Giving color to the story behind our creations requires a love of strange objects, mostly gleaned from flea markets, Goodwill stores, or from the attics and basements of family and friends. I keep my eyes open for strange and fantastic objects, especially if they cost less than $2.99. Sometimes you encounter things you love, and sometimes you find things that haunt your sleep - like the lamp base made with 4 furry taxidermied feet of an unknown animal. I still might have to give that one as a gift to some lucky friend.