Oh where oh where is the camera?

I just arrived home from a fabulous trip to NYC and CT for Turkey day.  I FINALLY had a chance to visit Tinsel Trading and "The Store Across the Street".  WOW.  The ice skating rink at Rockefeller was up and frozen and they were taking the scaffolding down from erecting the Christmas tree when we arrived.  I'd show you pictures or possibly even videos if only I knew where my camera was packed away.

I've also been diligently decorating the house for the holidays.  The first floor is mostly done.  It looks smashing.  I can't remember how I decorated last year so I'm sort of winging it.  I also have to make room for the Shop Local open house this Sunday  (7 day count down!) so some things will be moving here and there still.  

I wonder where that camera is...and where I put my Christmas cds?...looking, looking, looking

Planning ahead--not my strength

I am not by any means a procrastinator. I like to get things done. I don't like it when they loom, large and scary over me. But, I am busy. I honestly don't know how not to be.

Thankfully, many people I know are forward thinkers, keeping me on track. This project is a quickie for the Eco Lounge Make and take I'll be doing at CHA. I already have my Publisher signings/demos booked, a class for 100 on Parts and Parcels, this eco lounge make and take and a possible 3M make and take. All for CHA (the craft and hobby association convention). I still have a few more items to book but I don't think I've ever been this busy in Anaheim before. And this is not until JANUARY! As soon as I get my schedule finalized I'll post it here and on my website. I hope you'll stop by and say hi.

Now, if only I could get organized to make my hair appointment that is 3 weeks over due!

Green Adornment

No one said you can't be "crunchy" and fashionable did they?  This is a piece I whipped up fo the the CHA Eco lounge Designer Showcase.  (phew that's a mouth full!)

This pendant was inspired by a little scrap of Christine Adolph and Marah Johnson's new fashion paper, an old key and a bag of old stamps.  I also used some beads from an old necklace that my friend Karin gifted to me.  

I'm hoping to make a few more of these lovelies for the december 7th Shop Local sale.  Each one will be unique and I can't wait to see the response to them.

What have you reused lately in a creative way?  Tell me your story.

A cowgirl luncheon OR you can take the girl out of TX but you can't take TX out of the girl

Are you tired yet of my harping on creative living.  I sure hope not!  I hope you wait patiently for every blog just to see if there might be something there you can use--something that will make someone's day a little brighter.  So, to serve you, my blog friend, I share another day in the life of a Creative Liver. I hope that title is not lost on you?  No?  Ah, good, let's carry on. (for my book group friends that last sentence is my Ode to a Reluctant Fundamentalist)

These pictures--Let me explain, No! there is too much. Let me sum up. (Any Princess Bride fans out there?)  My dear friend Karin who is both worldly and other worldly, who's blog I reference often, has a standing offer for a small group of us.  She will make us our favorite meal for our birthday lunch.  Martha gets burgers, Eileen lobster and grilled cheese (but not just any grilled cheese--tartufo cheese!) and I asked for indian (Karin spent some time living there!)  Each of our birthday luncheons were so spectacular that it made us blush.  For myself, no one had EVER spent that much time singularly pleasing me and my friends.  It was a true gift that even now eaten and long gone, stays with me for a very long time if not indefinitely. 

So, this year it was time to repay Karin and I took on the challenge for Martha and Eileen and I.  Karin's favorite?  Pulled Pork Sandwiches.  They were delicious and were served with a mustardy coleslaw and "candied Sweets" potato chips.  But the fun is truly in the details.  A stack of bandanas served as napkins and chair covers, plastic baskets held the authentic Texas looking pulled pork sandwiches, Dixie Chicks played in the background and Dr. Pepper a Texas invention was served in excess.

Most importantly, four busy women took a moment to recharge their batteries, pay homage to their friendship and caught up on life.  An afternoon well spent.  Sure it was some work putting it all together.  The date itself was changed 3 times to accomodate sick children, work schedules and a bad back.  The payback however was 10 fold.  

How can you thank someone today for making your day, week, month, life, better?    Need an idea, drop me a line.  I'd love to help.

"I might even be a rockstar!"

