Here are the before and after shots.
My only excuse for the red in this pic is I was pregnant. It was hideous!
Monday, January 26, 2009
This makes me feel more alive and creative
It took us 2 full days but after 6 years we finally painted the walls in our house. (we only have one hallway left.
Here are the before and after shots.
My only excuse for the red in this pic is I was pregnant. It was hideous!
Here are the before and after shots.
My only excuse for the red in this pic is I was pregnant. It was hideous!
Friday, January 23, 2009
secret #2 continued.....
Being receptive through nature.
Nature is powerful.
It is our life force, we much connect with it and draw energy from it to create, what I would call living art. or art that has a life all its own and really captures that energy.
I tend to go back to childhood and early adult years to remember what really energized me creatively then. (I have become a little dead to the world and am just now 're-finding myself creatively'
I remember (when I was very young) sitting on the ground in my back yard staring with awe at a tree against the sky. There was nothing really remarkable about this tree, but it held me, it gave me a feeling of great joy to just watch this tree. how odd, right - but that is exactly how it was.
Then when I was a bit older, highschool age, I would drive to this lake every chance I got! The place I liked to go was always completely deserted. I would sit there for hours (smoking a cig - ewww) and just meditate of the beauty of everything there.
There was a river which did the same to me, where I met my husband - though I didn't "get to know" the river as well, I would have liked to though.
It doesn't happen all the time, but every now and then, nature will strike me with that energy and move me spiritually for just a moment and then let me go.
I don't always get 'inspired' by this - but it wakes my creative self up a bit.
I do have a santuary for my creativeness. My studio. The second I step foot in there my world is transformed to one all about me and my internal processes. I can leave everything else outside those doors and be completely happy!
If I haven't been there for a while I do sit at my desk just pondering what to do, sometimes nothing happens, and I feel kinda icky when that happens, but the more I go out there the easier creating comes, and I find that if I make something, anything, that will be my inspiration for something else, and so on.
sometimes I have to stop the first thing to move on to the second thing because the inspiration is just too strong to ignore.
Now I can't always get to the studio, so my next santuary is the shower. yup I said the shower.
I get 'lost' in the shower - all the hot water runs out and i must come back to reality. My mind goes everywhere and many an idea hath come from the shower.
I love my shower.
I am not so sure a creative journal would work for me, but I could try. Its just that once inspiration hits instead of writing it down, I must take action. or else explode.
That is happening right now.
as I mentioned in the previous post I have been inspired by bellydancing.
now I am making something out of that inspiration - but I won't say what yet...
I wonder if anyone else out there, like me, thinks that if they tell someone their idea before doing it, it will jinx it and make it turn out badly.
I won't tell anyone, I don't want it jinxed.
oooh rituals,
I definitely have retuals for my studio work.
I have to go in turn on all lights, propane and oxygen, kiln, and radio
then I have to light hand dipped incense (bought off etsy)
and then open a can of Jones Cream Soda.
Then I am ready to begin. All this has to be done.
Stay tuned Secret #3 to come
Nature is powerful.
It is our life force, we much connect with it and draw energy from it to create, what I would call living art. or art that has a life all its own and really captures that energy.
I tend to go back to childhood and early adult years to remember what really energized me creatively then. (I have become a little dead to the world and am just now 're-finding myself creatively'
I remember (when I was very young) sitting on the ground in my back yard staring with awe at a tree against the sky. There was nothing really remarkable about this tree, but it held me, it gave me a feeling of great joy to just watch this tree. how odd, right - but that is exactly how it was.
Then when I was a bit older, highschool age, I would drive to this lake every chance I got! The place I liked to go was always completely deserted. I would sit there for hours (smoking a cig - ewww) and just meditate of the beauty of everything there.
There was a river which did the same to me, where I met my husband - though I didn't "get to know" the river as well, I would have liked to though.
It doesn't happen all the time, but every now and then, nature will strike me with that energy and move me spiritually for just a moment and then let me go.
I don't always get 'inspired' by this - but it wakes my creative self up a bit.
