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

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What do Greyhounds and fruit have in common…fruit crate labels.

Fruit crate labels first appeared in the 1880s. The transcontinental railroad made it possible for California fruit growers to transport their product thousands of miles away and they needed an effective way to identify and advertise their product. They developed a wood shipping box about 12″ x 12″ x 27″ and used a brightly colored, attractively designed paper label on the box end. These labels became key to the growers’ national marketing strategy.

San Dimas Lemon Association

San Dimas is located 30 miles east of Los Angeles. The San Dimas Lemon Association was incorporated in 1900 and operated until 1963.

Growers and packers created their own labels. The images they chose related to their special interests or were designed to call attention to their product in the face of hundreds of competing brands. In the hands of a good artist and a talented graphic designer, the fruit box label became an elegant small poster, containing an easily understood and remembered message. The collaboration between fruit grower and commercial artist led to thousands of different label designs and a huge variety of subjects.

T. Apkarian & Sons

T. Apkarian & Sons was located in Reedley, California, approximately 25 miles southeast of Fresno. Reedley dubs itself “The World’s Fruit Basket.”

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Here’s what happening in my studio…

After a few weeks of no painting or crafting, I’m back at it. I can’t say that I’m feeling inspired, but I’m following the old saying from Thomas Edison, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

I’m taking the next several weeks to finish up an old project I started years ago…four mini quilts and four matching dolls. This week, I started the Snowy Lady mini quilt.

This Week’s Inspiration

In 2013, I’m doing Inspiration Mondays and Results Thursdays. Every Monday, I’ll post a painting “inspiration” and then on Thursdays, I’ll post how I’m interpreting that inspiration.

Last week’s inspiration was from Kirsten of Peaceful dog…SEASHELLS. Here’s the girl I started, based on that inspiration…

This week’s inspiration comes from Fern of Animal Lover, Quilt Lover…CAT OR DOG.

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I am the eternal optimist. I thought I might finish the Snowy Lady mini quilt this week, even though we went away for three days to attend a wedding…not even close. Here’s where I’m at so far.

I’ll work on the embroidery this week. I did the embroidery on the Seedy Lady quilt years ago. I don’t think I’ll have any problem doing the stitching, but what I can’t remember is how I transferred the pattern. I think I used the type of tracing paper that is safe to use on fabric projects. I hope I don’t mess it up because I certainly don’t want to remake the entire quilt. That might make me cry.

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Every Saturday, I share my weekly Artist Date.

I’ve volunteered in my church’s bookstore for years. Now that I work on staff in that department, I wanted to find a new place to serve. This is my new place to volunteer.

I joined our landscape team…the Green Thumb team. A friend and I will tend to the perennial bed on the west side of campus.

It’s really unexpected that this would be my choice, because I’m not a gardener by inclination.

I picked this team because there’s great flexibility when it comes to the time you serve.

I also thought it would be a very calming and reflective place to volunteer. A great place to take a little Artist Date.

Oh…and because my friend asked me, “Hey, do you want to be on the Green Thumb team this year?” Sometimes a good choice isn’t obvious until someone brings it to your attention.

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Every Friday, I share a poem. Friday is also the day I post a prompt of something you can do to make the world a kinder place. I call this the Kind is Kool challenge.

I offer both the poem and the kindness challenge without any obligation, so “Comments” are turned off every Friday. Enjoy.

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Giving And Taking

Who gives and hides the giving hand,
Nor counts on favor, fame, or praise,
Shall find his smallest gift outweighs
The burden of the sea and land.

Who gives to whom hath naught been given,
His gift in need, though small indeed
As is the grass-blade’s wind-blown seed,
Is large as earth and rich as heaven.

Forget it not, O man, to whom
A gift shall fall, while yet on earth;
Yea, even to thy seven-fold birth
Recall it in the lives to come.

Who broods above a wrong in thought
Sins much; but greater sin is his
Who, fed and clothed with kindnesses,
Shall count the holy alms as nought.

Who dares to curse the hands that bless
Shall know of sin the deadliest cost;
The patience of the heavens is lost
Beholding man’s unthankfulness.

For he who breaks all laws may still
In Sivam’s mercy be forgiven;
But none can save, in earth or heaven,
The wretch who answers good with ill

John Greenleaf Whittier

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Kind is Kool Challenge

Week 21 Challenge – Think about ways you can volunteer. Take one step of action.

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Every Monday, I post a painting “inspiration.” Every Thursday, I post how I interpreted the inspiration. I decided to do this to keep myself painting, to strengthen how I go from an idea to a painting, and to give myself permission to play and try new things. For the next several weeks, I’m taking my inspiration from the great ideas you sent me.

This week’s inspiration comes from Kirsten of Peaceful dog…SEASHELLS.

I’ve been working on this painting for several weeks, and I’m still not done. I started it as I was entering a “slump.” I’m still a little slumpy, but working through it…I hope.

How to be HAPPY!

Every Thursday, Jay of The Depp Effect, posts something that makes her happy, and I’m playing along. She encourages us to look around and notice the things that make us happy. I enjoy this challenge because it makes me consider the things that make me happy, but are easily overlooked. It’s a wonderful exercise in attention and gratitude. Please grab the badge and join in.

