Kreative Kirstin

To-Do Lists

2011-11-29T10:28:00.002-05:00

I've been sharing an email conversation this week regarding to-do lists, sparked by this article about Leonardo DaVinci, ADHD and creativity. I loved the variety in the accompanying illustration by Wendy MacNaughton - everything from pick up a specific book to "Draw Milan". A friend sent me her list that ranged from considering how to be a more concientious consumer to grade papers. Here's my list:

Put away outdoor table and chairs
Put up Christmas lights
Grocery shopping
Bring framed photos of my kids to work
Send updated photos to the grandparents for Christmas
Take my car in for repairs
Get haircut for Andrew
Laundry
Think about my faith
Art journal page – Grace Like Rain
Make a plan for Christmas shopping
Finish service line projections for FY12 and FY13
Monday Scorecard (yes, I know it’s Tuesday)
Neurosurgery market analysis
Prepare agenda for Dec. 13th FCO Board meeting and send out so members will prepare ahead of time
Send FCO December Concert Press Release Info to President
See if band boosters need help on Saturday
Check home email – FIRE bands playing on Saturday? And e-pethealth registration
Knit socks
Schedule time with Andrew to work on his family life project for Sunday
Schedule riding lesson? Talk to Erin first
Pick Taurus up from garage
Map Thanksgiving
Get out the rest of the Christmas CDs
Ask Andrew to practice violin
Reschedule Friday phone call
Start work physician listing criteria
Finish painting Erin’s closet doors

And just so I don't forget - add these to the list of blogs I want to check on regularly:
http://thehappypainter22.blogspot.com/
http://www.joojoo.me/
http://aweebitwarped.blogspot.com/

And here are some quotes I've been saving up for possible art journal pages:

"Yes, and imagine a world where there were no hypothetical situations.”Jasper Fforde

“The cucumber and the tomato are both fruit; the avocado is a nut. To assist with the dietary requirements of vegetarians, on the first Tuesday of the month a chicken is officially a vegetable.”― Jasper Fforde

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently,as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.”― Thich Nhat Hanh

“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories,instead of theories to suit facts.”― Arthur Conan Doyle

“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently.”Bill Watterson

“I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”― L.M. Montgomery

"It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem."G.K. Chesterton

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered."

"Curiosity, especially intellectual inquisitiveness, is what separates the truly alive from those who are merely going through the motions."— Tom Robbins

"Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and a cold bottle of beer."— Tom Robbins

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth,but most of them pick themselves upand hurry off as if nothing ever happened."— Winston S. Churchill

quan-da-ry [kwon-duh-ree, -dree] 1. a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma.

"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any."~ Orson Scott Card

"I'm interested in having fun with ideas, throwing them up in the air like confetti and then running under them."~Ray Bradbury

"Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy.You can't "try" to do things. You simply "must" do things." — Ray Bradbury

"No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time."— Lewis Carroll

"A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it's better than no inspiration at all."Rita Mae Brown

"I was a little excited but mostly blorft. "Blorft" is an adjective I just made up that means 'Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.' I have been blorft every day for the past seven years." — Tina Fey

"With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?"~Oscar Wilde

"When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way."~Wayne W. Dyer

“Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.” ― G.K. Chesterton, Alarms and Discursions

“There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“Without education, we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable.” ― G.K. Chesterton, Heretics: The Annotated

“Do not be so open-minded that your brains fall out.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.” ― G.K. Chesterton

“If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.” ― G.K. Chesterton

No Fast Food For Me This Week

2011-11-14T10:21:00.005-05:00

What a fun weekend! Last week I decided that I wasn't eating fast food this week, which meant I needed better planning. I also had one new recipe I was dying to try. Michael did the grocery shopping last Thursday evening and I picked up my one ingredient for the recipe I wanted to try on Friday. Sunday, I was prepared for cooking. I made Baked Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash (from December issue of Real Simple), freezer burritos, prepared crock pot meatballs and made enough rice for side dishes to last the week.

The Baked Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash was really dinner last night for Michael and I. I didn't expect my kids to even try it with squash in it. Andrew had some and liked it. I guess his tastes are maturing. Michael and I loved it and I will definitely be adding this to my regular cooking rotation now that winter is here.

Today for dinner we are having crock pot meatballs with orzo and steamed broccoli. Tuesday, meatloaf from the rest of the ground beef and Thursday burritos. I love it when a plan comes together.

And still enjoying the Habit Blog. It's led me to some new (for me) amazing blogs. Here's a few I've checked out this week:

At Upper Pond (must try the marble loaf cake)
Twenty Two Pleasant (Again, another recipe to try - ginger cake)
This is Marzipan (amazing photos from a different part of the country)
Little Red Hen (I follow this via Tammy at daisyyellow too - quilts, knitting, farm, nearby)
Urban Prairie Forest (beautiful pictures)

Habit

2011-11-10T12:00:00.003-05:00

"For the past 33 years, I've looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself - if today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today. And whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." - Steve Jobs

I've been enjoying the habit blog so much since finding it last month. Today my favorite quote was from Lindsay Crandall "It's not that I can't handle things while he's away; it's that everything is so much better when he's here." That's so true for me. This quote led me to look at another blog, which led to yet another blog with the above quote from Steve Jobs. Uh-oh. There may be a few things in my life that I need to purge. I've gotten into some habits or at least routines this year that need to change. I need to focus on these and change something.

To Done

2011-11-07T08:26:00.002-05:00

Not To-Do. Too many things to-do. This week I'm just counting the To-Done list. It is much more satisfactory and not as scary.

Enjoying the Habit Blog immensly. I loved what Tara R. wrote on the 3rd. "I chose grace, and the day, in turn, graced me. It's easy. When I remember."

Finished two strands of my bottle cap curtain (similar photo here).

Thinking about another class

2011-10-27T08:19:00.002-04:00

It is nearing the end of the year and access to 21 Secrets will go away. I've done a lot of the classes and feel like I've truly gotten my money's worth. I'm thinking about a new class now. I'm completely overwhelmed with work and life at the moment, but maybe this kind of diversion is just what I need. This class at Elvie's Studio on lettering is the one I'm leaning toward at the moment.

Balance - Family, Church & Community Focused

2011-10-14T08:53:00.003-04:00

I haven't been posting because I tend to like blog posts with pictures. I don't have a decent camera so I quit posting. But then I was inspired/motivated by Chel at GingerBlue to post anyway. I realized that I do actually read blogs and since this is my blog, I can just write without posting photos. I can ramble too, obviously.

I realize lately that I'm too busy because I'm craving some art time. I've sketched and/or doodled in my moleskine that I keep in my purse or my art journal while waiting at my kids' lessons, but I haven't been in my art space in months. I need to do something with paint and color and maybe some collage, glue, and clay. I haven't knitted in months either. I'm in an artistic dessert. This weekend isn't looking much better for art projects either. However, it's not all bad. While in this artistic dessert, I'm filling my soul with some other important ingredients.

I've been working several hours a week volunteering for the Fenton Community Orchestra. Things are going well and I wrote a successful grant proposal that will help us through this year while becoming well established for the next couple of years. My focus now is to find some additional board members and some others willing to take on some of the administrative burden, and hopefully replace myself in the next couple of years before I'm burned out. I would hate for the orchestra to die after only a few years. This is work that excites me and I feel gives back to the community in which I live.

