About my Perception of Time

A new creative spark has been lit in these parts.  Every spare moment is being put towards making and doing rather than thinking too much.  While pondering is a big part of the process of art making I've noticed that sometimes the tired mommy brain that I've been afflicted with for the last 5 years can be a bit of a downer.
Last night I took it upon myself to organize my art documentation photos.  I created folders for categories and got the photos in place accordingly.  As I was sorting and looking through the last several years to find any strays I realized that while I'm certainly not producing at a full-time rate stuff is being made around here.  I mean much of it is documented in my Art of the Month category but beyond that there is stuff.  And I've made it.  Bit by bit by bit.  Hour by bleary-eyed hour.
So my point here is that I was being very glass half empty about my creative life and saying things like: I'll have more time later and I just wish I had time to make _____ but the thing is I do.
I have time, I make time, I make things.  I've made something almost each month of this year.
So I felt a bit sheepish last night as I moved yet another photo over into one folder or another.  There is time, things are being made and I'm so glad that I've taken the photos to remind myself of just how much I'm actually accomplishing here.
The thing is that the photos are concrete proof that I am using my time to create.  My bleary brain tells me often that I'm not.  That I'm consumed by mothering, housekeeping and life.  But my perception was wrong and for once I'm glad that I was.

Art of the Month: Simple Summer Projects

I have managed to get some sewing done so far this summer.  Not a huge amount but certainly more than last summer.  Taking on simple projects is good for the soul at this point.  Reminding me that I can get things done if I put my mind to it. Mostly I have to avoid the time suckers that surround me, the internet and t.v being the worst.  But sometimes the starts align and that is when I get to make stuff.

I found the plans for this storybook banner on Pinterest.  I had a book that I'd bought second hand for the boys only to discover that a page had been ripped out.  So I decided to keep it in case I could use it for collage or something since I loved the illustrations.  Then I happened on this idea and thought it would be cute for the boys room.  Elliott looks up at it every day points and makes animal sounds.  I like that it is very affordable to do as well and can be changed on a whim if we want to look at something else.

Here is my very own clothespin apron.  Making things for myself is rare but I was prompted by how practical this is and how happy I am to wear it while I hang out the laundry.  I made a few adjustments to this tutorial and since I'd made one already it came together well.  All the fabric was from my stash...I love using up what I already have.  Every time I do I think, soon I'll be able to get more....well, someday maybe not soon.

Next on the list is finishing up some small gifts and then it's on to finish Kyan's quilt.  I've only been working on it for about two years....but the deadline is Yule.  I may not sew anything for anyone else as a gift until this is done.  I must finish it.  I'm excited and also nervous about the challenge of finishing a real quilt.  But I keep focusing on how I'll feel when it's finished and I'm making his bed in the morning and smoothing it out and that feeling keeps me motivated.  Anyone else have some summer projects on the go?

Art of the month: pink & purple

Early this month I had the fun of making a little girl gift.  Picking out pink fabric was fun too.  So much fun that I decided to make the apron double sided.  One print was for a 4 year old palette with the required purple and pink and some food references.  Along with the hand embroidered name on the pocket.

 Fabric is Having a baby style#1201071 for Camelot Cottons

  The other print was for me, cause I love it.  Because when she is 8 she will still be able to wear the apron but may tire of the cutesy baby print and prefer the more grown up one that I chose.

Fabric two is sherbet pips by Aneela Hoey for Moda

Aren't the little girls swinging adorable?  Some of the trees have apples and some cherries.  I bought more than I needed for the apron of course and plan a few other projects with both of them.  And since there is no shortage of little girls around us I will get to plan other fun birthday sewing projects in the future.  I used an apron that Kyan has as the template and it came together really quickly which is lucky for me since sewing time is at a premium around here.  Next up: a few other gifts, a clothespin apron for me and I must get Kyan's quilt finished before he doesn't like trains anymore.  Must get more sewing done around here!  

Art of the Month: February

I devoted my spare minutes last week to finishing Elliott's elements box which we filled with meaning during his naming ritual.  I decided to keep the original wood finish and not paint the entire thing.  Instead I wanted it to have a softer look so I used very little paint and accentuated the images with black ink.

For each element I picked an animal: Bear for earth, Crow for air, Salmon for water and Snake for fire.  And then on each side of the box I wrote out the elemental words.

I had this project on my to-do list for both January and February.  It's nice to have it done.  Kyan was very curious to see his own naming day elemental, which in his case is a round basket.  I hope that the boys enjoy these when they are older regardless of what spiritual path they choose.

Art of the Month: Memory Keeper 2011

Here we are again, another turn around the sun has brought us to the fourth block of the Memory Keeper Project.  To read up on the past blocks click here.  Since 2011 was a year of bringing another new life to this world for our family I chose another "Birth-Giver" image to symbolize the year.  This is a different variation of the image from the first one that started it all. 

