10 Best Games (video games, board games,
card games, etc)
(If I haven't mentioned it before, I am a gamer! So today's topic is perfect for me, and might even give you a gift idea.)
11/28/07
Ten on Tuesday
10 Best Games (video games, board games,
card games, etc)
(If I haven't mentioned it before, I am a gamer! So today's topic is perfect for me, and might even give you a gift idea.)
11/26/07
11/23/07
Happy Days
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and are having a great Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day today, which ever you celebrate.
Last night, I went to My Guy's work to have a nice Thanksgiving meal with him while watching Ugly Betty. My other celebratory activities included sewing decorations onto my kitchen apron, organizing my sewing box, carving three erasers into stamps, and not buying anything today. (It doesn't count if someone else buys you lunch. Because I say it doesn't)
I picked up the Artist Extreeme, and we had a nice evening of watching the Beatle's movie Help! and making a baked Brie with mushrooms(ok, it was Camembert, but most people know what Brie is, Camembert is Brie's slightly tangier sibling), after deciding to postpone our possible visit to the Art-O-Mat, since even though we could justify it, because it's art, it was still buying something. Maybe tomorrow, as we have a trip planned to the hobby store.
A few days ago when I had asked him what things he might want to do together during our alone time this weekend, I asked him if he'd like to carve erasers with me. Oh, no, he definitely didn't want to do that, he's tired of carving, they have been carving for a couple weeks on a huge project at school. Well, I guess we're all on the same wavelength.
Last night, I went to My Guy's work to have a nice Thanksgiving meal with him while watching Ugly Betty. My other celebratory activities included sewing decorations onto my kitchen apron, organizing my sewing box, carving three erasers into stamps, and not buying anything today. (It doesn't count if someone else buys you lunch. Because I say it doesn't)
I picked up the Artist Extreeme, and we had a nice evening of watching the Beatle's movie Help! and making a baked Brie with mushrooms(ok, it was Camembert, but most people know what Brie is, Camembert is Brie's slightly tangier sibling), after deciding to postpone our possible visit to the Art-O-Mat, since even though we could justify it, because it's art, it was still buying something. Maybe tomorrow, as we have a trip planned to the hobby store.
A few days ago when I had asked him what things he might want to do together during our alone time this weekend, I asked him if he'd like to carve erasers with me. Oh, no, he definitely didn't want to do that, he's tired of carving, they have been carving for a couple weeks on a huge project at school. Well, I guess we're all on the same wavelength.
11/21/07
Mutual Inspiration
I was reminded again at work today of how important it is to share your creativity. That's why I blog this, why I read crafty blogs of all sorts, and forums, and listen to podcasts, and I'm so thrilled that the internet has made us all one community, it is so cool to see what someone is making in their part of the world. Ideas beget ideas.
And I hope if and when people stop by this little blog of mine, they find something interesting. I hope that in some small way, I can contribute to the world of creativity.
But I sometimes forget how different it is to be inspired in person. One of my work friends, S, is an extraordinary jewelry maker. We chat about beads, iPods, cooking, kids, and all sorts of creative things when we have the chance. I shared my felt creations with her today, and we each inspired the other, she inspired me to do a Christmas tree pin, and my felt finger puppets inspired her as an awesome activity/party favor for her daughter's birthday. That's a great idea! It almost makes me want to plan a kid's party.
And I hope if and when people stop by this little blog of mine, they find something interesting. I hope that in some small way, I can contribute to the world of creativity.
But I sometimes forget how different it is to be inspired in person. One of my work friends, S, is an extraordinary jewelry maker. We chat about beads, iPods, cooking, kids, and all sorts of creative things when we have the chance. I shared my felt creations with her today, and we each inspired the other, she inspired me to do a Christmas tree pin, and my felt finger puppets inspired her as an awesome activity/party favor for her daughter's birthday. That's a great idea! It almost makes me want to plan a kid's party.
11/20/07
Ten On Tuesday
10 Things You're Thankful For
11/19/07
Haiku Monday
Extra time this week,
Thanksgiving alone. That's fine,
Projects will get done.
