The Time Has Come

I've been carrying this book with me from home to home for nearly 30 years. I plucked it off the shelf today intending to read through the introduction so I can decide it it's finally the year for me to work through it, or the year to give it away. I bought At A Journal Workshop: Writing to Access the Unconscious and Evoke Creative Ability all those years ago because the very title spoke to a deep aspiration.

What would it be like to have the time, the money, the headspace, the self-indulgence, and the emotional fortitude to go to an intensive journal workshop? That sounded like heaven to me.

But it never happened. When I opened the book today, it was clear that I'd never even cracked the cover.

This year, I'm exploring a different way to journal. For several years now, I've written Morning Pages as taught in Julia Cameron's The Artist Way. I like that method of journaling. It worked well for me -- until it didn't when the pandemic hit. I haven't been journaling for six months, and I miss the practice.

From what I've read so far in the book, and from the YouTube videos I've watched about this method, "intense" is an understatement. Some of the method sounds awfully familiar from other self-help psychology books I've worked though -- and they were intense. Will this be repetitive? Have I already done this inner work? Am I up for it? Maybe. I'll see.

One way or another, this book and I will have a new conclusion this year.

No Evil

#WordlessWednesday

Click for larger image

St. Patrick's Day Clothespin Wreath

A couple weeks ago I chose to spend my Artist Date on Pinterest. I wondered through my feed to see what the algorithms thought I might enjoy. I revisited items I'd already pinned. I went down some rabbit holes. It was refreshing to take time to soak in new ideas and marvel at how clever people are.

The play time inspired me to make another St. Patrick's Day project. I decided on a clothespin wreath. In honor of my Whittle a Little year, I gave myself an additional challenge to make this wreath using only items I had on hand. It turned out that I didn't have a proper wreath form, so even that had to come from my imagination.

I gathered these items:

• foam core
• a green marker
• some green handmade scrapbook paper
• clothespins in two sizes
• a sheet of green gem stickers
  .

• two rolls of washi tape, one with green stripes, the other with gold chevrons
• narrow picot edge green satin ribbon
• gold mesh ribbon a bit over an inch wide
• wide wire-edge ribbon in gold and white.

Using a plastic bowl, I traced a circle on the foam core and cut it out with a craft knife.

I measured in an inch or so from the edge, creating a smaller circle, and cut the inside circle out, leaving a ring of foam core to use as my wreath base.

Next I poked two holes in the foam core and laced through them a piece of picture frame wire. I twisted the wire into a loop, with the twisted ends on the front side of the wreath. Once the foam core was covered with the green paper, the twisted wire would be hidden, leaving a clean loop on the back of the wreath. This wire loop is used to hang the completed wreath.

I used the handmade green scrapbook paper and some white glue (which dries clear) to cover the foam core. I overlapped the inner edge of the ring with the paper to hide the inner edge of the foam core. I cut little slits along the outer edge of the paper to wrap around the outer edge of the foam core and mold the paper into the circular shape.

I experimented with the clothespins to determine both the placement, and the amount of clothespins I'd need. I pinned them in place temporarily to clamp the paper to the foam core until the paper dried.

Then it was time to decorate the clothespins. The small clothespins were easy to cover. I simply used white glue to attach the narrow satin ribbon to one side of a clothespin, then trimmed the ribbon to size.

The large clothespins took a bit more time to decorate. The washi tape is wider than the clothespins. So I centered the clothespin on top of the inverted tape, cut the tape a bit longer than needed, and adhered the clothespin to the tape. Then I used a craft knife to trim the tape to the exact size of the clothespin on all four sides.

I chose a pattern of one green clothespin, then one gold, then a small ribbon-covered clothespin.

Once they were in place, I put a green gem sticker at the tip of each clothespin to form a sparkly circle.

I hung the wreath on my wall to figure out what to do next. Unfortunately, the white edge of the foam core was still slightly visible, even though it was hidden under the lip of the green paper. So I used a green marker to color in the edge of the white foam core and camouflage it a bit.

