Well I have started off on a creative sidetrack over the last few days. I am working on my first larger mixed media piece and I am completely obsessed with it. Maybe I am becoming a real artist, because it is all I can think and dream about. I want to always be working at it but alas I still have a household to run and a family to care for. I would love to post pictures of it's progress but it is a gift and I don't want to give anything away. I really hope in the end it comes out the way it is in my head, or at least close enough to make me happy. I will be back at my creative project a day soon. I will also show you the completed project when the element of surprise is no longer required.
Cheers
PS. You know all those things you've always wanted to do?
You should go do them.
Monday, 21 May 2012
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Day 94:
"Nothing rhymes with orange. Work only with orange materials today."
Today I did a painting. It took me more than a day actually. I took my inspiration from a friend who has done much larger paintings with a similar pattern but they are much more colourful and layered. I loved her work so I decided to do a smaller version of my own. It is acrylic on canvas. The nature inspiration is that it looks very much like flowers to me.
There are 3 shades of orange in this painting which it is kind of hard to see in the photo. The entire background was painted with orange. The skinny 'petals' were painted with the same orange mixed with a little yellow to lighten it. Then I went in with the same orange again darkened with some red to outline the 'petals' and added it to a bit of the background.
Cheers
Today I did a painting. It took me more than a day actually. I took my inspiration from a friend who has done much larger paintings with a similar pattern but they are much more colourful and layered. I loved her work so I decided to do a smaller version of my own. It is acrylic on canvas. The nature inspiration is that it looks very much like flowers to me.
There are 3 shades of orange in this painting which it is kind of hard to see in the photo. The entire background was painted with orange. The skinny 'petals' were painted with the same orange mixed with a little yellow to lighten it. Then I went in with the same orange again darkened with some red to outline the 'petals' and added it to a bit of the background.
Cheers
Monday, 14 May 2012
Day 93:
"Nuts and Bolts. Make something with any nuts, bolts, screws or nails you have lying around."
I know it has been a while again since I posted something. I can't seem to keep the rhythm going. I have been creative daily though, so at least I am keeping that up. Some days I really get off on a tangent from this project as I explore something new. I am not to worried though because the whole reason I started this was to explore my creative side.
Today's project didn't really inspire me. I couldn't seem to come up with anything interesting. Part of the problem might have been that my son did a fantastic picture using found nuts and bolts (and sea glass) back when he was 12 called 'Tree of Life'. That kept coming up in my head when I was trying to come up with an idea and if I did anything similar to his he would have called me on it. So hear are some sea stars made from screws hanging out on my garage floor.
I know it has been a while again since I posted something. I can't seem to keep the rhythm going. I have been creative daily though, so at least I am keeping that up. Some days I really get off on a tangent from this project as I explore something new. I am not to worried though because the whole reason I started this was to explore my creative side.
Today's project didn't really inspire me. I couldn't seem to come up with anything interesting. Part of the problem might have been that my son did a fantastic picture using found nuts and bolts (and sea glass) back when he was 12 called 'Tree of Life'. That kept coming up in my head when I was trying to come up with an idea and if I did anything similar to his he would have called me on it. So hear are some sea stars made from screws hanging out on my garage floor.
Friday, 20 April 2012
Day 92:
"Write a letter to yourself at another time in your life (past or future)."
This was an interesting prompt but a letter to myself past or present was not really something I wanted to share on my blog. I did want to do writing as the creative project today so here it goes.
This is a little story I started telling my youngest daughter in the spring of 2011. It was the first spring in our new home and we would see the little covers that would drop off the magnolia buds as the bloom when we would walk to and from school. She picked one up one day and asked me what it was. This is what I said:
They are a sign of spring. The best sign of spring! It means the fairies have decided it is spring. You see darling, these are the fairies winter wings. That is why they are fuzzy and heavy. They protect the fairies and keep them warm through the winter. It makes it a little harder for the fairies to fly, because the wings are bulky, but it is the best protection in the biting cold. Then when it is truly spring the fairies meet at dusk in the magnolia trees, just as the flowers are about to bloom, and have the spring celebration where they shed their winter wings in favour of the light gossamer wings you usually associate with fairies. In the morning the fairies have gone off to sleep and the only thing left behind are the winter wings.