This week's question asked:
What is it you're thankful for?
"Not having to cook."
Fall is beautiful.
I love the passing seasons.
Soon it will be cold.
Thanksgiving alone. That's fine,
Projects will get done.
This week's question asked:
What is it you're thankful for?
"Not having to cook."
Fall is beautiful.
I love the passing seasons.
Soon it will be cold.
11/16/07
See Shell's Felt
I am so obsessed with felt right now! Besides the angel pin I posted here, I have six other pins finished, and three more in stages of done-ness. And the felt tissue box, and the felt die, to go with the dice bag. So much felt work, it's becoming a joke around the house.
But like I pointed out to My Guy, there are definitely worse things I could be addicted to. More expensive things. I went to the hobby store tonight, and got two pieces of felt, two embroidery threads, and would have been embarrassed to whip out the debit card for just that (barely a dollar), so I purchased the swivel knife that I have been eyeing after Mom let me try hers (and Mom, I found one for only $4.77-it's not the brand name one, that's probably why it's so much cheaper!), and a great find in the clearance section.
As I mentioned before, I started my felt infatuation with a stack of felt that I had picked up at a thrift store, and the embroidery thread from my high school cross-stitching phase. And I worked with only the old supplies until only a couple weeks ago. A couple dollars there, another dollar here, there's so much I can do with it, and it is so affordable. I'm just in felt heaven!
One of the pieces of felt I bought was just a color I was running low on, but the other piece is my next step into the abyss of this mania: glitter felt!! The store I went to is the only store in town that has more than just regular felt pieces. They have some prints: frogs, hearts, flowers, dots, tiger stripes, tie die, camouflage, and I could have sworn that they had a print that was clouds, but it wasn't there last night. They have some embossed felt, and larger pieces (though all the larger pieces are stiff), and some glitter felt. After a 'just looking' trip a couple weeks ago, I'd been thinking about all these other felts and what could I do with them. So I brought home a gorgeous piece of lavender glitter felt.
In thinking about what to make first with this new felt, I was searching Crafster and others, and I wondered if anyone had a crafty blog dedicated to just felt!! So I did a blog search, and came up with these two: Fieltromania (All about felt things) and The Felt Mouse. Now I am off to read everything they've written, and blogmark them!!
P.S. I felt a little creatively crazy when in the felt isle, I had to pause my iPod, set all my purchases down, dig out my notebook and pencil, and start back up the iPod, so I could write down the name of the site that Amy was talking about on CMP 73. It was The Artist's Survival Kit which I need to go check out, too!
Me: I want to show you what I'm making. My Guy: Is it FELT!?!
But like I pointed out to My Guy, there are definitely worse things I could be addicted to. More expensive things. I went to the hobby store tonight, and got two pieces of felt, two embroidery threads, and would have been embarrassed to whip out the debit card for just that (barely a dollar), so I purchased the swivel knife that I have been eyeing after Mom let me try hers (and Mom, I found one for only $4.77-it's not the brand name one, that's probably why it's so much cheaper!), and a great find in the clearance section.
As I mentioned before, I started my felt infatuation with a stack of felt that I had picked up at a thrift store, and the embroidery thread from my high school cross-stitching phase. And I worked with only the old supplies until only a couple weeks ago. A couple dollars there, another dollar here, there's so much I can do with it, and it is so affordable. I'm just in felt heaven!
One of the pieces of felt I bought was just a color I was running low on, but the other piece is my next step into the abyss of this mania: glitter felt!! The store I went to is the only store in town that has more than just regular felt pieces. They have some prints: frogs, hearts, flowers, dots, tiger stripes, tie die, camouflage, and I could have sworn that they had a print that was clouds, but it wasn't there last night. They have some embossed felt, and larger pieces (though all the larger pieces are stiff), and some glitter felt. After a 'just looking' trip a couple weeks ago, I'd been thinking about all these other felts and what could I do with them. So I brought home a gorgeous piece of lavender glitter felt.
