the innate sense of purpose and direction in my life is this: to love others and help them become whomever it is they are to become. to nurture and inspire the loving creative nature of people-whomever i encounter-so that they, in turn, might some day do the same for others, regardless of their chosen profession or path in life.
eventually i want to make a career out of offering art experiences, crafty adventures, creative fellowship, and the like to those who are lacking such outlets in their lives.

Monday, December 17, 2007

today was...

interesting, nerve wracking, slightly painful, expensive, purposeful, restful, chilly, scrumptious, tragic, sad, a reminder that life--every inhale and every exhale--and those we care for and love--from co-workers we interact with on a daily basis to the family and friends who define large parts of who we are--are precious and so very fragile.

allow me to elaborate.
today i had to get up early to go to the Health Department in the county over from mine to get vaccinations in preparation for my trip to Honduras in January. that's right folks, Honduras. a co-worker and i will be taking a group of 11 students to do volunteer work at an orphanage for a week between our fall and spring semesters. now, i'm not a big fan of needles, but i can generally calm my self down and, as the nurse was particularly calm, i did well with the shots i got. though, the first one, i could feel the liquid move into and through my arm and it eventually led to a very stiff sore shoulder for the remainder of the day. still, $145 is a small price to pay to ensure that i am vaccinated against Hep. A and Typhoid fever.

then i had meetings i had to be back at work for from 10:30-3 and then i was done for the day. so i took a nap, because going to bed at 3am because you can't fall asleep and getting up at 7:30am to drive to get shots, then 4 1/2 hours of meetings = tired me!

then i went to the grocery store with a friend and baked cookies which was a good time. we are doing a cookie exchange at work tomorrow. christmas sugar cookies, that's all i'm going to say.

then the tragic, sad, everything else part happened.

on my way out to get some time away (i live/work at a "boarding" high school), i found out that a co-worker's dad had just passed away unexpectedly, most likely from a heart attack. my dad had a massive heart attack a year ago January and barely made it through. this co-worker just got engaged...it's a week before christmas, and now, her dad is gone. i can't even imagine...
it brought a lot of emotions and memories rushing back from when my dad had his heart attack and they just kept replaying over and over in my head throughout the rest of the evening.
i was working when my sister called me. at first, i was in shock and then... i just freaked out and started balling uncontrollably. i called two of my good friends and they came to help me get calmed down, packed, and ready to go home to be with my family...
i remember getting into my apartment and just falling to the floor, crying uncontrollably, my friends at my sides. in that moment, i didn't know if my dad would still be alive by the time i got home. i was so incredibly scared.
i was beside myself.
even now, just thinking about that moment makes me queasy.

my family and i were lucky, we got a second chance. it's not fair that her family has to go through this right now, in the midst of the holidays.

it's a great big dose of perspective, you know?

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

you say you want a revolution...

so i started this project a few weeks ago, i'm re-claiming some old grungy chairs and making them super cute. i awoke one day a few weeks ago inspired to find a set of chairs to paint yellow. well, my weekly adventures led me to a new thrift store on the other side of town from where i frequent, and there i found my chairs...for $7.50 ea. though, rather than just plain wooden chairs like i thought i was looking for, the chairs that found me had covered seats; which took me to a whole new level of inspiration. i LOVE fabric and sewing projects, so i started looking through my piles of fabric to see what i might be able to use and the rest, as "they" say, is history. i finished the seats about a week and a half ago on a weekend visit home to Inidana where my parents live. now i just need to find the time to finish sanding and painting the wood so i can fasten the seats back on and start using them at my kitchen table. alas, time does not seem to be on my side lately.what would the world be like if we all just quit our jobs and did crafts all day long? would our crafts become our jobs like in the old days; bartering and trading our wares for other's grown and handmade goods? let's start a craft revolution, who's with me?

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Only 15 crafting days till Christmas!

so Christmas is sneaking up on me faster than i think it ever has. i'm not sure if this is a product of my own life getting bussier and faster paced, or if it's just a coincidence, but i've not started a lot of the projects i want to get done for the big day and time is running OUT. not to mention that i have family members who have requested particular store bought gifts (ugh) that i still have to go out and purchase.

don't get me wrong, i love, LOVE Christmas, but all i really want to do is be back at my parent's house already (that's where my sibs and i all converge for the holiday), with my bedroom set up as my own little holiday workshop. i want to spend time with my family and make cookies with my adorable nephews during the day and spend all evening (and sometimes a good portion of the night) holed up in my room in my pj's watching great movies and crafting away. whether it's those projects i want to get done for giving away (fused plastic bag totes from craftzine, the stripe-y patchwork cat from Green Kitchen) or other ongoing projects that i have in the works or want to try my hand at...all i really want for Christmas is some time to craft.

i think one of the biggest problems i have is that my job (which i do love) often times takes so much energy that, once i have free time, all i want to do is...well nothing, to be perfectly honest. when i get done with work i just want to sit and do nothing. also the grey weather and early sunset lately don't make things any easier! i like snow, but you've got to have sun to balance it out. the sun makes the snow all sparkly and bright, then the cold doesn't get to you so much. but when it's cold and snowy, grey outside, AND it's dark by 4:30pm on top of it all, it's very very hard for me to muster up the energy to do productive crafty things. i want to curl up on my couch and watch TV or read, or go back to sleep, i love sleep too :)

i'm making a goal for myself for this evening; at least 2 hours of productive craft time on projects that i will give away as gifts for Christmas. let's hope my muse isn't feeling the same way i am...

Saturday, December 8, 2007

blended shades of new

so i can't sleep and as i was contemplating what to do about it, i decided to stop procrastinating and finally create the Blog i've been thinking about for some time now. i hope to let it be a creative outlet and inspiration for the crafty and creative things i want to do more often, share more with a broad audience (read:: fear of judgement...), and eventually turn into a career.

my first post, as it was the first thing that came into my head as i got out of bed and made way to my computer, will be on my new years resolutions. i usually don't make them because i usually fail miserably at keeping them; alas, i've decided to give it one more shot.

without further ado:
1. drink more water
2. spend less $$
3. make more time for artsy/crafty adventures
4. seek knowledge more purposefully
5. eat veggies more regularly (i love veggies, but i eat them in spurts)
6. love my body (whether by exercising or buying it a new accessory)
7. finish/update my art portfolio
8. apply to grad schools (art therapy programs)
9. move forward, in all aspects of life

i do things in 3's...i like 3. thus, 9 resolutions instead of 10.

[painting by sukey, 2003, "blended shades of new "]