I do have a santuary for my creativeness. My studio. The second I step foot in there my world is transformed to one all about me and my internal processes. I can leave everything else outside those doors and be completely happy!
If I haven't been there for a while I do sit at my desk just pondering what to do, sometimes nothing happens, and I feel kinda icky when that happens, but the more I go out there the easier creating comes, and I find that if I make something, anything, that will be my inspiration for something else, and so on.
sometimes I have to stop the first thing to move on to the second thing because the inspiration is just too strong to ignore.
Now I can't always get to the studio, so my next santuary is the shower. yup I said the shower.
I get 'lost' in the shower - all the hot water runs out and i must come back to reality. My mind goes everywhere and many an idea hath come from the shower.
I love my shower.
I am not so sure a creative journal would work for me, but I could try. Its just that once inspiration hits instead of writing it down, I must take action. or else explode.
That is happening right now.
as I mentioned in the previous post I have been inspired by bellydancing.
now I am making something out of that inspiration - but I won't say what yet...
I wonder if anyone else out there, like me, thinks that if they tell someone their idea before doing it, it will jinx it and make it turn out badly.
I won't tell anyone, I don't want it jinxed.
oooh rituals,
I definitely have retuals for my studio work.
I have to go in turn on all lights, propane and oxygen, kiln, and radio
then I have to light hand dipped incense (bought off etsy)
and then open a can of Jones Cream Soda.
Then I am ready to begin. All this has to be done.
Stay tuned Secret #3 to come
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Secret #2
I am late with this entry due to MLK day and 2 school snow days. My oldest son was out of school for 5 straight days. That leaves me very little blogging time.
So anyways on to the Secret.
"Honoring your inspirations."
I am going to take this chapter in parts.
The first paragraph basically sums it all up
"Creative inspirations seduce us, luring us, charming us, tempting us, and captivating our attention"
(paraphrased)
How can one not respond to this pull? When it beckons I get so wrapped up in the emotions connected, sometimes that is enough other times I must do something with it. What I do varies on the stimulus and how strong it is, how much it weighs on me and stays in my head. If something puts the idea of how a certain piece of jewelry could come out like, I just can't wait to get to the studio and try it. I even get moody if I can't go right away.
but as of right now, I do have an inpiration for some creativity.
I went to the Juggling Gypsy with a friend a few nights ago. She was bellydancing in their show.
I was amazed by it! I was amazed by the movements and loved the outfits.
I went to my first of many bellydance classes with her last night. I had so much fun. The time flew by! I will be going every Wednesday. I don't know if this will lead anywhere, probably not, but is was fun! I will also be going to the bellydance show once a month with her.
I even got some inspiration for jewelry pieces from this experience.
I am excited and anxious to be a part of this creative new world!
I am not comfortable with dance or dramatics at all, but it has always intrigued me. I have never been one to go out of my way to avoid uncomfortable situations, I find it a challenge, and most of the time I win.
Back to the secret now...
The part of the chapter about creative play, brought back memories of myself as a child.
I had a chalkboard, My beloved chalkboard. I would have my mom or dad (usually dad) to tell me something to draw -usually an animal - well almost always it was an animal of some sort. I would draw it and it looked pretty good. Well it to me and my parents told me it did, if I saw something I drew back then, today it would probably look like uh, not much of anything, but I 'remember' it being good. I had an assignment in kindergarten to draw something to do with Halloween, I drew a witch. It was pretty good, even by grown up standards. My mom kept it, and I still like it.
My other childhood inspiration I really remember is paper.
just paper
My mother worked for Bellsouth (Southern Bell at the time)
She would bring home reams of 500 letterhead.
I would "make" things from this paper.
I made 'lanterns'
I made 'a puppet stand' -didn't work out well
I made paper airplanes
I made a plethera of things, I really let my imagination go wild, and I went through so much paper - hardcore recyclists would have been raving mad about it!