In thinking about what to make first with this new felt, I was searching Crafster and others, and I wondered if anyone had a crafty blog dedicated to just felt!! So I did a blog search, and came up with these two: Fieltromania (All about felt things) and The Felt Mouse. Now I am off to read everything they've written, and blogmark them!!
P.S. I felt a little creatively crazy when in the felt isle, I had to pause my iPod, set all my purchases down, dig out my notebook and pencil, and start back up the iPod, so I could write down the name of the site that Amy was talking about on CMP 73. It was The Artist's Survival Kit which I need to go check out, too!
11/15/07
Art - 0 - Mat
Here's the actual art-o-mat that is in our town. I haven't had a chance to go see it and buy some art yet, but I will soon!
11/12/07
11/9/07
Angel Pin
I've been doing lots of felt embroidery, in the form of pins. I've discovered that a small felt pin is a perfect thing to work on. I can get a lot done durning my work breaks, often I'll do the cutting out of the pieces during that time. And while at work, when there are little waiting periods, waiting for the computer program to finish processing, I can get a few stitches in. I'm keeping the current pin pieces and embroidery thread and supplies in my little lunchbox, so it easily goes from work to home, and I can sneak in a few stitches waiting for my computer at home, too. It's fairly easy to pull out the little lunchbox anywhere, and I'm getting better at 'crafting in public'. So far that's been my grandma's house, a game day, and (not felt, but still in public) a coffee shop.
This little angel was made specifically for a work friend who is moving out of state. I was her 'Secret Santa' last year, and I remembered that she loves angels. The angel is made up of three pieces, a heart, triangle, and circle. The pin itself is 2 3/4", which is a little big, I think for regular wearing. I figure this size pin will be good to put on a coat, hat, or bag.
This little angel was made specifically for a work friend who is moving out of state. I was her 'Secret Santa' last year, and I remembered that she loves angels. The angel is made up of three pieces, a heart, triangle, and circle. The pin itself is 2 3/4", which is a little big, I think for regular wearing. I figure this size pin will be good to put on a coat, hat, or bag.
11/8/07
Art-O-Mat
So I'm picking up the ArtistExtreeme later after school today, and as he's getting in the car, he asks me if I've ever heard of the Art-O-Mat. Well, of course I have. That's the awesome project where they've taken old cigarette machines and revamped them to dispence art. One of those kind of things that is way too cool to ever come to our town, but maybe someday on a vacation we might get to see one and buy some awesome art.
"Well," he says, "I met the guy that makes them today."
What???
Let me back up a tiny bit. I haven't talked too much about my kids on this blog. That's partly because they are teenagers, telling their own stories on their own pieces of web space, and I'm reminded of how Garp felt when he realized his mother's book had stories about him in it. If I had a blog back when they were little tykes, I probably would have been more of a mommy blogger, but this blog's focus is my creative endevor. But considering that they are both so creative, I'm sure some of their creativity will spill over onto me and my blog.
The ArtistExtreeme is 14, and in his first year of high school. We are lucky enough to have four focus high schools in our school district, including the Arts and Humanities high school, where the ArtistExtreeme attends. He goes to his regular high school for two periods first thing in the morning, then walks a couple blocks to the A&H high school. (We're also very lucky that the one A&H high school is right across the way from our regular high school)
So it turns out that the University of Nebraska (which is located in our fair city) arranged to have an Art-O-Mat installed in the theatre close to campus. Clark Whittington, the Art-O-Mat creator was in town for a week, mostly at the University, but today, he was as the Arts & Humanities high school.
How freeking cool is that!!??
I wish I could have gone to school with him today!
"Well," he says, "I met the guy that makes them today."
What???
Let me back up a tiny bit. I haven't talked too much about my kids on this blog. That's partly because they are teenagers, telling their own stories on their own pieces of web space, and I'm reminded of how Garp felt when he realized his mother's book had stories about him in it. If I had a blog back when they were little tykes, I probably would have been more of a mommy blogger, but this blog's focus is my creative endevor. But considering that they are both so creative, I'm sure some of their creativity will spill over onto me and my blog.