I next needed to decide what kind of bow to use, how big of a bow I wanted, what method I wanted to use to create the bow, and where I wanted to place it. I used a method similar to the one in the video at this link ... but I sort of made it up as I went along, trial and error. (The video has a great tip about gathering the bow which I'll be sure to use next time).

I used the full length of white/gold ribbon that I had on hand. I tied the center of the bow with the narrow gold mesh ribbon. My bow had huge loops at the top. So I took each of the loops and folded it in on itself to give the illusion of a smaller loop on top of a bigger loop. Because the ribbon has a wire edge, the four loops hold their shape, even though the smaller top loop is not held in place at the center of the bow.

I decided to place the loop at the top of the wreath, slightly off center.

With the wreath complete, I hung it over the mantle ... and looked at it for a few hours. Something wasn't right. I decided that the scale was off. My wreath was too small for that big expanse of brick.

I had two sets of green glitter shamrocks on hand and thought I might be able to attach them to the back of the wreath to make the wreath larger.

I used transparent tape to hold the shamrocks in place, then hung the wreath again ... and looked at it for more than a day. Something was still off.

Though the size was much better, the glittery shamrocks completely overpowered the simplicity of the clothespins ... and the clothespins were supposed to be the stars of this wreath.

So I removed the shamrocks and decided to hang the wreath on a wall in the dining room. The scale is much better, and it hangs at eye level. The clothespins once again have center stage.

I like that this wreath whispers "St. Patrick's Day" instead of screaming it. I think I may get away with displaying it after that holiday is over.

So what did I do with my mantle? Glitter shamrock confetti!

(I need to find a different spot to store the Bic candle lighter. It ruins the color scheme).  😉

The living room is ready for a St. Patrick's Day party ... which probably means a bowl of popcorn and a movie. Along with a kiss or two, of course.

We party hardy around here.

Greener Grass

Endings and Beginnings

Every year, in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, I spend several hours composing a personal year in review for myself. I learned of a format through Marie Forleo that I like. These are the three sets of questions I ask myself:

What did I do create, or experience this year that I’m really, really proud of? What big or little things did I make happen this year? What did I create? What did I experience? What did I do that I’m really proud of?

What mistakes did I make that taught me something? What lessons did I learn that I can leverage? What are some of the things that didn’t go so well? How can I do better next time? How can I use this to grow into a better and wiser person?

What am I willing to let go of? What are the projects, goals and things that have been hanging around my To Do list for years that I never get around to? What can I get out of or release myself from? What can I just drop? What do I have hanging around that is no longer aligned with who I am now, what I hope to achieve in the future, or where I want to go? What resentments, angers, and hurts am I holding onto? What kind of guilt, shame, or embarrassment am I not willing to forgive? What stories am I telling myself that are no longer serving me?

I look forward to this exercise every year. I like to read what I've written in years past, and see my own growth. I like creating new ambitions.

One of my bigger take-aways this year is that ... duh ... I really am an artist.

I completed 64 projects last year. That works out to a completed project every six days! And if you count each individual project in the multi-item projects like Valentines, ornaments, Christmas cards, etc., I made a total of nearly 140 items which works out to about two completed projects per week!!!

Another happy realization is that this year I completed at least a dozen UFOs, WISPs, and PILLs. What are those?

UnFinished Objects (things that were started years ago and not completed)

Works In Slow Progress (things that were started and I pick at a little bit over months)

Projects In Long Lines (ideas that have been floating around, many with the components gathered and waiting in project bags, but hadn't been started yet).

That realization made me positively giddy. It feels so good to bring some of these creative concepts into being.

Another stand-out thing that happened this year is that I found my "tribe." I went on a retreat last Spring and met many other like-minded women. I've stayed in touch with the group and have gotten to know a few choice people through Facebook.

Likewise, I completed The Artist's Way course and found kindred spirits in Facebook groups dedicated to that framework, too.

I'm also proud of myself that I've only missed a dozen blog posts this year. I've been very consistent about posting something every day. It's my version of a daily scrapbook, and in looking back over the year, I have lots of memories to savor.

