creative outlets and passions

creativity vs. ingenuity

2011-04-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

We see many ways people have "creatively" solved a problem, but that is really an act of ingenuity. The clever or inventive solution. In fact creativity starts really when the needed acts of ingenuity are done. The artistic endeavors that are manifestations of truly creative efforts, have nothing to do with the practicalities of problem solving. They react to the emotional aftermath of the immediate. We see the creative in so many histories and cultures. Even ancient peoples, whose identity we can barely discern, exhibited creativity, cave painting for example. Too often it gets interpreted as having some kind of deep religious meaning, but if they had only been dealing with the day to day acts of eating, mating , and staying safe, they would not have used the creativity to find the pigments and the tools to put those pictures on the wall. Was it solving a problem? No, it was creative.
While people have often told me I am clever, I sometimes hesitate to say I am very creative.

leading from the middle of the pack

2011-04-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

It was brought home to me once again that it is not those figures of leadership that bring innovation or creativity or even drive to any given enterprise. It is those in the trenches doing the day to day work who see how things can and should be changed to the improvement of all.
I have often thought that those who engineer or design an item should be willing to spend intimate time with it for several weeks. Those who lead troops should be on the battle field. And doctors should be the ones responsible for dealing with any aftermath. But it is the consumer and the soldier and the nurses who really know the shortcomings and improvements that need to happen, but the willingness of those with the power to direct widespread change seem too often deaf to the value of what their subordinates are telling them.
But I will try doing my part. I will continue putting forth ideas for improvement and change where it affect me.

in search of something lost

2011-03-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

I have spent more than a month and a half on a quest to recover my self. It started with an operation to remove my uterus because of massive fibroids. I was assured it was something I would not regret because my life would be so much better without all the side effects of the tumors. and being nearly fifty and beyond "safe" child bearing years even if the damned thing was working right this seemed like a wise idea. I had enough sick leave for the projected recovery period and a job where I could go back to work in a light duty capacity and do fine.
I am choosing to forget the hospital stay and dealing with the pain and coming out of anesthesia.
after the staples were removed 9 days later the insicion had not closed properly and an infection had set in.
Extreme buggies. an anerobic bacteria and a drug resistant bacteria were the main culprits.
Since then my whole being has been focused on healing and coping with the frustration of being off work, having little energy and taking drugs to kill buggies and deal with the pain.
Creativity needs a different venue to fill my life. I can only hope I find the space for creativity again soon.

cabin fever

2011-01-29T20:25:00.000-08:00

How do you find the time to be creative in the midst of chaos? With so much happening around me, my brain finds no way to take stock of new ideas. With so many other things to be done my brain gets no chance to capture the fleeting thought that could lead to something. Making some time and space becomes more and more critical. A feeling that I may lose myself, melting into the chaos, teases along my nerves and the peace and quiet I crave becomes as important as air to my survival.
But try living with someone in a tiny one room cabin. The desire for solitude pushes them out the door. And why not not me out the door? Because I have no place to go for the solitude. The world out there is full of people and I need the space to talk to myself, dance, sing, sketch, curse or just think. The someone though doesn't spend all day every day of the work week surrounded by those with needs and time sensitive tasks.
Maybe I can learn to ask a bit more nicely.

8 ideas for decorating the tree

2010-12-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

If you just can't afford the shiny glass balls and the sparkly plastic tinsel and garland or if you want to make your tree a one of a kind work of art, here are some great ornament ideas.

Christmas ornaments

Some cheap/free ideas for homemade ornaments that can look very nice.
There are many ways to add sparkle and color to your Christmas without spending a bundle.

1.Use a heavy aluminum foil pan trace out stars and other shapes. color with permanent markers and punch a hole and hang.

2.Create stars from small "tin" cans. Cut off the upper rim and cut the sides into 1/4 inch strips down to the bottom rim. Cut some similar strips off another can, they should be about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide. twist and bundle the strips on the first can in groups of three, fours or fives depending on the number of strips and how tall you can was. wrap a free strip around the bundle about 1/2 an inch from the lowest end. crimp it tight. use pliers to curl the ends of the bundled strips. do this for the whole can. Use spray paint to add color. Be careful the cut metal can be sharp. The end effect can be very ornate. Try cutting cans of different sizes and stacking the stars to make a wall decoration. I use a tomato paste can or small juice can for my small stars.

3.Cut the 1/4 inch strips off a large can and punch a hole in one end. Twist them slightly and hang as icicles from the tree.

4.Use small scraps of wrapping paper to make origami ornaments. There are tons of directions on the internet.