This week I attended a new class at our church. It was much different than I expected. I think I was expecting to go in, sit in a class room with a few people and read a book. Instead, I showed up early to take my kids to youth group and participated in a group sing which was lead by the youth band (in which my son plays guitar). There were several classes starting around the same time so adults and kids all participated. It was a very fun experience. The class turned out to be a huge class with more than a handful of people and I'm really looking forward to it. We will read the book outside of class and discuss in class. The class was full of great energy and I think I will learn a lot.

As for feeding my soul, in addition to the class at church, my family will participate in a community work day this Sunday. The day is to help people and organizations that need help with yard work or projects. It will be a great time working to give back to my community alongside my family and church family. Last weekend we all participated in the CROP walk through church. I'm feeling good about these accomplishments and relishing the wonderful sense of community. I just need to find a little more balance between all the important aspects of my life. I love that I've been spending valuable time with family, church and community and plenty of time at work but need to fit in a bit more creative play time.

Taking a Break - Obviously

2011-06-04T07:13:00.002-04:00

I've been making an effort to spend less time on the computer and more time making art and on all my other projects that need my time and attention. I'm not sure if I will seriously start blogging again or not. I never could find the time to truly keep up my blog anyway.

2nd Week: 21 Secrets

2011-04-19T21:32:00.005-04:00

Another fun week. I spent a lot of time this last weekend in my art studio. It was fabulous. I also bought more art supplies, which is always fun. I went to Michael's with my 50% of one item coupon and picked up more gel medium. Then I went back later because my daughter wanted to buy something and I found a set of liquid inks on clearance for $4.99. I can't wait to play with them.

I've continued to play in the four groups I started with last week and have at least watched all the videos plus added another class too - Tam Laporte's. I'm having so much fun! I have a few finished or almost finished projects. I've been really surprised to find how much I enjoyed one class that just didn't seem to be "my thing". I'm making myself branch out and try new things and I'm finding new things I like. Gotta love that!

21 SECRETS-My first Week

2011-04-09T16:05:00.013-04:00

Wow! What an awesome, creative, FUN, art-filled week I've had. I'm taking Connie's (from dirtyfootprints studio) 21 Secrets class. It started April 1st but will go until August so plenty of time to get in to all the different teacher's classes. There are 21 different teachers sharing fun techniques. So far I've worked in four groups - Aimee's from Artsyville, Tammy's from Daisyyellow, Alma Stoller's class and Connie's from dirtyfootprints studio.

My daughter has joined me for some of Connie's painting and she even convinced her father to come and paint with her today.

Erin's painting:

Mike's painting

I am having so much fun! Did I mention that already?

"Picture This"

2011-04-04T14:33:00.005-04:00

I loved the interview she did about this book. I can't wait to get the book.

"Q: What would you say to someone who asks about the functionality of your books, their purpose?

A: My goal is to make a book for someone who is sitting in the waiting room at the Jiffy Lube while they were getting their oil changed. I want to make books that are picked up by a bored or waiting person who starts to thumb through them and gets drawn in enough so that they stop noticing they are waiting at the Jiffy Lube and instead start to itch to make something with their hands. A picture, or a comic or anything at all. I'm devoted to the idea that the use of images can not only transform our experience of time and space, but also has an absolute biological function that is directly tied to an essential state of being which is this: the feeling that life is something worth living."

Lynda Barry - About her book - "Picture This".

This thought has been in my mind the last few days as I've read several posts on what being an artist is. I loved the post Connie wrote on her blog Dirty Footprints today. My thoughts lean towards the "everyone is an artist" side of the arguement. We all drew pictures as kids and most of us still doodle while waiting on the telephone so I don't feel the need to categorize artists as only people who make a living doing art or spend all their time doing art. If my daughter asks me if she's an artist, the answer is YES! If someone asks me if I'm an artist, I always hesitate, but really, I think the answer should be YES!

Random Photos

2011-03-30T09:21:00.004-04:00

The Blog Lull - Weekend Update

2011-02-21T10:54:00.004-05:00

Weekend List:
1. Buy a camera
2. Buy my son new jeans
3. Attend several birthday parties including one in which I get to eat wonderful food and another which involves laser tag.
4. Photograph and upload some of my art journal pages.
Decluttering targets that need to be accomplished:
1. My linen closet
2. My closet
3. My bedroom in general

Well, I managed to get my son jeans and go to birthday parties and eat wonderful food. I played laser tag and in the first game managed to come in behind my husband (codename Viper), my daughter (codename Fang) and my son (codename Fender). That Fang kid rocks at laser tag. I think it's because she's so little she manages to duck under all those lasers and sneak up on more people. I stepped it up a notch in the second game and was ranked 6th overall, which is awesome for me, but now I have a blister on my trigger finger. I'm just not cut out for these violent sports!

And then there was the decluttering list too. I only managed to do one table in my bedroom.

Heaps of snow arrived yesterday so I didn't leave the house so no new camera and I made the mistake of picking up another Harry Potter book so I haven't managed to do anything productive since that time. I should finish the book today though so that will only leave two more in the series. Hopefully I can finish them by the weekend and get back on with art. Although my husband brought Twilight home and is reading it. I may be forced to read that next...

Recycling/Reusing Sweaters

2011-02-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to find some ideas for remaking or repurposing some of the lovely sweaters I have that aren't really fashionable anymore or just don't fit me right. I found this lovely list already compiled at Always Christi. I'm hoping to find some time this weekend to work on one of them.

Pictures of my stack of sweaters awaiting rebirth to come, as soon as I get that new camera.

The Blog Lull

2011-02-18T17:49:00.000-05:00

Well, I still have no working camera and blog posts are pretty boring without photos. I've been working on a 2011 Art Journal and really like some of my pages but my cell phone takes horrible photos.

I'm currently enjoying catching up on Kristy's 365 Day Jar Project and plan to continue to follow this throughout the year. I have really enjoyed some past 365 day projects from other artists and would love to find my own but given my schedule, I'm wondering if perhaps that is a bit ambitious. Perhaps I should try a 52 week blog post project?! Once a week for the next year sounds like a good goal.

Weekend List:
1. Buy a camera
2. Buy my son new jeans
3. Attend several birthday parties including one in which I get to eat wonderful food and another which involves laser tag.
4. Photograph and upload some of my art journal pages.

No Frills Prompt: Empty

2011-02-18T17:00:00.000-05:00

No coffee left to sustain me

But plenty of work left to detain me

And many blogs to entertain me

So I must seek a refill

I've been wanting to do Tammy's No Frills Friday Prompts but I never seem to get around to it. I decided that the first goofy thing to pop into my head when I heard the prompt would just have to suffice.

"It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity."~ Dave Barry
(Also from Daisy Yellow this week - loved it!)

Back to Jan 1st Please

2011-02-18T11:32:00.002-05:00

It's mid-February and I need a reminder that I made some goals! I'm already falling off the wagon.

1. Simplify
2. Exercise

Goal for the weekend - both! Declutter and exercise.

