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

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They say they love us.

Does this look like a dog that feels loved?

Does this look like the heights of happiness or the depths of despair?

 

What type of person speaks words of love and then does this?

Help me.

Daily Inspiration

 

 Life is an adventure in forgiveness.

Norman Cousins 

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With Spring coming, I’m getting the urge to do a little cleaning and purging.  Years ago, when I was reading a “get organized” book, the author talked about different reasons people hold on to things.  It really helped me to understand why it was so hard for me to get rid of certain things.  Recently, I saw this list by Peter Walsh in the March issue of O Magazine.  So which “clutterer” do you identify with?

The Behind-Closed-Doors Clutterer

Your home may look pristine and well-organized, but when you open closets and cabinets, clutter abounds.

The Knowledge Clutterer

You have stockpiles of books, magazines and paper.

The Techie Clutterer

Drawers, cabinets and desks are weighed down with cords, chargers, remotes, USBs and all things techie.

The Sentimental Clutterer/Family Historian

You can’t part with baby clothes, grade school report cards, pictures, tchotchkes and memorabilia.

The Bargain Shopper/Coupon Clutterer

You pride yourself on a good deal and bulk purchases.

Who am I?  I have to claim three…the behind-closed-doors clutterer, the knowledge clutter and the sentimental clutterer

You can check out the full article at Oprah.com.

Daily Inspiration

 

Truth hurts – not the searching after; the running from.

John Eyberg

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It didn’t take much time for me to decide…I am taking Juliette Crane’s How to Paint an Owl E-Course.  I enjoyed How to Paint a Girl so much that I’d like to keep painting, and I think How to Paint an Owl will build nicely on what I’ve learned.  The course doesn’t begin until March 30th, so in the meantime, I’ll keep working on my girls.

I’m also going to take this time to start working on The Right-Brain Business Plan.  I intended to work through this program before now.  I think it’s appropriate for me, because I don’t like anything to do with business planning or business in general.  I also don’t know if I want any of my creative endeavors to end up as “business.”  It will be interesting to see if this helps me figure things out in any way.

Daily Inspiration

 

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas Edison 

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Every Thursday in 2012, I’m taking a look at tasks I wish I would have accomplished “if I died today.”  This month, I’m listing out estate planning tasks, so I have an idea of what I need to do and gather together.  Laws are different in every state, so my husband and I plan to visit an estate planning attorney to make sure we’re doing what we need to do; but I want to start by preparing my “lists.”  I’ll make three separate lists – Important Documents, Business Documents and Personal Documents.  If you notice I miss something, please let me know in the “Comments.”  These posts are not authoritative, rather they are like one friend talking to another, sharing plans.  This week, I’m compiling a list of personal “business documents”:

Valuable Documents Location List – Where to find deeds, car titles, military records, birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, estate planning document and tax records.

Personal Data List – Social Security number, driver’s license number, VA information, etc.

Creditors List – Credit card information, mortgages, auto and personal loans.

Income Sources List – Employer information, pensions, Social Security, military benefits, VA benefits.

Login List – Websites, passwords and login information for all the websites you use.

Daily Inspiration

 

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

Henry Ellis

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Let’s make yo-yos!  Yo-yos became popular in quilts from the 1920s-40s.  Today, there’s a wide variety of projects to make with yo-yos, and they always have a nice vintage-y quality.

 

Making yo-yos is easy.  Cut a circle of fabric, any size.  I cut two 4″ circles, one from cotton and one from flannel.

To give my yo-yos a neater finish, I fold down the edge of the fabric and sew a running stitch around the circle.

As you stitch, gather the fabric.

Knot off the thread when you’ve gone around the circle.  That’s it.

If you fold the fabric under at the edge, you’ll get a larger hole since your gathers are bulkier.

In the picture above, both yo-yos are made of flannel.  I did not turn the fabric under at the edge of the yo-yo on the left; I did on the yo-yo on the right.

Your finished yo-yo will be approximately half the diameter of the fabric circle you begin with.  My yo-yos started with 4″ circles and my finished yo-yos were about 2″ in diameter.

Daily Inspiration

 

All things are difficult before they are easy.

