Exploding Card

I've seen different versions of an exploding card and wanted to give this particular one a try.

First I cut my paper twice as long as it was wide....in this case 6 x 12. I folded the X's first...then the vertical line down the middle of each side.  One you make the creases it folds up like a dream.

I decided to glue photos of flowers in the triangles....so made a template and cut up some photos.  I used a sharpie to cover the white area along the folds to better frame the photos. I also traced around the triangle photos to cover the white edge....I think it makes a big difference.

It easily folds up into a nice little square. For this prototype I repurposed a used calendar page mostly because I liked the weight of the paper and I just like to repurpose stuff. 

I added a little photo collage on the outside square....

...and added a quote to the center: "What good is the warmth of the summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." 
John Steinbeck

I'm pleasantly surprised how easy it folds right back up. 

 

I wrote a little something on this side...and as of today it's on it's way to Lynn in North Carolina.  I like having someone to share my practice projects with...it's a good thing to have an art friend!

Food and Shelter

I absolutely love this frozen wabi-sabi treasure in Janice's yard.  We laughed about the fact that it was providing both food AND shelter for some lucky little critter.  What's not to love about this!

"What if today we were just grateful for everything!"

Charlie Brown

It's amazing how the days have filled in...all good stuff!  But I'm hoping to be in the studio a good chunk of tomorrow during what might be a messy snow storm. 

I have an interesting commission project to figure out.  A friend has asked me to come up with some sort of an artsy way to frame a photograph of her daughter at her white coat ceremony as she heads into medical school.  

She gave me a few copies of this picture of her daughter with her grandfather and advisor and 3 or 4 ceremony programs to work with.  And....I can add anything else I want.

I've been thinking about it for several days now....surfing Pinterest and pulling inspiration snippets from my stash.

As I was working on another little project using photographs I came across some florals that are just the right colors.  I'll share that project soon....it's almost ready to send to North Carolina.

I think the majority of the piece will be creating different textures with the program pages...but bits of  these florals will add another photograph element and a touch of femininity.  We'll see.  I just have to start....tomorrow.

Good Thing Going

I'm at the condo in Portland all this week....Paul is in Lexington and will be joining me on Thursday.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share the photo he sent me today with the tag line: "Lookie...I decorated." 

Found objects from his walk arranged beautifully in the fruit bowl.  He does have a knack for color and composition don't you think!

It made me smile....and if your husband can still make you smile after 38 years of marriage you know you have a good thing going. 

The Memory Wall

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."  William Morris  

And...I would add "or perceive to be meaningful."

As most of you know, Margie, my mother-in-law, recently moved from a large 3 story home home in Colorado to a cozy one bedroom apartment in Portland, Maine.  Almost every single thing that is now in her home fits into one of these categories....useful, beautiful, or meaningful.

For the third time I got to reinvent Margie's childhood memory wall today.  As I've mentioned before she has quite a special collection of books, plates, and glassware from her childhood...as well as a precious hand stitched childhood project and some wonderful old family photos. Although it still may get tweaked....I think the memory wall is coming together.

It flows nicely into her living space.

I'm going to look for some pretty silks for a bouquet in the corner....it will help soften all the hard lines.  The fern will likely end up back in the living room.

I've always loved these sweet hand "stitches"......and this photo of Margie and her five siblings is one of my favorites.  Can you pick her out? (far left)

 

I'm not sure I've ever put together a silk arrangement in my entire life...but I gave one a try for her sofa table.  But...it's going back to the drawing board as I am going to reinvent it making it a little less tall...and more attractive from the other side. But it was a good first attempt.

And now there's a splash of color by the balcony door....the stripe stack wall hanging from my show that has found a happy new home.  We'll be adding a colorful valance to the door which will brighten up the vanilla window wall you see as you come in the door. 

We have just a few more walls to tend to in the bedroom...but a pretty upholstered headboard is nice new focal point. It's coming along....making Margie's house a home....filled with useful, beautiful, and meaningful things.

Mixed Up Side Down

We live in a bit of a mixed up side down world right now....so many things seems off-kilter....and not just politics and the weather.  

As you know I've been a huge fan of Story People, by Brian Andreas.  I've shared the "Story of the Day" many times on this blog because Brian's stories capture life in such a simple and playful way...I can't help but think some days they were written just for me.

I also follow Brian on Instagram and he recently posted this story about HIS story.

How can someone really lose ownership of their stories? 

I will continue to look for Brian on Instagram....I think he has a lot more to say. And I most certainly will be following along on flying edna.com because there will always be stories to tell....even in a mixed up side down world.

Found Plastic...

...since 2017. 

We have become such a throw-a-way society....I am going to make an effort to reduce my single use plastic. When you know better...you have to do better....and I know I can do better! And...I am going keep picking it up found plastic.

Puzzle and Plastic

Before I headed to Maine today I snapped a picture of my puzzle progress....which I think is going quite well.  I don't obsess over it...but it's there when I want it.  I have all the edge pieces in but will keep the two halves separate until near the end so it's easy to access from both sides of the table.  It's a BIG puzzle.

Yes...I can get a whole blog post out of just my puzzle....but I don't have to because I have a few plastic found objects to share. Paul and I came across the handful on the left on our walk yesterday...he often sees things before I do.  

....and Paul picked these up for me a few weeks ago. We're cleaning up the town...and filling my jar.



If all goes well I'm going to spend a whole week+ in Maine which will allow for some creating and crafting in the studio.....puttering around the condo...and time with Margie and friends.  I'm looking forward to it all.

