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

The Witches is a book by Roald Dahl who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda and many more.  Like all Roald Dahl books it is sharp, sometimes violent and peopled with smart kids and giant adversaries.  The story revolves around a little boy who is living with his grandmother in Norway.  She tells him about witches and how to identify them.  When they move to England, the boy recognizes his first witch and discovers their plan to eliminate all the children in England and ultimately, the world.  One of the wonderful things about Roald Dahl’s books is the champion is a normal boy or girl who takes care of the situation against fantastic odds and often, nasty, mean adults.

The Town focuses on a group of career bank robbers from the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.  Ben Affleck plays the leader of the group, but when he falls for a girl who was a hostage during a previous robbery, he wants out.  As Affleck wants more and more to go straight, his history pulls just as strongly, the opposite way.  This film examines family (natural and created), the desire to leave a dead end life and the difficulty involved in changing.

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All of June’s crafts will be kid-friendly, in honor of “School’s Out For Summer!”

Inspiration:

The toothpick holder I made in Nursery School.

Supplies:

Candle Cup (or small glass bottle)

Glue

Paint Brush

Glitter

Glittering Tray or Paper Plate

1.  Fill the hole in the bottom of the candle cup with glue or air-drying clay.  Paint on a layer of glue.

2.  Sprinkle on the glitter over the glittering tray or paper plate.

3.  Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the entire cup is glittered.  Allow to dry.

4.  Now your toothpicks have bling!

The inspiration for this project was a toothpick holder I made in Nursery School.  I was so excited about this project.  What little gal wouldn’t be…GLITTER!  I was very proud to give this to my mom for Christmas.  She used it for 35 years and then gave it to me about 10 years ago.  I still love this little toothpick holder because I remember how thrilled I was to make it and give it to my mom.

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I read about Spot on Bully & Nelson’s blog and it touched my heart.  Spot is a young, blind greyhound.  His blindness was caused by a central brain condition and is irreversible.  You can read a more detailed post about Spot here.

As you can imagine, Spot owes a lot of money to the vet.  Spot’s foster mom came up with a greyt idea to help Spot out.  Spot is selling these cute magnets!  They are $10 of which $8 goes to the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas and $2 covers postage, supplies and PayPal fees.  I love things like this…Spot gets $8, I get a super cute magnet, and Spot’s foster mom stays out of trouble because she’s busy mailing the magnets out.

The first batch of 50 magnets sold out before I could get to them, so I’m on the waitlist for the second batch which is expect around the end of June (2011).  If you would like a magnet, email Holly at Bullyandnelson@gmail.com.  Let her know how many magnets you would like (limit 2) and she will send you a PayPal invoice when the second batch of magnets arrives.  PLUS, everyone who purchases a magnet is entered in a drawing for a SPOT mug.  I HOPE I WIN THE MUG!  Don’t worry, my using capital letters will not influence Momma Holly.  She has a full-proof method of making sure no favoritism is shown.  You can check out the “drawing” for the mug from the first set of magnets here.

Spot has his own Facebook page and you can also check out Bullyn’ Nelson’s profile on Facebook.

My reason for writing about Spot is not only for Spot, but also because I love the “community” to be found on the internet.  Through blogs, Facebook, forums and other social networking platforms, you get to meet people from all over the country and world, and you discover new ways and avenues to help and be kind to others.  When something touches my heart and I have the ability to act, that’s what I want to do, and I HOPE I WIN THE MUG!

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Booda Butter Lip Balm

Booda Butter has the smooth, creamy, not sticky feel that I love in a lip balm.  It’s also certified vegan…if you’re a vegan.

Diet Coke

Everyone has a favorite soft drink…this is mine.

Pretty Plant Supports

These pretty round plant supports are from Glamos Wire Products, their Colorful Series.  Why have plain wire when you could have red, green, yellow, orange, blue or purple?

Hangaway Collapsible Drying Rack

This is a handy item to own.  I use it to hang clothes to dry, but you can use it for guests, storage, by the pool, anytime you need a hanging rack.  When you’re not using it, it folds up.

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I’m working my way through the book Creative Is a Verb by Patti Digh.  This week’s reading covers the second creative commitment, “See More: Turn Around and Look.”  The sections within the chapter are: (1) Drive an Airstream trailer, (2) Be the tiny camera, (3) Eat on a lake, (4) Listen to tiny fishies, (5) Keep on looking up, and (6) Look in the square.  I mention the titles of the sections for two reasons…one of them may intrigue you enough to check out the book if you’re thinking of igniting your creative spirit, and also because it’s just fun to let your mind imagine what these “titles” could have to do with “See More.”

