Category : Creativity

622 posts

It’s all about presentation

Over 30 years ago, I mined these lovely black rocks and since then they have resided in an old Christmas tin…such a shame. The other day I decided that I wanted to gift another rock loving gal with some of my treasured Apache Tears.

Technically they are obsidian but the ones found in this particular area of Arizona are named Apache Tears.

The Apache Tear is named after a legend of the Apache tribe. In the 1870s, a small group of Apache warriors met the US Cavalry in a battle. They were horribly outnumbered and it became clear that they could not win the battle. Instead of conceding defeat and being captured then murdered, they decided to ride their horses off the side of a mountain to their deaths. According to the legend, when the wives and children of these warriors mourned, their tears turned to stones when they touched the ground where their warriors fell. Those stones were the Apache Tears so we would always remember what happened.

My friend’s mom is waving at us from our high vantage point….likely worried we’d scare up a rattlesnake or fall from the cliff behind us. But teenagers are fearless.

I took these photos during our time adventuring around at the mine. It is honestly one of my favorite memories of my spring break trip to AZ my junior year in high school. Getting to use a small pick ax to gently tap away at the perlite unearthing the rounds of obsidian was so much fun. I can see how miners could get “gold fever” very easily.  It’s my understanding that this mine is now closed to the public. So glad I had the chance to experience it when it was available.

When I came across this glass jar, I was instantly inspired to create a lovely displayable gift. The rubber stopper is removable so she can take out the stones to admire them any time she wants. I used an old dreamcatcher earring as decoration along with a specimen tag. I plan to make another for myself as soon as I find just the right bottle again.

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T Tuesday: the birthday continues edition

Days like today (and yesterday, for that matter) remind me how I seem to forget or perhaps had grown complaisant in my suburban bubble thinking that my world is very small. For years it really was small. Being a SAHM for nearly 18 years definitely narrows your bubble. Over the past 24 hours I have had the most wonderfully joyful experience realizing that my bubble has expanded more than I ever thought. Texts, social media greetings, cards and emails have come my way. Not that I need acknowledgment to find my place in this crazy world but I’m not going to lie…it feels good. 

At school today I received these lovely gifts as well as a couple of hugs and genuinely lovely birthday greetings. I’m a people person, so it was really great! You can check out yesterdays post for the lovely handmade book Elizabeth sent me too.

It also happens to be staff appreciation week at school so we started our morning with donuts, bagel and coffee (sorry no photo). Not bad for Monday morning.

In addition to celebrating my birthday over the weekend we were in full winter/summer change-over mode as well as getting ready for J to come back from college. Lots of purging, organizing and switching stuff around. Friday, Mr. G and I will go get him and all of his stuff. Then we will definitely be packed to the gills around here. I have to put my sewing machine (which has lived on J’s desk) back away too.

Since I knew this was pretty much the last time I had for a while I made another stack of embellishments.

Then I still hadn’t had enough so I made a few more at my craft bench sans stitching, just glue.

This week will go quickly I think especially with Friday off.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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Brave wings

This journal page started as something so completely different…even the color scheme took a sharp left from pinks and greens to blue, brown and yellow. So strange when that happens. I try not to over think it…just let it happen. Besides…my indecision created some very wonderful background texture and interest. So yeah…I totally meant to do that! 

Freehand cut both the tree and bird from book page. The tree worked out ok but the bird needed a little something more. I glued my little bird to a scrap of handmade paper Elizabeth gifted me. Now she looked a bit more substantial but was still missing that pop I was looking for.

So I decided to cut a tiny wing for my tiny bird. Now she really is ready to fly!!

Linking up with Art Journal Journey today for In the Air.

Art Journal Journey

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All I really need to know

Easter Sunday I was up bright and early like usual. The strange part was I had absolutely nothing to prepare or even get ready to bring along for our family meal. My mother-in-law told me to take a break and that she had it all handled. (which she did)

For once I had both the drive to be creative and the time to do it.  Thank goodness I had gotten my hair done and makeup on early because I got totally lost in art journaling right up until having to change my clothes to leave home. 

This was the first piece I created. Warm colors celebrating the warmth outside.

I really love all the texture in this journal page.

Next I completely changed my color palette for more seasonal pastel Easter egg colors.

Layering bits of this and that has definitely been my style of choice lately.  Also creating loose leaf style pages that will be adhered to my Creative Memories scrapbook pages…cause you know I’m not going to actually use those for the intended purpose.

I had to add stitching to this piece. I love how simply I can create texture and movement through textiles and trim.

I even zig-zag stitched over baker’s twine as a quasi frame for the quote I chose. I tried a tiny key to the corner for a final touch.