-Hannah Montanna (or Miley Cirus I forget which)

What to do when you have to go to "Gala" but want to still look like an artist?  Go Aerosmith!  Ha, you can't see it very well but around my neck is this Half scarf, Half necklace thing (Scarlace?  Neckarf?) that looks very Aerosmith to me.  Pair it with a little black dress, black tights and Short-hair-that-needed-to-be-cut-4-weeks-ago-but-was-straightened-with-an-iron-to-look-cool.

This was the 21st century gala that I mentioned in earlier posts.  I had a lovely time and I rocked the dance floor with a number of other adults who had varying degrees of rhythm.  The cover band was easy to listen to, and even easier to look at with a gorgeous "Seal"-like lead singer (I mean the artist not the ocean mammal).  I also got to meet Jonathon Riley finally!  What a sweetheart!  He said all the right things about the art too--I was touched.  Thanks Jon!

I promise you less pictures of my every changing hairstyles and more art very soon.  Just wait until you see the pictures from my good friend Karin's Birthday lunch.  Coming soon!

A missed opportunity

I was initially invited to joing the Design Hive but just didn't have the time to pull it off. But, that doesn't mean that you all should suffer. Check it out here at their blog. Its a Saturday only event running from now to Dec. 20th. There are around 50 indie designers and some really great, unique finds. This is a definite stop for me this weekend.

Another good stop is the Brickbottom Open Studios. I'll be making a visit to Charles Baldwin's studio for sure! He has some great pen, pencil and ink drawing that I can't wait to see.

Remember, being creative doesn't mean just making things that others will appreciate, it means being able to appreciate things that others make too!

SHOP LOCAL Part 3- the 411

Here you go, this is the flyer for our out of this world holiday open house! Of course you noticed that we will be collecting food for the Brookline Food Pantry, right? We will also be donating a portion of the day's proceeds to three local charities: The Brookline Food Pantry, The Building Resource Center, and Safety Net-a Brookline Community Foundation designation fund.

Now, go raid your pantry for non-perishable food and mark the calendar for Dec. 7th! I'll see you there!

SHOP LOCAL Part 2

Oh, I love to have fun in the studio...la la la la la


Here is a shot of my first story sketches that you saw me working on in a previous post. For this shot I hung them from old bed springs. Where does one get old bed springs you ask???

Well, when one walks her kids to school and passes by an old box spring put out in the trash on pick up day, one hurries home to find her wire cutters and a bag. Then one walks briskly back up toward school until one happens upon an old box spring.

"Oh my, an old box spring!" (look around to see if anyone sees you looking at a pile of trash)
" I wonder how long it will take for this to decompose in a landfill" (taking the green approach always seems to lessen the gross factor of looking at someone else's trash)
"I bet I could make a couple quick snips and free a few of those old springs from their life of sitting in a rotting heap of garbage." (look around again to see if anyone sees you TALKING to the garbage)
"There, free. Now, what am I going to do with these springs?!?" (then store the springs in your closet for 5 months without any idea of how to use them.)

The rest of the plans are going smoothly for the open house. I spent monday working on the flyer (coming in another post) and then yesterday I ordered all sorts of ribbon and wrapping paper for giftwrapping. Today more painting and then on to the jewerly fun.

I only wish for more time--the ideas in my head are just spinning and I want to share it all with the people of Brookline.

Have you thought of your Holiday shopping list and how you can either Shop Local or make something by hand? Now is as good a time as any to consider it!

SHOP LOCAL Part 1

What did you do yesterday? Was it fun? Do you wish you spent more time doing laundry? Did you remember to defrost the chicken?

I made art. Boy that feels good to say. So many days I don't even get to open a paint bottle or hold a sketch pad. Those are not good days for me.

Now, I know I'm not a typical person but I truly believe we need to be doing what we love--as often as possible. For me it's making art--for art's sake. Not for deadline or for product packaging or for classes or demo's or make and takes (my paper industry life), but instead for the pure joy of having a silly little story in my head come to life.

I suppose that's actually a lie. There was a purpose. I am holding a SHOP LOCAL holiday artisan show at my house on Dec. 7th from 1-5 and I wanted to make these little sketches to sell.

