Monday Mood Post

A blog  friend of mine publishes a mood board every Monday in her blog.  Duni's blog--Duni's Studio--usually posts fashion stuff with a specific color combination. Here's one of her posts that I particularly liked.  It got me to thinking . . . . . . 

I have been feeling a little down lately, so I decided to try to improve my mood and understand why I am feeling like I do.  One thing is that sales have been down, not nearly what they had been in similar portions of previous years.  I know that the nature of sales are up and down, but this was and is becoming extended for most of the first six months of this year! 

So . . . first I prayed and then I counted my blessings--an awesome place to start! Then I went to the computer--you know, we all live by the info we can glean from our computer searches :)  I looked up some articles on expectations and depression.  I didn't find anything on that subject because they were all talking about unrealistic expectations and I don't feel my simple expectations are outrageous. But I did find this article that I know will help me. 

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2013/how-to-improve-your-mood-in-a-hurry/

I thought I would pass it along---sort of my Monday Mood Post!   Might be good for you too! (Then I drew a little picture):

Enjoy the link!  Even tho I know you don't want to hear it--I know that I didn't!  But seriously, many of us who spend our days creatively and at a computer, know that we don't spend enough time with our physical needs.  Ever thought that it might be contributing to your lack of creativity?

Linking today with:
Create-with-joy

Inspire Me Monday

It's Monday, the start of a new week!  Lots of things "on my plate" for the week:

• finish commissioned mural and deliver
• finish aprons for wholesale order
• purchase yardage for new apron pocket material
• purchase sample fabric for anniversary apron trim
• finish hair bows for Spring shows
• prepare for Saturday show i.e pricing, packaging, & packing
• work on new art quilt for my new shop

All these are a 'no-brainer', as the young folk would say, except for the last one.  I am looking for inspiration for this new art quilt. This is how I look for it:  I have a top quilt on my bed that has a muslin backing.  I turn over the quilt with the muslin side up.  Then I lay out fabric combinations in several different combinations; I let them sit there, and go about my day.

Rose base color with possibilities . . .

As I pass thru my bedroom during daily activities, I glance at the combinations lying there (and maybe rearrange a few).

without the lighter shade and adding bright pink & burgundy

After a few passes, one may jump out at me, hitting my sensitivities for beauty.

Everything!

 Some may not.  Those that don't, get put away, back in the stash. This may finally lead to my favorite choice.  I have done this many times; but this time, my wall art piece is causing me angst!   I just haven't found a "happy combination" yet!

What do you think!  

Keep the bright pink, or not?  Well, I'll keep trying!   And I will share the process as it goes along!

P.S.  Linking up today with Create-with-Joy's Inspire Me Monday

Leftover ornaments?

After decorating this year, using a smaller tree, I had several ornaments leftover that I did not use.  I could pack them back in the box, but would rather do something creative with them.  I left them setting on the end of the coffee table, thinking about it.

Yesterday,  Hubby went Christmas shopping, came home and wrapped his packages.  Here is how he left them:

 
Creative opportunity is here! My motto:  Use what you have!

First box to tackle!

A piece of black ribbon, cream curly ribbon, scrap fabric, and two cinnamon ornaments.

Second box!

Raffia, ribbon, ceramic ornament . . . . .

This one is done; not finished with all of them yet, plus they all need tags, but you get the idea!  

Use what you have!  And have fun!

Remember These?

Remember these?  

available from yesteryours 

Maybe you are too young to ever have gone to school and sat in one of these desks. Or maybe you think these older versions are "quaint."

available from antiqweeker  

Well, the other day I heard that a young teacher said that these would eventually be in a museum as "torture chambers"!  I beg to differ!  I spent many a happy day in one of these and I learned a lot.  But the comment made me think.

These days school children sit at a table, communal style, about six to a table.  Some of these tables are rectangles, some are circles.   The circle ones leave little room for table top work space because they are pie shaped and children sit almost elbow to elbow. Supplies at these work stations are communal.  Children share supplies from a pile or tray in the middle of the table. There is no room for anything else.  They learn to take turns.  Now this may not seem bad on the surface, but I beg to differ.  In the old desks, one had to learn to be responsible for his own supplies.  Your supplies were in your desk.  If you broke your own crayons, you suffered the consequences and used crayon bits for your drawings.  This taught you to care for your items. It taught responsibility.  And, by-the-way, Johnny got in trouble for taking something from someone else's desk.