5.Make large size beads out of magazines, newspapers, bread dough clay, or salt dough. String them into a garland. Find instructions at your library or on the internet.

6.Use ribbon as streamers and bows on the tree.

7.Cut the top and bottoms off of aluminum cans and use a craft punch to make shapes from the light gage metal. Use markers, finger nail polish or spray paint to color.

8.Use small scraps (6 inches or so) of heavy gage copper wire. bend these into coils, spirals, zigzags. Use baking soda to clean them. paint them if you want or leave coppery. string an few beads onto the hanging loop for extra color.

Many of these ornaments look nice enough that I have actually made and sold them at craft fairs and people could not buy them fast enough.

Happier Holidays

2010-11-26T02:56:00.000-08:00

Besieged by the holiday buying madness, when you know the money just isn’t there? Discounts here and coupons there still compete with the messages that we need to buy buy buy, whats hot, whats cool or whats the most fun. But the reality is some creativity and a little time can make you anything but scrooge.

Games
Make a tic tac toe board out of a scrap of wood that has been sanded and stained. Paint or wood burn the lines and then provide the pieces. Game pieces can be anything from flat marbles, painted stones, golf tees with the bottoms cut off. Do a little research to find other games you can recreate.

Memory is also a fun game to make. Just draw a series of doodles that are about 2 inches in size, you will want about 24 of them. Make sure each one is different. Make a copy of your work. Then cut out the pieces and glue them to pieces of poster board and coat them with a clear finish. Lotto is version where the second set of doodles get glued onto cards in sets of six. The objective is for players to draw the six pictures that match their card.

Knitting a scarf. Hand knitted scarves are very popular and you can create a very nice one for the cost of the cheapest skein of yarn you can find and a set of knitting needles. This a great beginner project with practical use.

Candle making, there are tons of fun and interesting techniques for making one of a kind candles for the small price of some wax and some crayons for color.

Roll up tool kits and make-up kits are an easy project for beginning sewers as are fleece hats. Monster dolls are popular and take very little sewing skill to make.

Artistic wind chimes can be created from odd bits of hardware and some monofilament.

Beaded jewelry can be simple, elegant, and cheap. Use monofilament and string a random assortment of beads in a strand long enough to go over your head, tie the ends together and tuck them back through a few beads then clip.
You can create beads from paper or wire to uses in your work.

Bird feeders and bird houses are easy projects working with wood. Books and on-line directions are readily available.

Old, torn clothing can be recycled into handbags and grocery bags and even quilts if you want a big project.

Looking for more ideas, check out the items being sold on Etsy or eBay. Some great sources for project directions can be found with a little research on-line or at your nearest library. Most of these projects can be made in less than an hour.

These are all things you can find for sale at craft shows and even on-line stores, but you can make them yourself and no-one need ever know you spent so very little money, because you gave them something from your heart.

creativity vs popularity

2010-11-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

When I indulge in my creativity I so often hear a cheer leader in my head encouraging me to make the best... ever. I get these thoughts about making money or winning prizes and I know its very unlikely for several reasons. For one, I find these days I get bored with doing anything over and over again which makes developing a business based on my creativity a challenge. I also have the struggle between making something to satisfy me or something that will be popular and sell well.
Another reason is that the outcome of my efforts never quite matches my vision and as a result I am not entering anything into a contest to win prizes.
These days my creativity has been subverted to making stuff to sell to raise money for our school garden. As a result the popularity of what I am doing figures prominently in my actions.
I have a friend who writes novels. She is struggling with writing for market or writing to tell the stories she wants to tell as she wants to tell them.
Its a struggle common to many of us I guess.

creativity and the tight budget

2010-11-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

We are all facing the same issues this season. Less $ in the pocket and more high end toys advertised. (not just kid toys) Nooks, gaming systems, iPads and more. Yet all of them have analog equivalents at a tiny fraction of the price.
virtual soccer standing in your living room or a soccer ball and some friends and actually go run around a play soccer. cost $15 or what a bout a sled in the winter.
Nook, Kindle, iPad: hundreds of dollars, real books: $0-$25 (a Library card is free)
Virtual art pads: Hundreds of dollars vs. real paper and pencils.
Now I realise there is a fair amount of irony in writing this on a laptop, especially as I might be one of the last people to grab a soccer ball and find some friends, but this is about saving money and still providing fun experiences for ourselves and our children.