For the next few days she asked me to tell the story again and again as we walked to and from school. Then she said, 'So it's true mum there really ARE fairies. GREAT! I am taking these wings to school to show my friends and I am telling them what they are to PROVE to my friends that fairies ARE real.' I hope this story and the others I tell are giving her an ability to be imaginative, but maybe I am just setting her up for therapy in the future.
This spring while walking to school, as the magnolias began to bloom again, my daughter said, 'look mum the fairies believe it is truly spring .... tell me the story again.'
XO
This was an interesting prompt but a letter to myself past or present was not really something I wanted to share on my blog. I did want to do writing as the creative project today so here it goes.
This is a little story I started telling my youngest daughter in the spring of 2011. It was the first spring in our new home and we would see the little covers that would drop off the magnolia buds as the bloom when we would walk to and from school. She picked one up one day and asked me what it was. This is what I said:
They are a sign of spring. The best sign of spring! It means the fairies have decided it is spring. You see darling, these are the fairies winter wings. That is why they are fuzzy and heavy. They protect the fairies and keep them warm through the winter. It makes it a little harder for the fairies to fly, because the wings are bulky, but it is the best protection in the biting cold. Then when it is truly spring the fairies meet at dusk in the magnolia trees, just as the flowers are about to bloom, and have the spring celebration where they shed their winter wings in favour of the light gossamer wings you usually associate with fairies. In the morning the fairies have gone off to sleep and the only thing left behind are the winter wings.
For the next few days she asked me to tell the story again and again as we walked to and from school. Then she said, 'So it's true mum there really ARE fairies. GREAT! I am taking these wings to school to show my friends and I am telling them what they are to PROVE to my friends that fairies ARE real.' I hope this story and the others I tell are giving her an ability to be imaginative, but maybe I am just setting her up for therapy in the future.
This spring while walking to school, as the magnolias began to bloom again, my daughter said, 'look mum the fairies believe it is truly spring .... tell me the story again.'
XO
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Day 91:
"Use dry coffee beans, dry or wet coffee grounds, or even liquid coffee (in a cup or not) to create something today."
Made this owl from the prompt. I am totally a night owl and because of that I need at LEAST one coffee before I can function in the morning. (just ask my kids)
After I took the picture I realised how yucky the coffee in the cups looks. That is because I used what was left in the French press from the earlier in the day and diluted it with water so there would be enough.
Made this owl from the prompt. I am totally a night owl and because of that I need at LEAST one coffee before I can function in the morning. (just ask my kids)
After I took the picture I realised how yucky the coffee in the cups looks. That is because I used what was left in the French press from the earlier in the day and diluted it with water so there would be enough.
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Day 90:
"Make a pinata and destroy it!"
I have made many a pinata in the past for my children's birthdays. I actually made one for my youngest daughter when she turned 6 last year. Instead of making a pinata today I decided to use the drawing she did for me to make her pinata last year as my inspiration for today. She drew a chameleon as that was her theme for the party. The drawing is about 8cm by 7cm.
I had stumbled across a woman who turns children's drawings into stuffies on Pintrest and thought it was a fantastic idea. So I pulled out some old shirts of my daughters, my knitting needles and some felt to created a squeezable friend.
She absolutely adores him. She even managed to spill something on him before I could take the picture. It was fun to make her drawing come to life. I think there will be more of these in my future.
Cheers
I have made many a pinata in the past for my children's birthdays. I actually made one for my youngest daughter when she turned 6 last year. Instead of making a pinata today I decided to use the drawing she did for me to make her pinata last year as my inspiration for today. She drew a chameleon as that was her theme for the party. The drawing is about 8cm by 7cm.
I had stumbled across a woman who turns children's drawings into stuffies on Pintrest and thought it was a fantastic idea. So I pulled out some old shirts of my daughters, my knitting needles and some felt to created a squeezable friend.
She absolutely adores him. She even managed to spill something on him before I could take the picture. It was fun to make her drawing come to life. I think there will be more of these in my future.
Cheers
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Day 89:
"Work only with bubble wrap or any other packing materials you have on hand."
I had some bubble wrap and some blue paint. I painted the bubble wrap and then made a print on the paper. I couldn't decide where to go from there. The results make me sort of think of water or heavy rain. I may use this as part of a future project. For now it is just blue bubbles.
Cheers
I had some bubble wrap and some blue paint. I painted the bubble wrap and then made a print on the paper. I couldn't decide where to go from there. The results make me sort of think of water or heavy rain. I may use this as part of a future project. For now it is just blue bubbles.
