I’ve really been enjoying editing the color of my photos recently. In fact, I found myself returning to some of the same tweaks so many times, that I decided to save my edits into a Photoshop action.
So if you own Photoshop and enjoy the look of a lot of the photos you’ve been seeing on my blog lately (including my new snowman header), I’m selling the action here at Scrap Girls. There is a commercial licensed version as well.
{ 2 comments }
I keep a Someday Maybe list for stuff I want to purchase. It helps me from buying things spontaneously before I’ve thought them through. It helps me prioritize my purchases. It helps me know what to tell family when they say, “What can I get you for your birthday?”
I have all sorts of Someday Maybe lists (and not just for purchasing things.) I have them for me personally, Tony and I have one for our home, I have one for our kids.
Every now and then I’ll go through them and happily cross stuff of when I realize we were able to purchase it. Or I’ll cross stuff off that, with time, I’ve realized we just don’t really need. Other times things will stay on the list for months, just waiting to be bumped up in priority.
For the longest time, the list for our kids has had face paints on it. I can remember when I was little having the coolest little face paint pencils, and with as much imagination and creativity as my kids have, I knew they would love them as well.
Finally, this Christmas, the face paints got checked off the list. I kept hoping I could find them really cheap somewhere, but I refused to sacrifice quality. Those perfect little face paint pencils from my childhood had spoiled me. I ended up purchasing these from imaginechildhood.com.
They were worth every penny!
{ 0 comments }
Tony does this pretty neat thing. Sometimes he asks our kids to pick out his clothes for him. And what’s more, he actually wears what they pick. This can be a bit daring, as you might end up with some outlandish outfit. If you are going to try this, I would highly recommend that you first clean all of those clothes out of your closet that you hate and are just holding onto for “that right moment.” Because invariably, they will pick those clothes first.
When my kids get dressed in the morning they don’t think about:
Things my kids might consider when getting dressed in the morning:
And really, I think those are the best questions to ask when choosing an outfit, don’t you?
The other day as I was staring into my closet, I knew exactly what I wanted to wear. But I had all these inhibitions about it. Then this thought came into my mind, “Do not hold back an outfit waiting to be invited to a special occasion. Wear the outfit and invite the special occasion to come to you.” That very day Tony took me on an unexpected lunch date and we stumbled upon the perfect little hole-in-the-wall mom and pop deli. A lady that could have been my grandma served us homemade soup, sandwiches and buttered bread. I even got to drink strawberry milk. I love dressing childlike.
{ 3 comments }
When Tony got home from work the other day he made an incredibly kind comment to me. “You look so pretty, dressed nice and everything and here you are stuck inside this house all day. I’m sorry.”
I was thankful for the compliment, but I told him he needn’t be sorry.
“Oh, I’ve traveled thousands of miles away from this house today, without even leaving our street. Don’t worry about me. I do get out.”
He asked me what I meant by that. You might be asking the same thing.
Perhaps it’s because I’m an introvert that I can handle staying at home all day. Or perhaps it’s because I’ve gotten better at taking time for myself when I need it, so I’m not so drained. Or perhaps it’s because I’m doing better at believing our home and my days can be as adventurous as I desire them to be. In the evenings, before I go to bed, if I can manage to put even a small inkling of thought into what tomorrow will hold, the days go so much better.
This particular day was packed with all sorts of fun. Reading Around the World in 80 Days. Studying and drawing and talking about the globe, coloring, reading Ramona Quimby, exercising, playing the piano and the guitar, making food, playing with neighbors. We had done so much adventuring my day felt extremely full. I felt like I had explored all sorts of places and it was almost a shock when I realized, from Tony’s comment, that I didn’t leave the house.
I have dreams of traveling. Of going to distant countries and seeing things I’ve never seen. Of sharing that with my family. Of tasting food different than what I’m used to, seeing people different than what I’m used to, hearing music different than what I’m used to, seeing architecture and landscapes different than what I’m used to. But until those dreams become financially possible, I must rely on books and imagination to carry my kids and me far, far away.
In my mind, I do get out. All the time.