Decluttering targets that need to be accomplished:
1. My linen closet
2. My closet
3. My bedroom in general

I'm hoping to incorporate some regular decluttering in to my weekly cleaning schedule. I really need that. I found this list helpful. I have too much furniture in my bedroom and I would love to get rid of two pieces. Not sure where to put them and I'm not sure I'm ready to give them up. I would love to get rid of some furniture but am at the point where most of what's left is a family heirloom/antique and that makes it harder.

Broken Camera

2011-01-30T07:37:00.004-05:00

And now we're down to just the cell phone camera.

Which doesn't take the greatest pictures. We have two little point and shoot cameras but one is telling us it needs to reformat the memory card all the time and the other was dropped. Now we need to consider what we really want and how much we should spend. In the meantime, I will have to get by with the cell phone and my scanner. I have been creating art journal pages related to my goals for the year but have been waiting on the camera. I guess I will need to scan if I'm to share here.

Yesterday, my daughter and I stopped at Goodwill on a whim. We walked out of there with 9 tops and one pair of pants plus a necklace for $36. I think you just have to be in the right mood to spend the time there and we both were. Erin got these three cool t-shirts and the necklace. Of course, with the poor picture quality, you can't really see the necklace but it has different shaped locks and keys on different chains. She loves it. One of the black shirts is a Detroit Tigers shirt which matches a cute hat she already had.

We purchased two sweaters that we intend to use for craft projects. She found a sweater bear somewhere and wants to try to recreate another. I have a pattern for it that I have to dig out. Not sure what we will being doing with the other one but it was very soft with a lovely pattern.

2011 Reading List

2011-01-21T11:39:00.005-05:00

I was lucky enough to get a free book to review from Library Thing this month. It goes hand in hand with one of my 2011 goals. The book is The 60 Minute Money Workout by Ellie Kay. I've only got as far as the second chapter but am really enjoying this book so far. It isn't the type of book that you just read cover to cover. To get the most out of it, you need to actually do the work. I need to review it for Library Thing though, so my plan is to read it cover to cover, and then go back and start working on it.

Other books on my list for this year include:

One Year to an Organized Financial Life by Regina Leeds

One Year to an Organized Life by Regina Leeds (see a pattern?)

Sense and Sensability by Jane Austen

Diary of Anne Frank

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond

Creative is a Verb by Patti Digh

Four Word Self Help by Patti Digh

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Katie DiCamillo

It's a weird mix, I know. My 11 year old has been trying to get me to read the Edward Tulane book since she was in first grade. She's read it about 5 times. Some of these are on here because I feel like I should read them and some are just fun reads (I hope). One is even a re-read, Glass Castle.

Tammy's list on Daisy Yellow inspired me to get my reading list down so that I don't forget. I need to add them to my Good Reads list yet but this is a start.

Currently Enjoying

2011-01-12T09:18:00.003-05:00

We are all settling into the New Year quite well. I have been busy posting to my Tumblr blog but not here. I have been an avid blog reader though and my current favorites are:

Missed Connections

Daisy Yellow

Artsyville - Loving List it Tuesday and thinking I should play along

Geninne's Art Blog - Love her work and just received a print as a Christmas present to myself. Wish I could order some pillows too.

I'm spending loads of time knitting socks. The "sock of the month" class sounded doable but I'm still on December's sock and now have January's sock started as well. November's socks are the only pair I've finished!

Please enjoy this cell phone photo of my November socks. I forgot to take a photo so had my niece send me this. I gave them to my sister for Christmas.

Winter

2010-12-15T10:59:00.007-05:00

Today we have sun and all the pets are soaking it up. I could have moved the boots and dog toys before taking this photo but that just wouldn't be representative of my front door right now. I love the sunlight through this door.

Some of us have been hibernating lately (always?).

Erin and I attempted melting snowman cookies using this tutorial from Truly Custom Cakery which I discovered in a google search. I saw photos of these cookies on Tumblr. Hers are much prettier.

We discovered two things. One, make sure you buy fresh marshmellows because ours were sticky and gooey before we even started so they turned out looking lumpier than they should have. Two, get a better cake decorating set so that you can do the detail of the face, arms and buttons better. We ate this batch ourselves but plan to make more that will hopefully look a bit less messy. Not that we minded how they looked when we ate them!

Weird Stuff Around Town

2010-11-12T21:05:00.004-05:00

So I'm walking through the parking lot after dance on Friday with my daughter and we pass this truck. We both stopped and cracked up. I don't get it but it was picture worthy. Taken with my daughters phone.

Then to continue the weird, we stop by Target and here this in the check out lane:

"My I.D.? For a jar of tomatoes? "

More giggling. We must have been in a silly mood that all these things struck us as funny. I attribute it to TGIF syndrome.

Wonderful Gift!

2010-10-14T08:58:00.002-04:00

I received a 1970 brochure for the Ann Arbor Car Ferry Line from a friend at work. It is in mint condition and full of lovely images. I remember taking the Arthur K. Atkinson across to Wisconsin as a kid with my family. The weather was rather nasty and we spent most of the time inside. I do remember waiting on deck while they unloaded our dark green station wagon from below.

What a lovely and thoughtful gift! I'm so happy to have this and I must think of a way to display it. I also have a bunch of postcards from way back that I'd like to display too.

Illustrations From Erin

2010-09-27T19:55:00.003-04:00

My daughter is illustrating a story for class. How cute is this?

Coastal Living-The Recipe

2010-09-25T07:34:00.002-04:00

This is actually from August but I have to write it somewhere because it is worth repeating. My brother-in-law concocted this beverage using stuff I had around.

Blue Curaco
Clear Rum
Pinapple Juice
Sprite

It was both delicious and beautiful. Darker blue=deeper water (more curaco) and lighter turquoise=shallower water (less curaco). I liked the shallow water better.

This along with the Coastal Living Magazine and a hammock = summer relaxation! Good bye summer, I'll miss you.

Looking forward to fires in the fireplace and long scrabble games instead though.

New Post?!?!

2010-09-22T09:17:00.005-04:00

I'm back. I seem to have accidently taken a few weeks off. Where does the time go?

So, my plans for the weekend include organizing my photos and posting some on here. There are more mushroom pictures to post. I never realized there were so many different types of mushrooms in Michigan and at this time of year! Once I started looking they are everywhere. There is a huge clump growing in my neighborhood. I'm hoping to remember my camera the next time I walk and am also hoping they don't decide to mow their lawn soon.

Also on the agenda for the weekend - more art journaling. I saw this lovely post by Suzanne Cabrera on her blog the open [sketch]book and I'm inspired to do some investigating of my own. What haven't I seen in my neck of the woods that I should take the time to see?

And it's time to decorate for the fall. My petunias have had it and they must go. The front of my house has been so neglected this summer. I must do something. It may be time to call a landscaping company.

Looking Down While Walking

2010-09-06T11:05:00.026-04:00

Sunday was a beautiful, sunny, cool, breezy day. Perfect for a walk in the woods with my sister. There were lots of logs and tree roots, so we spent most of the time looking down. This is what we saw.

Recently Fascinated by the Story of Huguette Clark

2010-08-25T10:23:00.002-04:00

I read the first installment months ago. Apparently I wasn't the only one fascinated by her story because MSNBC followed it up with more investigation and reporting. Now it looks as though there will be legal investigation into whether this elderly person is being cared for and not exploited. Even if everything is ok, good for MSNBC for asking. It seems quite suspicious that her accountant and attorney are controlling access to her, even preventing distant relatives from checking on her.