These pictures are a look into my process, because if you come on the 7th--and I hope you do, my studio will be all cleaned up and you won't get to see this. I'm calling these pieces Story Sketches and they cover all sorts of stories. They are 4" x 4" and I hope to have 20 or so of them done by then along with many other things!

And, if I haven't whetted your appetite yet, I also have two jewelry artists, and two fiber artists (one bags one clothing), another collage artist and possibly one or two others who will be there as well.

Oh there's just so much to tell you, I'll have to save it for the next post.

Take a minute for yourself today--go on, I'll wait.

This is a shot by David L. Ryan for the Boston Globe article on Tara Donovan's show at the ICA. Wow, wow and wow. We took advantage of Vetran's Day yesterday and took the girls to this exhibit. I'm sure you can't tell from the picture but this is a hanging sculpture of styrofoam cups. (I know, not ecologically friendly but as long as you keep it hanging you don't need it to biodegrade right? )There were 16 different pieces all created for the space. We were told that it took 2 weeks to assemble everything. and much of it needed to be assembled on site. In one room, Tara created a wall of straws. You didn't realize it until you got up close! AMAZING. and a whole bunch of Why didn't I think of that?







but this is what I did think of...














Doesn't mean much to you I assume but if I could work on each of these ideas, I could be busy for a year! (ok, maybe 6 months) all thanks to a day of mind blowing inspiration. And breakfast at Zaftigs. Nice place but why is an egg mcMuffinstein $11???? But what I do to sit amongst Danny O's art. small price I say.





What is going to inspire YOU today!

Reflections, Elections and Halloween candy

I just realized you can scroll through these blog posts to see how often I change my hair. I wonder if I really want to document this!? This is me 'dolled' up at the Reflections Reception on October 30th. There was an incredible response to all of the frames and was touched by the responses people made to my piece pictured behind me. I just hope these same people will bid early and often to help raise money for the 21st Century Gala fund. I just love what they are doing for out high school here in Brookline--even though I have 6 more years before the girls start there. A good cause is a good cause.

Next up was Halloween. In my "living creatively" streak I should tell you that we gave out 24 packs of crayons! My husband thought we'd get stoned or egged for not handing out candy but that was NOT the case. While I also had plastic mechanical pencils for the older kids, many, when given the choice, still picked the crayons.

tween trick o treater: Trick or Treat
me: Happy Halloween! You want crayons or a pencil?
tween trick o treater: Duuudddde, crayons!
me: okedoke
tween trick o treater: Thannnnkkkksss! (to his friends, "dude I got crayons!")
me: you're welcome!

(see how polite my trick o treaters are?)

I'm also living creatively by avoiding eating all the Halloween candy that the girls brought home. How? you ask. I creatively tell myself other things I could nibble on instead.
me: I want a peanut butter cup!
me: no you don't
me: yes I DO!
me: nahhh, how about a juicy red cherry tomato?
me: oh, such a pretty red color...must eat pretty....
me: good girl.

so far so good, haven't even put one mini m & m into my mouth. Yeah me!

Lastly the election. I endeavor to keep religion and politics off this blog. There are plenty of other blogs to read if you want to go there. BUT, I will just sum up my response in a short statement. "Yeah US!"

I did participate in the voting party mood by crocheting a red white and blue sweater for Bindi my Puerto Rican immigrant pup. When I can get her to sit still with it on I'll snap a photo. It's nothing special and I made it without a pattern so it has lots of room for improvement. What I really wish I had taken pictures of was the sandwich board signs the girls made for election day. They had written VOTE for OBAMA on two sheets of paper and taped them to Bindi's back so that she could be a walking advertisement. I have to say, it was probably much more efficient than robo-calling, especially since 6 of the 8 robo-calls we got were for a guy running for office in TX (I haven't been registered there for 3 years) and one robo-call I received on Wednesday AFTER the election! So glad I didn't contribute to those campaigns--although one could argue that they were "creatively" campaigning.

So, regardless of the weather (rainy here in Brookline) I hope you find your creative spirit clamouring to get out today!