Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

..

Inspiration:

My friend, Christa.  She came by my desk and said, “What about this?”  I said, “Can I use that?”  She said, “Yes,” and here it is.

Supplies:

Tie

Scissors

Fabric Glue

Closure

Thread

Sewing Machine (I used a serger)

1.  Remove the tack stitches from the back of the tie.

2.  Cut the tie to accommodate whatever item you’re making the pouch for.

3.  Open up the tie, apply fabric glue along the edge and fold back into shape.  Allow to dry.

4.  Turn inside out.

5.  Stitch along the bottom.  Turn right side out.

Note:  To finish a serged seam, apply fabric glue to the ends, allow to dry, then trim the threads or thread a tapestry need and feed the thread ends back through the seam.

6.   I finished by purse smaller than I originally planned, so I couldn’t use the decorative hook and eye I intended to use.  I decided to use Velcro dots instead.

7.  Imagine the possibilities.  You could make a case for scissors, glasses, anything that will fit.

Did you know that General George Custer was a greyhound owner?  He and his wife, Libby, loved dogs.

If you’d like to read more about General George Custer and his dogs, check out the article General George A Custer’s Dogs on the Western Frontier of America by Jasmine West.  This is not warm and cuddly “pet-lovers” information, but it is a fascinating article about the Custers and their dogs.

Pet Food Containers

I like the large container because it holds up to a 50 lb. bag of dog food, it looks neat in the pantry, its lid stays attached and it has wheels so I can roll it out and then roll it back.  I liked the large one so much, I purchased a smaller one for Twinkie’s food (the kitty).

Cute USB Flash Drives

Why plain, when you could have these?

amazing grace Fragrance

This was the first “grace” fragrance I fell in love with from philosophy.  You’ll be seeing more on future lists.

Pampered Chef Carafe

This is beautiful and a wonderful item to have when you have guests.  What makes it my favorite…the dripless spout is actually dripless.

Week 7 asks us to look at recovering our sense of connection…referring to our connection to the source of our creativity; and then, our ability to produce something tangible.

The first reading is “Listening,” and it deals with listening to our creative source.  It asks us to consider the idea that everything (the painting, the story, etc.) is already there.  We must listen and give ourselves the space and time to receive the information.  Once we have the creative inspiration, we now move from idea to creating something of substance.  The next sections talk about the things that can stop us from producing our art.  “Perfectionism,” “Risk” (the failure to take them), and “Jealousy.”

One of my favorite exercises was The Jealousy Map.  Like anger (Week 3), jealousy is a guide to where you want to go.  This exercise asks you to write down in 3 columns who you’re jealous of, why you’re jealous of them and an action antidote (one action you can take to move toward creative risk and out of jealousy).  I also enjoyed (really enjoyed) listening to a favorite CD and doodling/drawing shapes, emotions and thoughts I heard in the music.  I thought this was not only a wonderful creative exercise but a great stress reliever.

This week was especially interesting to me because I’m preparing to open a shop on Etsy.  It’s fun to think and play with my creativity, but now I’m ready to create something “real” and offer it to others.  I’m thankful that I’m going through this book, because I feel stronger and more confident about making those offerings, celebrating when they’re applauded and moving on when they’re not.

When I was a little girl, my mom would drive into downtown South Bend, Indiana to shop.  On the way, we would pass  by this magnificent home and I would ask, “Who lives there?”  My mom would answer, “The Olivers.”  Copshaholm is the home built by J.D. Oliver for his family.  J.D. Oliver’s father, James, developed processes to create a better plow and his the business eventually became the Oliver Chilled Plow Works.  Where James was a genius at innovation and invention, J.D. was the financial genius who made the Oliver Chilled Plow Works the largest manufacturer of plows in the world.

Copshaholm is different from many historic homes in that it was turned over to the Center for History in 1988 fully intact.  As a visitor to Copshaholm, you get to see it as the family lived in it, suspended in time.  It is an American treasure.

Last Monday, I took my test and now I am a docent at Copshaholm.  A docent is a host, an interpreter and a guide.  I would love to take you on a tour.  Tours are available Monday-Saturday, 11 am, 1 pm and 2 pm and Sunday, 1 pm and 2:30 pm.  Your tour also includes Dom Robotnika (The Polish Worker’s Home).  An added bonus, the Studebaker National Museum is adjacent to the Center for History.  As a little girl, I was spellbound by this beautiful home, now it is my privilege and honor to share it with others.