Mom Just Locked Her Door

2010-08-24T11:16:00.002-04:00

ROFL!

This is classic. How many times have I thought about doing this?! Mom needs a timeout kids. I love The Onion.

Will it make you happy?

2010-08-20T15:47:00.002-04:00

While I am sitting here making a list for back to school shopping, I am struggling to get into the typical spirit of the event. I am having a harder time accumulating stuff lately. I just read this article and could really relate to it. I know my kids will need some new things, but I'm reluctant to add more stuff to our house until we get rid of some things. I think before school shopping, we will need to do a little more weeding out of things we don't need.

Even my kids seem to have caught this shift a bit, although, not when it comes to Moxie girl dolls or itunes stuff. I think back to school shopping will be a bit more subdued this year. My daughter had her grandmother take her to the Salvation Army Thrift Store for her birthday shopping. I think she realizes that her money will go a lot farther there. She came back with two shirts.

The things that have brought us the most joy this summer that were new purchases included trips up north camping, two new camping cots (it's nice to have a bed that doesn't deflate around midnight), fishing licenses and a hammock. That hammock has had so much use this summer and will hold two which makes it a lovely place for conversations or just hanging out together.

Weekword: Collection

2010-08-10T23:04:00.010-04:00

My collections are many. Books:
Globes (and more stuff in the background in my kitchen):

And quilts:

These are just a few of my collections. I'm feeling the need to pare down right now so will be getting rid of some things but the collections listed here will stay. I may weed out a few afghans, kitchen stuff, vintage games, etc. but the quilts, books and globes will stay. I would also like to get rid of the collection of empty reusable waterbottles that my son leaves next to the sink, the shoes piled in the laundry room and the "to file" stack of papers on the dining room table. How do we stop collecting that stuff?! I need to stop with the physical collection and just collect memories, dreams and love.

I found this wonderful illustration on tumblr today that fit this week word perfectly.

See Elisabeth at Textilspanieln for other week word participants.

Weekword: Balance

2010-08-05T22:16:00.005-04:00

I seem to have lost this recently and have no time for art. I haven't knitted in days. This is my attempt to get a little bit back. I whipped this up in a very short period and really just threw things together but it was fun. Goal for the weekend: Seek Balance. "Make time for art - It's Important" per one of my favorite prints from Aimee at Artysville. It is hanging in my art room but perhaps I need to move it to another room so that I will go to my art room more often!

Check out Mary's blog, No Polar Coordinates for other participants.

Wednesday's Finds

2010-08-04T21:24:00.002-04:00

Impromptu garage sale stop today. Older woman cleaning stuff out. She used to sew prom dresses for others as well as clothing for herself. She happened to have lots of patterns in my size. I'm not sure I will actually sew them, but they are really fun old patterns. I also got yards of black ball fringe for 50 cents. I also got an old cootie game, old memory game and old scrabble game. All in all, I spent $2.60 there.

I picked up some books at a used book store today too. A productive day.

Tuesday Fun

2010-08-03T22:52:00.007-04:00

Someone in the area was getting rid of a whole lot of magazines on Craigslist (free). I'm planning on hosting a vision board making session this fall for a small group of women, so I snatched up a few dozen. Yeah! Plus, I get some fun weekend reading for the next several weeks.

And I had a lovely drive in an area near my house where I've never been before. This cute little house was too adorable not to photograph. Unfortunately, I only had my cell phone with me.

On the way back, my son and I stopped and watched my husband play an inning of baseball. When my husband got home from baseball, the two of us went out on our monthly date to our favorite restaurant and sat outside. It was a lovely evening.

This place always has the most interesting beers on tap.

I enjoyed a lovely IPA and a steak sandwich with watercress, gorgonzola and tomato on a crusty farm bread with an old pickle.

Evening Sunset - Last Week

2010-08-02T10:34:00.002-04:00

So how can I be so busy that I only post once a week or less? I even missed last weeks' word! Which is really quite amazing since I french braided hair several times this weekend. No pictures to show for it though. All I got is this lovely sunset picture from my phone.

Wet Hammock = Other Adventures

2010-07-25T08:29:00.005-04:00

So it rained all day Saturday leaving my weekend plans to lie in the hammock in ruins. What to do instead. I got up Saturday morning and sent my husband and son off to boy scout camp for the weekend leaving me at home with a sleeping girl. What was I going to do? I didn't have plans for the weekend. I cleaned the house, started laundry and still my daughter slept.

Finally, nearly 11 a.m., the sleeping beauty awoke. I pushed a homemade blueberry muffin at her and told her to bring her garage sale money and off we went. First stop, FARR thrift store, my dear friend Becky's favorite stop on Saturday mornings. And who do you think we ran into at the thrift store? Becky along with her daughter and a friend. Yeah! What a happy coincidence. I was wondering what she was up to anyway.

After the thrift store we all jumped into one car and headed out in search of garage sales. We found one really nice one and got a few things and then stopped in my local yarn shop because we were in the neighborhood. I bought more sock yarn (you can never have too much). And then off to visit the community garden to see what industrious folks are growing.

And wow! talk about green thumbs.

We ended up going to a few more resale shops where we were inspired to go home and craft. One of the resale shops had the most fabulous altered book I have ever seen. If it hadn't been over $30, one of us would have bought it. It was lovely inspiration so we headed over to Goodwill to pick up some books to do our own. We cleaned them out of children's board books and headed back to my house.

The evening was filled with going through photos, gluing, paper, scissors, pens, etc. Lovely fun.

So much for my weekend plans...

2010-07-24T08:51:00.001-04:00

I had planned to spend more time in my new hammock but the weather is not cooperating. I suppose I will have to see what else is on my list (sigh).

Weekword: Rebel

2010-07-23T05:47:00.001-04:00

The Week Word was picked by Carmen.

So, I've had this huge to-do list for the week/summer/year (I'm a list maker!). However, I purchased a new hammock which arrived in the mail last week and has called my name quite often since it's arrival. I'm rebeling against my lists and listening to it's call.

Week Word: Number

2010-07-13T21:13:00.006-04:00

The week word was selected by Peggy . Check out her blog to see the other participants as well as an explanation for the week word.

I have never done this before, but this week word comes at a month full of important numbers for me.

7-11 my birthday age 44

7-16 my annivesary (22 but I couldn't find that one)

7-13 my son's birthday and he will b-14

Port Huron Fun

2010-07-12T21:04:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we spent the day in Port Huron to celebrate Mike's parent's 50th wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed a lovely river cruise and dinner at the Thomas Edison Inn.

(above- Canadian Coast Guard Cutter; below- Port Huron light house- US coast guard station)

And if we get back to Port Huron, this is a must see. After all, I've been to the National Mustard Museum so why not the Ice Museum of North America?

What is in my driveway?

2010-07-07T06:13:00.005-04:00

This creature was discovered recently hanging out in our driveway. That's what happens when you buy the new crayola bold colors safari sidewalk chalk and give it to your 10 year old daughter and her very creative babysitter.

Flint Farmers Market

2010-07-03T08:56:00.008-04:00

The only problem we encountered was the sign that said no elephants, giraffes or dogs allowed. This made Erin sad as she loves elephants so much.

