I can't talk about myself in the thrid person.  Too weird.
I am just ordinary, with all of the strange little idiosyncrasies that all ordinary people have.  I swing back and forth between right brain and left brain, so one day I may be having a creative burst and craft like mad, and then I will be Ms. Logical and try to organize my supplies because I am uninspired.
I am a hermit.  No, really.  I am a bona fide agoraphobe who rarely leaves the house.  On the bright side, I have plenty of time for crafting, surfing Craftster, and I can shop on Etsy.  Plus people expect artsy types to be a bit nutty.

You work in so many different mediums, what's your favorite?
I don't have a favorite craft medium.  I CAN'T stick with one type of craft.  I become bored and distracted.  Each medium has its advantages and disadvantages for my AADD (art attention deficit disorder).
Embroidery rocks because I can do it in bed or while watching tv.  Changing the style of a pattern by choosing offbeat threads makes it interesting.  Plus the design possibilities are infinite.
Papercrafting/mixed media assemblage art rocks because I get to pull out ALL the junk and just have at it.  I have a constant ring of gesso and/or ink around my cuticles from fingerpainting and stamping.
Dollmaking...well...the fun part od dollmaking is the planning and finished product.  I really hate stuffing and jointing dolls, and some of the other mundane tasks that go along with them.
I would love to learn to spin yarn, knit /crochet, and sew clothing.

What kind of advice would you give the masses?
Don't be afraid to try new things.  Sucking at a new craft is not so bad.  It can be intimidating to see so many amazing projects posted online. Just try. My first attempts at many crafts were BAD (some still are), but I was able to get a feel for it, and decide if it is something I want to pursue further.  Some of my embroidered pieces look like a cat puked up a hairball on the back.  Others are neat as a pin. I am still learning, but hey, it's art, not science.  I do it my way :P

What inspires you?
As an artist, I am always inspired by the work shown in my fave online communities (Craftster, Etsy, Mr. X-Stitch, Feeling Stitchy, CraftGossip, etc etc etc).  I am inspired by work that shows that the artist truly loves what they do.
I love having crafty friends online from whom I can bounce ideas and get creative input. I don't think I have made a single project in over a year without passing WIP pics over to Deana (aka AlwaysInspired).  I don't have any crafty people in my offline life, so this kind of support and friendship is invaluable and so appreciated.
As a person, I am inspired by stories of people overcoming adversity, communities reaching out to help others, and the simple beauty of nature.

 What's your next adventure?
More of the same, but in different flavors!
Plus I need to figure out how to alter my newest family member.  She is a 5'11" beauty with legs a mile long (makes up for not having arms).  I am 5'4", so I already think she is a bit of a bitch. She is tough as nails (and made of the same stuff as them too!). I think she is going to be a political art piece in support of women, though I may still dress her up from time to time.

Bonus Question!
You just got a new mannequin, have you named her yet?
As much as I wanted to name her Otrera, after the first Amazon queen, she has insisted that her name is Lola.  After some research turned up that Lola means "strong woman", I have had to agree.
So Lola it is.  She is standing tall next to me now, wearing my sunglasses, hat, and a hot pink tape measure around her neck.

Isn't digial misfit great? She can put a smile on my face and have me cackling in a matter of minutes. She has got mad skills no matter what she tries and really is a true inspriration to those around her.