creativity gone awry

2010-11-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

When creativity meets the methodologist something not so good can happen.
Its like an obsessed scientist working to perfect his new discovery. When this happens in the kitchen its the innocent by-standers who must be pittied. They will be forced to consume dish after dish of the same concoctions with barely discernable differences and then they will be asked to render their cullinary opinions yet again.
I wasn’t too worried when we had rice pudding made with barley the first time. The texture was a little different, but I like barley so it was good. Then two days later when we had finally finished the first batch I was surprised to find another batch of barley cooking away in the rice cooker. Smaller batch he tells me.
So the next day here we go again, but smaller batch in same size pan meant too much crunchy grains. Later that week here we go again, but with both cinnamon and vanilla. And then we added apples. Maybe different apples would cook better, maybe covering the pan, maybe adding dried cranberries...
Each permutation is carefully noted on the recipe card.
What isn’t noted is that I am losing my interst in barley. Oops too late, we are now into a 25 lb bag of the stuff.

passion chooses you

2010-09-01T23:16:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if I have a passion, but when I find hours of each day devoted to one thing. When I find I am calling on complete strangers and asking for favors, when I find myself trying to justify my time spent in the name of a "greater good". Maybe I have stumbled onto a passion after all. though I find the garden I have spearheaded is really a manifestation of a different passion than the one every one assumes I have.
I have no passion for gardens. While my parents and grandparents reveled in the soil and the growing of food and flowers I find myself only willing to give a minimal effort to my gardening efforts. My technique falls in the "throw seeds at the ground and then see what happens." catagory. literally. not for me the careful weeding fertilizing, nurturing that eats hours and brings better rewards. Gardening is certainly in my 'strive for meritocracy' motto.
So the real question is why do I put in the time and energy. hours of volunteer labor and even a bit of $$. Its a facade that is the manifestation of my real interest; environmental education.
I also find in this process the opportunity to use my skill as a coordinator and a chance to build stronger community connections.
Maybe I do have a passion it was just lurking behind me and has stolen over me when I was not looking.

The creativity zone

2009-12-31T19:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the creative muse is as elusive as a snow leopard. But then other times it seems to be everywhere.
Sometimes a situation will bring creativity because there is a problem that must be solved. Sometimes the synergy of multiple perspectives brings creativity calling.

But my favorite time for it is when I have the time and no particular demand for a solution or an idea.
When these times come I play a little game of what if.
What if I had 100 lbs. of newspaper?
What if I had the opportunity to just design jewelry?
What if I had the perfect kitchen?
What if I could travel anywhere in the word for as long as I wanted?

I just let my brain wander through the possibilities and then if I feel like anything is worth keeping I will jot it down or sketch it out. I do not put many restrictions on the game; no issues with access to resources, money, or time.
The next step I need to take with my creativity is keeping it organized so if I need a creative solution to a problem I can offer a few from my files.

curse of the specialist

2009-12-26T00:09:00.000-08:00

There is an old saying that when you are a hammer everything looks like a nail. And a newer version that if you are a surgeon, all medical issues have a cutting solution.
There is a disservice to the creativeness within when we narrow our vision too much. Where I grew up they had an annual conference between world renowned members from different disciplines to contemplate the big issues of the day. Sort of the ultimate think tank. There is some validity to this approach, but I think the desired synergy has never really been achieved. Instead I think of a box filled with an equal number of red balls and yellow balls. You can shake the balls or arrange them in patterns. In the end you always have a box with yellow and red balls. You never get a box of orange balls. Maybe if you backed far away and squinted then the box might look a bit orangish, but closeup it is still red and yellow.
Over and over again I see TV series that explain the great discoveries of the world and time and time again it is those people who look at the world with knowledge that spans more than a single discipline that bring the insights that progress the fields of science, medicine, engineering and more.

There are people who will always be just yellow or just red or just blue or just... but then there are some who will take a little from the red and add a little yellow and they can be the orange (or plum or chartreuse) that the think tanks strive to be.

Passion and love, Passion and anger

2009-12-19T14:52:00.000-08:00

Passion is about intensity. Love, hate, anger, joy. Self permission to have passion means all of these things become more intense in your life. How often we hear stories about those historical and fictional figures of passion; Van Gough, Edison, Don Quixote and shake our heads in bafflement and envy. If only we could all feel so strongly about what we are doing. But then again if you have ever entered a local government meeting about a contentious issue you might have an idea of what the world would be like if we all carried so much passion into the everyday realm. Everything in extremes.
All on or all off.
I lack a big passion that drives me to live my big dream at any cost. But I try to allow as much intensity as I can into my little passions. I cook with love and a desire to feed more than just my belly, I write with honesty and a desire to connect directly, I craft with a desire for perfection.
But still I sometimes wish for a big passion. I will keep searching. I hope you all keep searching as well.

