Thursday, June 23
Tuesday, June 21
Tuesday Quote
Each day, and the living of it, has to be a conscious creation in which discipline and order are relieved with some play and pure foolishness.-May Sarton
Saturday, June 18
A stitch...just in time?
Looking for the perfect stitch, bead weaving stitch, for a necklace on an amulet bag.I remember a kinda cool stitch that was spiral, little beads around a bigger bead, but I remember that one being very, very time consuming, and I don't want a super time consuming stitch. (I think it was kinda like this)
I have big (10 or 11) hex Delicas that match the Delicas in the bag, and would like to use them in the necklace as well as the fringe. I may have to make up a new stitch...
Since surfing the web is easier than digging through every bead magazine and book I own, I'll start with some surfing.
Here's a few sites I surfed, and a couple beading web rings, and here are some more sites.
Thursday, June 16
Flower
Here's my favorite drawing I've made with my graphic pad and the art software sample program that came with it. This was done probably two years ago, but I just ran across it again today, and I always just love it when I see it again.Is it wrong to love your own stuff so much??
Wednesday, June 15
Hit by a Mac Truck
Though I hope I don't look it...We were on our way to Omaha tonight to pick up the G's son, and the traffic slowed to a crawl for a couple miles before being routed off the interstate. While crawling at a snail's pace one minute and at a complete stop the next, the semi truck behind us hit us! Jarred these
But that kind of happening sure freaks me for a bit!
Tuesday, June 14
More on the work theory
When we have a creative vision (or when we acknowledge we have a creative vision), and are somewhat of an adult (read: no longer in school), I feel we have two choices: we try to make a living solely from our creative vision (the 'follow your bliss' theory) or we work some other job for pay, and follow our creative vision in our free time (the 'hobbyist' theory).I have seen both work, and seen myself in both.
I long sometimes for actually following my bliss, I could have lived in a van or bus and sold my artwork wherever/anywhere. I was taught beadwork by those who do. I know I could have done that too. But I have always found that I am uncomfortable being not stable, without foundation. And I'm not saying that following your bliss means living in a van. I am in awe of the stories I read of those who are able to make the connection to do what they love, and make a living at it, with little personal hardship.
I find myself more in the hobbyist catagory, doing the j.o.b. to support the art. My uncle, who was and is one of my absolute greatest artistic inspirations, lived that life, and successfully. He worked many different jobs, including cab driver and temping, not jobs that were careers like others in the family. But I learned from him that it wasn't the job that was important. When he died so unexpectedly, eight years ago this summer, and the minister who didn't even know him asked family members what they remembered about him, that was what I offered. That he didn't let his job get the better of him. He worked a decent job to be able to have the freedom to pursue his artistic endeavors as he pleased. And I will add here, though I didn't tell the minister this: he also had the freedom and time to pursue his spiritual creativity. And of course, the two are tied together for me.
So when I sometimes get conflicted about my own work theory, I remember that it can be good life. My uncle had a very good life, though no one would call him rich, or say he had excelled in climbing any career ladders. He always had projects he was working on. He was the most amazing painter, and creative pencil artist I've ever seen the work of.
Monday, June 13
Murphey's Monday and a Brand New Bag (Idea)
Definitely didn't want to go to work today. The G and I are on are on opposite schedules, which for the most part, we make the best of, but Monday morning I feel gypped. That plus the depressing feeling of is this the right job, is this the right work theory (*more on that later). Get to work, Chatty Cathy is still on 'leave' and Beauty is late, and Boss-Lady is there, but too busy to help much with the phone, so I'm stuck alone for the first 45 minutes. And all day, every time I was alone at the desk, every line lit up!"Hold please" "Hold please" "Hold please" "Hold please" "Thanks for holding, how can I direct your call?" "Thanks for holding, how can I direct your call?" "Thanks for holding, how can I direct your call?" "Thanks for holding, how can I direct your call?"
After lunch I did feel better, reminding myself that even a little depressed was better than over stressed, egg-shell walking, back-watching, not knowing if I should expect dr. jeckly or mr. hyde from coworker. I don't mind all the lines lit up at the same time, actually. I can handle it, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment when they're all sent to their proper places.
