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
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
more recycling ideas
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.
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.
Friday, June 27, 2008
space for creating
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Molding ideas
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
creativity and motivation
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.
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.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
odds and ends or bits and pieces
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)
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
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.
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.
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