Creative Every Day 2008

Here I am with another brief CED 08 entry. Last week we made stab binding books. Now these really appeal to the seamstress in me because you need to use a needle and thread to put the whole thing together. How about this lovelly batik polka dot fabric. And see the stitching at the top?! I added my own turquoise beads and a pop of red to tie it together. Here's the guts of the book. The proper term is the "signature" or text block. I call it guts.
A lovely and colorful close up.
Here's the other book I did last week. It's called a stitch binding. In this one you use ribbons and stitch around them and into the book signatures. Pure fun. I love this vintage looking fabric. I've had it for fifteen years or so. I keep scrapping it into smaller pieces so I can have it all over my house. I started a quilt those fifteen years ago that is STILL in process.

This is the inside of that small stitch book. I think I will handwrite some recipes into this pretty little thing.

Other creative endeavors from the week include:

• Wrote a short story to be posted soon


• Drew sketches for my final project in Book Arts


• Completed a canvas for a local art show


• Made a home display of this


• Did sketches in my sketchbook of patterns and played with design ideas


• Garnered some inspiration from Country Living magazine


• Wrote a children's story for illustration class


• Baked delicious banana bread


• Stirred up a hot batch of Red Soup

Wow! I sometimes do better than I realize. One thing I have really enjoyed about this whole CED is journaling my creative endeavors. I am keeping a book right near my alarm clock and before bed I made a gratitude entry and a creatactivity (did I use that right, Leah?). As I look back on my days I realize I have truly done alright!

In other life issues I am on the prowl for new & permanent digs. I am searching the mid-coast and southern coastal Maine area for my new home-sweet-home. This is big news for the girl who needs roots. Wish me luck and better yet, send a prayer my way as I listen to the wind for direction, keep my eyes peeled for the synchronicities and feel my belly quiver as I sense the timing is right. All of my senses are alive and eager to catch the next clue...


And have I mentioned the yummy seed catalogs making their way to my mailbox? OY!

Heartwood College & CED 08

My Happy Place has come to life again. Wheeee! Tuesday I found my way back to Heartwood for my second semester. This time the administration decided that the entire school would do two three and a half week long intensives. This first one is Book Arts. We did the pamphlet stitch and then, get this, we made codex books.

A codex books, for those who don't know, is the most traditional style, with text block pages stitched together, a mat board cover wrapped in fabric, beautiful end pages. Tah Dah. Here are mine:

In the top photo the small book with bricks is a sample of pamphlet stitch. Tiny, but it works. The larger book, still only 4 x 4, has black and white batik fabric with butterflies. The seamstress in me came right out and took over when making this book. I easily grasp patterns so the codex stitching was a piece of cake and I was able to help the teacher because it was one against ten in that room and she couldn't get to everyone.

She assigned us a final project, due in three weeks. A Passion Book. It's our choice of topic, hopefully something we are passionate about. It must be 5 x 7 minimum with at least four signatures in it and we have to illustrate the inside, too.

MAN ALIVE, I love school!

The other class Heartwood is offering is Book Illustration by Wade Zahares. Check this man's work, it is amazing. He does everything on the round. Try drawing like this, I challenge you. In this class we select any topic, he does children's books, we do whatever we like, and he walks us through the entire process of illustration, right from receiving the manuscript to final corrections.

Creative Every Day...(I'm keeping a journal on this, folks) I think I left off on the 4th day.

1/4...creative dreaming, no kidding, I spent the day being part of a couple of art shows. I imagined the paintings I will do and how excited I will be to receive notice that I was selected to take part of the showing.

1/5...drew sketches in my journal for paintings I will be doing

1/6...um, please skip this entry.

1/7...painted backgrounds on three canvases

1/8...spent the day in illustration class, made a story board for the project, shopped for fabrics for the book arts class

1/9...Made two books, the pamphlet and the codex.

And last but not least, since I was feeling full of IT today. I thought I'd share with you some of the other projects I've done in the past three weeks that for some dumb reason I haven't entered in my journal.

Stand tall...16 x 20 acrylic and mixed media. Part of a series of tree paintings that had to come out of me. I purposely did the colors all wrong. Hillary tells me that this piece is awful and I am okay with that. This one spoke to me and so here it is.

