willy nilly journal

A challenge for this artist who loves order, routine and everything-in-its-proper-place is that such perfectionism hinders my creating. I find I labor over a project or page needing every brush stroke the same, each corner lined up, images proportioned properly.

This is fine and dandy if I were drafting.

But I am simply creating beauty to fill my own soul, not drawing up plans for the next downtown high rise.

I find the serendipity of the spontaneous often eludes my art. So, I'm on a continual journey, challenging myself to be a messy, finding happiness in an 'oops' or a stray paint smear.

photo courtesy of aliedwards.com

To further my education into the realm of whatever happens, happens, I completed an e-course by Mary Ann Moss (dispatchfromLA.typepad.com) in which she teaches one how to make a visual journal.

This journal is constructed with pieces of scrap fabric, bits and pieces of craft paper, ephemera, even security envelopes - anything one felt was too unique/good to throw away but has since been stashed in a drawer forgotten and unused.

Before I began the project I promised myself I would only use supplies on hand.  NO running to the craft store.

Here is the finished product. When my inner perfection demon scrunches its face now and then at a mismatch or crooked alignment I laugh it away!  Serendipity reigns and I am quite satisfied with the haphazard, anything goes look of my new journal.

I don't journal, per se. But I'm a HUGE lover of quotes and jot down snippets from books and articles which are found laying around on various surfaces, scribbled on scraps of paper. My intention is to keep this journal by my reading/computer chair and use to contain all that good wisdom.

Friend, Kathleen, helped me figure out the binding process when I visited her yesterday. I came home with three bags filled with more ephemera, lace, fabric, and doo-dads from her enormous stash.  Woot Woot! It feels like Christmas in February!

It is raining sideways today. The 'worst storm of the year'.  Considering it's only 2/22 (Nick's birthday!), that's not saying much. After errands I plan to hole up in my studio - again.  That's what winter is for, isn't it?

val·en·tine /ˈvalənˌtīn/

Many, many years ago, an early Christian saint named Valentinus was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry as well as ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. During his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer. Legend states that before his execution he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her. Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion as well as in the Lutheran Church. (thank you Wikipedia)

Since Valentinus was behind bars in a dank, dark dungeon, perhaps he bribed a guard to run to the nearest Walgreens  to purchase  a box of Russel Stover chocolates for the now healed girl. As the story goes, Valentinus healed the daughter.  Nothing is mentioned about his falling in love with her....

There is nothing wrong with fantasizing happy endings, however, so I'll continue to associate Valentine Day with little heart candies that say 'puppy love' and romantic candlelit dinners and dozens of red roses and.....

Since Valentine Day is a time to exchange tokens of affection I made some tokens from my stash of ephemera to send to a few special women in my life.

 Sweetheart Glynn's wall hanging valentine:

And the first Valentine I made for Glynn 34 years ago, a bit faded with age:

In closing, I'll leave you with a special Valentine poem written by blogger, Karen at theartofdoingstuff.com. I wholeheartedly relate to this love poem, unfortunately. It's titled, 'Carbs, a love poem':

My chicken saga continues....

A recent Sunday had tragic overtones when a hawk killed one of my two hens.  Little Lou, the survivor, was traumatized and would not venture outside the coop for a day. I either needed to find her a new home or replenish the flock. My girls bring much pleasure so I decided to start afresh...

Each Saturday there is a chicken auction in Chehalis. Although I've watched plenty of auctions on TV I've not experienced one first hand and experienced a bit of trepidation (fear of the unknown) at the thought of actually bidding, etc. But Little Lou needed companions so I pulled on my big girl panties and became a brave girl.

The auction began with eggs - dozens of them.  The auctioneer moved on to the baby chicks. Next came the rabbits. Then chickens, ducks, and even a turkey or two. Raucous describes the noise level.

We had 2.5 year old Cooper with us so as soon as the chickens came up for bid I started bidding despite eyeing a few chickens down the line that I would love in my flock. Next time.

You'd be proud of me, dear reader, holding up my #69 card, nodding quickly when the auctioneer looked my way for confirmation of a bid and giving a slight shake of my head when the bidding went too high. Within minutes I discovered that an auction can be quite addictive.  With heart pounding and adrenaline rushing, I felt The Power!

I came home with this dandy, Rhode Island Red rooster (he'll help protect the girls). I'll name him Randy for obvious reasons. Three Gold laced Wyandotes and this little buff colored hen, breed yet unknown, complete the flock.

 

 

Alas. Little Lou does NOT appreciate her new roommates and holds herself aloof. Here are the newest members of the flock crowded together in one corner of the coop while roosting at night. Little Lou chooses to roost alone on the other side of the coop. This in spite of a long roosting perch that would hold all of them.

Crazy chickens.....

There's no place like home

Last week I sat down at my studio desk and prayed to the paper crafting gods for easy-flowing inspiration to craft and complete a housewarming gift for my niece, Jennifer.

I love the completed project which, I must say, came together without a hitch (and without a trip to the craft store).

'Love builds a happy home'

The shape of the house was made with a food product box, taped together then covered with old text & mod podge.

Then the fun began!  This and that from my hoard of paper, ephemera, and fabric. The chimney, a wooden spool from Grandma Dorothy's sewing basket.

After a fun night with Jenny and husband, we went to the Junk Salvation show in Hillsboro, OR where we found (and bought) treasures to adorn our homes. If you love funky junk/re-purposed old stuff and antiques, Junk Salvation is having another event June 21 and 22nd at the Puyallup Fair Grounds.  I recommend it. It's a chick thing so have your husbands stay at home.

photo courtesy of athingforroses.blogspot.com

In closing, I want to say something about creativity.  Quite often people comment about how creative I am - as if even a smidgen of creativity evades them. I STRONGLY disagree. We all create in some way. Arranging furniture to create a comfortable space, choosing a menu that not only includes choices from different food groups but involves color and texture, plopping flowers into a pot to sit on a deck, doodling absentmindedly, color coordinating bathroom towels to match a shower curtain, gardening, sewing... the list is endless.

courtesy of leoniedawson.com

Rearranging boards on Pinterest is not a creative endeavor. Creativity spawns creativity. Rearrange a shelf. Move around your decorative pillows. Grab a paint brush and paint a dresser in a bright color. Hang a picture or two. Put a vivid flower into a vase, place it on your window sill and contemplate its color. Move the vase to a different spot, testing the influence of its presence. You cannot get your creative juices flowing without first sticking your toe into the pool....