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

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Instead of starting a new creative book, e-course or challenge, I’m going to work on an unfinished project for the next few weeks. The unfinished project is a series of primitive dolls and mini quilts.

I finished Spicy Lady several years ago.

I still have Seedy Lady, Sunny Lady and Snowy Lady to go.

This week, I finished the Seedy Lady mini quilt.

I must confess that I had a good portion of this little quilt already done.

But, it felt good to finish up completely.

Next week, the Seedy Lady doll.

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Every Saturday, I share my weekly Artist Date.

This week’s Artist Date was going to be a visit to a small cemetery I’d spotted while traveling down to visit my daughter at Purdue University.

 

When I drove past the cemetery, it looked like it was in the backyard of the house in front of it, and I didn’t feel comfortable going back there if it was private property. So, I decided instead to just take off down the road and get “lost.”

Getting lost wasn’t difficult. After a little distance and a few turns, I was starting to lose my bearing.

Come to find out, I didn’t enjoy being lost.

Instead of relaxing into the moment and enjoying the drive, I found myself becoming anxious.

Even though I had a GPS in the glove box and the chances of truly getting lost were slim, not knowing exactly where I was was very disconcerting.

Once I was back to a recognizable location, the desire to get home was very intense.

I couldn’t have come up with a better metaphor for life and its various journeys if I’d tried.

I’m still processing this Artist Date. I think I’d like to be more comfortable with being lost, but I don’t know. This gave me a lot to think about.

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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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The Promise of the Hawthorn

By  Spring sleeps and stirs and trembles with desire
Pure as a babe’s that nestles toward the breast.
The world, as yet an all unstricken lyre,
With all its chords alive and all at rest,
Feels not the sun’s hand yet, but feels his breath
And yearns for love made perfect. Man and bird,
Thrilled through with hope of life that casts out death,
Wait with a rapturous patience till his word
Speak heaven, and flower by flower and tree by tree
Give back the silent strenuous utterance. Earth,
Alive awhile and joyful as the sea,
Laughs not aloud in joy too deep for mirth,
Presageful of perfection of delight,
Till all the unborn green buds be born in white.

Algernon Charles Swinburne

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Kind is Kool Challenge

Week 17 Challenge – Every day this week, pray for someone or some situation you don’t like.

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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 was going to take two weeks (this is the second week) to work on this painting, but it looks like I’m going to need to add an additional week.

This is the stage of the painting when I feel like nothing is working. I keep adding details until suddenly, her little personality and “look” start to come through.

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…PROJECT LIFE.

I posted about Project Life yesterday, and it’s one of the reasons I’m behind on painting this week. I really enjoy using this system to get my photos together and tell a story. I love it when I find a system that works for me. All of a sudden, an activity becomes easier and more enjoyable when you find a method that “clicks” with you. Project Life is doing that for me right now, and I want to go with the momentum.

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Last week, I posted about the Project Life scrapbooking system. I purchased a kit that included an album, photo pocket pages and inserts.

The pocket pages come in a variety of configurations.

I started by putting photos in the pocket page.

Then, filled the blank spaces with the insert cards. I still need to add journaling and maybe a few embellishments. I must say that I am hooked. I’ve gone through quite a few photos and started placing them in the pocket pages. I find the pockets make it easy to organize the photos. Since I’m not gluing anything down, if I want to change it, I just move the picture to a different pocket. This is a cool product.

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Once upon a time, there were three mini-me’s…Freedom, Nikki & Casper. The mini-me’s led a simple life of fun and relaxation.

One beautiful day, the mini-me’s were frolicking about when a package arrived.

It was a pretty purple package, and the mini-me’s mommy said it was for them.

“I wonder what’s in it?” said Nikki.

“Maybe treats or a new toy,” said Casper.

“Let’s quit talking and open it,” said Freedom.

Inside was a pretty parcel, wrapped in tissue paper with a lovely yarn ribbon.

“I can’t wait to see what it is,” exclaimed Casper excitedly.

“Let stop talking and get to opening,” Freedom said again.

“What is it, what is it,” squealed Nikki with excitement.

“It’s black and furry. A new stuffie, I’m sure!” chirped Casper.

“Wait just one minute!” exclaimed Freedom.

The mini-me’s leapt back in surprise and horror!

