There has been so much interior work I’ve been doing on my creative journey (in 2021) that I don’t really know where to begin if I wanted to try to play Catch Up. I’ll just admit to being busy in ways that will hopefully show up on a page.
Here.
There.
or “Over Yonder.”
Happy creating, right?
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The year 2019 was “one for the books,” as I’ve heard on more than one occasion. It certainly was one for me, too. I can’t think of a lot of specific instances that I could bring out for discussion because those experiences are related to me and mine.
I think I’d prefer to assimilate all of that information in my memory, distill it into something worth mentioning, and share what I think I learned from all of that with you. Here’s hoping it makes some kind of Creative Sense.
This tree was harvested from our property and used in holiday decorations, after a lovely walk through the woods with the littles.
Here we have a view of the sawmill. A storm came through in 2018 which provided us with lots of downed trees, and from THAT, we cut wood.
And more wood.
And even MORE wood.
But notice that within all that wood which was not used, there was good wood which WAS. Working every day(weather permitting), deciding what to use or not to use, and using other days for surprises that Life sent our way…eventually we will have this:
I can’t help but find a correlation between building a cabin–that of course, we didn’t know how to do–with almost any other Creative Endeavor.
AND it seems to me that if I show up every day and get just a little bit done, eventually I’ll have a Something, whether it’s a fiber art, or a writing or a drawing, too.
Happy Creating to you. Today, and every day.
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You could call me on the House Phone and you’d have a slim chance that I’d actually pick up. Oh, it would be me on the answering machine all right, but I’d say something like, “Please call me on the cell or leave a message. Thanks.”
I’m not trying to be a smarty-pants.
I’m @ Work.
Even though my work space is out in the barn, or at the kitchen table, or on a trail, or in what will someday-be-the-garden-again, I try to set aside uninterrupted time to get creative work accomplished.
And I know how easily I can be distracted, and I know I like to do so many things. I still haven’t completed writing that resume, but made a postcard instead, because I’m attending a writing/illustrating conference soon. I need to have a promotional material. My bio and contact information are on the back.
And here are a few photos that didn’t make it to the final “cut” to be on the card. But I wanted to include them here, as part of an online portfolio.
Leave a message if you’d like. And I’ll get back to you.
For now though, I’m @ Work.
Happy Creating!
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My family tells me that I’m a hard person to buy gifts for, because: 1) I like to do so many things, and 2) I end up ordering the book or getting supplies as needed when I need them, or 3) by the time a gift giving occasion has come along, I’ve moved along to a new idea or project.
I don’t MEAN to make things difficult. Really.
It’s just that one idea will give momentum to try this or that, and that leads here, and then I’m off to do something over there. Right after that. Oh wait, look over…yonder. That looks like fun, too.
Since it’s now the beginning of a New Year, a lot of people are making resolutions. My main problem with making a list of Things I Plan to Accomplish is that I know in my Heart Of Hearts that I’m gonna lose that list somewhere in my stash of art supplies or loose leaf notebook paper. Then I’ll feel bad about that and it makes my creative impulses slow down.
Not this time.
Because I’ve decided to focus on doing Creative Things EVERY DAY and leave myself a reminder of what I’ve done. Starting with these few books I bought for myself after receiving lovely gift cards from family members.
AND you can call it Research. Or you can call it Recreation.
But I’m getting a lot of new ideas for writing AND making art.
Really.
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The summer has come and gone. You know I look for ways in which to find more hours in every day and really, I didn’t mean to stay away from the blogging posts for THIS long. It’s been a while hasn’t it? I trust you’ve been creatively productive, too.
With Farmers’ Markets, farm chores, family happenings and a growing sense of ZEN I find myself trying to be in the here and now more often. It’s easy to think about putting something on a TO DO list, but lately, I’ve been misplacing the list. And when that happens, I re-evaluate what it was that I wanted to accomplish in the first place.
I’ve taken to turning off the television too, and hanging out with one of my Best Friends. Here is a photo:
Because when I spend time doing something I enjoy doing and I work at it Every. Single. Day. then the chances that I’ll get better at something increase greatly. Sometimes I think I sound pretty good, playing in the still, quiet time of the evening or early morning. I play what I want and at my own speed. I learn songs by ear, pick out tunes from You Tube and adapt them to my D A A tuning. The cat joins me on the couch and yes, I put her to sleep. Neither one of us sing.
November is the month for a Na-No-Wri-Mo challenge, and if you think you are up to creating that novel you’ve always wanted to write, it can be a great way to jump start yourself.