And at afternoon break, got the idea of making a bag for work, a 'break bag' is what I'm naming it. Here's the 411: I got a new beading magazine at Barnes and Noble the last week (thanks honey), and carried it to work in the bag it came in. And a few days later brought a couple tins of beading supplies for the project I'm working on at work. But every day, twice a day, the crinklieness of the bag bugs me. So I decided to make a very simple bag, almost grocery bag style, just for carrying a magazine or two, and a project or two to work with me.
And being the kind of person who wants to start the project immediately, I decided I'd make the bag out of something(s) I already had at home. Maybe old t-shirts. But that would be too stretchy. When I got home I found a nice cotton button up shirt that I love the color, but don't love the shirt (I'm not much for button ups), so I got to seam rippin' while Deadwood dump-watchin'. I'm picturing a couple ways it could go.
Sunday, June 12
Oh, and about the hat... (or Creativity and Disapointment)
Nothing like working on a project for years (literally) only to have it not be what you wanted. Not quite what you wanted. I'm in the mode of finishing things. We'll start there. No, let's go back maybe 7 years. I had no sewing machine, well, strike that, I had a sewing machine that had been damaged by costume making back in college (how many pairs of burlap shoes did I make for that play anyway?), and of course, I still hung onto it with the hope of getting it actually fixed one day. But I had no working sewing machine. So I started this hat out by hand. I also didn't have a lot of extra money to go purchase material, so I started out by taking apart some other item of clothing, can't remember now if it was a skirt or a shirt, but someone gave it to me, and it didn't fit, but the pattern was fun, so I used that material for the hat. At some point in the process, the hat got put on the back burner. Probably one of the times we moved it got shoved in a box and not found again until a couple moves later. Getting a better job, and home stress probably also contributed to the not finishing of said hat. So now back to the future, to now, and I'm in the mode of finishing things. Finish or fling, that's my motto lately. I've been anxious to get out the hat for a few months, after all, it is a spring/summer kind of hat, so no need to finish it last fall I figured. The last couple steps were only going to take a part of an afternoon, but I had to have the time to get the sewing machine out, since I don't have a arts-n-crafts area in the house right now. So yesterday was the perfect time. And now the hat is finished. And doesn't quite fit perfectly around. And the brim is too big. And the top is too tall. And I'm NOT going to rip all the seams out and re-do it! I may take out one seam if I think I can make it fit around better. I may just give it to a young friend who may enjoy it for dress-up. Yeah, that's a good idea, I'll just give it to my friend, she'll probably like it, and I won't have to face frustration every time I tried to wear it myself.I should likely take pictures of this silly hat as well. Check out my flikr later to see if the hat pix are ready...
flickr
OK, I'm playing more with flickr now. It does seem to be a good way to share photos. (I always thought it was too slow on dial-up)I've even added one of those super cool little photo boxes on my sidebar. Still not a ton of photos in there, but give me time.
Also found that you can get some goodies from them. kewl.
Saturday, June 11
Transformation Vacation
Here I am, working on getting the blogging going again on a regular basis. I'm sure that after almost two months of not posting, I've lost a couple readers. And if you've (you being a fellow blogger) ever been away from your blog for a while, just because of being busy, or going through a period of not caring so much about doing the blogging thing, you may have, like I did, contemplate if coming back to blogging was actually worth it. Because my goal of this blog has always been to hopefully inspire others in their creativity while sharing my journey as well, I decided to come back, because of one incident: One post back in November or December actually inspired someone. I gave someone an idea that they were able to use. That is what this has always been about for me. Honestly, if I didn't have that one shining glory moment, I may not have come back. But I'm here.I do feel that a little explanation is warranted. It was, for me, only being extra busy, not the not caring about blogging thing. I did post once during that time, about getting back to normal, and how that's impossible, because "normal" changes. That's what happened for me. My normality completely changed. You may have noticed a tiny clue in my profile, that I changed. Yes, the G has moved to town. And during the actually moving process, I was just too overwhelmed with busy to post much. The busy has calmed enough to start me posting again.
As always, more on these subjects later.
;p
What have I done for me lately?
