Quickly - Nurturing Creativity - Week 20

Not much time to write much today. Just wanted to finally get my weekly creativity card posted. BUT -- will have pictures probably tomorrow. Definitely by the weekend. Doing a lot of making stuff but busy shopping, lunching and watching paint dry....literally. We did some sun-printing yesterday and decided that it needed A LOT of supervision (lol) so we sat outside on a beautiful day, with iced tea and some chai chocolate from Gena and watched the sunprints dry! What a life!!!!!

Now for my card this week......

Fire Your Critic!!

OK, I fired mine years ago but have to admit he keeps popping up! (also, wonder why I always consider my critic a "he"......hmmmm.....) Anyway, I wish I didn't listen to him but sometimes I do. Every wonder why you can hear positive input all day and then receive one negative comment and the thing you remember at the end of the day is the one negative one. Why are we so ready to believe the negative and doubt the positive.

Here's to all of us firing our critics and clinging more to the many many positives that come our way!!!!

Nuturing Creativity - Week 19

Wow, another week already. Last week just disappeared in a whirlwind of reorganizing, cleaning, dusting, and generally trying to find a place for everything. Let's just say......you don't really want to peek into my garage! But hey, I can still at least park ONE car in there! That's an improvement. I've had the spring cleaning bug for months now but Wil's visit has prompted it into high gear. It has been difficult to keep things straightened up with 3-11 kids here on a regular basis. But they are learning to pick up after themselves (even the 2 and 3 year olds!). For the older kids......if I find stuff scattered where it shouldn't be.....it goes in the trash. You won't believe what a motivation that is!

Wil arrives on Wednesday. Given past experiences....I'm sure I'll have creative stuff to post later this week!!!

OK, so now for my creativity card for this week......

Recipe Book

At first I wasn't really thrilled about this book. It is generally a journal of images, etc. just because you like them. Something to inspire me in the cold days when no ideas are rattling around in this noggin' of mine. I keep many different journals of projects, pages, ideas, etc. But I do have a really cool little accordian book a friend sent me from China. I'm beginning to put stuff in there "just because". It is a bit different to make a journal/book of things just because I like them or feel like a certain color one day. Only problem I've found so far is that the paper is not watercolor friendly! So....I'll have to figure out another method for marking my pages and expanding on them. I'll think of something I'm sure.

In my unending quest to share unique (and often unusual) art, here is the latest one for you enjoyment - and perhaps inspiration!!

Nuturing Creativity - Week 18

Haven't posted much to look at lately. Getting everything ready for "company" in 10 days!!! My friend Wil is coming to visit me from the Netherlands for a months!!!! Can you say PLAY DAYS?????? Wheeeeee! I say "company" in quotes because she is more like wonderful family than "company".

We have TONS of fun together and I am so looking forward to experimenting and playing in the studio, and going to garage sales, and shopping of course!

My Nurturing Creativity card for this week is:

Add Comfort

The idea is to have things around you that make you feel special while you are creative. I have my big comfy chair, my tea pot and lots of different kinds of tea, and a studio full of fun stuff to play with! This week is not difficult for me at all. My studio is my oasis and my sanctuary. I keep it pretty well stocked with things that inspire me!

Nurturing Creativity - Week 17

Computer hiccups yesterday. No reason why they started and no reason why they abruptly stopped. Just glad I'm back up and running again today.

It is going to be a hectic week at best. The twins (Justine and Joseph) turn TWO on Friday. Unbelievable! So, there is a lot to be done this week for that and just some annoying errands (like renewing my driver's license,etc.) So, I didn't get to pick my nurturing card until this morning. And the topic is:

Live Dangerously

OK, HAD to laugh at that one!!! That is pretty much a description of my whole life. You'd think this would be a no-brainer for me! The concept is to take risks! HELLOOOOOOO, no problem there! I wonder if something will come up that will require even more risk that I'm used to??? hmmmm. We'll see!

Nurturing Creativity and A Sad Week

First, the sad week. I found out earlier this week that a dear friend of almost 35 years was diagnosed with mesothelioma. It really knocked me for a loop. She's young and isn't in any industry or anything that would provide prolonged exposure to asbestos. As far as I know for now, they have no idea how it was caused. That's all I'll write because I'm still processing it all. So my week started on a very very sad note.

But even though late, here is my Nurturing Creativity card for this week.

Have A Fan Club -

Keeping notes, e-mails etc. from people who appreciate your talent and encourage you. I already do that and read them sometimes when I feel like I can't even mix blue and yellow and end up with green. Somehow though, this week it doesn't seem to matter much.

I did find that keeping busy did help. So, I completed some ATCs for a swap entitled Tower of Bable. Requirement: each card had to have a foreign language text or word on it. Here they are:

Spring in the Nederlands

Pharoah Dreams - sorry it's a bit blurry

Chinese Happiness

Memories of Spain - this one is special to me because one of my favorite memories of my summer in Spain was riding horseback at Sotogrande (horse on the stamp and a horse charm) and, of course, my black lace mantilla. The background is a Happy Birthday note from a friend in Spain.

Don't you love serendipity?? I do!! I just love the feeling of surprise and yet it seems like something that want MEANT to happen.

We spent the day with friends on Saturday. She brought something with her called "Tea Bag Folding". I had never even heard of it! So, she showed me some of the projects she was working on and then taught me how to do it! So much fun. Another relaxing, kind of therapeutic pasttime. Something while watching TV when I don't feel like doodling.

OK, so this morning when I logged on to the women's art group where I play sometimes, I found a new thread called Tea Bag Mandalas!!! NO WAY!! Yep, I checked it out and wouldn't you know...it is just what I learned only two days ago!! How cool is that?

Here are my first two attempts at this form of origami (from what I read). These two pieces are apx. 3" in diameter.

Mandala 1

Mandala 2

Something tells me these won't be the last ones. In fact, I just printed off a page of little squares to fold tonight. The color is purple, of course.

So do you see what I mean when I say I don't think I could ever run out of new things to play with or new techniques to try if I lived to be 100??? Oh, the only other thing to point out is that the next day...my poor fingers ached terribly! Using those muscles in a different way....never fails to be a bit painful! But I think worth it.