{ 5 comments }
One of my absolute favorite artists right now is Keri Smith. I have, quite accidentally, started my own Keri Smith library. I picked up this first book while we were still living in California. It’s called Living Out Loud. Since getting this book, I’ve picked up a few others of hers along the way, including this book that I got for Zoe for Christmas. We’ve been doing some of the activities in Zoe’s book and it’s re-sparked my interest in Keri Smith and her books.
Here’s why I love her. SHE MAKES ME THINK OUTSIDE OF MY BOX! She makes me want to read books about things I know nothing about. She makes me want to play. She makes me want to explore. She helps make me embrace my word for this year – CHILDLIKE.
So we are going through the Living Out Loud book as part of our homeschooling. And when we finish that one, I have at least 3, other books of Keri’s that will be equally as wonderful. The Living Out Loud book is more artistic in nature, but some of the others are just plain creative thinking. Exercises to make us think outside of our box. Good stuff!
Last week we made these finders out of cardboard. They allow you to see life in a different way. Looking through our finders we saw things we would have never seen otherwise. Colors, textures, details. Why, I even discovered islands! I was looking with my finder on a globe and I discovered islands way out in the middle of the ocean that I didn’t even know existed!
(*note – I’ve found the finder can also be used when you are in an overwhelming situation, such as if your house is completely cluttered in toys and kid clothes and food crumbs and the like. you can look through the finder to focus in on one little bit of life, and blur out the chaos all around you as you think, “ah, what a nice mix of colors those legos make, strewn so artistically across the floor.”)
I used the finder with my 3 oldest kids. We each picked an object, so 4 in total. We would use our finder to discover something on the object and then we would draw it in our journal. When we were done “finding” and documenting all 4 things we compared drawings. It was so cool to see the different ways our eyes looked at things.
I wanted to add that I used to just flip through Keri Smith’s books. “What nice ideas,” I would think. They are nice coffee table material. But when you really engage and interact with them, which is of course what she intended, something magical happens. She makes you play. The adult in me seldom wants to play.
{ 3 comments }
Our friend Cynthia Ware sent us some of their family’s kid books that they don’t use anymore. This science experiment book was one of them. Being that I am more of the artsy type and not so much the science/math type, I’ve decided to incorporate this book into our homeschooling. I need the help.
My friend Abbi has been working through a cupcake recipe book, and she has inspired me to do the same with some of the books we have sitting on our shelves. (We’re doing this with art some too. I’ll have to share about that in another post.)
Right now we’re doing Science on Wednesday. Last Wednesday we did two experiments. One of them was with oil and water.
Love it that I actually managed to catch their surprised expressions. I must admit here, I was thinking science was pretty dang cool too.
And pretty! Who knew?
This was the second experiment. First we put a ball of clay in the water and it sank, just like the marbles did. Then we had to make the clay into a boat, so that not only would it not sink, it would also hold the marbles. I COULDN’T GET IT TO WORK! Every time I tried to put my clay boat in the water it would sink. Those horrible high school feelings came rushing over me. I instantly remembered when I failed my egg-drop physics assignment. I started hearing in my head, “See? You aren’t any good at science. What made you think you could teach your kids science?”
But I don’t give up easily, and my kids were cheering me on. So we finally figured it out. And can I tell you how excited we all were? It just takes some trial and error (much like art) and some creative thinking (totally like art.) I think I like this science stuff.
Luther was watching too. He’ll use anything as an excuse to stand on a chair. Eventually our boat filled with water and it sank. Then the kids all worked with the clay to try and fashion their own floating boat.
Tomorrow is another Wednesday. Another science experiment. Another challenge, no doubt, for me. But, I actually think it’s helping me as an artist to make my brain think in creative ways it usually doesn’t. I’m telling myself this anyway.
{ 3 comments }
10. This verse from Galatians:
Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.
I think about what a privilege it is to get to talk to God like my children talk to me. To feel FREE to ask questions that might be silly, make requests that might be selfish and share my heart, my dreams, my hopes without embarrassment. Too often I don’t just have open dialogue with Him because, well He’s God. But when I see it in the context of this verse and am aware of the conversations I love for my kids to have with me, I realize I don’t have to worry about being silly or foolish or shy or embarrassed or selfish or fearful or censored in my dialogue with God. I am His child. We just talk. Being CHILDLIKE makes every thing so much more simple.