As for lessons learned the hard way, I see that I'm getting better and better about setting personal boundaries. Go me!

--

A second part of my exercise is to pick goals.

Of my 18 Goals in 2018, I completed all of them. The two long-term multi-year goals will continue on into next year.

Here are my 19 Goals in 2019:

Stitchery
1. to 6.

Do the finishing work on six of the needlework pieces that are stitched but not ready for display. I have at least a dozen to choose from.


One Shot Projects

 7. Learn to use my pom pom makers

 8. Go on a Celebrate Your Life retreat
 9. Create a watermark for my photos
10. Finish setting up the photo studio in my basement
11. Watch the DVD about Lake Missoula
12. Learn my Enneagram

Medium Length Projects
13. Reach a designated goal weight by my February doctor’s appointment
14. Paint and add privacy fencing on our dog kennel/storage space
15. Purge and organize storage shelves in exercise room
16. Use up my tea stash

Long Term Projects

17. Blog at least 25 weeks of #throwbackthursday posts of my 1997 - 2007 projects
18. Blog at least 10 of my Ladies of the Evening beaded handbag collection (mend as needed)

Long Term Courses
19. Finish at least one of six courses/classes on my list. I'm leaning toward a course on basic design principles.

I do have 32 alternate goals that I can swap out for any of these 19 if circumstances dictate.

--

The final part of my exercise is to pick a Word of the Year.

For 2019, my word is whittle

Dale and I are starting the downsizing journey. After living in our home for 25+ years, there will be a lot of downsizing to do. We started this year. We're hoping to step up our game in 2019. But I'm determined to keep from making it a chore. I'm certain there is a way to bring whimsy to the process, to be creative in how we go about releasing objects, to make it fun. To whittle down our possessions.

We also want to continue to whittle down our weight. Whittle down our A1c score. Whittle down our anxieties.

I like the word whittle. It makes the processes bite-sized. Do things a little at a time.

Whittle a little.

--

Now my lists are made. My intentions are clear.

Time to get this New Year's Eve party started! We're having quite a shebang:

A 3D movie here at home
Popcorn
Little smokies
Chex mix
A jigsaw puzzle
And blowing bubbles at midnight

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FRIENDS!

Journal Cover

My sister Eleanore and I have talked this year about my experience with The Artist's Way course. She recently bought the book and said she hopes to start it in the coming months. I want to encourage that process, so decided to give her a journal she can use for her Morning Pages.

W-A-Y back in 2000, I stitched Bob the Bear for my sister. It was to be one of three sailor bears I intended to stitch and turn into a bellpull. My sister collected bears at the time. Her husband was in the Navy for years. Putting those two ideas together was the impetus of my idea. Unfortunately, I stitched the first bear, then the idea languished. So for this gift, I decided to re-frame my idea and put the completed bear to a new use.

Here you can see how I hemmed the stitchery

For Eleanore's journal, I decided to sew a reusable cloth cover. This way, if she so chooses, she can put the cover on a different standard 8-1/2" x 11" notebook once the first Morning Pages journal is full. I used a fat quarter of dotted blue cotton to create the book cover. I liked the way the fabric complemented the colors in Bob's pants. Here you can see the pockets on the inside of the book cover that slide over the edges of the cardboard and hold the fabric cover in place.

Next, I trimmed the fabric around the stitching, folded about 1/4" of fabric to the back, and sewed a hem on all four sides. I then covered the back of the stitching with a fusible web. The web is basically a sheet of glue that you press onto the back of the stitched fabric. You then remove the backing paper, and adhere the glued fabric to the front of the book cover. Once glued in place with a hot iron, I sewed the stitchery down around the edges to make sure it was secure.

As a final touch, I attached a ribbon that can be used as a bookmark. I also inscribed the notebook with a special message for my sister.

With the gift complete, I felt like giving it a special wrapping. I wrapped the notebook in yellow tissue paper, to coordinate with the card I made. Then I added some wide blue grosgrain ribbon.