Out of Africa is a memoir by Isak Dinesen (pen name for Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke) and recounts the 17 years she lived in Kenya from 1914 to 1931.  The book is very different from the film of the same name.  This is the story of colonial Africa, the people and a remarkable woman.  Read this if you love words and imagery.  It is lyrical and melancholy yet very attuned to the time and place.  Africa is the main character and star in this book.

Where Africa is the star of the book, romance is the star of the movie which focuses on the love affair between Karen Blixen and Denys Finch Hatton.  Meryl Streep and Robert Redford are incredible and heartbreaking as lovers.  Even though the movie has a different focus than the book, you’ll come away with the love and nostalgia Karen Blixen felt for Africa and you’ll glimpse colonial Africa and the people who lived during that time.  Out of Africa won the Academy Award in 1985 for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Music Score and Best Sound.

Imagine how groundbreaking this movie was in 1967.  It’s about a Philadelphia detective who ends up assisting the sheriff of a small, racist town in Mississippi with a murder investigation.  Do you recognize the quote, “They call me Mr. Tibbs!” but don’t know where it comes from?  Now you know.  In the Heat of the Night won the 1967 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay.

.

Inspiration:

I have a bunch of old spools and was trying to think how I could use them.  This is one of my ideas.

Supplies:

Old Spool

Wire (I used 14 gauge wire)

Wire Cutters

Air Drying Modeling Clay

Ribbon (optional)

Glue/Fabric Glue

1.  Wrap and glue the ribbon around the spool.  I combined two types of ribbon.

2.  Form the wire into a spiral to hold the picture.  Add curves or bends to the wire to create the look you want.

3.  Fill the spool hole with air drying modeling clay.  Insert the wire.  Allow to dry.

Note:  The amount of clay I took out of the bag for this picture was about 10 times more air drying modeling clay than I needed.

4.  Add a bow to the wire.  You’ve just made a quick, easy photo holder that exactly fits your decor or makes a fun gift.

We have no need for Swiss precision timepieces or atomic clocks in our home.  We have Freedom and Casper who ensure our routines are followed.  This works brilliantly when we’re humming along and everyone is doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing at exactly the time they’re supposed to be doing it.  But if we decide to change the routine…shutter.  If the routine is broken, we are punished with anxious looks, pacing, stares, our every move being followed and them springing up whenever we budge.

Some routines are monitored by their mind-blowing internal clocks.  For instance…my husband (also pretty amazing in the internal clock department) gets up every morning between 5 am and 5:30 am… just wakes up.  One morning he made the mistake of feeding the houndies immediately after he woke up.  The next morning, he did the same thing.  The following morning, we were awakened with a bark from Freedom at 5 am.  Since he was going to get up anyway, he got up and fed them.  The next morning, the bark came at 4:50 am.  Well, we knew right away where this was going and we were going to stop it.  I mean, we are the smart ones, right?  It took about a week to readjust this routine.  Fortunately, I didn’t have to endure the stares and other greyhound intimidation techniques that my husband did to let them know that he was not going to feed them until 6 am.

Other routines are monitored by sights and sounds.  For instance… I start getting dressed for work around the same time every morning.  Putting on clothes, checking my purse, none of this gets a response.  What does it is the mascara.  When I open the drawer where I keep my mascara, I immediately (and I can’t stress enough the immediate part) hear the sound of dog tags and have two hounds peeking in the bathroom.  I didn’t realize it, but apparently I don’t wear mascara unless I’m leaving the house.  I don’t know how they figured it out, but they did.  Heaven help me if I every decide to look “cute” around the house on weekends.  I guess I’ll give up that dream for the sake of the houndies.

I don’t know if greyhounds are more driven by routine than other breeds because they’re raised in such a structured environment when they’re training and racing or if this is common to all dogs.  Maybe it’s just Casper and Freedom.  I’d love to hear any stories you have .

Just a note…I came up with my title, based on a funny post from my favorite blog Tales and Tails.  Check it out for more “police” action.

PetFlex Cohesive Bandage

A great item to have in your pet first aid kit.  This wrap sticks to itself so it’s perfect for “ouchies” that need a bandage held to fur or a tricky spot like a long skinny greyhound leg.

Store Brands

A great money-saving option.

Clarisonic

This keeps my skin super clean, and an extra benefit…I don’t need to exfoliate because it cleanses so thoroughly.

Pretty Tools

Amazingly, these never wander into my husband’s tool box.