Oh, this was for play. 8 x 10 canvas with acrylic and mixed media. This one has newspaper as a base and then it's just marker and swirls. The scan didn't come out so good, you can't really see it clearly. It's just for inspiration for me. I had fun doing it.This one I love. It is 8 x 10 canvas with acrylic paint. I was reading The Artist magazine and found an intriguing article and immediately went to work using a sketch I had done last fall of a neighboring farm. It has a wild, fiery orange under painting which peaks through the entire piece. I used only four paint colors, cadmium red, cadmium yellow and cobalt blue and white. I blended all the rest.

See how I am all over the place in my work??? HA! This one has a true story attached:

Anna's mother made six year old Anna angry. She stormed off to her bedroom. After some time passed she emerged wearing a paper hat on the top of her head.

"What is that, Anna?"

"Please, don't talk to me, I am wearing my Alone Cone."

EEE GADS if that didn't crack me up! Anna had indeed rolled some newspaper into a cone shape and written the words Alone Cone on it. Soon, alone cones, appeared everywhere. You had to know I'd want to make one.

My version has stamped words: Do Not Disturb. I also put the alonest (okay, not a word) donkey I could imagine, Eeyore. It has a ripped fabric tassel, buttons and pages from a Winnie the Pooh book.

Okay, Leah, how did I do?

I've Been Holding Out on You

Being happy, being healthy, being wiser. That's me.


I have been searching my soul A LOT. I have been unhappy with my circumstances. Things needed to change and God Bless the Internet so I could do my research. See:


In December I was losing my mind. No kidding. I was driving myself insane working at this restaurant a couple of towns over. Busting my tail serving customers isn't such a bad thing, I enjoy working hard, but this day when the customer had a $28.86 tab and left me $30 and then left me standing there as they said "Merry Christmas, keep the change," I blew a gasket. That tip was $1.14!! I am worth so much more than $1.14!


I gave my notice that day. Not smart for a woman on her own who's going to school part time.


All's well. Synchronicity played it's part. Following T Harv Eker's instructions on how to make a living doing what you love I had made my list of top ten things I am good at. My top three things: creative endeavors, writing, health & wellness. Shortly after I made this list it happened. The wellness thing came into play, and long-story- short, I am now an Herbalife Independent Distributor.


I did my homework on this. It's not just about weight loss, it's about good nutrition and complete wellness. The company is 27 years old. There is Nobel prize scientists and doctors researching and in turn producing the products. The products are all-natural (another HUGE point in my life, because I don't believe in synthetic drugs).


People who know me locally have long commented on my interest in wellness, my need to be fit and my deep interest in nutrition, particularly organic or all-natural versions. So I'm fussy!!



Here I am, I am a product of the products. I take the multi-vitamin shake and a few of the other supplements and my energy level has flown through the roof. No more mid-afternoon sluggishness. I feel I can take on the world! And, I say this gently, I know I'm no heavyweight, but the last ugly 5 pounds I wanted to lose is melting from my frame. My quick metabolism is BACK!



Herbalife offers weightloss and weight mangement...& (I am so excited)...targeted nutrition for your various needs (women's issues, eye health, kids supplements, sports & fitness drinks, etc)


SO, dear readers...

Yes, I will occassionally discuss these products here.


Yes, I will put up a permanent link to my herbal nutrition webs site and


yes, I feel rejuvenated and renewed at a cellular level and will joyfully share this with you.



I can't wait to apply my new energy to the other projects I have coming up for 2008 which I will discuss with you as soon as I can. Wishing you a happy, healthy new year.



This is an open invitation to those of you who want to feel better, contact me any time at all.

Creative Every Day Challenge-Post 1 and MY HANDS DOWN BEST CREATIION EVER!

*Oh dear*... I did sign up for this, didn't I?! Just kidding. I am excited to be pushed into remembering to do SOMETHING for my creativity each day. So far it's gone like this:

• Jan 1...I did a long post on this here blog. It took a long time and a lot of thought. I love the act of writing and do it almost daily. You'll see it quite a lot here as my CED08 entry.


• Jan 2...I designed my new business cards for the other business I opened in December. If this intrigues you then read the next post I do.