thinking outside the parameters

2009-12-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

Too often we get caught in a box. We only let ourselves become creative in a certain venue. Sure we are thinking outside one box but inside a slightly bigger box. Jewelry has been like that for me. When I see myself as a jewelry maker I put so much of my energy there and try very hard not to become "distracted" by other venues. But as I am limited by resources and space and time I find more of my ideas reaching to other corners and bringing different pieces into the mix.
So I find myself saying "Hey wouldn't it be cool if...
* they ran the Iditrod as dual teams and teams could share dogs, but they must come into the check points one after the other. It would be an interesting race with many strategies.
* I could use whiskey in a dry rub for smoking pork.
* I could create an erector set using ordinary hardware
* I could use plastic lattice to create enough garden space for a real garden here this year.
* I could get that article I want to write actually down on epaper.
* I could figure out ways to recruit more people to help with the bazaar in April.
* ...
Is there really any such thing as thinking outside the box. If the box is big enough would you even notice you were still in it?

the never empty jar

2009-12-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Here it is the holiday season and once again I have not had the time to indulge my interest in creating things for the bazaars. But that has not stopped me from being creative and finding all kinds of ways to use my ideas. In some ways have the one easy out flow blocked has created many smaller and manageable outlets. (or at least manageable so far)
As many of those who read my blog know I have been spearheading the fund raising efforts for our school garden. Those of you have known me a long time know that I am rather a shy salesperson and I find myself reluctant to ask other to do what I would prefer not to do. So the packaged fundraisers were not on my list.
Small efforts such as a donations table at all parent events and keeping a wiki, and asking for donations have all garnered us a fair amount of money. Our biggest efforts though will be in the form of a spring bazaar.
Nothing small about this effort though. I want it to be well worth the price for vendors and well worth the effort for attendees. The simple reason beyond the need for the money is that I want to create an event that serves the whole community and becomes my legacy to this place I live.
And yet in spite of all the time and energy it is taking and will take to pull this event off I still find myself with the flow of ideas unabated.
Gifts for family, food for parties, uses for the oak trim I picked up, making a garden birdbath and mosaic gazing ball sculpture. knitting patterns, creating a Facebook page for the garden committee, writing that article on recycling...
I guess it would not make sense to fear running out of ideas, because there will always be more coming or at least some I can try out.

biting off a big chunk

2009-10-03T23:01:00.000-07:00

some folks know they should start small, gain skills and then move up scale. But that would not be me. I seldom picture the final result of any of my creative outlets on a small scale. oh sure I will revise a plan if I find the going is getting too tough, but I try to use no more than one practice shot for whatever I am creating. Back to my earliest childhood philosophy of never practice just do and surely if you give everything in that attempt then it will be great. I admit that almost never worked.
Practice is important. so then I adopted the secret practice philosophy.
Its ok to practice or to try and then fail as long as no one sees you. Sure we all wish we had some secret talent waiting to burst forth full formed, but alas for me at least, practice will remain necessary.
But then when my first endeavor is something huge and it can not be tucked secretly away if it fails I more often than not smack myself in the forehead ask "what was I thinking". My first real quilting try... a king size quilt. Its not finished yet; its packed away in some box in storage. It still needs the two halves sewn together and then backed, filled and quilted. Which brings up the other problem with huge first projects. sticking with it. I don't tend to get bored as much as I tend to get distracted by the next neat idea to come along.
Now I am planning my first bazaar. you a know a couple of tables a few items here and there. yeah right. I don't think so. not in my world.
Now my goal is at least 70 tables and 6-8 workshops and a silent auction and food booth and...
The good news is its still 7 months away. The bad news is thats 7 months for me to get distracted by the next great idea. EEEEK!

Tools vs. Toys

2009-07-26T01:06:00.000-07:00

When doing something you love the distinction between tools and toys becomes quite blurred. A rake and hoe can enhance the fun of the experience to someone who loves gardening. To others they are tools to get a job done. They might make the job easier, but there is still no passion and no joy in it.
To me the angle grinder my spouse got me for my birthday has all the potential of becoming a toy. I plan to experiment on how it works on different materials. and if it works well and I feel comfortable with it, it can indeed become a toy that lets me explore sculpting and texturing and polishing a variety of things. However if I never use it for fun, it stays firmly rooted in the world of tools.
Maybe every tool aspires to become a toy in the hands of someone who love the things they can do with that tool. I only wish every tool I picked up could become a toy. But alas, much as I wish it otherwise, the rake and hoe will remain tools.