This is such a powerful chapter, I am gonna continue in my next post, maybe today, maybe tomorrow - but more to come befor secret 3 is revealed. (I have to go excercise now, while the little one sleeps)
I am late with this entry due to MLK day and 2 school snow days. My oldest son was out of school for 5 straight days. That leaves me very little blogging time.
So anyways on to the Secret.
"Honoring your inspirations."
I am going to take this chapter in parts.
The first paragraph basically sums it all up
"Creative inspirations seduce us, luring us, charming us, tempting us, and captivating our attention"
(paraphrased)
How can one not respond to this pull? When it beckons I get so wrapped up in the emotions connected, sometimes that is enough other times I must do something with it. What I do varies on the stimulus and how strong it is, how much it weighs on me and stays in my head. If something puts the idea of how a certain piece of jewelry could come out like, I just can't wait to get to the studio and try it. I even get moody if I can't go right away.
but as of right now, I do have an inpiration for some creativity.
I went to the Juggling Gypsy with a friend a few nights ago. She was bellydancing in their show.
I was amazed by it! I was amazed by the movements and loved the outfits.
I went to my first of many bellydance classes with her last night. I had so much fun. The time flew by! I will be going every Wednesday. I don't know if this will lead anywhere, probably not, but is was fun! I will also be going to the bellydance show once a month with her.
I even got some inspiration for jewelry pieces from this experience.
I am excited and anxious to be a part of this creative new world!
I am not comfortable with dance or dramatics at all, but it has always intrigued me. I have never been one to go out of my way to avoid uncomfortable situations, I find it a challenge, and most of the time I win.
Back to the secret now...
The part of the chapter about creative play, brought back memories of myself as a child.
I had a chalkboard, My beloved chalkboard. I would have my mom or dad (usually dad) to tell me something to draw -usually an animal - well almost always it was an animal of some sort. I would draw it and it looked pretty good. Well it to me and my parents told me it did, if I saw something I drew back then, today it would probably look like uh, not much of anything, but I 'remember' it being good. I had an assignment in kindergarten to draw something to do with Halloween, I drew a witch. It was pretty good, even by grown up standards. My mom kept it, and I still like it.
My other childhood inspiration I really remember is paper.
just paper
My mother worked for Bellsouth (Southern Bell at the time)
She would bring home reams of 500 letterhead.
I would "make" things from this paper.
I made 'lanterns'
I made 'a puppet stand' -didn't work out well
I made paper airplanes
I made a plethera of things, I really let my imagination go wild, and I went through so much paper - hardcore recyclists would have been raving mad about it!
This is such a powerful chapter, I am gonna continue in my next post, maybe today, maybe tomorrow - but more to come befor secret 3 is revealed. (I have to go excercise now, while the little one sleeps)
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Sun Salutation
Fingers touch the sky
as clouds rush past them
Breathe
The wind caress them as they lower to the earth
Breathe
hovering for a moment, then
glide into the sun's glorious warmth
Breathe
glancing back to the earth
hands sweep through the air
to brush the clouds once again
Breathe
Namaste
as clouds rush past them
Breathe
The wind caress them as they lower to the earth
Breathe
hovering for a moment, then
glide into the sun's glorious warmth
Breathe
glancing back to the earth
hands sweep through the air
to brush the clouds once again
Breathe
Namaste
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Secret #1
I am not sure what I hope to get out of this, I already know I am creative. Maybe to amplify and clarify my creative self. It gets lost sometimes.
This chapter mentions taking risks, even if it means being wrong. I know I do that, probably to a fault. I will try something without ever sitting with it long enough to evaluate the chances of success.
ie. my etsy store. When I found etsy, I didn't know anything about it, I just jumped right in even with terrible photos and started listing items before ever getting my storefront ready.
But that isn't really being creative, just overly eager.
My ultimate creation, is my children. I have felt compelled to "create" the perfect little people. It is really unfair to them, but I have been almost compulsive about what my older son is exposed to. My younger son, not so much - I have let it go a bit lately.