But it cheered her up when we found elephant ears.

And these incredible berries and cherries.

Summer Vacation

2010-06-30T09:04:00.010-04:00

Slight Misunderstandings

2010-06-26T21:34:00.002-04:00

"Dad, can you get me a water bottle?"

"Why do you want a water buffalo?"

Callapitters are so cute. Caterpillars too.

Paper Beads

2010-06-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

These turned out so cool! The young lady who is watching my kids this summer made these. I can't wait to see what she does with them. I especially like the map ones.

Birthday Alligator

2010-06-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

I needed a gift for a three year old for this weekend and this is what I came up with. My sister received one of these when she was a kid from my Aunt. I received a hippo from the same pattern set. This pattern has been in the family for a LOOOOOOOOOONG time. Several of my cousins and now their children received stuffed critters from this pattern set. When I went through my mom's sewing stuff, I took this and a few others.

The alligator from my sister's childhood is still around and my daughter loves it. I had bought fabric to make one for her ages ago and never go around to it. My Aunt has given her her one already and I still had all the materials around, so...

ta da! The alligator! He's about three feet long.

I will also be giving her some alligator themed books - "An Extraordinary Egg" and "Wide Mouthed Frog". I hope she likes them!

Summer Beach Reading - Something Different

2010-06-19T09:40:00.005-04:00

Whenever I go away for the weekend or on vacation, I like to take magazines. This year, I've picked magazines I've never read before. I can't make myself pay $5 per magazine for something I might not like, so I've left the motorcraft magazines alone...so far. It is fun to read stuff I don't usually read though so who knows, maybe next time I'm at Barnes & Noble I WILL buy the Alpacas magazine (yes, they really did have a magazine there about Alpacas).

Here are some of my June/July magazines:

For spring break, I chose House Beautiful and Yoga Journal so this time, the Yoga Journal really isn't new. I was surprised at how much I liked it though so I'm buying it again. Who knows, maybe someday I'll become more of a yoga enthusiast and develop the ability to make myself into a pretzel while feeling really focused, centered and grounded?

Next Sock Project

2010-06-17T08:21:00.001-04:00

next sock project
Originally uploaded by ktes750

This yarn felt so soft and I wanted to try something different so I bought it. It is a bamboo blend. I love the colors too and am excited to start. I am waiting until the deck is finished though, so as not to be distracted by this project.

Second Pair of Socks Finished!

2010-06-17T08:20:00.001-04:00

knit socks-second pair
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I'm really enjoying knitting socks. This is my second pair. I love the yarn I used and these are probably the softest, most comfortable socks I own now.

Everytime I get to the toe I have to go online and find a video explaining the kitchner stitch. I hope that eventually I will remember it.

"Helping" me with the yarn

2010-06-17T08:18:00.001-04:00

emily helping me knit
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Knit Socks

2010-06-17T08:17:00.001-04:00

knit socks-2nd pr view 2
Originally uploaded by ktes750

finished scarf

2010-06-17T08:16:00.001-04:00

finished scarf
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I finished this scarf this week. I started it back in late February during my knitting class and set it aside when I started knitting socks. It was a fun pattern and yarn to work with. Every solid color is just a regular stockinette stitch and every varigated color is a pattern of some sort. There are six different patterns. It was a great way to do a project and get some practice at trying out some different patterns. The pattern was created by the teacher for the class at The Knit Side in Holly.

The knitting part of this project is finished but I still need to weave in the ends and block the piece. I really need to finish staining my deck first though, and since winter is a ways away, that part can wait.

TYS-Moving Forward

2010-06-02T20:31:00.003-04:00

TYS-Moving Forward
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I'm still working on my art journal class and still managing to keep up (mostlly). I have two days which I haven't done yet but mostly because I'm waiting for inspiration. Sometimes if the prompt for that day doesn't resonate with my, I have a difficult time figuring out what to do. I think I have an idea for one day but I need to gather a few materials.

I've had a great time in this class. I've found it quite challenging to keep up with a daily class and will not attempt to art journal daily again. I'm thinking maybe 1-2 weekly will be good for me. I know I could have taken longer to complete this class, but I was afraid that I wouldn't do it if I didn't try to keep pace, given my experience from other online classes. Plus, it's nice when a group of students is all working on the same assignment at the same time.

TYS-Change Is Good

2010-05-25T22:39:00.001-04:00

TYS-change is good-2 page spread
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I'm still art journaling almost daily. I'm a little behind the class now but only by a few days and mainly because there were some extra prompts and I'm trying to do them all. I think if I do two more pages tomorrow and two on Thursday, I'll be caught up. Yeah!

Tell Your Story-Our Big Adventure

2010-05-19T12:42:00.002-04:00

TYS-big adventure-magazine-photo page
Originally uploaded by ktes750

This is a weekend photo too. Yes, I already mentioned that Erin and I went up north and had a great time while my husband was at home taking caring of home stuff and my son.

Erin looks like she is having a wonderful time walking in the woods. In reality, she complained about having to walk in the woods and was a bit uncomfortable doing it. I'm not sure why but apparently she's quite a city girl. I don't know how that happened because I'm such a country girl.

Anyway, even with my aunt and I pointing out wildflowers and trees and identifying them, I don't think she was sold on the woods thing. My aunt pointed out a very cool weed that shoots out its seeds when you touch it and she found that quite fun and spent time looking for them so she could touch them. She also tasted wood sorrel to see if it was salty as my aunt told her they used to use it when they didn't have salt. I don't think it ever occured to her why people wouldn't have salt though.

Unfortunately for my daughter, her complaining about the woods has only made me think we need to take more family time to visit nature so that she can develop an appreciation of it and not be freaked out by a bunch of caterpillars on leaves or other insects flying around. Yep, I'm one of those mean moms.

Live in the Sunshine

2010-05-18T13:19:00.001-04:00

Metaphor-weather
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I'm ready for more sunny weekends.

This past weekend was absolutely lovely. Erin and I went up north and spent the day in the Frankfort area Saturday. We walked in the woods, visited with my family and got to see baby goats. We had a lovely day and drove home Saturday evening.

Sunday was another sunny day and after a bit of housework, we managed to get outside and do some yard work. It was so nice that it wasn't rainy and windy. Today is raining again. At least I don't have to water the flowers I just planted.

tell your story - my thoughts

2010-05-10T21:38:00.001-04:00

tell your story - my thoughts
Originally uploaded by ktes750

This was my interpretation of the most recent prompt from the Tell My Story class. I am still having a great time with these and still managing to do a page a day.

I have managed to complete a few more things on my 43 things list and I'm down to 32 things left. I have 2 more things that will be completed after this weekend so I'm making progress!

tell your story - Summer

2010-05-10T08:39:00.001-04:00

tell your story - summer 2 page
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I'm looking forward to summer and have a number of goals for the season. The prompt for Saturday was to write down those goals in a journal page. Perfect prompt!

I created the envelope from a green vellum/gold glitter scrapbook paper I loved. I wrote my goals on a gold colored card and put them in the envelope. I spelled out the word Summer with a cool green border tape and added the vellum butterfly and flower that I had leftover from a gift wrap kit years ago.

I'm happy with the way this page turned out and really enjoying the class.