For a final touch, I pulled out my container of paper flowers and leaves. I acquired these as part of a lot of scrapbooking supplies I bought a few months ago. This was my first chance to use them. I found three blue flower shapes that worked well together, and stacked them in place, holding them together with a spot of glue. I added a pearl sticker as the center. Then I found a pretty autumn leaf in among the paper flowers and added it for the final touch.

I even managed to get the package in the mail so it could be delivered on time.

This is one of my favorite kinds of gifts to make. It involves many of my hobbies: needlework, sewing, papercrafting, making pretty packages. It's also a practical gift. Plus, I was finally able to utilize a piece of stitchery that long languished in a box and make it into a gift for the person I'd originally intended to receive it.

July Goal Update

I had to do some serious reassessment in July. I'm getting bogged down and can see that what I suspected last month is now apparent. There is no way I can complete all 18 goals that I set for myself in January. Some of them have too many steps to complete in a timely manner. Some of them looked a lot more possible in January than they do in August. So it's time for a mid-course correction.

It's a good thing I had a list of alternative goals at hand.

So I've switched out five:

1. Building the backyard deck is substituted for tackling a hand-lettering course
2. Read the washer manual is substituted for submitting photos to a stock photo site
3. Write weekly Throwback Thursday posts is substituted for finishing The Finery of Nature
4. Improve health enough to have 6-month doctor appointments instead of appointments every 3 months is substituted for finishing my granddaughter's quilt
5. Read and discuss the book Diana, Herself is substituted for making 40 Christmas cards

And I removed It's Never Too Late to Begin Again from this year's list and will concentrate only on The Artist's Way.

So what goals did I actually accomplish in July?

1. I continued to learn to use my new sewing machine. 
2. I finally got the t-shirt pattern drafted and made a shirt that actually fits me well
3. Our new deck is built. Now it needs some finishing touches around the base
4. I read through the washer manual and learned how to get the musty stink out
5. I've continued making Throwback Thursday posts about stitching and craft projects I completed over a decade ago
6. I made the smallest progress on The Artist's Way

I've now completed ten of my 18 goals and worked on three others!

My big push for August is to finally finish The Artist's Way and go on more Artist Dates. If I give it some concentrated effort, I can get that done.

Also, now that the t-shirt pattern I drafted fits, I hope to make at least one more t-shirt ... and maybe learn to dip-dye it in an ombre pattern.

2018 Journal Redux

I'll be using the last of the heart journal this week, so decided to prep the next one. It should last the majority of Summer and Fall for my daily writing.

While wandering the home decorating aisle of Dollar Tree, I got an idea for an unusual way to use their adhesive wall art. I picked this vibrant floral pattern. Then I moseyed over to the gift wrap aisle to find a coordinating wrapping paper. When I got home, I pulled out my washi tape and found this little stripe that worked with the rest.

I cut two pieces of wrapping paper to 13" x 9-1/2" then taped them to the covers with double-sided adhesive. One long edge butts up against the wire spiral. I wrapped the extra inch to the inside cover on the other three sides, and adhered the edges.

Then I started playing withe the floral decals. I was able to use some of them whole. Others I cut into smaller pieces, discarding the skull altogether. I overlapped some of the flowers to create little bouquets. The finished product is a bit of a mishmash with the flowers going in every direction, but it will serve its purpose.

I added washi tape along the edge near the spiral binding. It took two strips on the front cover to hide that last bit of purple peeking out from under the red wrapping paper.

It was fun to do a project with a quick finish in the midst of several multi-stage projects I'm working on.

A Writing Kind of Day

I was at it in my Studio for over five hours. Feels pretty good. My mascot kept me company.

April Goal Update

It's that time again. Let's see what kind of progress I made this month on my 18 Goals in 2018.


Goal 1: Finish all the charts in the 2006 Cross-Stitch Calendar and frame them / get them ready to display.

I finished Bud Vase and I'm nearly done with Winter Warmth.