Cheers
Monday, 16 April 2012
Day 88:
"Make something using stuff from your work place or office. If you don't work, use items that are usually found in an office."
I typed out the prompt today and started to get worked up about how it was worded. I was going to start off this blog with a whole rant about, not everyone works in an 'office', and work is work whether you are paid for it or not, but this is my creative space so I decided to dial it back. I going on the assumption that Noah Scalin only meant the prompt to mean to use your office things or things found in an office and I shouldn't read too much into it.
I did my project today with things found in my home office. A stapler. I used the outline of our stapler to create my pen crocodile. Just added a little here and there to the outline.
I typed out the prompt today and started to get worked up about how it was worded. I was going to start off this blog with a whole rant about, not everyone works in an 'office', and work is work whether you are paid for it or not, but this is my creative space so I decided to dial it back. I going on the assumption that Noah Scalin only meant the prompt to mean to use your office things or things found in an office and I shouldn't read too much into it.
I did my project today with things found in my home office. A stapler. I used the outline of our stapler to create my pen crocodile. Just added a little here and there to the outline.
Day 85: (Revisit)
First things first. I have not fallen off the face of the earth. As mentioned earlier, my camera was going on vacation with one of my children. It came back safe and sound but I have been inundated with sick kids for the last four weeks. Plus I had a bad, BAD, reaction to antibiotics. I was creating quite regularly through it all just not blogging. Hopefully things will go smoothly for a while now. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs this is really about me being creative often but I can't cope with more pressure and deadlines so my 365 projects will take more than a year, hopefully not more than two.
Day 85 took longer to complete than most my projects. I had to do the work over a few days. It is also my biggest projects to date. I took a quote and painted it on a 46cm x 71cm canvas with acrylics. I loved it so much that I hung it on the wall of my porch where the fall wreath and winter sled usually go.
For the record it does hang straight I just can't seem to take a straight picture.
Day 85 took longer to complete than most my projects. I had to do the work over a few days. It is also my biggest projects to date. I took a quote and painted it on a 46cm x 71cm canvas with acrylics. I loved it so much that I hung it on the wall of my porch where the fall wreath and winter sled usually go.
For the record it does hang straight I just can't seem to take a straight picture.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Creativity without posts
Sorry there will be no posts for a couple of weeks. I am still creating but my camera is off on an overseas adventure and will not return for another 10 days. If I manage to locate the cable for my other camera I will start posting. Please stand by.
Cheers
Cheers
Friday, 2 March 2012
Day 87:
"What can you do with a candle?"
One of the ideas under today's prompt was to draw with a candle and reveal the image using water colour. This is what I decided to do. Unfortunately the only candle I had was a tea light. It was bulky and a bit difficult to draw with. Then once you drew it was hard to see where you had drawn and of course impossible to erase. I decided to draw an elephant in honour of my son who is off to Kenya to work with Free the Children for 10 days.
Two tries. I don't really love either one, but here they are:
One of the ideas under today's prompt was to draw with a candle and reveal the image using water colour. This is what I decided to do. Unfortunately the only candle I had was a tea light. It was bulky and a bit difficult to draw with. Then once you drew it was hard to see where you had drawn and of course impossible to erase. I decided to draw an elephant in honour of my son who is off to Kenya to work with Free the Children for 10 days.
Two tries. I don't really love either one, but here they are:
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Day 86:
"Decorate a cake, pie or cookie."
Well this was done earlier in February. In all the chaos when I wasn't creating, my youngest had a birthday. She asked for a Chameleon Cupcake Cake to take in to share with her class. Not knowing what I was getting myself into I agreed. Then I googled 'cupcake cakes' and found out they were pretty fancy. My solution was to make mini cupcakes, arrange them into a chameleon shape, ice the whole thing and then decorate it.
Looks a bit like an alien. Last year's cake was much better (yes my daughter is a fan of Chameleons). If I ever get my pictures off the camera (cable was lost in the move) I will add that cake here.
Well this was done earlier in February. In all the chaos when I wasn't creating, my youngest had a birthday. She asked for a Chameleon Cupcake Cake to take in to share with her class. Not knowing what I was getting myself into I agreed. Then I googled 'cupcake cakes' and found out they were pretty fancy. My solution was to make mini cupcakes, arrange them into a chameleon shape, ice the whole thing and then decorate it.