building the future touching the past

2009-07-26T01:03:00.000-07:00

As I spend so much of my creative energy these days on construction I am often thinking about my family; specifically my father and grandfather. Both brought their skills and creativity to bear when they built the house I grew up in.
Every block in the foundation or piece of siding knew their touch.
In the heat of the day, struggling with the effects of anemia, I still push on to finish whatever phase of the project we are working on. I keep the vision of my grandfather and father with their masonry and carpentry skills before me as I push back the wish for some strong virile young back to come finish my work.
The creativity is a collaborative effort with both my husband and I working to bring to reality a comfortable house where we will hope to raise kids, entertain and shelter friends and live the many decades we have ahead of us.
I also think of my mother as I work. She too was an integral part of the house they built. She helped to design the floor plan, selected materials for construction, and planned the landscaping, all while taking care of 4 kids.
I do not know what my forefathers would think of my results but I feel sure they would appreciate my process and effort.

tick tock

2009-07-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

Time seems such a precious commodity these days. Somehow from morning till night I never run out of things to get done. finding a way to schedule in creative time is really tough. I reentered the facebook realm and I have been swallowed as I try to figure out all the ins and outs. What happened to those 2 hours I was going to spend working on designs or calling friends. Instead i have washed through the lives of others like a peep show they have orchestrated for my amusments. harumph. I think I will be putting that away until another day when I do not feel the drive to do something creative so strongly pushing at me.
The irony here is that I came back to post something on my blog as I plan to list it among my websites on my facebook page.
gotta laugh.
K

creativity and time

2009-05-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

As I sit between work and a very busy summer I find my mind turning over more ideas than I have seen there for awhile. Where have all these thoughts been lurking? evidently they needed time for me to sist still so they could catch up. Creativity is like that. not always very aggressive, it will not force itself when there are more pressing matters. One way anthropologists measure free time in ancient civilizations is by the art they produce. The theory being that a group of people who are in sheer survival mode and devoting all their energy to food production and staying warm will not produce art.

So time is a critical element in the process of creativity. As I look though the groups I belong to and the beading magazines, I get I am often disappointed by the step by step how to's for producing jewlery. Sure I could do that and end up with a nice pair of earrings or bracelet, but I would feel very unfulfilled, and self gratification is a big part of why I create.
My mother used to put together kits, embroidery, latchhook... But I found more satisisfaction in creating the kits. I designed many of the pieces she worked on. She was able to make substitutions in colors and rearrange some stitches to make something unique, sort of. She worked in a similar way with food. She loved to cook and loved readding through cookbooks to try something new at least 3 days a week. But she always insisted on making things by the recipe at least the first time. She would make notes on the recipe to add a touch more this, take out that and such until she was satisfied with it, then she would type it on a roledex file card and add it to the stash.
In our society everybody most likely has time to be creative. I do not know why so many people are afraid to let themselves be creative. Or they keep a tight leash on those impulses. On the other hand if everybody felt creative it would limit the market for those of us who are.

creativity and marketing

2009-05-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

In these tough economic times marketing yourself or your product effectively becomes more crucial and more difficult at the same time. There are more and more outlets for making those connections, but doing it the wrong way can be far more devastating than missing a few opportunities.
Here is an example. I belong to a group of artists whose work is sold through a particular outlet. the group of people that runs the outlet occasionally sends out an email with news about the shop or monthly events and classes. By accident one day they sent out their email without the bcc protection on everybody's email addresses. I personally barely noticed this glitch. however one person whose product was marketed there took all those email addresses and began a marketing campaign. Spam hit everyone's email accounts. and while it was not voracious amounts it was a little disconcerting to get offers for products I had no interest in. The folks who made the inital mistakes have been trying to get the spammer to give up the use of these addresses. Since they have refused the store has recommended that people block the incoming email address. but I will probably do more. I had seen and heard of this tea shop before the spam started and had even talked about joining my coworkers on a little shopping trip there, but now I will very likely share this story and encourage them not to give their business to an operation that would take advantage of such a mistake.

So then the question is where and how to use as many tool as you can to reach the audience you want. There are lots of options to consider and that will be the topic of my next essay eventually.

supporting creativity

2009-04-11T00:02:00.000-07:00

I recently took a writing workshop and one of the ground rules was to keep all critiques positive no matter what. But what if there was nothing positive to say? The rule was there to build trust and allow virtual strangers to be more open in their written expression. It is easier to be brave if you do not have to fear hearing negative comments.

This seems to translate to other creative groups too. Moderators, or workshop leaders keep everything so civil as to be almost pointless in terms of seeking feedback.
We are certainly vulnerable to flaming and pointless hostility if we allow anything negetive. Right?