Goal 12: Read Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck

I listened to the audio book. FYI, I recommend reading it and working through each of the exercises instead of listening to the audio book. The narrator really oversells it and is crazy annoying to listen to. Gratefully, I got out of the book what I needed.

Goal 13: Work through The Artist's Way course

I'm making nice progress and totally enjoying the process.

Goal 18: Go on a retreat

I went to Arizona for a Celebrate Your Life retreat with authors Elizabeth Gilbert and Martha Beck. It was spectacular -- so much more than I'd hoped for. I met some marvelous women and learned some techniques that I continue to use every day to nurture my soul and creativity. The retreat dove-tailed beautifully with The Artist's Way course.

This means that at 1/3 of the way through the year, I've completed three goals and have made progress on four more. I feel good about this.

Preserving Flowers

I'm trying another craft this week. I'm using silica gel to dehydrate and preserve fresh flowers. I'll check on its progress in 4 days.

If this works, I'll have another material to incorporate into my crafts. I'm imagining using them on greeting cards.

Watch this space.

Pearl of Great Price

One of the exercises in The Artist's Way this week is to make a piece of art incorporating a gem. I chose a pearl. It's my favorite gem because the name "Margaret" means "pearl."

A Quiet Moment

... in a #cornerofmyhome

My Artist Date for Week Five of The Artist's Way was to "light a candle." I set these out on the mantle and have been enjoying their soft glow as I stitch and write.

At Sunrise

While I was writing at the dining room table, the sun climbed over the hill and trees in the back yard, streaming through the window and making my flowers glow.

I took the picture with my phone's camera, and played with filters to achieve this "posterized" effect. Love the way it turned out! If I had the time and the inclination, I'd convert this one into a counted cross-stitch chart.

Week Three Artist Date

My journey with The Artist's Way continues. My Artist Date was to go buy myself some flowers.

So I did. I bought some vibrant pinks and white and put them in a Valentine's Day vase - my first Valentine's decoration so far this year.

Then I took some photos of them. In editing, I played with the lighting.

Then played with the lighting some more.

Decorating My Journal Cover

As part of The Artist's Way, I write three longhand pages in my journal each morning. I used the last of my journal in January, so got to start a new one in February. For me, the feeling of starting a new journal is reminiscent of the feeling I used to get when buying new school supplies every Fall. It's about anticipation of new learning, and good things coming into my life.

But plain ol' notebook covers don't do that much for me. So ...

Remember when I said I got an idea at the thrift store when I was on my Artist Date last week? Something about a gift bag? I put the idea into action. So, a paper gift bag like this ...

Plus a notebook like this ...

Attached with double-sided crafter's tape and and decorated with printed washi tape ...

Equals this!

There now. This makes me eager to write my Morning Pages every day in this journal.

Mamma Mia!

One of the mainstays of The Artist's Way is to go on what Julia Cameron calls Artist Dates. "What is that?" you ask.

An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against all interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a. your creative child. That means no lovers, friends, spouses, children—no taggers-on of any stripe.
~ The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

On my first Artist Date last week, I danced. I put on some music by the Bee Gees and danced around my living room for about 10 or 15 minutes (volume up, window shades down!). That was fun and wore me out. I hadn't danced around like that for quite a while.

Today I had an Artist Date at a local thrift store. I wandered around soaking in inspiration. In the craft room, I got an idea on how to decorate my new journal cover using a gift bag. Over on the knick-knack shelf I found this happy dude. It was enough to take his picture; I didn't have to take him home with me (even though the entire store is half off on Wednesdays!)

He reminds me a little of growing up and working in the Italian restaurant that my family owned.

Dance Forward

Artwork by Katrina Mayer    Quotation by Cheryl Strayed

I'm learning to watch that which does not serve me fall away.

I've begun working through the book The Artist's Way. It's a twelve week course to help participants unlock and recover the creative spirit within each of us. It helps us recognize the blocks that keep us from exercising the creative process as well as giving prompts to help creativity flow. This quotation by Cheryl Strayed came to my attention in the process.