I am sad that children today, may be learning an entitlement mentality and it is no wonder that our society is becoming more socialistic. They are learning it from a young age.  And it is further not a wonder that the entrepreneurial  spirit is being assaulted. How dare one be different! Are we to become just a part of the Borg,  a cog in the system?  For me, I still value creativity, individualism and old desks.  Just sayin . . . . .

Got Judge?

(This is the fourth and final article on Creativity.  If you are interested in the others in the series, please click the "Got Creativity?" tab on the home page.)

While we are not discussing juried assessments today, it does matter how you judge yourself and who you 'stand next to' for the personal judgement process.  I was often known to tell my kids, as they were growing up, not to judge themselves by their friends' standards.  I encouraged them to be individuals and stand on their own principles. This, obviously, involved developing their own principles! In regard to creating--developing your own principles and standards is a personal thing too.

For me, I see some work, at first glance, that looks sloppy to me, because my standards are different.   This causes me to think, and remind myself to NOT judge other people's creativity by my personal standards!  I've  learned a lot over the years and my tastes have mellowed.  Used to, I didn't like any textile seam exposed,  because that is the way I was taught.  Now, younger people like that unkempt, raw style and can appreciate that the article was handmade, rather than judging it's quality by the particular technique of sewing.  This really is quite refreshing! I have learned something new. I can still enjoy a non-exposed tidy seam but currently look at a particular creation through new eyes of appreciation.

Personal creative style is just a manner of expression that is unique to the individual. There is no right or wrong to creativity. We would never tell a young child that he/she (how's that for political correctness! -- see the other series article on correctness  :)   could not use pink or lavender for the tree leaves in his/her picture;  we allow for creativity, especially in children! Why not in ourselves?   Settling into your own creative style and developing your own standards takes work and in the end, brings you a peace regarding your own style.  This peace also brings confidence!

Have you tried something new today?  And are you at peace with it?

Got Creative Correctness?

(Part two of my Got Creativity? series.  First article here. )

Do you feel that you must have your creations turn out exactly like you envision?  And absolutely with the correct techniques you are attempting?  Let me tell you, correctness is a killer!  There is an old saying that you need to remember, if you are in the afore mentioned state.  And this statement is not currently politically correct, either!  Remember:  "There is more than one way to skin a cat!" (I think this saying originated with hunters and they were referring to a polecat!)  Maybe a more politically correct saying that conveys the thought would be: "There is more than one way to get to Chicago." tee hee!

Just because a pattern, that you might be using, says that you must do the procedure one way, doesn't mean that it is the only way to complete the task! Honestly, if it were, there wouldn't be a plethora of craft/sewing books available that tell you how to approach it!  Let yourself go, try your craft like it feels right to you! Throw the rules out the window, just come up with a finished product that is pleasing and sound.  You will be invigorated, refreshed and motivated to move ahead with further creativity!  So what if you don't like the first attempt?  It's OK.  Try it again!  Remember Rule one: Stick-to-itiveness.  We talked about this in part one of this series)

Here's my example:  I first started with embroidery art hoops using just a line style and one color:

Next I tried filling in the design and came up with this which I am sure is not correct technique and, by-the-way, not one of may favorites pieces:

Next I tried some different techniques including a couching technique (on the grasses--enlarge and look closer) and came up with something that I do like:

Practice makes perfict . . . I mean perfect!!  Keep at it and don't let correctness stand in your way nor let it derail and stall you!

On to more creativity tomorrow!!!

Got Talent?

(Part one in a series of articles on your attitude of creativity.)

Do you struggle with your creativity?  Do you think that others were just born with it?  You think, others just "have what it takes" and do not struggle with making lovely things. I, personally, think creativity is a matter of style and "stick-to-ativeness".  (Like my new word?  -- It's creative!)  Yes, I agree, takes a few times to do something to perfect it! In the process, you find things that you would do differently the next time.  But stick to it!  You'll get it.

As to style, I understand that my style is not like someone else's.  If you are trying to reproduce someone else's style, you will never be satisfied.  Just keep working on your own designs until you are satisfied with your own creativity! And quit comparing yourself to others!  You are unique!