Here’s something that makes me happy…DEVIL’S FOOD COOKIE CAKES.

I’m kind of being silly this week. These cookies really do make me happy, but they also make me disgusted with myself. They’re peddled as a fat-free cookie that’s good for you, but they’re not good for me because whenever I buy them, I eat every single cookie in one quick sitting. I know I should exercise self-control, but I can’t seem to do it with these. The only way I can control the compulsion to eat the entire box is to not buy them at all, but every once in a while, I get a box and just give in to the goodness.

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I love trivia and the interesting history behind things, so imagine my delight when I found this book, What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper? by Andrew Thompson,  in the bargain bin. Here are a few curious questions and their intriguing answers.

When was toilet paper invented and what was used before then?

The Chinese invented toilet paper in the 14th century, and the Bureau of Imperial Supplies began to produce paper for use by the Chinese emperors. However, it wasn’t until 1857 that the first factory-produced toilet paper was made, by American Joseph Cayetty, who named his product “Therapeutic Paper” and sold it in packs of 500 sheets. Cayetty’s name was printed on each sheet.

Before the invention of toilet paper, different areas of the world used many different things. In the U.S., newspapers and telephone directories were commonly used, as were other books. The Old Farmer’s Almanac was actually printed with a hold punched through the corner of each page so that it could be hung in outhouses, and the Sears catalog was widely used until it was produced with glossy pages, after which its use as a hygiene product became unpopular. Corncobs were also used. Ouch!

Why do some coins have ridges around the edge?

Many years ago, coins were made out of precious metals such as gold and silver. This tempted some people to file flakes of the valuable metals from the edges of the coins and then accumulate the shavings. To combat this problem, ridges were carved into the edges of the most valuable coins. If the ridges remained unaltered, this showed that none of the precious metal had been shaved off and the coin was still good legal tender. Also, the ridges–collectively known as reeding or milling–made counterfeiting more difficult. Only the valuable coins were reeded; lower-denomination coins such as the penny were made of common metal, which made reeding unnecessary.

Why does the date for Easter change?

Since the exact date of Christ’s resurrection was not recorded, no generally accepted date for Easter was fixed. In AD 325, the Council of Nicea was convened to decide an array of topics, one of which was the date for Easter. It was decided that, throughout the Church, Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after March 21.  Applying this formula, Easter Sunday must fall between March 22 and April 25.

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I’m in the dog house because I missed Freedom’s birthday. Freedom turned 6 years old on May 14! Here’s a little tribute to Freedom:

F – Feisty

On a visit to Wolf Park, the guide explained to us that in a wolf pack, dominance doesn’t always relate to size and strength. Often it has more to do with attitude. I had to chuckle because Freedom has attitude+.

R – Rebellious

There is a little rebellious streak in Freedom. I’m confident that she’s not convinced that the humans should be running the household. When my husband tells the pups to go lay down, Casper and Nikki go nicely to their beds. Freedom, on the other hand, will go over to her bed, circle around it but stay standing. If it’s important and my husband insists, he has to go over to her and repeat the command. Then, slowly, reluctantly, she’ll lay down. I probably shouldn’t, but I kind of get a kick out of her sweet stubbornness.

E – Eldest

Freedom is our oldest.

E – Enthusiastic

Freedom is always ready and enthusiastic…for anything. When I come home, she does the cutest little hopping up and down on her front legs. She’s even taught this move to Casper. I ignore it because I like to keep homecomings as calm as possible, but it always makes me smile.

D – Dominant

Freedom’s the boss and she runs a tight ship.

O – Odd

Freedom has the cutest crooked ear and a bald neck, chest, tummy and butt. One of the greatest lessons the pups have taught me is to be comfortable in my own skin. Humans spend so much time wishing and trying to be “something else.” Not so with our pets. Makes us seem silly.

M – Marble Eyes

When she turns these eyes on me, I melt.

Happy Birthday, Freedom! I love you.

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Here’s what’s been happening in my studio…

For the last few weeks I’ve taken a break from craft and painting. Although “breaks” can be refreshing and necessary, getting back to work can be painful. Fortunately, since I have a system (thanks to my blog), I just have to start working the system that’s in place. It’s still painful.

First order of business, get working on one of my unfinished projects…four mini quilts and four dolls. This week, I finished the Seedy Lady doll. The picture shows the doll with her matching mini quilt.

This Week’s Inspiration

In 2013, I’m doing Inspiration Mondays and Results Thursdays. Every Monday, I’ll post a painting “inspiration” and then on Thursdays, I’ll post how I’m interpreting that inspiration.

I’m currently working my way through a list of ideas that you all suggested. I left off with an inspiration from Kirsten of Peaceful dog…SEASHELLS. I spent two weeks working on this painting before I took a break, and I’d like to finish it up.

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My two weeks break from painting and crafting is up, and it’s time to get back to work. Before I took my “break,” I decided to spend several weeks finishing up an unfinished project…four mini quilts and four dolls.

Today, I worked on Seedy Lady.

I still have a few things to do…add some blush to her cheeks and perhaps a little tea stain to the white flowers.