Thomas Fuller

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I imagine everyone has favorite television series, and I have many; but if I had to pick an all-time favorite, mine is The Waltons.

The Waltons is about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II.  It covers the years 1933 through 1946.  The series pilot aired as a television movie entitled The Homecoming: A Christmas Story in December 1971 and the series ran for 9 seasons from 1972 to 1981.

I’m not exactly sure why this series captures my imagination. My parents grew up during the Great Depression and World War II, so perhaps it struck a chord within me because it reminds me of a time that my folks told me about.  Maybe it’s the actors or the stories or the characters…or a combination of all those elements.   Whatever it is, I get all cozy and warm whenever I hear the theme song, and I love to have the house to myself and watch episode after episode.

Since I love trivia, here are a few fun facts:

Proof positive this is my favorite television series…My daughter’s name is Olivia, and that isn’t a coincidence.

Do you have a favorite series?  I’d love to hear what it is and what made it your favorite.

Daily Inspiration

 

Some stories are true that never happened.

Elie Wiesel

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This week, I finished up Juliette Crane’s How to Paint a Girl E-Course.  I thoroughly enjoyed this course.  I had never painted like this and was pleased with my results, thanks to Juliette’s excellent instruction.  Thank you, to everyone who gave me such positive feedback.  You were so encouraging, and I appreciate it.

I finished these girls…

I need to finish these girls…

These background need a girl…

At the last minute, I realized there was an extra Wednesday in February, so I came up with a spool knitted bookmark for my “Try This” post.  I like this and think it would be adorable with pom-poms on the ends.

I finished my 2012 Creative Color Challenge for February.  I’m making a yarn vase every month.  February’s color combination was Lavender & Green.  My plan was to add several flowers to my vase, but when I put the first one on, I loved the softness and simplicity of the single flower.

 

Daily Inspiration

 

Live out of your imagination, not your history.

Stephen Covey

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Casper here, taking over the keyboard, so I can tell you about something really special.  Yesterday, we went to our friends’ house.  Do you remember our friends? 

There is Miura.

 

There is Zonda

AND, drumroll please…there is Eva!  Our new forever friend.

 

She is very sweet and very quiet.

 

She’s very pretty.

 

Does she remind you of anyone?  Above is Eva, below is me, Casper!

We’re glad Eva is our new friend.  Next year, when we go to Dewey Beach on vacation, our friends will look much better balanced and have three houndies, just like us.

Welcome, Eva!

 Daily Inspiration

 

You can always tell a real friend: when you’ve made a fool of yourself he doesn’t feel you’ve done a permanent job.

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This list made the email rounds a few years back, and it made me chuckle.  The 10 best things to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk::

10.  “They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen.”

9.  “This is just a 15-minute power nap they raved about in the time management course you sent me to.”

8.  “Whew! Guess I left the top off the White-out.  You probably got here just in time.”

7.  “I wasn’t sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new business strategy.”

6.  “I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance.”

5.  “I was doing a highly specific yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress.  Are you discriminatory toward people who practice yoga?”

4.  “Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out how to handle that big accounting problem.”

3. “Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?”

2.  “Who put decaf in the wrong pot?”

1.  Raise your head slowly and say, “…in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 Daily Inspiration

 

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This was the last week of Juliette Crane’s How to Paint a Girl E-course.  The lessons this week included a review, information on finishes and end-of-class goodies.  Remember this girl?

 

Now, she’s this girl.  I wanted to play around with a “punk” hairstyle, so I decided to remake one of my girls who wasn’t speaking to me.

I also started a new girl…but she still needs a face.

I enjoyed this course immensely.  The instruction was first-rate, plus Juliette includes much more…inspiration, life as an artist, a photo gallery where you can display your paintings and see what your classmates are doing, and a discussion area where you can ask questions and get feedback..  For me, the best part of this e-course was watching the videos of Juliette creating her girls.  It was great to see her work, and it was wonderful to watch Juliette re-imagine and re-make her girls if she wasn’t satisfied.  If you’re thinking of taking this course, it gets my highest recommendation.

Now what?  I must say, I’m REALLY tempted by Juliette’s next course How to Paint an Owl  which start on March 30.  Hmmm…decisions, decisions.

Daily Inspiration

Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced.

Leo Tolstoy