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T11:49:00.006-04:00

I am having a wonderful Mother's Day. I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers instead of a card (by request - I really wanted the flowers). I woke up this morning to my son and husband making me a lovely breakfast of crunchy french toast. It was delicious.

Crunchy French toast

4 large eggs

1-1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 T. sugar

Pinch nutmeg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. cornflakes

1 loaf challah (Jewish egg bread), sliced into six 1-inch slices

1 stick plus 1 T. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla.

Place the cornflakes in another large bowl and crush with your hands until the pieces are small (but not like bread crumbs) and somewhat uniform in size. Place a rimmed baking sheet nearby to hold the bread.

Dip a slice of bread into the milk mixture, immersing both sides. Dip the slice into the cornflakes on both sides, pressing to adhere the flakes; set aside on the baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining slices.

Heat a griddle or skillet on medium for several minutes. Sprinkle the griddle with a few drops of water; they should bounce around before evaporating. If they sizzle away quickly, the heat is too high. If they just sit there and slowly steam, the heat is too low.

When the griddle is properly heated, add 1 tablespoon of butter for each piece of bread and tilt to coat the pan. Add the bread in an even layer and cook until golden on one side, about 4 minutes. Lift each piece with a spatula and put 1/2 tablespoon butter in its spot.

Flip the toast onto the butter to cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining bread.

Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until all the French toast is cooked.

Cut each piece of bread in half diagonally to make triangles. Arrange 3 triangles like shingles on serving plates, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve with softened butter and maple syrup.

Metaphors: Doors

2010-05-06T11:28:00.003-04:00

Metaphors: Doors
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I'm following Jeannine's Four Rooms FREE Metaphors (Mining the Metaphor).
class this month and finding it interesting that I have lots of doors and windows with shutters in my journal. They are always bright and cheery looking though - not like barriers - inviting me somewhere. It's been interesting to think what they could mean for me.

Things I've noticed about the doors and windows:
- I can never see what's on the other side
- They are never open or if the shutters are open I still can't see through the windows
- I generally feel happy about them so I don't think I see them as barriers but perhaps they are?
- The doors are generally brightly colored in bright sunny (another metaphor I use a lot) yellow, bright blue, red or bright green.
- Perhaps they are doors to a bright and sunny future...

My assignment is to try and use the metaphor differently than normal. I am trying to imagine what is on the other side of the door. I'll have to see where that leads me. Thanks for the ideas Jeannine, I'm certainly doing some digging this week!

Tell Your Story - The Introduction

2010-05-05T20:31:00.001-04:00

sunny chairs

2010-04-30T09:06:00.001-04:00

sunny chairs
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I stopped at a local resale shop on my way home yesterday and saw these bright, sunny looking chairs. Very cute. No place for them in my house though so someone else will have to buy them and take them home. I did get an adorable tin for my art space.

Tell Your Story

2010-04-27T19:12:00.001-04:00

today felt-prompt 2
Originally uploaded by ktes750

So far, so good. Second day and I'm still not behind!

New Season - Spring

2010-04-26T20:31:00.001-04:00

new season
Originally uploaded by ktes750

The second installment in my "Tell Your Story" art journal. Under the Spring/Goals clear vellum sheet is a photo of apple blossoms. It doesn't show well in the photo. This is accompanied by some of my doodles.

My goals for this spring include having fun, planting stuff, buying a hammock and continuing to work through my list of "43 things".

Doll House Remodeling

2010-04-25T08:17:00.014-04:00

I acquired a charming fixer-upper for Erin when she was a baby. It was in the basement of Mike's grandparents house and was built by Mike's grandfather for Aunt Mary. It was rather dust covered and the removable front is a bit water damaged but for the most part, it is in great shape. It was very well made with a lot of attention to detail.

For about five years it just sat in storage but when we moved to our current home, I pulled it out, cleaned it up and painted it one Christmas. However, I only slapped white primer all over it (it had never been painted) and painted the window trim and roof dark green. Then I created little Christmas wreaths with red bows, bought some doll house Christmas lights and put it out next to our tree. It looked great at Christmas but after Christmas I put it away again.

Now that Erin has sort of grown out of the chunky plastic fisher price doll house and we've gotten rid of it, she's ready for this one. I acquired the living room set and dining table and chairs at an antique show a few years back and just hung on to it until she ready. The other furniture is either from Michael's or chunky paint it yourself doll house furniture she got two years ago for Christmas. She has found a kitchen, bathroom, and kids bedroom set she would like and put them on her birthday list (August), so for now, we are using what we have.

Erin picked out a lovely shade of yellow called "Tigger's Belly" (a disney color made by Behr)for the outside. The trim was still dark green from my initial painting. We have yet to paint the front door trim and would like to purchase a front door as well. In her dream world, her mother would get enthusiastic about wiring the whole house too and purchase light fixtures. I have a hard time forking out $9.99 for a doll lamp. It was hard enough paying $50 for wood flooring for the entire house, although I do admit, it really makes the place look great. At least we did wall paper and paint for the interior for much less. I still have a bit of touching up to do and some furniture to stain, but it's good for now.

Erin and I have had a lot of fun checking out doll house furnishings lately and planning. We found this lovely blog called Call of the Small in our searches. Wow! Talk about some cool doll houses.

Collage Necklaces

2010-04-24T20:58:00.006-04:00

Aimee from Artsyville made the coolest necklaces last week. Erin and I tried our hand at them today. We had a lot of fun making them. She's planning on taking them to school for her friends. I get to keep one.

Tell Your Story

2010-04-24T19:56:00.003-04:00

This week I start an art journal class and I'm really looking forward to it. I've had a lot of fun putting together the first couple of pages and gathering materials.

My First Sock

2010-03-30T05:52:00.003-04:00

One done, one to go. I love it and it fits perfectly. Now my other foot is cold so back to knitting.

Owl goofiness

2010-03-11T22:39:00.001-05:00

Owl goofiness
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Not much sketching going on lately but lots of knitting. I did go through my journal and add some background colors and patterns to some pages though. That was rather fun and relaxing.

I haven't completely stopped sketching

2010-02-26T10:09:00.001-05:00

sketchbook
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I decided I was too tired to knit something the other night since it was something that required more attention than the dish clothes I had been working on. I picked up my sketchbook instead figuring if I screwed that up, I'd just turn the page. That beats ripping out stitches any day.

I probably should have turned the page after screwing up the legs on the globe stand but I just kept going. My cat did not try to attack the pen as is her usual activity while I draw. I had already worn her out by playing with her so she was content to sleep beside me. It was fun to draw her but even in her sleep she changes positions too often for me. I'll just have to keep trying.

Knitting - The Project That's Filling all My Sketch Time

2010-02-25T21:50:00.001-05:00

knitting
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Every spare second has been filled with knitting for the last two weeks, or at least that's how it feels. I have learned to knit after a 20-some year break. I'm taking a class and it's wonderful because I'm actually learning all the basics besides the actual knit and purl stitch, like how to bind off and read a pattern. Next week we are to learn how to do cable stitches. I've finished two dish clothes and am working on a third, started a scarf (pink/purple) and have a large practice piece that is a pattern similar to a rib stitch that I will probably finish soon and give to my daughter as a doll afghan.

