• Art - Blog - Creativity

    Listening is key

    April 14, 2019 - By 

    I was inspired to create this journal page after reading a college student’s first hand account of why he was walking for suicide prevention on his college campus. I was moved by his very eloquent yet heartbreaking words describing his journey. I couldn’t help but think of all the young men and women in my life, especially my own children.  

    Often when I have high emotions, I turn to creativity as an outlet. I let everything go and work by intuition…not over thinking anything. Eventually I get to a place that the page starts to take a shape in the direction my mind was subconsciously heading.

    I’ve always been told I’m a good listener by my friends. They often will turn to me to vent, gab, or problem solve. I may not always have a ton of advice but I do always have a shoulder to lend.

    It is my wish that my children will find someone in their lives that will be able to do the same for them even if its not me. And that they have learned the skill of really listening. It is the key to so many things.

  • Blog - Creativity

    T Tuesday: Duluth edition

    April 8, 2019 - By 

    Last week I mentioned that Mini-me and I had traveled to Duluth immediately after her return from Costa Rica. She was participating in the state archery tournament.

    We drove up on Friday and went straight to J’s apartment since he goes to college in same city. We took him shopping and to eat before leaving him back home and heading to our hotel. It’s a new hotel in the same harbor area of the historic town of Duluth, MN.

    This was a view out our hotel room window. According to the in-room brochure, the silos were used for powdered cement storage. They kept them when developing the site for historic value.

    Mini-me and I enjoyed some lovely appetizers as a late night meal as we enjoyed the view.

    After our meal we ran back up to the room and grabbed a coat before venturing out for a walk since we were on the south side of the lift bridge…a view we hadn’t ever had the opportunity to enjoy.

    Little did we know that they had a nightly bonfire with free s’mores!

    The next morning we set off for the tournament. Mini-me’s coach gave her a nickname that has absolutely nothing to do with her actual name but has stuck…at least with her archery folk.

    I decided that she should really have it on her bow case. I used my silhouette to create a vinyl sticker with her new namesake. Her coach laughed so dang hard…totally worth it!!

    Yesterday I actually got creative….I made about a dozen cards.

    After going through a bunch of my craft stuff and bringing it to my neighbor to share I was inspired by my conversation with her to make more cards. She has and a group to locals have “adopted” many deployed troops for years. Writing letters, sending supplies, gifts and treats. One thing she said they always want is cards to send home. Sending cards and letters home helps pass the time. And really…who doesn’t love a good old piece of snail mail from a real person!!

    I decided right then and there to set some time aside to make some cards. It’s beneficial for me AND them. I get to stretch my creative muscles which evidently are going unused too often and they get a few cards to mail home.

    This week is really up in the air for us…Today is was nearly 70°F and Weds-Fri we could get anywhere from 6-24 inches of snow. Crazy!!! This winter just won’t quit.

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    T on the 2nd edition

    April 2, 2019 - By 

    Ok this is one of those crazy days that happens…we have a crossover post.

    Honestly its likely a good thing because I have so many things to talk about but have nothing prepared and I’m already late to the party. How does that happen?

    Anyway…Mini-me made it back from Costa Rica on Thursday evening…we left for Duluth the next morning. Busy weekend then back to school on Monday. WHEW!! What a crazy few days.

    I’ll share more about all that in another post but I thought I’d at least share a bit about the coffee Mini-me brought home the Doka Coffee Plantation.

    I borrowed this photo from Twitter of the group tossing the raw beans in the air.

    This is one that we’ve opened and tried. It’s very good. It seems to me that the caffeine content might be a bit higher than what we usually drink. We haven’t tried the other kind she brought back yet.

    Now on to Second on the 2nd….

    I have been attempting to join more challenges lately. Before I rejoined the workforce I participated in challenges regularly and it really kept my creativity flowing. Here’s a post from on of those fun challenges I did way back when.

    Take a look….

    7/15/2013

     Sage and SepiaThis is the last week of Summer of Color! I can hardly believe it.

    This is the color combo I’ve been voting for each week. The strange thing is now that I got it…I had trouble making it work. The photo color is a bit off for the green but my “Photoshop fu” is off this morning.

    I painted the background with sage then distressed it a bit.  After adding the sepia elements, I used some white rub-ons for visual interest. The bride and groom are my maternal grandparents circa 1929.

    Incidentally, this is my 1000th post! WHOA! That’s a lot of blogging. Thanks to everyone who continues to read. I love it when you leave comments to let me know that you’ve been here.

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    Thanks for stopping by my twofer post today!

    What are you doing today?