Mini-Me Twinkie!!

There’s a new kid on the mini-me block.

To be continued…

Did you know we live with a kitty? We do! Her name is Twinkie. She’s 17-years-old! She doesn’t get much blog time, but if you’d like to read about her, check out this post, this post and this post.

You can read the original mini-me post here. The mini-me’s are custom handmade by Lynne of  Dip-Dip and the Bridge. She also has an Etsy shop called Handmade Gifts By L with even more of her lovely crocheted creations. Want a mini-me of your own? Contact Lynne at chi-chigirls86@hotmail.com and she’ll give you the details.

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Here’s what’s been going on in my studio…

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 (and this week’s) inspiration comes from Kirsten of Peaceful dog…SEASHELLS. I’m going to take two weeks working on this painting because I’m using a larger canvas than I’m typically use to. This canvas is 16″ x 20″.

I started with the background and this week, I’ll add a little girl.

Speaking of painting girls…Sue, of Graceful Greyhounds, asked, “Do you always do a girl/lady, or do you do other things?” I thought that was a great question. Right now, I am focusing on painting girls. The reason is twofold.

First, I love to paint them. I’ve heard writers describe that at a certain point when writing characters, the characters start to form themselves and often take the story in a direction quite unexpected by the author. My girls feels like that when I paint them. I have a vague idea of what a particular girl might look like, but once I start painting, they start to form themselves. It feels magical to me. My hope is when I start to sell my paintings, a customer will look at these little girls and connect with a particular painting because the girl’s “spirit” resonates with their spirit. Of course, my customer may just like a painting because it would look good in a space on their wall (ha) and that’s “okay” too.

Second, I’m trying to focus on developing my “style,” and the best way I can think to do that is to paint the same thing over and over and over again. In the future, I do think I’ll expand my repertoire to include more animals.

Thank you, Sue, for a great question.

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For the next few weeks, instead of starting a new creative book, e-course or challenge, I’m going to work on an unfinished project. Many years ago I bought four doll and quilt patterns from Hanging by a Thread. Last week, I did a post about the one I finished, but I never got around to the other three. Now, I want to finish them up.

This week, I dug up the other patterns and the fabric I purchased for the project. All the doll and quilt patterns are basically the same. The only thing that changes are the accessories and the designs embroidered on the quilts. So my question is…should I work on them individually, or should I do all the dolls, then all the quilts at once?

I think I’m going to work on them individually. Although it would be convenient to do some assembly line work, I’m afraid I may get things mixed up if I try to work on all of them at the same time. I’m going to start with the Seedy Lady quilt because I already have a good portion of that one done.

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Every Saturday, I share my weekly Artist Date.

This week’s Artist Date was both inspiring and a celebration…the Purdue Student Film Fest 2013.

The film fest was held at the Lafayette Theater.

Built in 1938, it was once a black and white movie theater. The outside still has the original marquee and facade.

The main floor is open and where we sat for the screening.

There’s also balcony seating.

The balcony still has the original seats from 1938.

The built-in aisle lighting still works.

I attended with my daughter and her fiance. They designed and drew the film festival graphic that is on the program and showing on the screen. My daughter is a Film Studies major, and the Purdue Student Film Fest is a showcase of short films by the students of the Digital Film Production class.

Each student wrote and directed a short film. They also served as cinematographer on a another film, then acted as producer or assistant director on a third, and sound and editor on a fourth film.

You could feel the heart and creativity behind each film. To say I was a proud momma would be an understatement. Congratulations to my beautiful daughter. Here’s to many more films to come.

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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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Accepted

You are no longer young,
Nor are you very old.
There are homes where those belong.
You know you do not fit
When you observe the cold
Stares of those who sit

In bath-chairs or the park
(A stick, then, at their side)
Or find yourself in the dark
And see the lovers who,
In love and in their stride,
Don’t even notice you.

This is a time to begin
Your life. It could be new.
The sheer not fitting in
With the old who envy you
And the young who want to win,
Not knowing false from true,

Means you have liberty
Denied to their extremes.
At last now you can be
What the old cannot recall
And the young long for in dreams,
Yet still include them all.

Elizabeth Jennings

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Kind is Kool Challenge

Week 16 Challenge – Take a treat (baked goods, candy, fruit, etc.) to work or a meeting.