But in this caretaking, My artistic self has been stifled. It screams to be let out. I feel like I always HAVE to do something or my 'self' will collapse.
I cannot always go to my studio to create, so I have let loose on painting, that felt wonderful for a while. but it got old, I moved on to pen and ink drawings (I CANNOT draw, so it wasn't as satisfying). then I was able to get outside more and I utilized my kiln, that fueled my artistic fire as long as I could go. Then things got too hectic to get out for several hours at a time, so I exploded into yarn art - hats and animals -(previous post).
I feel like my creative self is disorganized and chaotic. I can't focus on one thing and then when I can I stand there lost sometimes not knowing where to begin, yet wanting to begin everywhere.
There is one major obstacle for me, $$.
I want to channel my creative self into a career. I want to merge the two.
But when I am creating with $$ signs in my eyes, then what I am making suffers. I don't know why. It always comes out better when I am creating without the stress of 'will it sell'.
Those are limitations which inhibit my freedom.
the problems are if I spend too long on something I have to charge more - If I try to do it faster craftsmenship suffers (I won't sell anything with poor craftsmenship) Then all that time is wasted.
If I make it too complex, I have to charge more and it won't sell.
If I make it too simple - no one will be interested.
I hate these limitations I place upon myself.
It is nice when I don't have a show coming up - I feel freer to create whatever I like regardless of external reasons to, or not to, do something.
Also I do question my own creativity oftens,
like "am I taking to many ideas from others?" or "Is this creative at all or just technical"
I think I am drawn toward the jewelry because it is very technical. I can mull over ideas while assembling something else, or soldering things together.
I like to paint because of the freedom it offers - it doesn't have to be technical at all! it can be quick or slow it can be ugly or pretty - it just doesn't matter - (and if you screw up, you aren't out of gobs of money)
(I feel judgment from all around, I don't know if I need this to better myself or if it crushes my creative spirit just a little each time, my hubby is my worst critic - and yet I need his input even if it hurts)
to quote the chapter itself...
I think what my soul wants is "freedom to express all my creative impulses without judgement."
This chapter mentions taking risks, even if it means being wrong. I know I do that, probably to a fault. I will try something without ever sitting with it long enough to evaluate the chances of success.
ie. my etsy store. When I found etsy, I didn't know anything about it, I just jumped right in even with terrible photos and started listing items before ever getting my storefront ready.
But that isn't really being creative, just overly eager.
My ultimate creation, is my children. I have felt compelled to "create" the perfect little people. It is really unfair to them, but I have been almost compulsive about what my older son is exposed to. My younger son, not so much - I have let it go a bit lately.
But in this caretaking, My artistic self has been stifled. It screams to be let out. I feel like I always HAVE to do something or my 'self' will collapse.
I cannot always go to my studio to create, so I have let loose on painting, that felt wonderful for a while. but it got old, I moved on to pen and ink drawings (I CANNOT draw, so it wasn't as satisfying). then I was able to get outside more and I utilized my kiln, that fueled my artistic fire as long as I could go. Then things got too hectic to get out for several hours at a time, so I exploded into yarn art - hats and animals -(previous post).
I feel like my creative self is disorganized and chaotic. I can't focus on one thing and then when I can I stand there lost sometimes not knowing where to begin, yet wanting to begin everywhere.
There is one major obstacle for me, $$.
I want to channel my creative self into a career. I want to merge the two.
But when I am creating with $$ signs in my eyes, then what I am making suffers. I don't know why. It always comes out better when I am creating without the stress of 'will it sell'.
Those are limitations which inhibit my freedom.
the problems are if I spend too long on something I have to charge more - If I try to do it faster craftsmenship suffers (I won't sell anything with poor craftsmenship) Then all that time is wasted.
If I make it too complex, I have to charge more and it won't sell.
If I make it too simple - no one will be interested.
I hate these limitations I place upon myself.
It is nice when I don't have a show coming up - I feel freer to create whatever I like regardless of external reasons to, or not to, do something.