But here is my point in writing this entry. There are people who assemble beaded jewelry and seek great praise for their cleverness. Well I am sorry. Go ahead, throw some beads on a head pin, bend it into a loop and add an earwire. Yes you made apiece of jewelry, no you were not creative or clever or even highly skilled.
Again string some beads in a pretty pattern add a clasp and yes you have made a necklace but again not so creative. following a pattern or a tutorial you bought with the beads of your color choice is only marginally creative. But for the most part this describes 90% of the beaded jewelry being sold today. How sad and how tough for a buyer to choose between all the options that are nearly the same.

How do we educate buyers and beaders to go beyond the most readily available formulaic products?

touching base

2008-12-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

This is just a touching base blog today. I have been so busy with my new job and visiting family and what not that I have not added anything new for awhile. I have also been somewhat neglecting my creative needs. I had anticipated winter to be the time of year where I could sit in a comfy chair and let my creative side have free reign. but alas it seemed not to be. But then one night of tossing a turning when my mind refuses to let go of an idea until it is at least captured in a minimum sketch and I know my muse is once more kicking a screaming to be heard.
As usual the directions of my creativity seem to change directions and there is no guessing what form of creativity I will be exploring next.
Last weekend it was the writing of a children's book, next week it could be a mosaic tiling idea. I ride the wave.
Kat

more recycling ideas

2008-07-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

this blog mostly focuses on jewelry and beads.
first off anything with a hole is a potential bead. limiting factors may include size, weight and if the item would stain skin or clothing.
take apart a computer and you could have a small cup full of nuts and bits to use as beads.
Wire can be used for wrapping other items like glass or china shards.
Flat pieces of metal can be cut and drilled to become dangles, pendants, and links for chains.
Larger gauge wire can be hammers to create dangles and pendants.
there are other websites and groups on the internet where you can learn more about techniques for this.
Nuts, washers, wire, tubing, can all be salvaged from electronics, appliances, and other constructions. be careful though. Old refrigerator may have freon in their coolant system and even the though tubing is a fabulous gauge for making beads, be very careful about avoid exposure to the coolants. Sharp edges and sharp points within the bowels of an electronic, bead bonanza can put a damper on the retrieval. Also beware of live electrical bits that could give you a nasty shock.
As I watched someone smash up perfectly working monitors and cut cords off usable appliances for the copper they could sell I was reminded tat not everyone who salvages has the environment in mind.

space for creating

2008-06-27T00:43:00.000-07:00

laying in bed with eyes closed I can create anything or at least develop some ideas in detail. But the room to make these things real is another story. How can I possibly put together a 7 foot mural when I barely have a single square foot of counter space in my kitchen.
I have a friend who is a writer and I think perhaps I should turn my creative muse that direction. at least I can put things and idea on the computer.
Finding my footing during and after transitions makes it hard for me to limit my creativity to the reasonably possible. the good thing about computers is that I can keep ideas and ideas and ideas without worrying about every tiny scrap of paper that may hold the greatest idea yet.
I have a billion other things to do, but the creativity demands it place in spite of my lack of space.

Molding ideas

2008-05-21T09:41:00.001-07:00

Some idea for using scrap moldings. I love the shapes and profile of moldings. They come in so many shapes and weights and profiles. but all of them have potential beyond trimming a ceiling or doorway.
these ideas are either ones I have seen or tried or just thought of and I can not vouch for any results anybody gets in trying them. For the most part a miter saw and some small nails and glue are all you need to create cool things with moldings.

Picture frames: they make molding just for this but you can still use any of them though you may have to add strips of flat wood on the back to make the recess for the canvass, photo or glass.
Small shelves: I did make these and they came out really nice. Use 3 pieces of molding for the front and sides and then use a flat piece of wood for the shelf itself. You can use different kinds of molding and get an effect like a collection of architectural style.
If you can wrap your mind around compound miter cuts you can create triangular shelves that look like part of a box corner poking through the wall.
Small boxes: use the moldings for the sides of the box. if you want a lid you can create one with the same molding by using triangles and effect making a frame with no opening. then use a small square of wood that fits inside the opening glued to the bottom of the lid. Considering the weight of some crown moldings I have seen this could be a pretty good size box.
On a similar note
Display trays for jewelry: This is one I need to try. using short 1.5-2 inch wide moldings make a box that is whatever size I need to fit into my transport container. I would use wood for the bottom of the box. I would paint it shiny black and then line the bottom inside with a velvet covered pad that I can display my jewelry on. the hope would be I could transport everything without having to pack it all away into small boxes or bags anytime I was done with showing it.
Bead rolling planks: Some molding have interesting grooves that mike make interesting polymer clay beads.