My pansy quilt and matching pillow cover

I often have tried to compare my quilting to some of those beautiful creations that I see in the quilt shows.  Mine are nothing like those!  But I have come to accept my creations as an extension of me!  They are creative, pleasing, and talented!  I have learned that I have a "child-like" quality to my work, and that is OK.  Anyone ever hear of Grandma Moses? Her creations--her artwork--was primitive and hot (in her time) for an old lady! "Child-like" was OK!

I had a friend  who considered herself "craft-challenged"  but when we had a get-together, she participated and came up with lovely quilt squares for our group project.  I don't think any of us are UNtalented.  Just take a browse thru Etsy and you will see! And make sure you "keep at it"!

Musing . . . . for creative projects?

Needing a new project to work on?  Wondering what to do with that stash, whether it is paper, ephemera, or fabric? 

Often, I look at my stash of fabric, sort and resort trying to put colors together, patterns and what not, in order to spark my creativity!  I find pieces that will go together--a child's crayon carrier in two fabrics;  I find fabrics that will make a nice apron; I find pieces in similar colors that I set aside for a future quilt.  Some of these projects even get cut out for later construction.  I stack these probable projects together, separate from my general stash, for future use.  My stack of future projects gets larger and larger.  I also make a list of these projects with an empty check box beside them.  That way, I can check off the projects as I complete them and keep track of what still needs to be done.  I post this list on my inspiration bulletin board. 

When will I get to the projects?  On those days that I am stuck for creativity, I look thru these preset stacks for a short project that I can complete to encourage myself.

This worked for me just lately, as I created several children's crayon carriers in one day, just because they were already planned and pre-cut!  One of them I made wrong-- I forgot the cotton batting for cushioning, so I made it into a colored pencil carrier, which obviously does not need as much cushioning as crayons do.  I gave this particular one to my eight year old grandson, Indy, who likes to draw and is getting a little big for crayons.  He has three little sisters.  Now he can have his pencils put away separate from their art supplies and have them at hand to work with when he pleases. This pleases me also, not just because I gave it as a gift, but because creativity reigned and a new use for my handiwork was created!  Yay!!

Hope this gives you some new ideas for your creativity! 

STUCK!

Ever think that you just have nothing to say?  Everyone else has said it all!?  Well, that's how I feel right now.  Doesn't seem like my life is interesting enough to share, but I know that is not true.  I think it's the weather!  Up and down lately, doesn't know if it wants to still be spring or make up it's mind to be summer!   I feel like that!  I craft a little, read a little, watch TV some; just don't have direction or feel creative.  I need a challenge!!!  One that involves ephemera and supplies that I have already, since I recently became unemployed! 

So dear reader, I am enlisting your help.  Heard of any blog challenges that are really good?  Let me know in the comments, would ya?  Lookin' for inspiration!

Wordless Wednesday-Inspirational Quilt

Saturday Musings--Creative Ideas come from . . .

This week has been and is still full of activity thru the weekend!   Part of this week, I was a captive audience to whomever wanted to talk to me.  I was at a craft show, manning my own booth and couldn't leave.  One woman who came up to my table, just wanted to talk.  The show was pretty slow, so she held me  captive forever, it seemed like.  She wasn't interested in buying anything, just telling me the "blow by blow" of her own creativeness! I tried to stay engaged, and not be rude, but it truly was difficult.  But, as sometimes happens, she was successful, unknowingly, in giving me an idea!  When she left, I began bouncing ideas off what she had been telling me.  After some time, I came up with my own idea for several products for Spring! Ideas come from the strangest places! Yea! Creativity!

Christmas Creativity

Time for the Etsyblogger Street Team Blog Carnival.  The topics to choose from this time around are:

1) Share a holiday item that you created and tell us a little bit about it.

2) Create a holiday Etsy wish list and share it on your blog. What do you really want from Etsy this year?