Looks a bit like an alien. Last year's cake was much better (yes my daughter is a fan of Chameleons). If I ever get my pictures off the camera (cable was lost in the move) I will add that cake here.
Day 85:
"Work with words. Make an image with just words or letters."
Please stand by. I need a bigger canvas for this project and my youngest is home from school sick. My plan is to get one on the weekend.
Cheers
Please stand by. I need a bigger canvas for this project and my youngest is home from school sick. My plan is to get one on the weekend.
Cheers
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Day 84:
"Keep it Clean. Use a bar of soap to make something new."
Today I tried my hand at carving. I remember once carving a bar of Ivory Soap in Girl Guides or elementary school. The bar of soap I was using today was a little harder (more brittle) than Ivory but as long as I shaved off layers more than trying to carve it worked well.
Before and after:
A close up of my little parrot:
Today I tried my hand at carving. I remember once carving a bar of Ivory Soap in Girl Guides or elementary school. The bar of soap I was using today was a little harder (more brittle) than Ivory but as long as I shaved off layers more than trying to carve it worked well.
Before and after:
A close up of my little parrot:
Day 83:
"Make a visual pun."
Today (which is yesterday now, I am a day late posting) I had a lot of ideas for this prompt. Strawberry, Dragonfly, Tiger Lily and Gum Tree were a few of the ones I came up with while brainstorming, but I decided on Fairy Penguin. The Fairy Penguin is the often used name for the Little Penguin in Australia.
I used a black felt tip marker and crayons. This is one of the projects that I am very happy with.
Today (which is yesterday now, I am a day late posting) I had a lot of ideas for this prompt. Strawberry, Dragonfly, Tiger Lily and Gum Tree were a few of the ones I came up with while brainstorming, but I decided on Fairy Penguin. The Fairy Penguin is the often used name for the Little Penguin in Australia.
I used a black felt tip marker and crayons. This is one of the projects that I am very happy with.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Day 82:
"Create a new kind of utensil."
This one truly stumped me. For a couple of days I brainstormed and nothing came. Then I got a little frustrated and just left it. Today I decided to get back on the horse and when nothing came again I decided to just throw in the towel on this prompt and do something freestyle. This is a little watercolour of some fall leaves floating in a pond.
Hopefully I will find inspiration for tomorrows prompt.
This one truly stumped me. For a couple of days I brainstormed and nothing came. Then I got a little frustrated and just left it. Today I decided to get back on the horse and when nothing came again I decided to just throw in the towel on this prompt and do something freestyle. This is a little watercolour of some fall leaves floating in a pond.
Hopefully I will find inspiration for tomorrows prompt.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Day 81:
"Make something out of erasers."
Sorry for the pause in posts again. I had misplaced my book. I really should never tidy up my studio.
My daughter received a kit to make your own erasers from this eraser clay as a gift. You shape it and then bake it. I asked her if I could use it for this project and she agreed as long as I made a bear eraser for her.
I found it a little hard to do. The clay was easy to use but I was tired so modelling something small seamed difficult. In the end I just made a big eraser. I would like to try and make it smaller, more eraser sized.
Sorry for the pause in posts again. I had misplaced my book. I really should never tidy up my studio.
My daughter received a kit to make your own erasers from this eraser clay as a gift. You shape it and then bake it. I asked her if I could use it for this project and she agreed as long as I made a bear eraser for her.
I found it a little hard to do. The clay was easy to use but I was tired so modelling something small seamed difficult. In the end I just made a big eraser. I would like to try and make it smaller, more eraser sized.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Day 80:
"Try dyeing!"
Well this project took a good part of the day. I didn't quite get the results I wanted. I started with four almost new white pillow cases. I wanted to dye them using dyes I made with edible products. I went for coffee for brown, green tea for yellow, onion skins for orange and beetroot for red. First I made the dyes by boiling the ingredients, then straining them. Then based on information I read on natural dyes I prepared the material by simmering it in vinegar water for an hour. Then there was rinsing and finally adding the material to each pot to simmer.
I drained them after simmering for an hour then I rung them out and dried them in the dryer to try and set the colour. I liked the orange from the onion skins best. I may re-dye this one to make it darker. I may even consider doing the yellow one over in this same orange. The brown coffee turned out a little muddy. The yellow green tea was very light and subtle, maybe I should have simmered longer or added more tea for a stronger colour. I was really disappointed in the red beet. Usually I am staining everything with beet juice when I cook them but it didn't seem to work on the cotton. I may do a little more research and try beet again.