I'm having a great time and am really hoping that the shop where I'm taking lessons will offer a sock project class soon. I really want to learn to knit socks. That was on my goal list for this year and I have purchased the supplies already.

8 mm film projector

2010-02-14T08:05:00.003-05:00

Last night the family had an old movie night. We watched family films from the 1950's and 1960's. This projector has been working hard for almost 60 years! It was purchased in 1951, shortly after the 8mm film camera.

We had such a good time and the kids loved the "old technology" aspect. We got out the slide projector too and loved the old slides. There's nothing quite like the sound of clicking through the slides (or the inevitable muttering when they jam).

Goal for Knitting This Year

2010-02-11T21:33:00.001-05:00

Goal for Knitting
Originally uploaded by ktes750

In one of my books I read that one way to keep yourself motivated on your goals is to invest in it. I signed up for knitting classes and start on Monday. It is a beginning class and I think it's a good place to start. The only knitting I've done was just the knit stitch and while I remember how to cast on and knit, I don't remember much else.

I put this in my sketch book because I'm excited about the class and I'm hoping by keeping my goals in front of me all the time, I'll stay motivated. Now, I just need to draw more too. That was also on the goals list.

Birdfeeder Birds

2010-02-09T09:35:00.002-05:00

Birdfeeder Birds
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I spent a lazy Sunday morning sitting at the dining room table and sketching birds. They are difficult in that they don't often sit still. At least they kept coming back often. The great backyard bird count is coming up soon. I think I have identified most of my frequent feeder birds and am ready for the count.

My Art Space

2010-02-08T19:25:00.001-05:00

My space is feeling more like home. I still have some organizing to do on the shelves though. It is nice to have a home for some of my fun stuff. The peacock light that was supposed to be a white elephant gift but it's still hanging around. I'm going to enjoy my $2 garage sale purchase and then, maybe, I'll give it away. It's actually quite mesmerizing to watch as it changes colors. I need to pull out my folders and fill my new bulletin boards yet. The fish mobile was made by my husband's grandmother years ago.

Below is a close up of some of my inspirational stuff.

Arty Christmas Gifts

2010-02-06T09:56:00.008-05:00

I received several pieces of art for Christmas. This is the corner of my dining room. The picture of the blue flower with the red background is an Erin original. The coffee print on the bottom is from Aimee at Artsyville. The other coffee print is from a garage sale. The other two prints are the new ones.

Erin picked this one out from one of my favorite artists. I follow Genine's blog online and enjoy all her art. Erin and I watched a lovely video of her creating one of her pieces. That is where she hatched the idea of purchasing on for me for Christmas. Michael helped Erin to pick this out and order it for me. I love it!

And this lovely art is from my good friend Sarah. She spent almost a year creating it! First, she picked out and ordered seeds. Then she planted them and cared for them. Then she harvested and took these beautiful photos, printed them out and created this lovely collage of photos.

Unfortunately, my photos of them are not the best. I could not close the shades so my reflection appears in both of them. Getting a new dining room window shade is on the to-do list for this weekend.

I think it's beginning to work!

2010-02-03T12:56:00.001-05:00

Pictures 128
Originally uploaded by ktes750

The scale finally moved just slightly so did the Wii fit. My perfectly flat graph line on the Wii sloped downhill this morning! Thank goodness as I was beginning to think that all the exercise was not working. This was just what I needed to make sure that I got back on the treadmill tonight after work and also did my strength training.

Phew!

I drew this on Friday after a very motivational pep talk about diet and exercise. The speaker had lost 5-6 sizes about 4 years ago and was speaking from experience. She was very encouraging. I've read that doing something creative with your goals helps engage more of your brain in the fight to reach them so I doodled what I felt I really needed to add to my routine.

Random Colors Friday Journal Page

2010-02-02T08:51:00.001-05:00

Pictures 127
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I sit in the same place every Friday evening while Erin is in dance and I am amazed that I can always find something different to draw. I've done close up studies of the lamp post right outside the door, the senior housing just across the parking lot and now a distant house and associated buildings. If I'd waiting about 20 more minutes, there would have been a huge moon right behind those trees. It was absolutely beautiful, large and full hanging in an absolutely clear dark bright blue sky nearly the color of the WC pencil that the buildings roof tops are colored in.

Saturday Art Project

2010-01-31T20:29:00.003-05:00

We went to a 40th birthday party Saturday evening for a dear friend. They had requested no gifts so we put a lot of time into a huge obnoxious card instead. It was quite fun to make and a real group effort. It was from two families so the three of us adults that were going picked out pictures. Mike wrote captures and Sarah and I decorated the card. It turned out quite nicely I think. Happy Birthday Aaron. Nice party!

White on Black

2010-01-27T18:31:00.001-05:00

White on Black
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I've been having so much fun with patterns and my black canson journal with white signo uniball pen. Here's the most recent completed doodle. I started another one last night during my kids' voice and violin lessons. One of these days I'll get back to drawing.

Yellow Door

2010-01-26T20:36:00.001-05:00

Yellow Door
Originally uploaded by ktes750

I've had all things yellow and sunny on my mind lately. I've been listening to Coldplay's "Yellow" and "I can see clearly now the rain is gone" by Johny Nash. It must be mid-winter lack of sunshine causing all this craving for yellow.

Check out my tumblr to see some of my inspiration for this journal sketch and a whole lot of yellow stuff (and a few other brightly colored things that caught my eye).

Diamonds on the Floor

2010-01-25T20:54:00.001-05:00

Diamonds on the Floor
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Still working on my 43 things - exercising and eating right.

I learned to knit in french

2010-01-24T22:03:00.003-05:00

If you really want to challenge yourself, learn a new skill from someone who doesn't speak your native language and you are a beginner in their native language. I managed to learn how to knit while I lived in France 20 something years ago. The woman I lived with knit and taught me how to get started.

I managed to knit an entire scarf while on trains and waiting for trains while traveling around Europe during college. I never did learn to bind off though. I vaguely remember her showing me, but I think she actually finished it for me. And since its been over 20 years since then, I don't remember how anymore.

I've picked up needles and yarn several times in the intervening years but can't get excited about scarves and didn't feel I had the ability to do anything else. Well, this year one of my goals is to knit socks. Probably doesn't sound like a HUGE goal for you knitters out there, but it is for me. So, since I've got this list of 43 things, I can't wait until the last minute to get going so I'm working the socks. Well, I haven't actually started them but I pulled out my stuff today and a beginner DVD and relearned the basics - cast on, knit and purl. I can't believe how quickly I felt comfortable doing just those things. Now, to find the sock pattern!

How to Keep Those New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-19T21:14:00.002-05:00

Sketchbook Jan 14, 2010
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Since I'm determined to reach my goals this year, I'm rereading this book by M.J. Ryan. I read it last year too. Maybe it will stick this time. Actually, I think at least some of it stuck last year too but it is worth reading again. And I'm counting it as one of my 12 books for the year too.

My 43 Things

2010-01-18T21:06:00.005-05:00

Michelle's "37 things before I'm 38" list inspired me to make my own list. Here's my "43 things before I'm 44" list. Also, coincidentally, there is a website called 43things.com which I've used for years to remind me what I said I was going to do. Last spring I made a list of things I wanted to do during the summer so this is a bit similar but will encompass the whole year.