And as for me, I’ll take time every day to play a little song, read or write a little “story”, and if I’m lucky, speak (aloud) a few reasonable words.*
(*Attributed to influences of von Goethe)
Happy Creating!
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I’ve been seeing articles in magazines, blog posts, newspapers or on television shows that refer to what is known as “sustainable living” or slanting toward a movement becoming known as “vintage revivalism.” Many of these sources cite some of the following as belonging:
Sewing, quilting, handspinning, hand weaving, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needle craft skills, making pottery, basket weaving, gardening, growing food and herbals, making soap or candles, making jelly or wine or beer making.
I’ve always enjoyed doing those things. Now it seems more people are enjoying them, too.
Here is a photograph of a scarf I’ve woven on something called a rigid heddle loom.
And when I agreed to help make decorations for a wedding, I practiced cursive handwriting. I was asked to create signage. It’s been a lot of fun and although it’s been a long time since I put that much effort into cursive writing, it was very satisfying, in a most unusual way.
Time to take a class or learn something new….er, old?….or Vintage!
Happy creating to you, too!
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I am a student of the Creative Arts, as well as a practing crafts person. In order to learn more about the use and preparation of lye and the making of soap, well of course, I have to read about it.
“Lye–a strong alkaline solution or solid of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, made by allowing water to wash through wood ashes. It is used to make soap and drain and oven cleaners. The chemical formula is KOH or NaOH.”
It makes me wish I’d paid more attention during high school Chemistry classes.
But I read on, and research how to use fireplace ashes and filter rain water through a barrel, and how soap was made hundreds of years ago. And then I research how craftspeople of today make handmade soaps. I practice their techniques and borrow a recipe or two.
I can make soap. Out in the barn. Which makes the surroundings smell so nice you’d never guess that there are animals around.
The recipe I’ve found most success with includes coconut oil, olive oil, lard, lye, rainwater and fragrance oils. Lemongrass is at the top of my list. When the rosemary grows a little more out in the garden, I’ll pick and dry some of that. It will go in a special soap–to relax with after a long, but creative day.
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I will make no apologies for not being “here” since my last posting. But here is a brief update. I think I can do that.
September? I do remember it was a whirlwind, but that’s about all.
October? Attended a writer’s conference, fall festivals and continued to plow my way through the first draft of a current writing project.
November? This month was filled with emotion and self reflection. I won’t make any political statements as to the outcome of the presidential election, but philosophical ones, most likely, and still–not here. I choose to focus on raising awareness for the choices people make and how responsibilities and consequences for those actions have an effect on everybody, and that’s all I can say about that.
Any more time spent in this arena takes energy away from the current writing project and focusing on that project is the key component.
Until………
December? We celebrate Christmas on the farm and wished neighbors, family and friends all kinds of Merry Christmases and Happy Holidays. My hands were busy, my heart was happy for the loved ones who were with me and saddened for the ones who are no longer.
It is with hope for the future that I am reminded of a quotation from THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL: “There is no present like the time.” I choose to live creatively.
Happy creating to you, too!
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Small chairs–as individual as the children who used them!
One of the most frequent questions I hear from writers or illustrators is, “Where do you(we) get ideas?”
A lot of the folks I know smile when they hear that and then reply, “Ideas can come from anywhere.”
I used to wonder what they meant by that. Because the thought of ideas for creative projects in drawing or writing being all around and within my grasp was just too hard to believe. Surely it couldn’t be that easy. And most of the time, it’s NOT. Because the idea itself is not the only thing. The WORK to bring forth that idea is the hardest part.
That means, BIC–Behind(mine) In the Chair(working).
One of my Creative Diversions is going to flea markets and auctions, and I was delighted to discover these small children’s chairs. I know some of their history; most of them are solid oak and just the right size for a small child. I sat in one similar to these when I was younger, so these chairs hold a special place in my heart.
The chairs came home with me from the auction.
All 48 of them.
Now, I don’t know what in the world I’m going to do with 48 tiny chairs. Really? But when my Creative Mind begins to consider the 48 children–or more–who might have been sitting in these little chairs all through the years since they were made, and I consider that each child had a story to share…..well, then. There we go. I have parts to a story that’s just begging to be told.
Now I’m OFF to put my seat in a seat and begin the work–of writing today.
I’ve got at least 48 possibilities.
Happy Creating to you, too!
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Paula B. Puckett 