They really need an iron but here they are from left to right orange onion skins, red beet, yellow green tea and brown coffee.
Well this project took a good part of the day. I didn't quite get the results I wanted. I started with four almost new white pillow cases. I wanted to dye them using dyes I made with edible products. I went for coffee for brown, green tea for yellow, onion skins for orange and beetroot for red. First I made the dyes by boiling the ingredients, then straining them. Then based on information I read on natural dyes I prepared the material by simmering it in vinegar water for an hour. Then there was rinsing and finally adding the material to each pot to simmer.
I drained them after simmering for an hour then I rung them out and dried them in the dryer to try and set the colour. I liked the orange from the onion skins best. I may re-dye this one to make it darker. I may even consider doing the yellow one over in this same orange. The brown coffee turned out a little muddy. The yellow green tea was very light and subtle, maybe I should have simmered longer or added more tea for a stronger colour. I was really disappointed in the red beet. Usually I am staining everything with beet juice when I cook them but it didn't seem to work on the cotton. I may do a little more research and try beet again.
They really need an iron but here they are from left to right orange onion skins, red beet, yellow green tea and brown coffee.
Day 79:
"Walk through an alley or along a small road and pick up discarded materials to work with."
Well the weather is not co-operating for this one today. I have marked it to return to in the spring. I like this idea. Please stand by. I will go ahead to Day 80 today.
Cheers
Well the weather is not co-operating for this one today. I have marked it to return to in the spring. I like this idea. Please stand by. I will go ahead to Day 80 today.
Cheers
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Day 78:
"Make up a name and write a back story for a stranger you see today."
Well writing is not my strong suit and I find it a little difficult to stay in my 'inspired by nature' theme for this but here we go.
Sally Jenkins is a stay at home mum. She has a wonderful husband and two beautiful kids. A toddler and a five year old. She stands waiting at the bus stop for their son to return from school. The other mothers are talking but Sally is not joining into the conversation today. Her toddler is napping in the stroller and she is daydreaming. Thinking of her dreams. The ones she keeps close to her heart. The ones that put a faint smile on her lips. The ones she put on hold while she raises the children.
She feels selfish when she thinks about them sometimes. Feels like maybe she should just let them go and appreciate all that she has, but then she remembers that it is okay to have dreams. It is more than okay it is essential. Dreams are different than goals. Dreams can be wild and crazy. Dreams don't have to come true to make you feel fulfilled. Dreams can just stay close to your heart until you are ready to make them happen or let them go. She has a far off look in her eyes and still a faint smile on her lips.
The bus pulls up, the children climb off laughing and excited. This brings back Sally to the here and now. The faint smile turns big when her son approaches wide eyed, "Mum guess what we did in school today?" he asks. He begins to recite all the exciting things that happened in Kindergarten today. The enthusiasms he shows brightens Sally's heart.
As they walk home together Sally is smiling. One last thought to the dreams, the ones she holds close to her heart, it is okay, they will wait, today I have bigger dreams to live.
Well writing is not my strong suit and I find it a little difficult to stay in my 'inspired by nature' theme for this but here we go.
Sally Jenkins is a stay at home mum. She has a wonderful husband and two beautiful kids. A toddler and a five year old. She stands waiting at the bus stop for their son to return from school. The other mothers are talking but Sally is not joining into the conversation today. Her toddler is napping in the stroller and she is daydreaming. Thinking of her dreams. The ones she keeps close to her heart. The ones that put a faint smile on her lips. The ones she put on hold while she raises the children.
She feels selfish when she thinks about them sometimes. Feels like maybe she should just let them go and appreciate all that she has, but then she remembers that it is okay to have dreams. It is more than okay it is essential. Dreams are different than goals. Dreams can be wild and crazy. Dreams don't have to come true to make you feel fulfilled. Dreams can just stay close to your heart until you are ready to make them happen or let them go. She has a far off look in her eyes and still a faint smile on her lips.
The bus pulls up, the children climb off laughing and excited. This brings back Sally to the here and now. The faint smile turns big when her son approaches wide eyed, "Mum guess what we did in school today?" he asks. He begins to recite all the exciting things that happened in Kindergarten today. The enthusiasms he shows brightens Sally's heart.
As they walk home together Sally is smiling. One last thought to the dreams, the ones she holds close to her heart, it is okay, they will wait, today I have bigger dreams to live.
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