Since molding come in all kinds of materials from PVC to foam to wood to composits it important that you make sure you are consistent within each project as I have found that the same profile can vary in dimension between different materials. Molding can be bought fairly cheap, but in my reuse and recycle mode I come across used and scrap molding all the time that I have made a small collection of. When I have more room and my workshop reestablished I will collect more and put some of these ideas into play.

creativity and motivation

2008-05-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

888888Selling ourselves the dream:777777777
Does everyone see grandiose potential in their creative endeavors? I suppose we must or why rewrite every chapter in a novel 5 or six times to get the wording just right. Surely we could not go to such efforts if we did not dare to dream of best seller lists and book clubs. No one would take pen or chisel or brush to hand if they did not harbor some dream of a masterpiece to be admired and cherished by an audience of some kind. No one could devote hours to following these dreams if the hope did not at least hover at the edges and whisper of fortunes to be made from the result.
Perhaps the fortunes to be made will not be ours. The antiques shows give us the perspective of time on the efforts of the creative mind. The hand carved chest made by a father for his newborn child may carry the same value as the great landscape painting done by an artist to earn his bread and butter. So I console myself with the thought that even if they are not recognized as highly prized objects now my works some day will indeed bring that high price to someone else.

odds and ends or bits and pieces

2008-05-15T02:53:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about this the other day as I carefully swept the small wire ends I had accumulated into a little plastic baggie. I had no idea why I was saving them. Maybe because I know to the inch how much I had paid for that wire so every inch had value. A few weeks later, I had an idea and I started winding the ends of the short wires into spirals that I could use in my jewelry making. Some are long enough for a couple of beads and other will only be a spiral with a loop to attach it to ---something. I haven't gotten that far yet.
I know many folks like that, they save the cut off ends of boards because sometimes a 2x3x1 inch board is just what they need. No plan, but keep the materials close at hand.
Fabric scraps are another fine example. I know that the 4x6 inch scrap of bright green in a slightly irregular shape will be just what I or someone else might be looking for in a quilt square or two. Odd bits of string or yarn, old panty hose, that moth eaten wool sweater can all become starting points for the next project or the solution to some pesky problem.

My Husband calls it raw material. Pieces of wood, metal, fabric, paper, paint, all have potential to become more than the left overs from some bigger project. Of course it also takes the creativity of an open mind to see their potential and it takes the skills and tools to make that vision a reality. Sometimes it starts with the plans and fits the bits into it and other times it starts with the bits and becomes a plan.

But do to a change in space I have to let go of many of these bit and pieces. I have given away bags and bags of scrap fabric and many bits of wood that are just too small have gone into the trash can. (I am gonna hang onto the wire though, as I can see a plan coming together)

Passions: the myth of discovery

2008-05-15T02:43:00.000-07:00

We all have heard the phrase “I was just at the right place at the right time.” Usually uttered by some dewy eyed starlet in telling the story of her “overnight” success.
Riiight, Pull the other one. Sure world class ice skaters are discovered in the park skating with little brother. First time novelists do not have a drawerful of rejected or aborted manuscripts. The best pitchers just happen to be on the mound the day there is a scout in the bleachers.
No one was ever at just the right place at the right time by chance.
There is homework involved in figuring out those two factors.
You don’t go to the hardware store to find a sexy nighty.
Knowing your passion is only the first step. Where and how you get to express it is another. Even the most avid Greenpeace member still pays annual dues.
Put yourself in association with the people you want to be a part of.
Even though hanging out near the popular crowd did not work in high school it can work in real life.
One of the coolest things about the internet is that there are all sorts of ways to hang out near the popular kids.
Joining groups, creating web pages, you tube, face book, my space, blogs, forums can all be tools to get you to the right place at the right time.
But you still need to know where and when.
Do the research.
If you are looking for a job find out; who is hiring? What positions? What industries are growing? What skills do you need? Is there someone who can teach you? Are there people of similar interest in your area so you can meet face to face?
If you are looking for someone to go jogging with or builds model rc aircraft, or has a book club in your area, you can use the same tools.
Are you looking for a personal relationship? The same research standard applies.
Little passions like reading mystery novels, making quilts or developing the perfect pot luck dish are as valid as the big life passions I spoke of earlier. They may not be the things that become the road map and definition of your life, but they are some of the opportunities for interactions that keeps us in the area near the cool kids. That way we can be in the right place at the right time when we figure out our passion.

First glass ideas

2008-05-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

As promised some of my ideas, spilled onto a place where anyone who wants them can pick them up and use them. I make no claims that these are original with me. Some may be modifications of something I saw or read about.