I'm not really a person to "want" much, or to make lists for myself, so I have chosen to tell you about one of my creations!  Anyway, that is what this blog is about: CREATIVITY!  I've been making lots of old fashioned fabric yoyo's to sell in my Supply shop and decided to make a little candle mat at the Halloween time using some leftover orange fabrics.  I liked my candle mat and used it on little entry table.  So, later, I decided to go a little larger and created a center piece/table topper for Christmas.  I made  the yo yo's with Christmas colors, and added an underlayment of a gold lame fabric with tassels on the corners.  I liked the finished product and used it on my little apartment table!  It creates some fun for my dinning table!  You can order one for your table, if you like it!   (from my handcrafts shop!)

Sunday Sketches!

I am so excited about something new that I found thru an blogger friend, Marlene. She was participating in Sunday Sketches, and did an awesome sketch of her aunt from a old photograph. Marlene's friend, Sophia, created this activity on her blog, BlueChairDiary. Sophia was so inspired by all the participation that she saw that she sketched out an official Sunday Sketches sidebar button. (I just added it to my sidebar.) If you would like to participate, check out her blog! Requirements are:

1) Take the "SS" button from the sidebar and place it on your blog.

2) Just grab whatever you love to draw/sketch with and have at it.

3) No themes or specific topics. Just whatever comes to mind.

Sunday Sketches are designed to keep one's creativity alive and flowing.

I love this! I seek inspiration wherever I can find it and this activity helps me spark creativity! Sophia posts the participants on her blog the following week. Come on--let's create sketches!

Discouragement . . . .

I've not written in some time now, I guess I had a little disappointment in life. It kills creativity! I am feeling better now and need to get back into things that are my life. There are sewing projects to do, jewelry items that are begging to be finished, and, of course, there are those TAXES to be done! It's that time of year.

Here's what I will be working on today:

Necklace to be finished, and earrings to be made, since the supplies arrived in the mail.

And then, there is this very interesting project. My daughter-in-law, Beth, was given some quilting supplies and unfinished work that belonged to her great aunt. Beth gave me this project to try to finish if I wanted. It intrigued me, so I will try. It is so different to try to do something that someone else had the inspiration for. Looks like a lake scene. It is currently partially sewn and pinned together. We'll see what I can do with it!?!

Of course, we will return to Abby's story very soon, watch for it!

(If you are new or have not kept up, you can start with the Jan 4th post.)

Necklace????

For the last several weeks, I have been accumulating the necessary beads and components to make myself a necklace. I've been looking forward to creating a beautiful piece. Today I started it . . . and stopped creating it! It just wasn't turning out like I intended. Has that even happened to you? I'm sure that it has. We have a definite creative idea in our minds, but translating it into being is another story! So . . . . I am turning my work into a bracelet that I will eventually put up for sale in my design shop. Oh well . . . .

Seattle and Occupations . . .

I've been gone for a couple of days. Took a little trip to Seattle for my husband's job interview. We have family up there, too, so I visited and had a great time. We also looked around for an apartment, to see what the costs would be if we moved. Now it's time to wait . . . second interview will probably take place next week, meaning another trip north.

In the mean time, I need to get to work at my occupation--creativity!!! I've got lots of "anything bags" to list on Etsy, some more new jewelry for my design shop and I'm working on some awesome coffee cuffs--a wholesale line for brick and mortar stores. I have a box of cuffs ready, but have not designed the display card holder yet. Also, my husband and a friend are making some display stands from some handsome looking wood. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Ideas for the New Year

Ever felt like you're a bit undecided but KNOW that you need to take a direction and pursue it?

I am still contemplating what changes that I really need to make.



I'm sort of feeling, "out with the old, in with the new." The first change, you can see: I have changed the format of my blog. It's the new year and a perfect time to make changes. Besides this format change, there will be a few more blog changes soon. I would like to make a three column presentation, just haven't finished with everything yet.



I've been blogging for more than a year now, and I want to customize my writing to reflect who I am. I may have to dig deep to find just who that is and to find my voice, in the midst of all the bloggy creativeness out there, but find my voice I will. Sometimes in the past, I have taken my lead from what others are doing, i.e. Wordless Wednesdays. I soon ran out of cute pictures to post. I tried doing a Tuesday Proverb, although I still think this is a good idea, it was really the wrong day of the week for me. Maybe Monday would be better. Still thinkin'.