• Jan 3..Two things. I did a doodle on an envelope. I happened about a website that had a photo of an ancient coin with an owl on it. I was mesmerized and instantly pulled out an envelope, because it was the most handy, and sketched it out in marker. And secondly, I made a delightfully colorful New England dinner. Salmon pie (think mashed potatoes and pink salmon mashed together in an amazing flaky pie crust), served with pickled beets (bright red goodness), homemade cranberry sauce (sweet, tangy & deep red) & a pile of green beans served with a hoppsy-good beer. Eee gads. Perfection.

December creative every day thingy's were many. I did a bunch of sewing projects, made multiple Fimo clay beaded projects, painted several things (small paintings, big paintings), wrote prayers (a great and growing love of mine), baked yummy sweet treats for Christmas, made jewelry. Gads, I did okay. Leah really has me hooked on this creative every day thing. Sorry there aren't any pix, I stink at dragging the camera out.

And now...MY HANDS DOWN BEST CREATION EVER....this was NOT part of the CED challenge:

Meet Danny. When he was looking over my shoulder a bit ago and saw a post with a picture of his sister his green eyes said "Now put a picture of me." Glad to oblige. Six feet of sweetness. He shaved his head two weeks ago and I miss this big mop of hair. Regardless, he is an amazing piece of art.

Out With the Old..goodbye 2007

Last year Jill Badonsky sent out her newsletter with a great way to end the year. I took to it like peanut butter takes to jelly. I offer it up again this year, and this time I am posting it for all to see. It's all in good fun and forces you to think back a bit which is something I'm not so good at. I generally can't remember what I ate for breakfast today. For that matter I can't remember where I put the instructions to Jill's writing prompt. Off the cuff it goes like this, answer each of the following prompts:

man of the year-Danny. My son. I watched in full and complete angst as he would stumble and fall, stumble and fall, stumble and fall. I cried when he did. I smiled as he was able to smile. I prayed and begged for him to be whole again. Unfortunately, it consumed my year. But what do you do when you madly love that which you cared for all of his 19 years. You love and support and cry on their behalf. He will be my man of the year for 2008, too, but in a whole new context. This year, like the baby robin first taking flight he will leap, I will cover my eyes and turn away, and much to both of our suprise, his beautiful wings will catch the breath of God and he will be on his way.

woman of the year- Rhonda. This is a woman who at one point when I barely knew her, held me in her arms as I wept like a baby over my impending divorce. She is now a regular in my daily thoughts. She lifts me up, she laughs and cries when appropriate and more than anything she helps me care for my Spirit. We have big work to do together.

poignant moment of the year-January 11, 2007, 11:00. "You are now divorced. " How on Earth the Universe arranged for it to be just Martin and I and a judge in a huge courtroom with him on his side of the aisle and me on mine, not another soul to witness the dissolution of marriage, I will never know. Poignant, painful beyond words. It was done. His beautiful sad face, the river of tears that was heaving my chest and this perky little blonde judge who doesn't know us from Adam declared it done. It will stay with me forever, the day I divorced that man. The significance of the date and time indicate New Beginnings, it didn't feel it at the time but as I approach a new January 11 I can see my growth, and his. New beginnings, indeed.

movie-This is hard because I don't love movies so I will go with the one that has affected the entire world: The Secret. I have long been a believer in the law of attraction. I have known its power. The makers of this movie have done many people a great service in teaching the power of your personal thoughts.

book of the year-Two choices: Secrets of a Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker...excellent for changing the way you handle your money thoughts and money actions. Fascinating and powerful, it affects every day now. Secondly, and I still have about 50 pages to read: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I know, I know, I was a little slow getting on the band wagon for this one and now that I have it in hand I stand ON TOP of the band wagon singing the praises for this book. See, I AM Liz Gilbert. She nailed it in the introduction when she discusses her marriage. From that point I was hooked. She nailed it when she discusses her views on religion/spirituality. She nailed ME when she was not letting go of her control issues. Se nailed me when she describes her miserable failings at meditation and how frustrated she became with it. And oh, when she described the pizza in Naples, well, that's just too personal to discuss here.