Uses for glass bottles:

Glass mosaics

Use pieces of broken bottles to create mosaic on a glass background so light can shine through.
Because bottle pieces are not flat they may need to be fairly small pieces in order to make it work. Use a clear adhesive and makes sure the whole piece is well glued.
Limiting factors will be colors as glass bottles have a fairly limited range of colors for the most part, but any glass can be used including old chipped or cracked vases and dishes.
For an opaque mosaic use wood or other back ground for tiling.
Can also use old tiles, dishes, stones and possibly even bits of old sinks and toilets.

Other bottle things.

Back to an old 70’s favorite of cutting the tops off bottles and using them for glasses of vases.
To make a fancy vase drill 4 holes near the top of a cut off bottle. Create a circlet with wire, beads, charms, and other stuff then wire the circlet to the top of the vase.

Run pieces of bottle glass through a tumbler to create “beach Glass”. They sell this stuff by the pound at the craft stores so you know someone is doing something with it. The surface is frosted looking and the sharp edges are knocked off
Fill the bottom of a clear vase with the tumbled glass to anchor flowers, use it to decorate picture frames and mirror frames.
Drill pieces (use water to cool as you drill, check web for more info) to use as beads.

Use a saw or cutter to slice rings from the bottle necks.
use these in mosaics, jewelry, or window ornaments. Maybe slumped in a kiln. but I do not know if they would stay round.

Create three dimensional “stained glass” decorations. use larger pieces of bottles where curves and angles lend to the 3 d effects.

Bottle glass can be used as the aggregate in concrete. Poured and polished as counter tops they become quite beautiful. Could also be done on a smaller scale for pathways and stepping stones.
Small pieces can be mixed into polyester resin. when shaped and polished they would be very interesting. crushed or small pieces could be swirled in and cast in poured resin table tops.

Slumping and melting:

bottles are slumped in kiln molds all the time, but what about pieces of bottle glass. This would lead to flatter pieces, but in random shapes to be used for mosaics and stained glass.
I also saw a program once where scraps of stained glass were put into a clay flower pot in a kiln with a clay saucer under it so when the glass melted and ran out of the hole it created a swirled glass disc in the bottom dish. Can this be done with bottle glass?
Dark amber and bright green with clear pieces could result in some great color combos.
I know some of the limitations on melting bottle glass is the temperature and mixing issues, but it could be an interesting experiment.

These are my glass reuse ideas for right now, but you never know what might spring into my head tomorrow.
Kat

Finding Passion

2008-05-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

I heard a talk many years ago about reintroducing the wolves to Yellowstone. I was more impressed by the passion of the woman giving the talk than the subject itself. I knew someone who had spent a year in Costa Rica saving sea turtles. The way her eyes lit up and her whole body expressed her desire and joy in this project also impressed me. I have known people who live to climb mountains, ride horses, teach children, travel, etc.
I have seen many people who throw themselves full tilt into the outlet they have found. I have seen them and wondered, "where is my passion?" How much easier if I had a driving need to do a particular something. I would know where I wanted to be and what I wanted to be doing and I could give my whole being to the project, program, cause, issue, ...
But that soul grabbing, heart pounding passion has eluded me.
I have found many things I really like doing, but none has become my center of being.
Thats not to say it can't happen as long as I keep an open mind and try new things and give myself the opportunities I may yet find it or it may find me.

finding creativity

2008-05-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

I have an idea.
Now what do I do?

It seems like everyday I wake up with another idea. Many of them are related to my art or crafts, but others are on a grander scale. Sometimes I manage to get the skeleton of the idea jotted down somewhere with the promise I will come back to it. But like many things they fade over time and I do not always remember or even have a clue about what my notes hint at.
I used to fill many notebooks with story plots and essays and observations. Then I started keeping my notes and writings on my computer. Now I think the next step is to start sharing some of them. Many of my ideas are beyond my ability to bring them to fruition or even explore them adequately. Other ones are just not something I will ever get around to doing. So here they will be available to any and all who want them.

Where do I find my creativity?
Everywhere and anywhere.

I think an important aspect of the process is to keep taking in information. Its also important that what you know doesn't come from a single perspective. If you only hear the news from one channel and only read one opinion page and never take a look beyond what floats in front of you with minimum bidding you will have trouble becoming creative.
"Google it" is the stock answer for almost any question now, but creativity demands more from us than that.
Being creative is the act of going outside the typical parameters and finding a new path.
So my ideas are available for anyone, but the journey to bring them to fulfillment lies with those who use their own creativity to make them happen.

Good luck to all who visit.
May your life's journey be fulfilling.
---Kat