I want to wander about my mind for creativeness that has been hidden. I want to journey around the despair and disappointment that stifles, and be completely surprised by inspiration that lies dormant. I want to present a beautiful blog that is an inspiration to others, that's not just common place. It will take some effort, I know, but it is an adventure worth taking.

So, I hope that you will bear with me as I begin quieting myself, listening to my spirit, and becoming self-honest to see where this journey will take us. Perhaps you will see yourself in my words or in the pictures of my work that I chose to present in this blog. And hopefully, over time, you will begin to see the things for which I strive.

Beads . . . Beads . . . Beads

I have boxes and boxes of various beads.

It all started as something to do, while my husband studied. We worked long hours together, then in the evenings he studied for his degree. I got tired of staring at the back of his head, so I started beading! The result: boxes and boxes of beads, boxes and boxes of earrings (started doing simple earrings) and two Etsy shops.

The first shop, Pruitt Handcrafts, opened nearly one year ago and is nearing it's first anniversary in November. Also, I've sewn for years, so at first the little shop had my Breast Cancer quilts and my jewelry together. But I love to be creative and it is the way I pass the time now, so eventually, I had so many fabric items along with my jewelry, that I decided to split my shop into two.

I love beads, I love looking thru the racks of beads in the local bead shop. As a result, I have made many necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and beaded items. The natural progression was to open a second shop. It opened in late June 2009 and is exclusively jewelry and beaded items. I call it my Design shop. Sales in the design shop are not what I had hoped, with a plethora of jewelry sellers out there, but I still create with beads, since I have boxes and boxes of beads! Maybe I should open a third shop and sell all my beads!


P.S. Coming soon--the last installment of the Afternoon Stroll Series--Watch for it!

Tatting Tales

After yesterday's post I got some interesting feedback. I had asked you to consider your lifestyle and Twolefthands did! I loved what she said: "Tatting is such a beautiful form of art, so delicate! If someone gave me a tatted hanky I would still use the Kleenix, and frame the hanky!" This is funny but shows our culture and lifestyle in a nutshell! We love our crafts, and creative things but still love convenience!! Who wants to wash a hanky anyway?

I got several lovely thoughtful responses. I thank you all for responding.


There was one that didn't get posted that I got from Jo in New Zealand. (Her card pouch from her etsy shop was featured in yesterday's post.) She wasn't able to open my blog, it crashed her browser! So I will reprint her email response here:


"That's a lovely post, and sentiments I agree with. Many of these arts are dying, and my use of vintage textile in my work is my way of appreciating, and sharing with others, these arts.I have to tell, all my tatting, and 99% of the work in my vintage shop, was done by a man! He tatted until he was 93 years old, and embroidered etc. Just amazing the body of work he created, and I have been lucky enough to enjoy and own. "

So, you see there are many ways to appreciate a crafter and "his" creativity. Again, go give some praise to an artist! Have a wonderful day!

A Simple Gift

A simple gift from a simple woman who filled her extra time slots, between chores, with crafting artistry.

I'm in the midst of reading a book, The Missing, by Beverly Lewis. (I've added to my recommendations in the right hand column.) As it is set in Amish country, the author takes great pains to describe life among the plain folk. I guess that is why I enjoy reading her books; they take me away to a simple life, unlike our own.

In one portion that I just read, it described a grandmother tatting a trim of a handkerchief. [Pg 155.] It was to be given to her next younger sister for a birthday present. A simple gift from a simple woman who filled her extra time slots, between chores, with crafting artistry. While I marveled at the craft of tatting, it seems such a lost art, I imagined the hankie with it's delicate edging. But more than that, I wondered at the gift. Today, in our lifestyle, people have so many material possessions that a little hankie would not even be thought of for a gift. And if we did think of it, we would be possibly confused at which one to "buy", thinking that the sister would have several already, or want a particular style of hankie. (That is assuming that she even use hankies anymore, what with Kleenex and Puffs so available now.)

I hope this this glint of another lifestyle helps me, and you, to consider our own lifestyle; and especially, for those of us who are crafters, to consider how we can be grateful for the little skills and talents of those who still use their talents within our own families. Go ahead, heap some praise on someone today for their creations!

The picture at the top of this post is of a creation using vintage tatting. The picture at the bottom of this post is of a crafter who does her own tatting. You may visit each shop by clicking on the picture.