I wonder how many more pages I might have created had it not been Easter Sunday. Although other Sundays I’d have been worried about cooking for our family.

Linking up today with Art Journal Journey for Having Fun.

Art Journal Journey

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T Tuesday: weird week edition

Welcome to T stands for Tuesday! Grab a cuppa and stay a while.

Over the weekend I got a little creative with an art journal page. You can see the details in the previous post.

But I really must tell you about last week!

I experienced the weirdest storm of my entire lifetime. We had a little bit of everything including a snow day on Thursday. This video pretty much nails the day right on the head. So funny!!!

And just to add a little more funny truth, I saw this…

Seriously…this happened Thursday.

Anyway….after moving a bunch of snow, I made a bunch more cards while catching up on some TV.I’m on a mission to use up some old supplies….use it or lose it! I found two boxes of small-ish blank greeting cards in white and ivory. I know I’ve had them for 20 years and hadn’t used more than 1/4 of the lot. Use it or lose it!!

The school year is winding down…sort of. Time is winding down but there are so many things that need to get packed into those days. While I am looking forward to summer and time off, I do actually enjoy the structure of going to work. As crazy as it sounds, I seem to get more done. Having that time constraint makes me more creative too. I’ve always been better with a looming deadline. Think about…you have company coming over in 2 days…oh I’ve got time to get everything done, no problem. Yet the last 2 hrs before company arrives you get more done than the last two days combined. Or maybe that’s just me?!?!

Mini-me and I made a costume for a competition she is doing for her French class. Three girls are performing a skit in French at the University of MN. Mini-me is a whale. We didn’t make a full costume but enough to portray her as whale like…think blowhole and fins.. I’ll have to snap a photo of her decked out before she leaves. I wish I could go and see it but its during the school day.

I’m reusing my Bulldog mug photo in celebration of the UMD Bulldog hockey team winning the national championship this year!

Tuesday is the usual fair for me this week…work and an errand on the way home.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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Listening is key

I was inspired to create this journal page after reading a college student’s first hand account of why he was walking for suicide prevention on his college campus. I was moved by his very eloquent yet heartbreaking words describing his journey. I couldn’t help but think of all the young men and women in my life, especially my own children.  

Often when I have high emotions, I turn to creativity as an outlet. I let everything go and work by intuition…not over thinking anything. Eventually I get to a place that the page starts to take a shape in the direction my mind was subconsciously heading.

I’ve always been told I’m a good listener by my friends. They often will turn to me to vent, gab, or problem solve. I may not always have a ton of advice but I do always have a shoulder to lend.

It is my wish that my children will find someone in their lives that will be able to do the same for them even if its not me. And that they have learned the skill of really listening. It is the key to so many things.

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T Tuesday: Duluth edition

Last week I mentioned that Mini-me and I had traveled to Duluth immediately after her return from Costa Rica. She was participating in the state archery tournament.

We drove up on Friday and went straight to J’s apartment since he goes to college in same city. We took him shopping and to eat before leaving him back home and heading to our hotel. It’s a new hotel in the same harbor area of the historic town of Duluth, MN.

This was a view out our hotel room window. According to the in-room brochure, the silos were used for powdered cement storage. They kept them when developing the site for historic value.

Mini-me and I enjoyed some lovely appetizers as a late night meal as we enjoyed the view.

After our meal we ran back up to the room and grabbed a coat before venturing out for a walk since we were on the south side of the lift bridge…a view we hadn’t ever had the opportunity to enjoy.

Little did we know that they had a nightly bonfire with free s’mores!

The next morning we set off for the tournament. Mini-me’s coach gave her a nickname that has absolutely nothing to do with her actual name but has stuck…at least with her archery folk.

I decided that she should really have it on her bow case. I used my silhouette to create a vinyl sticker with her new namesake. Her coach laughed so dang hard…totally worth it!!

Yesterday I actually got creative….I made about a dozen cards.

After going through a bunch of my craft stuff and bringing it to my neighbor to share I was inspired by my conversation with her to make more cards. She has and a group to locals have “adopted” many deployed troops for years. Writing letters, sending supplies, gifts and treats. One thing she said they always want is cards to send home. Sending cards and letters home helps pass the time. And really…who doesn’t love a good old piece of snail mail from a real person!!

I decided right then and there to set some time aside to make some cards. It’s beneficial for me AND them. I get to stretch my creative muscles which evidently are going unused too often and they get a few cards to mail home.

This week is really up in the air for us…Today is was nearly 70°F and Weds-Fri we could get anywhere from 6-24 inches of snow. Crazy!!! This winter just won’t quit.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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