Listening To The Whispers

 

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful then the risk it took to blossom."

-Anais Nin

Even though I have bits and pieces of jewelry that are waiting patiently to be finished I do not seem to have the creative energy to finish them.  Instead I felt a great need to create a collage. It had to happen .... there were no ifs or buts... just the need to create a collage.  And so I cut little bits and pieces and moved them around and around  - drew a little face and moved the pieces again and again until the puzzle was completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then I thought about Jane Davies and her request for postcards to try and keep her little post office open, and decided I should alter it and make it into a postcard to send to her.  Not sure if it will be the version above .... below.... or at the beginning of this post. 

Creating Daily

 

Five or six years ago I made a new year's resolution to 'Create (almost) Every Day'.  My goal was to create daily, but if I couldn't find the time daily, I would accept that and be happy when I could. 

 

Over those years, I have come to understand that my need to create is a big part of who I am.  I must do it just the same as I must brush my teeth or eat healthy food.  I can survive without it, but it is not good for me. Without it I feel out of balance, a great anxious feeling builds up within me. 

 

What I have discovered is that the creations don't have to be big, or perfect... although my liking them does help in my feeling of balance and happiness. 

 

Last week I purchased a tiny sketch book that I can easily take with me, and draw in.  It is a perfect place for some small creations that helps keep me balanced when I don't have the big bits of time in which to create. 

 

 

 

 

Finding Red

 

In my search for red I found some lovely pressed geraniums

 

 

and decided to make a small accordian book

 



that contains geraniums and other bits and pieces

 

I don't know what it is about these little fold out books

but I enjoy them every time I make them.

 

 

 

I enjoy the making

and then I enjoy looking at them afterwards.

 

If you are looking for more red, make sure to check out Jennifer's and Julie's blogs

Fish Creations

 

I have always thought fish are beautiful.

 



and a while back I drew this one

 

I was planning to use this drawing in a few creations....

 

I have already posted about using the image in a collage

 

 and this past week I decided to use the fish on a journal page. 

I have no doubt he will show up in other creative bits and pieces in the future,

and I hope more fish will join him in my sketchbook.

Happy Valentine's Day

 

 

Two of the three valentine's I made

 (forgot to take a picture of the third)



Rustic Pins

I have so enjoyed making these pins...... 

 

....hand drawn little images on old book pages with text that I painted over

..... captured in resin and wax

....... mounted on hand cut and filed reclaimed metal

 

that I attached a small pin too, and etched my signature on the back

 

 

taking way longer to make then they look like they should when they are finished.

 

 

 I then decided to mount them on a card

 

 

that when folded in half contains my name and address

 

and when opened

shows off the pin with a wee bit of information about its making.

 

All of it was so enjoyable.

1/2 Way There.....

 

I have played hockey since I was a young girl, and it has brought me much enjoyment.

A year ago today, I was playing in a small 'just for fun' tournament, and received a concussion that changed my life. 

 

During the past year, I have worked extremely hard with physical and occupational therapists,

and many many hours on my own in order to heal. 

 

One of my specialists told me I would heal.... it would just take time - probably 2 years. 

 And I have clung to her words  - hoping for a full recovery, even if it takes me another year. 

 

It has been hard, it has been slow and it has been painful,

 but it is happening, and I know I am getting better. 

 

After months of  hard work  and beaucracy  I have been okayed to return to work for 8 hours a week. 

 Tomorrow will be my first day back to work. 

 

 

I hope to be back with some of my creative meanderings in a few days.

 

 

Of This and That

This week I have spent some time

enjoying winter's beauty

 

and light

 

 

as well as finishing

 

this project

 

 

that took far too long

in the making

Success of the Unsuccessful

 

I have been wanting to try and make larger images on tea bag paper, and so I gave it a try by glueing tea bags together to the size I needed, and then using a photograph, some paint, some ink, some collage bits and pieces and my pen. 

But I wasn't happy with it, as it turned out flat.... muddy .... lacking some light. 

 

 

 

I will try the process again another day, as I love the process.

And I love the texture of working on tea bags. 

 

 

And then today, I had some fun playing with it on the computer (top and bottom photos).

 I like how this image turned out, and  I may use it on something yet... perhaps a card? or on a book cover?

 or on my calendar that I have only made 6 months worth so far? 

 Perhaps a partial success in the end.