Your turn. Finish the sentence. Today, I’m Inspired By…
{ 4 comments }
I’m guest blogging here today about Entering In. I wrote about some of what I’m learning through reading Galatians. It certainly applies to everyone, but for you artist types who are seeking to use your creations to do something big for God, you might really enjoy it. I think it will take some pressure off of you, if you are in fact the type, like me, to heap a lot of pressure on yourself.
There are some great writers on this Church Online blog, so you might find yourself getting lost in reading other posts as well. For example, this one, called Willing to Be a Mess. You can imagine as an IMPERFECT person how much I like this post! I hope this blog inspires you. I’m honored to get to be a part of those writing there.
{ 3 comments }
I came across this poem tonight by William Wordsworth and had to share it. He takes what I’m feeling in my heart and gives beautiful words to it. Nothing makes me happier than reading words from those who have lived before me, and seeing how they were thinking and breathing and feeling the same things that I think and breath and feel. Makes me feel connected to something bigger. Makes me realize my search to understand the great mysteries of humanity and God is not in vain…nor is it alone. We share this journey with countless souls.
Wordsworth’s poem is about the beauty of being childlike and the wisdom in choosing to remain childlike even as we grow older. I love the bit about the child being like a father to the man. I think that is where I am at this year. Even as an adult I have much to learn from the childhood Mandy. As an adult I have much to learn from my own children. I want to learn to find magic and miracles in what have otherwise been come to be known as “ordinary things.” Things like rainbows.
What kind of life would I be living if my heart has learned to stop leaping up? I might be a mature adult, but what does that gain me if my life is mundane and boring and empty and passionless? This year I’m praying for my heart to learn to leap again, as it did as a child. To get my hopes up. To expect and recognize and be smitten by miracles. To let the ordinary once again become extraordinary. To let the ultimate Artist’s creation astound me and woo me ever closer.
What ordinary things make your heart leap up? Be on the lookout.
Enjoy the poem!
My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky. So was it when my life began; So is it now I am a man; So be it when I grow old, Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man; And I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety.
{ 3 comments }
Someone asked me recently what I love about art so much. My response? I just love making. I’m a maker. I love inspiring others to step into their dreams and passions as well, but with that, I personally have to be making. If I’m not making a part of me shrivels up and dies. A rather big part of me. I’ve had times in my life where I’ve been told to suck it up and accept the fact that I’m not always going to get to make. I’ve had moments of believing with a deep inner regret, maybe this is true. It’s taken me a long time to accept myself as a maker and be okay with that insatiable urge inside of me to make, even when it seems like I’m doing so for no apparent rhyme or reason.
So here’s some of what I’ve been making recently. And here’s a brilliant article on the difference between a manager and a maker.
*Thought to ponder: I wonder, do you think everyone is a maker, but some people stifle that part of themselves? Or do you think there are those made to specifically be managers and those made to specifically be makers?
This little purse was adapted from a pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing. One of my goals for 2010 was to learn how to line something and put a zipper in something. This little purse was perfect to knock out both of those goals. Zippers are not for wimps. Good thing my word for last year was IMPERFECT, because the purse has lots of little quirks to it. But wow, I completed a goal in the first week of January and I made a purse! It fits my iPhone, keys, wallet and lipstick. So it could replace a bigger purse on days that I want to travel light. My favorite part is that it’s totally made from thrifted fabric. Even the zipper was from a thrifted skirt.
My friend Abbi makes books. She’s great at it. She talked me through the process in a quick conversation one day, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I know I should have waited on her to show me how to do it because I’m so visual. Again, an IMPERFECT project. But so fun to take an old thrifted book cover and make it into a new journal. It also gave me a whole new appreciation for Abbi’s art!
I made coffee cozies for my sister and brother-in-law for Christmas. They were given to them along with a Starbucks gift card. I wrote more about the process on the Scrap Girls blog.
(For those of you who know how much the word “Ish” means to me, you’ll really appreciate this photo. I didn’t notice it when I was taking the photo.)
{ 8 comments }