My 43 things:

1. Update my will.
2. Carve a stamp.
3. Finish my quilt
4. Lose 10 pounds and keep it off by exercising regularly and eating right.
5. Finish the doll house with Erin.
6. Use my new watercolor paints.
7. Do journal pages three times per week for one month.
8. Read 12 books.
9. Keep my blog updated for one month.
10. Get family pictures done well before Christmas this year so I can send them out with cards.
11. Print photos from the last couple of years and organize them.
12. Embroidery
13. Midland Antique Show
14. Family bike ride
15. Family picnic
16. Morel mushroom hunting
17. Pick tart cherries and make pie
18. Plant tomato plants
19. Knit socks
20. Restart my sister gift box
21. Paint the large canvas in my basement
22. Have a summer party
23. Take a yoga class
24. Buy an original art work
25. Make jewerly with my kids using shrinky dinks
26. Go camping in the Alpena area
27. Track down photos of my grandparents homes
28. Paint my basement
29. Take family to Meijer gardens
30. Teach kids to sew (at least a button) and it wouldn't hurt for my husband to learn either
31. Eat at five new restaurants
32. Take the kids to a drive in movie
33. Find a phone booth (or at least a pay phone) and show them how they work so they can tell their kids that they saw one of the last remaining pay phones.
34. Take pictures in a photo booth
35. Visit my Aunts
36. Make fortune cookies with my kids.
37. Monthly date nights (at least once a month!)
38. Finish my art room
39. Host a vision board making day
40. Hang art above dining room windows
41. Visit parents "new" place in Florida
42. Take kids to Sleeping Bear Dunes
43. Be ok with not meeting my goals but satisfied that I tried.

And since this isn't really a birthday list but more of a January resolutions list, I'm giving myself all of 2010.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones that you did." --Mark Twain

Amarylis

2010-01-16T12:00:00.001-05:00

Aunt Mary gives us amarylis bulbs every year in November. This year I planted them a bit too late for them to be blooming at Christmas but I am really enjoying them now. The pink one picutred below has four enormous blooms on it right now. The one in the background that hasn't bloomed yet is supposed to be red.

Still Sketching and Doodling

2010-01-15T12:00:00.001-05:00

We spent the New Year's Eve holiday with friends in northern Michigan. We enjoyed great food and wonderful games of scrabble, luck of the draw, Wii sports, movies and sledding. I only managed a couple of sketches because I was working on my New Year's goals (I prefer goal to resolution).

I've also really enjoyed drawing and doodling in my black Canson field journal with my favorite white pen (signo uniball).

I'm working my way through Cathy Johnson's Sketching in Nature book and am at Chapter three now. I hope to finish the book by early February (it's a library book so I have to have it back by then). I think this is the third time I've taken that book out of the library in the last year.

New Blogs I'm Loving

2010-01-14T20:47:00.005-05:00

So I haven't been posting much here but I've been following a lot of other blogs which inevitably leads me to checking out even more blogs and adding them to my list of blogs and websites to read. Here are a few new ones I'm checking out in no particular order.

Daisy Yellow
Needle n Thread - A video of library of embroidery stitches
Kathy's Cottage
Lily White Designs
tiny red design
the tiny aviary
ann wood
Random Veracity
Paper and Threads

I also love looking at photos on tumblr so I've signed up for that as well. My tumblr favorites can be found here.

http://kreativit.tumblr.com/

It's Good to Have Goals!

2009-12-22T18:51:00.005-05:00

Goal: Art at least three times per week for a total of at least 156 days of some kind of art.

Actual: 209 days and still counting! I kept this 8.5 x 11 page in my journal and marked it every time I used my journal. You can tell that two months I used only pen and ink. Most other months I also used watercolor pencil. I'm definitely doing this next year too. It keeps me motivated.

Maybe I should make one for exercising too.

Sandhill Cranes Migration

2009-12-07T22:29:00.000-05:00

Last year I recorded the Sandhill Cranes migration in mid-November. Either I missed them earlier or they are migrating a couple weeks later this year. We saw two groups flying on Saturday. They are so cool and such a neat site to see, especially considering how rare they used to be in Michigan. When I was growing up it was unusual to see them and a Big Deal when we did. Now they are common to see and hear.

Mixed media journal page in drawing Moleskine with water color pencils, rubber stamp and ink.

My "New" Old Chair

2009-12-07T22:27:00.002-05:00

This chair is so comfy and cool! I bought it at a consignment store on Sunday but I've barely gotten to sit in it. My kids and cats have been hogging it.

Keeping an Artists Journal

2009-12-04T06:20:00.004-05:00

I've been having so much fun taking another online class with Cathy Johnson. This particular class is on keeping an artists journal. I've been pretty faithful at keeping up with my goal to journal in a sketchbook at least three times a week for almost an entire year now. Even so, its so nice to get new ideas and learn more and the class is certainly doing that. It is also a great group of people to share with and learn from. I'm not uploading specific exercises from the class, but I have been keeping up with life journaling and here's a tidbit.

Drop Down Door Desk

2009-11-20T09:07:00.002-05:00

Drop Down Door Desk
Originally uploaded by ktes750

This is my new art desk made from a door. When not in use, it can fold down flat against the wall.

new desk folded

2009-11-19T22:25:00.009-05:00

The desk folds nearly flat to the wall. Both legs fold underneath and then it folds down. The desk is made from a door that is about 30 inches wide. It's a nice large work area and it was free. Well, the door was free. I bought 4 hinges, 1 piano hinge, plywood for the legs and a 1x4 to mount the back of it to the wall.

new desk underneath hinges

2009-11-19T22:25:00.003-05:00

new desk underneath hinges
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Taking a Break

2009-10-16T03:17:00.003-04:00

Too much to do and no time to scan and upload. Andrew has football everynight, Erin has 5 different activities going on - 3 during the week and 2 on weekends. I'm spending time creating while sitting in lessons or at games but no time to upload and post.

Summer Time Fun Stuff

2009-07-13T20:53:00.004-04:00

Birthday Fun

Garage Sale Owl Find

Porch Garden

Santa Claus Melon

whalehead stork

2009-06-30T21:34:00.001-04:00

whalehead stork
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Just returned from a trip to Chicago which included a visit to the Field Museum. I had fun sketching in the bird exhibit. This enormous beaked bird is a whalehead stork. I also sketched a palm cockatoo and kookaburra but didn't add color to them.

great blue heron

2009-06-15T22:32:00.001-04:00

great blue heron
Originally uploaded by ktes750

Another homework less for the third week of Kate's Watercolor Pencil Class. I'm feeling really behind so I think I'll be working on these excercises well past the final week. It's fun to get feedback and I'm really enjoying see all the other students art work as well.

Kate's Watercolor Pencil Class

2009-06-12T21:00:00.003-04:00

I'm taking an online watercolor pencil class from Cathy (Kate) Johnson and having lots of fun! I'm happy with some of these results but hoping that practice will help. I am learning a lot and enjoying seeing everyones work, comments and discussion. This is the second online art class I've taken and I'm really enjoying the format. It works well for someone who has such a packed schedule.

Grilled Dinner

2009-06-03T19:59:00.002-04:00

Dinner on the grill...Salmon, aspargus and redskins. YUM!