Hand stamped necklace: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 30

30 Days of Creativity: Day 30

Hand Stamped Necklace

Honestly, I had hoped for some grand finale on day 30.  But frankly, it's just not possible.  Family is coming to town and I have two weeks to move into our new house.  I really need to get packing, gathering, sorting, and cleaning.  But after all this DOing, I thought that I should give props to just BEing.  

Sometimes, I find the best moments are when I'm just being.

Taking in.

Giving thanks.

Noticing.

Appreciating.

Being.

My "Be" necklace.

Excited to get my new metal stamp letters.  I think these will be engraving all sorts of items in the next few months.

But for now I'll just wear my necklace, have a glass of wine, and watch the thunderstorm outside.

Yes, that's just what I'll do.

Wooden hooks: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 29

30 Days of Creativity: Day 29

Carved wooden hooks

Each spring my husband prunes apple and cherry trees.  

The wood is so beautiful and all the branches usually go in a burn pile somewhere.

I asked him to bring some home for me and I cut some pieces to use for little hooks.

These had been sitting in my drawer, cut and just waiting.  So I got them out and spent the day whittling and sanding them.

They need to be planed flat on the back side so I can attach them to a board, or the wall.  Then oiled.

I look forward to putting them up in my new house.

This one still needs to be sanded. I like the triple branches at the top.

Pencil Drawing: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 28

30 Days of Creativity: Day 28

Pencil Drawing of my son Solomon

This is a drawing I started over a year ago.  I had just sketched it out when I spilled tea on it.  Argh.  

I kept it, however, because I had always liked his cherub cheeks at this stage.

I got it out and decided I would finish it.  

It is still unfinished, but I got some good work in on it today.

3D Paper Calendar: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 27

30 Days of Creativity: Day 27

3D Paper Camper Calendar 

This is just too cool to pass up.  

A camper van 3D calendar.

Calendars are kind of out of fashion these days it seems.

Everyone is using their computer, iphone, or something else digital to store their daily musings.

To get yours, go to The Calendar of the Month Club and download this months 3D calendar.

Print it out.  It will look like this:

Cut, score, fold and glue (I used a glue stick).

Set up your camper, chairs and fire.

Yes it even comes with a fire pit.

Bonus: you get four tiny bumper stickers for your camper, which if glued in order are a limerick.  

Finished quilt front: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 26

30 Days of Creativity: Day 26

I finally finished the quilt top for my son's bed!

Ahhhhhh.

Mercury Wing Stitched Hat: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 25

30 Days of Creativity: Day 25

Mercury Wing Stitched Hat

Here's how the hat began.  A fine hat.  Bought at a store with purposeful yet not useful patches and other silly elements.

I was not as happy as I thought I would be with this hat.

Then, on Saturday, I went to the garden.  Between rows of asparagus and potatoes, I looked down.  There in the dirt lay a full bird's wing.  The rest of the bird was gone, but the full wing lay before me.  It was so beautiful I couldn't take my eyes off it.  I felt such a connection to this wing.

The more I examined it, the more I felt drawn to it.

And I realized that was just what I needed.

I needed a connection to the birds, some strength from Mercury.

I decided to stitch a wing onto my hat to bring me speed and the freedom of wind.

You know I need it in my running endeavors.

First, I took off a band around the front and some little patches, including a plaid patch.  Plaid, is not for me, unless we're talking about my flannel pajamas, age 10.

I began my stitching by outlining the wing.  I used my free-motion stitch foot to go all directions and follow the  marked outlines I had drawn.

Then, I stitched in the feathers on the far side of the wing.  Again, I used my free motion foot.

I outlined all the feathers on three sections of the wing.

Then, I set my machine to a zig-zag stitch and using my regular food began zig-zagging to create some heavier shadows on the wing.

Here is my finished wing.  I am bound to run faster now that I have Mercury on my side!

12 blocks: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 24

30 Days of Creativity: Day 24

Quilt blocks done

After hours of pinning and sewing...

I finally got these 12 blocks done!

Twelve big circles just waiting to become a quilt.

Nearly there.

This Denyse Schmidt "Single Girl" quilt will get done yet.

Quilt Pieces: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 23

30 Days of Creativity: Day 23

More Quilt Process

Finally I finished all the main blocks!

Now I just have to sew these 48 pieces into 12 larger blocks...

And then those 12 blocks to each other...

And then sandwich it with the back and batting...

And then quilt it...

And then bind it.

Woah.

I better keep going.

Crocheted hat: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 22

30 Days of Creativity: Day 22

Crochet hat

In the process of using up some extra yarn, I'm finding a hat.

River Rock Spiral: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 21

30 Days of Creativity: Day 21

River Rock Spiral

The rocks tossed around by swelling rivers remind us:

 There is a central thread connecting us all.

Quilt Progress: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 20

30 Days of Creativity: Day 20

Quilt Progress

Making progress today.  Finished many quarter squares.

Goal of finishing the blocking by moving date is still possible.

I just have to say that five days ago I was ready to call it quits.  But it just so happens that I keep making "something" everyday, even if family is in town, or suddenly I get a call that someone is here to look at our house, or the boys seem to get possessed by craziness.  Yes, it happens.  Every day there is a nutty element thrown in, but I keep making something.  So, here we are, 20 days down, 10 days to go.  2/3 is pretty damn good.

Woot.  Woot.

And on we go...

Train Photographs: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 19

30 Days of Creativity: Day 19

Train Photos

My love for trains, rusty metal and graffiti continues to grow.
I've been taking pictures of trains since I first got a camera.

When I have time, I will take these photos and use them to create pastel drawings.

Homemade Chicken Broth: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 18

30 Days of Creativity: Day 18

Chicken Broth

I make chicken broth nearly every week.

One whole organic chicken roasted in the crock pot.

After all the meat has been used, I fill the crock pot up with water and let it simmer for a day.

Amazing broth.

I remember a moment many years ago taking my brother around to a farm where I lived in New York.  We were looking at the chickens and he was asking questions about the older chickens who no longer laid eggs.  He wondered if they were good for meat.  I told him they made good broth.  He had a revelation.  Chicken broth...is...made...from...(wait for it)...chickens.

Yup.

Photographs on a Rainy Day: 30 Days of Creativity: Day 17

30 Days of Creativity: Day 17

Rainy Day Photos

It doesn't happen often here.  We usually get 300 days of sun.  The ones that are not sunny...well, they're snowy.  Not rainy.

The rain can make me look at the world through a veil.

So I took these photos through the screens and curtains and window panes.