Also I do question my own creativity oftens,
like "am I taking to many ideas from others?" or "Is this creative at all or just technical"
I think I am drawn toward the jewelry because it is very technical. I can mull over ideas while assembling something else, or soldering things together.
I like to paint because of the freedom it offers - it doesn't have to be technical at all! it can be quick or slow it can be ugly or pretty - it just doesn't matter - (and if you screw up, you aren't out of gobs of money)
(I feel judgment from all around, I don't know if I need this to better myself or if it crushes my creative spirit just a little each time, my hubby is my worst critic - and yet I need his input even if it hurts)
to quote the chapter itself...
I think what my soul wants is "freedom to express all my creative impulses without judgement."
Friday, January 9, 2009
Crochet
This is a bit of a picture post. A couple of months before christmas, I got inspired by several people.
Bridget -knit
Gina - crochet
and Lemon - both
these people all used yarn to express themselves creatively.
I wanted to do the same. Of course in my own way. So I learned how to knit. I started with scarves and quickly grew tired of that. so I moved to making a hat. I love the hat I made (first pic) but I found I did not like to knit. I already had some crochet background and just simply love that more.
So off I moved to crochet. I made a blanket when I was in college - it is my sons beloved BGB (big green blanket) I also made him a round blanket and have an unfinished blue one.
but on to the present...
I began with a hat. It sucked. (no pic)
Then I made another hat - (the one with the pom pom on top) I love that one, so thick and warm!
Then I made the red and white hat pictured below. I learned a new stitch with this. I have never done different stitches before, I love the effect. This is a small hat, it would fit a 6 month old, though it is tighter around the base, I am not sure I like that about it.
By this time I got tired of hats, I sure do grow tired of things quickly enough, don't I?
So I made a pumpkin for thanksgiving. It is so cute. I then wanted to make more animals and toys.
Also I have no money for christmas presents, so I thought I would just crochet an animal for each person to meet his/her personality.
I made a dragon for my favorite little 4 year old girl. I am told she likes dragons. I really like how it turned out, I wish I had gotten a picture.
I made a purple dolphin for Bridget (she loves purple and dolphins)
again no pic
I made ladybug magnets for Bridget's MIL and SIL and for my mom and my SIL.
They were rather random but cute, again no pic.
But my favorite items are my last couple of pics, I made these for my boys.
My youngest, whom I affectionately call "monster" loves monsters so I made him a monster, my older son picked out the color for it.
And my last project was a Lizard for my older son, who loves spending his time outside catching lizards! and his favorite color is green.
enjoy the pics. I am resting from crochet for now.
Oh also pictured below is a camera case I made for my new camera, not pretty but very funtional.
Bridget -knit
Gina - crochet
and Lemon - both
these people all used yarn to express themselves creatively.
I wanted to do the same. Of course in my own way. So I learned how to knit. I started with scarves and quickly grew tired of that. so I moved to making a hat. I love the hat I made (first pic) but I found I did not like to knit. I already had some crochet background and just simply love that more.
So off I moved to crochet. I made a blanket when I was in college - it is my sons beloved BGB (big green blanket) I also made him a round blanket and have an unfinished blue one.
but on to the present...
I began with a hat. It sucked. (no pic)
Then I made another hat - (the one with the pom pom on top) I love that one, so thick and warm!
Then I made the red and white hat pictured below. I learned a new stitch with this. I have never done different stitches before, I love the effect. This is a small hat, it would fit a 6 month old, though it is tighter around the base, I am not sure I like that about it.
By this time I got tired of hats, I sure do grow tired of things quickly enough, don't I?
So I made a pumpkin for thanksgiving. It is so cute. I then wanted to make more animals and toys.
Also I have no money for christmas presents, so I thought I would just crochet an animal for each person to meet his/her personality.
I made a dragon for my favorite little 4 year old girl. I am told she likes dragons. I really like how it turned out, I wish I had gotten a picture.
I made a purple dolphin for Bridget (she loves purple and dolphins)
again no pic
I made ladybug magnets for Bridget's MIL and SIL and for my mom and my SIL.
