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

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I’m taking Juliette Crane’s How to Paint an Owl E-course.  This week, Juliette taught about adding eyes and embellishments to our owls.  My owls are still “in-progress,” but here’s where they’re at, at the moment:

Note:  If you want to see what the owls looked like last week, click here. 

This little owl wants to be natural and woodsy.

This little owl want to be a princess.

This little owl isn’t sure what he wants, but he’s pretty sure he wants to be fluffy.

This owl wants to be a princess too.

Daily Inspiration

Creativity is not a talent, it is a way of operating.

John Cleese

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This month, I started sorting through my memorabilia.  Memorabilia is particularly interesting (and challenging) because it comes in such a wide variety of forms.  Here are some types of memorabilia I have:

Objects – trophies, old toys, books, holiday decorations, souvenirs, coins, etc.

Greeting Cards – old cards from my family and cards I’ve received over the years.

School Items – assignments, art work, report cards, year books, projects, diplomas, graduation tassels.

Career Items – awards, uniforms, company logo items.

Letters – family letter and personal letters.

Misc. Paper Ephemera – concert tickets, programs.

Clothing – family items, wedding, baby, childhood, costumes.

Quilts

And I’m not even through everything!  It must be done though, so onward.

Daily Inspiration

 

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.

Kenji Miyazawa

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This month, I’m doing projects with buttons.  While going through my buttons, I came across some vintage buttons that I want to keep; but what to do with them?  Here are some ideas:

A button bouquet.  I used an old spool for the “vase.”

Do you have a favorite small bowl or dish?  I think they look beautiful in a jumble.

A picture with button flowers.  The great thing about this…the buttons are sewn on; so if you want to use them in another way, just clip them off.

Daily Inspiration

Where thou art, that is home.

Emily Dickinson 

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A couple months ago, I started taking my lunch to work.  I’m not a vegetarian, but I’m “funny” about meat.  One weird piece and I’m done.  So, I decided to take Amy’s Frozen Vegetarian Meals to work, and I love them.  Here’s why they’re my favorite take-to-work lunch:

1.  Amy’s offers great variety.  No chance of getting bored with a choice of ethnic and regional favorites.

2.  They microwave nice and evenly.

3.  I don’t like “spicy hot” food.  I’m a “heat” wimp.  Often, I find prepared vegetarian foods are “spicy hot,” but not Amy’s.  They’re flavorful, but not overly spiced.

4.  They have a nice texture.  They’re not like eating a steak, but they’re not all mushy.

Daily Inspiration

 

Pre-heat the oven?  Really?  If I was the sort of person who planned ahead, I wouldn’t be eating this Totino’s Party Pizza in the first place.

Adam Peterson

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This past week was busy, busy, busy.  I made a button flag for Wednesday’s “Try Me” project.

I made two new yarn vases.

 

I prepared for the All Things Handmade & Vintage Spring Market.  I set-up my table at home and got everything arranged.

I took pictures, so I could reference them at the show.

It worked out really well.  I carried everything in and had my table set up in 35 minutes.

Boy, oh boy…I didn’t do well at the show.  Two sales.  It was a wonderful show; I just didn’t have popular items.  Maybe I’ll pick up a few new readers.

Thank goodness, little bear didn’t sell.  I priced him aggressively so that only someone worthy could purchase him.  So glad that person didn’t show up.

 

I did a couple art journal pages…

 

and painted (sort of) four owls.

 

I’m worn out!

Daily Inspiration

 

 All that we behold is full of blessings.

William Wordsworth

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Last week, I went to visit my daughter at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. 

Purdue is a land-grant university.  Land-grant universities came about in 1862 when President Lincoln (via The Morrill Act) granted federally controlled land to states to develop or sell to raise funds to establish and endow “land-grant” colleges.  The mission of these colleges was to focus on teaching practical agriculture, science and engineering as a response to the industrial revolution.  This was in contrast to the historical practice of focusing on Liberal Arts in the university curriculum.

Here are a few Purdue fun facts:

Purdue University alumnus, John McNamara, was one of the original M’s in M & M candies.

Amelia Earhart prepared her plane for her last around the world flight at the Purdue University Airport.  She was working at Purdue as a visiting career counselor for women at the time.