Busy Saturday.I put supper in the crock-pot, made Chex mix, finished sewing a hat (more on that later), started ideas for a purse, started another hat, cleaned in my kid's room for over an hour, and cleaned up the kitchen. And there's still more to do. I do love the feeling of accomplishment on a Saturday afternoon, rather than the feeling that I didn't do anything. Weekends are hard, you want to get things actually done, but you want your down-time, too.
Just like everything else, gotta find the balance.
Friday, June 10
Odd work day
Well, Chatty Cathy wasn't fired or quit, she just took a leave of absence. Allegedly. But no one knows how long, the boss just said indefinitely. To me, it's worse if she's really just gone, because they won't hire to replace her. I imagine while she's on her leave, she'll give notice. You don't bring your husband with you like a body guard, refuse to talk to co-workers, dump all your drawer contents into a laundry basket, and take everything with your name on it if you're planning on coming back.So I guess I won't move into her desk just yet. But I have a window, so it's all good.
Thursday, June 9
Starting on the right foot
Well, my second week on the new job is almost over, and I'm still feeling good about it. Feeling very good about it overall.I've made a point to set in place some good work habits already. Like taking the stairs instead of the elevator at least once a day (which I hope to increase), and actually leaving my desk for breaks. I've brought creative reading material to read in the break room, and will bring an easy-to-work-on-for-short-periods-of-time project next week. Ten minutes twice a day, five days a week, and I can get caught up on some beadwork, and pattern drawing.
The J.O.B. is just the necessity to get to the dream work, the creative work. And I'm making sure to not let this job get in the way of me seeing that dream.
Weird work thing today. One lady quit/got fired. I dunno which. Drama will undoubtedly ensue tomorrow. I'm listening in, but staying out.
Learn with a capital "L"
I originally set a goal of “practice Yoga” but you know, you can’t practice something if you don’t even know how to do it, right?!?
So I’ve changed the goal to “learn Yoga” and any help (especially links to free on-line lessons) is much appreciated!!
So I’ve changed the goal to “learn Yoga” and any help (especially links to free on-line lessons) is much appreciated!!
See more progress on: learn yoga
Tuesday, June 7
Up, Up, and Away
The kids left today on a two week vacation that includes their first airplane ride and first visit to the ocean. I'm so happy they get to have a nice vacation.Friday, June 3
Clutter...
I sometimes think that clutter is the enemy of creativity. But since I believe that there is duality in everything, I find that perhaps clutter is the other half of creativity.Here's a couple thoughts:
I want to save different things for future art projects. You know, junk. But it might inspire me at some point, or I can see inspiration in it, but just haven't figured out what to do with it yet. So I save things, which turns into clutter.
On the other hand...clutter around me musses up the chi. Fung Shui isn't all mumbo jumbo, I can feel that my creative spirit gets clogged up when there's so much clutter around.
I guess what I really need is more organized chaos.
Any thoughts?
Creativity and Blog Posts
Considering that the emphasis of this blog has always been (in my mind, anyway) creativity, ideas, and endevors, I had always envisioned some thoughtfully written posts on said topic. Hoping that some words may actually be repeat-worthy to others, and mostly, an outlet to get some of this junk out of my head.Coming back to the blog after a vacation of transformation (more on that later) I want to really lean toward this goal.
Here's to more posting, and more creative posting.
TGIF
Thank Goodness it's Finally...a job I can live with.Most Fridays this past year, it's been a relief just to get away from the nastiness and the chaos. This Friday, it's just being glad to have the work week over, not dreading going back.
Granted, the phones are twice as busy at this new job, but even with that, this is going to be good.
The weekend ahead will be full of decluttering and actual projects, not just de-stressing.
Oh, and I am planning on attempting to make some wonderful coffee/chocolate icey drink in the new smoothie maker.
Wednesday, June 1
So far, so good
First day at the new job went well. Too much to remember, I'm on information overload. But that's to be expected.Fairly laidback atmosphere, with well defined rules overall.
Nice, calm folks for the most part, with the standout exception being the guy who grunts "what's good about it?" when you say "good morning" even if you're the new girl. And makes a point to huff down the hall to tell the new girl what she did wrong, even though the new girl's boss and training buddies didn't even let her touch the guys stuff yet. I took it like a trooper, no big deal, if that's the worst it's gonna get, bring it on.