My cousin got married about 9 months ago and I wasn't able to attend, but I did tell him that I was making his wedding gift and would send it to him the moment I finished it.  Flash forward 9 months and I still haven't sent it, although I've recently completed it.  What I've discovered is creating things is like working a muscle, if you don't use it, you'll lose it.  At the time I told him I was making the gift, 15 other things were going on and I didn't get a chance to work on anything, let alone his gift.  The disastrous result; I didn't create ANYTHING for weeks and weeks and weeks (OK, more like months). 


Life totally got in the way of my muse and I couldn't even sit down at my work table to complete anything.  I'm pleased that the "crafter's block" that I had dissipated and I'm back to my old self, but I have to prepare for the next drought by creating something everyday.  Noah Scalin (who just happens to be from Richmond, Va) had a brilliant idea on how to accomplish that very thing and explains it in detail in his book "365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life".  So many nuggets of truth in this book, too many to name.  Sage and sound advice for anyone who struggles with the creative process (thanks Noah).  So, I've finished the wedding present, but now it'll be a "One Year Anniversary" present instead.  Here's some pictures of the finished product.

Front Cover: Woodburned, stained, picture art added painted and varnished



Back cover: woodburned, stained, picture added, painted and varnished.



Inside cover: woodburned, stained and painted.





There is no greater joy then to find you purpose or passion, you know the thing that makes your heart sing when you think of it.  Of course you love your family and you love, love, love your children and spouse, but this is not the same, its the thing that is special just to you.  I've always had an issue corralling in my artistic expression, I've dabbled in just about anything, but what I've discovered that there are a few things that make me giggle inside and act like a 7 year.  The first is pyrography (just a fancy way of saying woodburning). In a word,  I LOVE IT!  I find myself looking at wood in an almost obscene way, wondering how my wood pen would flow over it and the smell of burning wood just takes me to a comfy cozy place.   While woodburning is a great love of mine, I can't neglect the others, making slide shows, resin jewelry, macro-photography and most recently sewing.  Yes, I will "dabble" in some other things (I have a mini kiln I'm just waiting to fire up) but for now, these are the things that occupy my waking artistic moments.   


 A friend once told me that I had "too many hobbies" and that I needed to narrow them down.  This friend is not an artist, she's very practical and matter of fact and I know that she didn't understand how an artist thinks, so I forgave her and ignored what she said.  A TRUE artist, in my humble opinion, has no boundaries when it comes to creating, to do so would only stifle the very spirit of creativity.  So, I will continue to dabble around, finding new "loves" along the way and seeing what beautiful things come from my cluttered mine and worktable. 

I have a pantry full of plastic bags.  I have a cute little contraption that I put them in, but lately the contraption is over flowing and I'm feeling more and more guilty the more bags I accumulate.  I'm as green as I think most people are, I recycle and I try not to use up energy when it's not necessary; but let's face it, old habits die hard and I almost always forget my many, many MANY reusable grocery bags when I go to the store.  I have a new incentive to bring my bags with me,one of the stores I shop at gives you a "bag credit" of .05 per bag when you use your own! WooHoo! I know, it's not much, but I don't think anyone can turn their nose's up at chump change in this economy so I will try to remember them from now on. In the meantime, the plastic bags that are turning into "The Blob" in my pantry are another story. In a valiant effort to redeem myself in the eyes of all things and people green, I've started to create things with them.  Here's a look at my first efforts.  Enjoy!