They were rather random but cute, again no pic.
But my favorite items are my last couple of pics, I made these for my boys.
My youngest, whom I affectionately call "monster" loves monsters so I made him a monster, my older son picked out the color for it.
And my last project was a Lizard for my older son, who loves spending his time outside catching lizards! and his favorite color is green.
enjoy the pics. I am resting from crochet for now.
Oh also pictured below is a camera case I made for my new camera, not pretty but very funtional.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
I feel great!
For the past 2 weeks I have been exersizing. I began with 20 minutes on the treadmill, and 30 minutes of yoga directly after.
I walk slower for one minute, then fast for 3 minutes then slow for one, then fast 3 - and so on till 20 minutes have gone by.
It was almost impossible for me to reach 20 minutes at first.
Now I require myself to complete those first 20 minutes then access my body to see how much more I can handle
well getting to those first 20 is hell, but then it is odd how my body almost goes numb, nothing hurts anymore and I feel like I am on top of the world.
I now after the first 20 - walk slow 2 then fast 2 up to the 30 minute mark. Then walk fast for 10 straight minutes, and sing along with the radio while doing it!
I am still doing my 30 minutes of yoga after the walking.
I had gotten thick around the middle over the past few months. So I am trying to slim back down, I would love to have the body of a 20 year old, though highly unlikely to ever happen.
I have odd pregnancy fat left over in my belly area. I also had some kind of separation during pregnancy, I am not sure what that is all about or if it is contributing to my thick look.
But tell ya what, I feel wonderful, so much stronger and so much more energy. My house is so very clean now!
Oh and another reason for doing this is I AM GOING SURFING AGAIN THIS YEAR- sharks be damned!!
I walk slower for one minute, then fast for 3 minutes then slow for one, then fast 3 - and so on till 20 minutes have gone by.
It was almost impossible for me to reach 20 minutes at first.
Now I require myself to complete those first 20 minutes then access my body to see how much more I can handle
well getting to those first 20 is hell, but then it is odd how my body almost goes numb, nothing hurts anymore and I feel like I am on top of the world.
I now after the first 20 - walk slow 2 then fast 2 up to the 30 minute mark. Then walk fast for 10 straight minutes, and sing along with the radio while doing it!
I am still doing my 30 minutes of yoga after the walking.
I had gotten thick around the middle over the past few months. So I am trying to slim back down, I would love to have the body of a 20 year old, though highly unlikely to ever happen.
I have odd pregnancy fat left over in my belly area. I also had some kind of separation during pregnancy, I am not sure what that is all about or if it is contributing to my thick look.
But tell ya what, I feel wonderful, so much stronger and so much more energy. My house is so very clean now!
Oh and another reason for doing this is I AM GOING SURFING AGAIN THIS YEAR- sharks be damned!!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
freedom to write
As much as I am looking forward to the blogging circle, I am a bit apprehensive.
This means people will most likely actually be reading what I write. I feel rather safe knowing no one is reading,
I hope I can get over that and write freely, and not feel like I have to hold back or worse, censor what I write.
I am not used to really letting my thoughts go, I tend to offend.
This means people will most likely actually be reading what I write. I feel rather safe knowing no one is reading,
I hope I can get over that and write freely, and not feel like I have to hold back or worse, censor what I write.
I am not used to really letting my thoughts go, I tend to offend.
Monday, January 5, 2009
I ordered my book off of ebay, I got it for $5. I am looking forward to beginning reading it. I love waiting for things I ordered online. its like getting a little present in the mail. I always enjoyed getting my cloth diaper packages when I was ordering them, they were "fluffy mail". Every time I order something off of etsy, I am always anxious to receive the package. I like to see how much care the individual put into the packaging, some are really nice, others - eh - but as long as I get what I ordered I am happy and love opening the mailbox to a package.
That is what I get for being a SAHM, I shop online and look forward to getting my "present" to myself
That is what I get for being a SAHM, I shop online and look forward to getting my "present" to myself
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