Patti discusses “seeing” several different ways.  She encourages us to see things from another perspective; to see our attachment to things and what that attachment is trying to teach us; to see ourselves in the landscape or the natural world; to see what our distractions are…the things that prevent us from seeing and listening; to see our dreams; to see things beyond our definitions and our preconceived notions.

The commitment to “see more” has me examining a few areas in my life.  First up is multi-tasking.  I wonder how much I miss because I insist on the efficiency of doing several things at once.  Second is setting aside the time to see, either through quiet time, play time, meditation or prayer.  Making this a priority is a constant battle, but one I’m determined to win.  Finally, this quote hit me right between the eyes, “We are trained for dullness.”  This made me think about re-seeing.  I enlisted in the Army when I graduated from High School and spent 22 years in the military both on active and reserve duty.  My husband (who also retired from the Army) teases me because I don’t “remember” things as accurately or as vividly as he does.  How much have I forgotten or not “seen”  in almost 50 years of living.  When I started this journey in January, I went through the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.  One of the tools to recovering creativity is morning pages.  I want to take this opportunity to re-see some things in my life while writing my morning pages.

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My dad is a teaser.  For anyone who wonders why the more I like you, the more I tease you…that’s why.

My dad’s a hard worker.  My dad was a sheet metal worker, and whether it was 90° or -20°, he went to work, every single day.  Once when I was little, he got pneumonia and was off work for a week.  That’s the only time I ever remember him missing work, and it was scary because it was so unusual.

My dad can fix anything.  It was odd when I first met guys that didn’t know how to fix things because I thought guys could fix everything…my dad could.

My dad loves his family.  He’s not the mushy sort, but I never, not once, ever doubted his love.

My dad is low-keyed and has a dry sense of humor.  Nature or nurture, I don’t know, but I picked this up from him either way.

My dad helps out.  If someone needs help, my dad was there.

My dad doesn’t talk bad about people.  He has a generous spirit and doesn’t put people down.

My dad is the best dad in the world, and I’m glad he’s mine.

I love you, dad.  Happy Father’s Day.

With the kids out of school, all my books in June are some of my favorite children’s books.

My readers who know me personally have either fainted or are looking at the URL to see if they are at the right website.  Why?  Because they never thought a cook book or the word “kitchen” would appear on my blog.  This was my first cook book.  I remember looking at this book a lot, and my mom even let me make my first “family” supper from it…Bunny Salad and Mad Hatter Meatballs.  The cooking bug just never took hold.

L.A. Confidential is modern film noir.  It is a visually beautiful film, set in 1950’s Los Angeles.  The story begins with the investigation of a multiple homicide at the Nite Owl coffee shop.  From there it takes off on a trail full of twists and turns, corruption and vice.  You get a picture of L.A.’s past and plenty of pulp fiction with characters that are complex and damaged.  This movie does not disappoint.

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All of June’s crafts will be kid-friendly, in honor of “School’s Out For Summer!”

Inspiration:

Disney Family Fun – Flower Friends

Supplies:

Silk flower

Drilled round wood bead

Chenille stem

Hair (embroidery floss, yarn, anything)

Feathers or chenille stems for wings

Wire cutters

Scissors

Glue (not pictured)

Markers or paint for face

1.  Separate the flower from the stem.  Select as many layers of petals as you like for the fairy’s skirt.  My fake flower’s layers were hot-glued together, so that limited what I could do.

2.  Fold the chenille stem into thirds and use the wire cutters to snip off a third.

3.  For the hair, wind the yarn around your fingers to form a mini skein.

4.  Bend the longer piece of the chenille stem in half and tuck the hair in the fold.

5.  Thread both ends of the chenille stem through the bead head.  Make sure the head is tight against the hair, then snip the hair loops.  I didn’t snip my hair loops.

6.  Wrap the shorter piece of the chenille stem around twice under the head to create the torso and arms.

7.  Thread the legs through the petal skirt.  Slide the skirt up under the arms and twist the legs to keep it in place.

8.  Fold the tips of the legs and arms to hide the sharp ends and to form hands and feet.

9.  Use markers to draw a face on the wooden bead.  I used paint.

10.  Attach two feathers for the wings with glue.

11.  You’ve just created your first fairy.  Think of all the other fairies you can make, and all the magical adventures they’ll have.