The ArtistExtreeme is 14, and in his first year of high school. We are lucky enough to have four focus high schools in our school district, including the Arts and Humanities high school, where the ArtistExtreeme attends. He goes to his regular high school for two periods first thing in the morning, then walks a couple blocks to the A&H high school. (We're also very lucky that the one A&H high school is right across the way from our regular high school)
So it turns out that the University of Nebraska (which is located in our fair city) arranged to have an Art-O-Mat installed in the theatre close to campus. Clark Whittington, the Art-O-Mat creator was in town for a week, mostly at the University, but today, he was as the Arts & Humanities high school.
How freeking cool is that!!??
I wish I could have gone to school with him today!
11/6/07
The Best Fall Photo
This morning I found myself very early for work, since RawkStar wanted to get to school early to help someone with math homework (?) and ArtistExtreeme was home sick. I even stopped for coffee, and I was still very early. As I parked my car in the parking lot that is bordered with trees, I noticed that the breeze was causing some of the leaves to fall like rain. It was beautiful!
Since I have my camera in my work tote (where I carry all my felt and floss back and forth from home to work), and because I was so early, I decided to not just think it was beautiful and walk away, to maybe wish later that I had taken a moment to get some photos. I pulled my camera out of my tote, where it sat with my purse and keys on my seat, my purchased coffee, Texas Pecan, on the floor, I left my door hanging open, since the parking lot was empty, and walked a few steps to snap a few shots.
Of course, when my camera was ready, the breeze wasn't knocking the leaves off, and when the leaves started falling again, my camera was taking it's few seconds to get ready for the next shot. I moved back closer to my car, gently pushed the door almost closed, and got a few more shots. And finally got one with raining leaves.
So I was happy, I got some good shots, and one great shot, and now it was time to actually go in to work, still early, but I could do some embroidery before getting down to the grind. And I went to get my stuff out of my car, purse, keys, work badge, tote, coffee, and it was LOCKED!!
Somehow the habit of locking my doors everytime I get out must have taken over when I climbed out, even though I was only stepping out for photographs. So now I'm locked out of my car with no coffee!
Good thing it was still early. I walked over to work, called Triple A, walked back, and waited in the fall sunshine for only a few minutes before the locksmith van pulled up and rescued my stuff from my car.
And yes, I told him the story of why I had gotten locked out. And that he was my Hero (for today). And that the most important part was my coffee. And I wasn't even late for work
Here it is, The Best Fall Photo, complete with funny story behind it, and wonderful memory of a crisp fall day.
Since I have my camera in my work tote (where I carry all my felt and floss back and forth from home to work), and because I was so early, I decided to not just think it was beautiful and walk away, to maybe wish later that I had taken a moment to get some photos. I pulled my camera out of my tote, where it sat with my purse and keys on my seat, my purchased coffee, Texas Pecan, on the floor, I left my door hanging open, since the parking lot was empty, and walked a few steps to snap a few shots.
Of course, when my camera was ready, the breeze wasn't knocking the leaves off, and when the leaves started falling again, my camera was taking it's few seconds to get ready for the next shot. I moved back closer to my car, gently pushed the door almost closed, and got a few more shots. And finally got one with raining leaves.
So I was happy, I got some good shots, and one great shot, and now it was time to actually go in to work, still early, but I could do some embroidery before getting down to the grind. And I went to get my stuff out of my car, purse, keys, work badge, tote, coffee, and it was LOCKED!!
Somehow the habit of locking my doors everytime I get out must have taken over when I climbed out, even though I was only stepping out for photographs. So now I'm locked out of my car with no coffee!
Good thing it was still early. I walked over to work, called Triple A, walked back, and waited in the fall sunshine for only a few minutes before the locksmith van pulled up and rescued my stuff from my car.
And yes, I told him the story of why I had gotten locked out. And that he was my Hero (for today). And that the most important part was my coffee. And I wasn't even late for work
Here it is, The Best Fall Photo, complete with funny story behind it, and wonderful memory of a crisp fall day.
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