dining experience of the year-The Old Post Office Cafe, Mt. Vernon, Maine. A tiny converted postoffice on the shore of a serene lake. The specials are posted on the huge blackboard behind the counter. Grab a breakfast burrito, Carpe Diem coffee and sit on the screened-in porch while you mingle with the townies. Heaven in a wheat wrap.

vacation of the year-VAY-CAY-SHUN, heard of it before. Haven't done it in years however I did take a lovely day trip to Belfast which I posted about.

learning experience of the year-Letting Go seemed to be the theme for 2007. Can I just say I failed miserably?! I think I will take it on again for like, say, three months. I have released some things on the earthly level but my spirit has been gripping these same things with white knuckles saying "NOOOOOOOO, don't leave me" therefore keeping this heavy baggage shackled to my life. It is being whispered in my ear continuously, "Let go". And damn, I am trying!

acknowledge people I met-This is easier. Jes Berry, Leah, Heidi, Melba, Mindy, Angela, Tori, Lauri Gilcrest, Debba, Kat Logan, Jim, Heartwood College students (too numerous to mention, all wonderful people)

people I released-Have we discussed this already? Not good at this. How about if I say I did release at least a handful of people, I won't tell you their significance, I will just say their names so that it is written out of my soul: Sheri, Roland, Carrie, Denise, Reynald...

when joy seemed prevalent-each and every time I drive/drove to Kennebunk to my school. My Happy Place. It washed over me like a thick, sweet honey. My whole being just relaxed and all of my "issues", as I will politely call them, sat in the back seat of my car strapped in with duct tape over their mouths. No problems, no worries, no nothing until I was done my day of art school. Without fail as I got in my car I could see him. Issues. There he was, wriggling and wrangling himself out of his carseat and peeling the duct tape off his big mouth, ready and eager to invade my thoughts. "DAMN YOU!" I protested right out loud, "next time you're riding in the trunk."

Okay, there it is. Now you do it. There is more to this writing prompt and I will offer it up next week. Go ahead and link to my post if you end up deciding to try this.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, beautiful 2008. Dance, my friends, just dance.

Happy Holidays from Sunflower Studio!

It's Nut Puff day here at the homestead. I've been making these delightful little melt-in-your-mouth treats since I was sixteen years old. I ripped the recipe out of a Seventeen magazine in 1984 and have been torturing my family with them ever since.

Nut Puffs

1 c. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. confectionary sugar

2 c. flour

1 c. ground, minced or chopped walnuts (depends on your own fancy how fine you do this)

*You'll need one additional cup of the confectionary sugar for later...

Combine butter and sugar, beat by hand until well blended. Add nuts. Add vanilla. Beat in flour. Shape in to small balls (approximately 1 1/2" in size) and place on a baking sheet about 1" apart. Bake them for 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove from baking sheet and while the lil' buggers are still are still warm do this: Put that reserved one cup of confectionary sugar into a brown paper bag and throw the puffs into the bag and give it a good shake. Be gentle, you don't want them breaking up because then you'd have to eat all those small parts by yourself! (eeek!)Anyway, shake the nut puffs to coat them with the confectionary sugar, remove them from the bag by using a slotted spoon.

Tah-Dah....Holiday Delight! This recipe makes 72 little pieces of heaven. I dare you to eat just one. I generally make two or three batches right before Christmas, any more than that and my waistline explodes.

Thinking of you my bloggy buddies. Have a great holiday, see you when it's over. *hug*

Blackle

Hey, did you know it costs less in megawatt energy hours to use a dark screen? My younger brother introduced me to Blackle.com (Powered by Google.com) just this week. He informed me of this energy saving tip. Being a lover of Mama Earth I jumped on board and switched my homepage to Blackle. Same information, dark screen. Click here if your're curious about seeing a pix of my handsome young brother, he looks like a young Randy Travis.

Upon reading the info provided by Blackle.com I thought I'd give darkening my blog a go. I try to be conscientious of my choices in order to preserve the Earth that I so love but I don't want to be a pest to those who do read my blog so the question is this:

1) Does it bother to you read against a dark background??
2) Will you consider using Blackle.com in an effort to conserve energy and therefore Mama Earth?

Here's the tag: Blackle.com...saving energy one search at a time (THEY TOLD ME TO SAY THAT!)