The first (Neil Armstrong) and the last (Eugene Cernan) astronaut on the moon were both Purdue graduates. There are also 22 other Purdue alumni who are astronauts.

Kermit the Frog was named after a Purdue professor of philosophy who was a childhood friend of Jim Henson.

Daily Inspiration

 

 How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?  Four.  Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.

Abraham Lincoln

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This week, I’ve been getting ready for the All Things Handmade & Vintage Spring Market.  My mind has been busy trying to think of all the details so I don’t forget anything.  So, for this Saturday’s list…a craft fair checklist.

Note:  I’m preparing for a 6-foot table space.

Display

Table, chair, table cloth, table skirt, plate stands, doilies, items for sale, snack table

Support/Promotional Supplies

Business cards & holder, pen(s), scissors, tape measure, tape, change & change box, calculator, sales receipt book, extra price tags, bags, tissue paper,

Miscellaneous

Camera, something to drink & eat, sweater, something to work on.

Future Things

Banner

This list is a work-in-progress.  If you’ve done shows before or you just have an organized mind, let me know if you notice anything I’ve missed.

Daily Inspiration

 

We can’t plan life.  All we can do is be available for it.

Lauryn Hill

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I’m taking the How to Paint an Owl E-course.  This is a five-week course from Juliette Crane.  Here’s the schedule:

Week 1 – Backgrounds

Week 2 – Owls

Week 3 – Embellishments

Week 4 – Scene

Week 5 – Review

This week, Juliette showed us how to take simple shapes and create our owls.  I sketched out my owls and filled them in.  I did two things: (1) I tried to pick unexpected colors.  I wanted to see them against the backgrounds to see if the unusual colors sparked any new ideas. (2)  I didn’t make my colors too opaque.  I wanted to leave myself room to play with the colors and shapes.

Here are my basic owl shapes:

Daily Inspiration

Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.

Thomas Aquinas

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Like organizing my photos, I never pictured that I would accomplish the goal of having my memorabilia organized in a meaningful way; but now, I actually think I can do this.  Not in one month!  No miracles on this blog.  I believe a key to doing it is to decide what I want from my memorabilia.

Like my photos, I want the bits and pieces of memorabilia that I’ve kept, to be a joy in my life, not a weighty impossible task or a confusing hidden hoard.  Here’s how I’ll accomplish this:

1.  I want more of my memorabilia worked into my decor.

2.  I want my memorabilia to be accessible.  Right now, if I wanted to show someone my Simon & Garfunkel Central Park Tour concert ticket…couldn’t do it.  It’s somewhere, but I don’t know where the “where” is.  I want to know.

3.  Like my Heirloom Album, I want to write down “what” some of my things are and “why” I’ve held on to them.

4.  I want to properly preserve and store my memorabilia.

5.  I want to share with my family anything that is significant or interesting with regards to family history.

6.  I want a reasonably-sized “junk” box for things that have no meaning to me, but I can’t let go of.  For instance, autograph books.  I have several autograph books that I don’t want, but it seems almost impossible for me to toss them.  I want a container for items like this; then I’ll tuck the container away until I’m strong enough to pitch it or until I’m dead.  Then, whoever gets stuck with “clean-up” can toss it.

Last week, I mentioned a post about organizing memorabilia on Organize for a Fresh Start by Sue West.  Sue suggests establishing a reason, a theme, or a value – something you stand for, that can help the process of organizing your memorabilia.  My theme is MEANING.  I want to record or convey “why” something has meaning to me.  If I do that, whoever is left with my things will be able to more easily decide if those things have meaning for them.

Daily Inspiration

 

There are lots of people who mistake their imagination for their memory.

Josh Billings

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In April, I’m doing projects with buttons.  This week, a button picture.  I’m making a flag.

First, cut a piece of fabric larger than your frame insert.

Next, glue the fabric to the frame insert.

I like to layout the buttons first.

Cut a piece of paper the size of your frame insert, then arrange your buttons.

The final step, glue your buttons to your frame insert.

If it’s not to your liking…add more buttons.

Daily Inspiration

 

Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.

Napoleon Bonaparte