Ordering

"There is opportunity to find beauty everywhere; you just need to change the way you look for it." Philippa Stanton

A few days ago I dumped out a jar of stones just so I could sort them. Ordering...is another Conscious Creativity practice.

Stones have such beautiful texture...there is something very satisfying about handling a smooth small stone.

"Good Noticer"

Margie shared this "awareness story" with me a few days ago....it warmed my heart.

When my nephew Langston was young Margie spent a lot of time reading to him and one of the books was Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. 

One day she was reading it to him and he pointed out that the names of the ducks were in alphabetical order.  She was tickled and told him that she had never noticed that before.  "I'm a good noticer" he replied without hesitation.

Langston is still a good noticer and has take up photography....I'm striving to be one too!

Paul just gave me a new copy of this book for Christmas...it's a gem!

McCloskey's Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack on the 

Boston Common all ready for the Women's March January 21st 2017.

Here's Langston and a few of the things he's noticed recently.



      

Looking and Documenting

It was an unusually warm day....it actually got above 60...that made it perfect for looking and documenting...fundamental daily practices of Conscious Creativity. As children we were trained to stop, look, and listen....adults need to do it too!  

This little guy was soaking in the sun!                                             

 

Schedule It

"If you talk about it, it's a dream. If you envision it, it's possible.  But if you schedule it, it's real." Anthony Robbins

One of the most life changing learning experiences I've ever had was the Consciously Creative class I took in the fall of 2017 with Philippa Stanton, better known as 5ftinf.  It was a 6 week course where we spent time learning to see things we didn't notice before, gathering things we generally disregarded, and creatively documenting what we found. I have embedded many of the creative practices into my daily life and I will forever be picking up and celebrating found objects, watching nature shrivel up on my window sill, collecting and ordering color, looking for interesting textures and appreciating mood and shadows. I see things differently because of this class.

Just before Christmas I finally got my copy of Philippa's new book, Conscious Creativity.....I've kept it my little secret all this time.  I needed to be quiet with it for a while....reconnecting with her wise words, answering thoughtful questions, and completing exercises that once again are pushing me to examine my conscious creativity. I feel like I am taking the class all over again delving deeper into the art of looking and documenting.  I will be sharing more about it in the coming weeks....because this post is about scheduling it!

My niece Holly and her family have been living in England for her work and at the beginning of March, my sister Nancy and I are going to visit.  We will spend time with Holly and her family in and around Bristol then forge out on our own spending a little time in London and a little time in Brighton, where, if all goes well, we will get to meet Philippa.  Needless to say I am beyond excited.

I follow 5ftinf on instagram so get a daily dose of her creative energy...but hadn't been on her website in a while so while I was adding the links to this post I checked things out.

I knew Philippa was offering a new Conscious Creativity course...and I will admit I was tempted to sign up, but as I read through her course description I was so excited to find that I was there.....in a way!  She used some of my feedback as a testimonial for her course....that brings me joy!

Schedule it...and it's real!  Do it...and it's life changing!

Strangest Thing

Time for a puzzle update. It may not look like it...but I've made a lot of progress...it's misleading because it's so big. It's like I have several puzzles going at the same time and I can skip from one spot to another on any side of the table when I want a new color scheme. If I get frustrated....I just shift chairs.

I have one edge all put together....all 38 inches of it.

I realized I needed to move whole sections of color to the opposite side....so I'm using my box lids again. It also frees up more space on the table to work...and that just feels better.

But this is the strangest thing I've ever come across with a puzzle.

I found two corner pieces exactly the same....they both fit perfectly.  It makes me wonder if the next puzzle off the factory cutting table is missing this piece.  I would be devastated if I did a 2000 piece puzzle only to find a corner piece missing.  I'm tempted to contact the company because I would gladly mail it anywhere if I knew someone needed it.

The Right Gift....

...at the right time!

The days since I have been home from Wisconsin have been quiet and contemplative. I've been working on my large puzzle, doing a few chores around the house....but mostly pausing.  I've enjoyed catching up on the Creative Jump Start videos I've missed the second half of this month...but I've not been creating.  I miss it.....but I've been doing what I needed to do.

A different sort of a creative jump start came in the mail today. My friend Lynn from North Carolina sent a creative care package and it was perfect timing.  She reminded me that a creative pause has been necessary....giving me and my art time to "ferment, ripen, and age."  "It will return" she reminded me "informed by this season." I know she's right.

So for today I'm going to share a bit of Lynne's comforting and creative gift.  The lovely quote tags were painted with Twinkling H2O watercolor paints that have a lovely shimmer (I think I have some...somewhere) and a thoughtful note was folded into a clever envelope.

Thanks Lynne!  Your kinds words and creative quotes were the right gift at the right time!

Gibbs Lake Road

I put new batteries in the moon lights in my kitchen window in Lexington which should take me through the rest of the winter...or at least until I'm sick of it. These sweet little lights come on automatically at 4:00 and go off at 10 and I adore them.  We are certainly in the throws of winter....so the snow people are quite happy....and I added the little Valentine heart ornament Becky just gave me.  

A few weeks ago I wrote about a project I did where I described how comforting it was when my mom waited up for me after my late night waitressing job. Paul and I drove down Gibbs Lake Road when we were in Wisconsin....and I snapped a picture at that point over the hill where you could see the farm...and the light in the dining room. You can read about it here in this post: Where Mom Was.