The lotus fabric I used for the background is one that I've loved for ages.  The cream fabric is actually a toile and I quilted a spiral out from the belly.  The four beads are from a Korean prayer bracelet that I've had for many years.  Four beads representing each family member.   I named 2011 "The Childbearing Year" since I had dubbed 2008 the birthing year and didn't want to refer to them with the same name since two very different babies were born in each. 

This project becomes dearer to my heart with each year.  Around the end of November I start thinking about what the next symbol will be and searching for a name to chronicle the waning year.  In many ways this blog acts as my memory keeper too.

 
As I was taking the photos of this piece the subject arrived to inspect his first art piece.  It was great that I didn't have to worry too much about him handling it; the glory of cloth work (although I did stop him before he drooled all over it)  My little one is so curious and seems to be developing an appreciation for art already.  The symbol for 2012 has revealed itself and is cut out and ready to be attached and embellished.  And so another year begins...

Art of the month: gifting

There was a good amount of sewing that went into this year's festivities.  Beginning in November with birthdays I was making for my loved ones.  There was of course more on the list than got finished (one of the things that was nixed was Elliott's stocking, despite working on it right up to the last minute.  We used a fill in one for this year.)  I was happy to have at least made what I did this year and I know that as I vow each year I'll try and start earlier in 2012 and have more gifts ready earlier...we'll see how that goes.
For my sister's birthday I made my fourth birthday banner. 

This one was done in blues and greens and I modified the top to have the ribbon included rather than sewn over the top of each triangle as I did previously.  And I also decided that after several years of using a banner myself it definitely needed it's own drawstring bag.

The next birthday gift was for my nephew's first birthday.  Another area that I had worked on before my bibs.   I have given bibs to several little people on their first birthdays because it is just about the time that big eating messes seem to happen.

Four bibs and a carry bag for two wooden puzzles.  This fabric was found while thrifting and I still have some left over.  Such a great pattern for little ones.
And my gift for Heidi Joy was a clothes pin apron based on this tutorial.  If you look closely you'll notice where I deviated from the directions.  But it was well received and I hope to make one for myself in the spring. 

Our family was gifted some lovely handmades as well this Yule.  I certainly feel blessed to have such crafty ladies in my circles of family and friends.  I hope your holidays were full of thoughtful gifts as well.

Art of the Month: October

If you are a long time reader you may remember these pillows ( 1, 2, 3, 4) and while I still have a fond place in my heart for them our collective design sense has moved on.  Specifically I wanted to replace the synthetic fiber fill with feather pillows because they look and feel better to me. 

We were more in green tones before and now I'm all about blues.  Trees and blues and greys with dark furniture...except our couch but that's another story.

 I kept the other two simple and classic with a dark denim linen and a stone coloured cotton-linen blend.  The buttons as you may remember were a gift to myself two years ago.  I've finally been able to use them.  I used the pattern in this book for the button pillow.

So these pillows are a hit.  Comfy, simple and hopefully durable.  Kyan keeps taking the small tree pattern one and hiding it in his closet, I guess he likes it.

Art of the Month: summer gifts

You may remember a photo here and there about these little drawstring bags of mine.   They are simple but pretty and functional which to me is always a winning combination.  So recently I added two more to my little grouping sending one to Heidi Dawn and the other was a gift for Heidi Joy.  I am blessed to have these two women as friends.  Collectively we are all mothers to 2 boys each, artists, thinkers, and conscious citizens of this planet. 

While they share the same name these ladies have different colour essences to me.  One whimsical with the other more delicate.  Making these bags is a kind of create therapy for me since if undisturbed I can make one in an hour or less.  With typical mama interruptions a day will suffice so I still get the satisfaction of a completed project or two.  These bags usually arrive filled with chocolate, other artist's creations or other special treats.  

 

Little gifts are important for mamas.  They fill up gaps in time that we miss spending with our friends, and when used remind us of that person or our memories of who we were and who we could be in the future.

Art of the Month: May

Here is the quilt/blanket I was hinting at two posts ago.  It is a gift for my nephew.  The pattern is from Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew.  I didn't make the template as large as suggested, which I would do next time and she also recommended washing it afterward which I didn't read until after I pre-washed the fabric...alas mommy brain strikes again.  I loved the tops and yo-yos on the fabric.  They say child without driving you crazy with colour or pattern overload.  

It is possible to do this in a day if you don't have an infant and 3 year old since there is no piecing involved.  The center is a cotton flannel and it comes together fairly well.   Hopefully it will meet with a 6 month old's approval :)

Art of the Month: February Collaborations

I've been very into drawing and sketching and sewing, creating in general this pregnancy.  In the last two months Kyan and I have discovered that making art together on the same piece is actually a very fun activity.  It all started with this piece:

A portrait of the famous Telly Ky's favorite stuffed animal.  I drew it as Ky was drawing on his own piece and then he was suddenly inspired to add his mark to mine.  We've had it up on our art line in the living room for a while now and I am inspired by it still.  It marks a very important stage of his growth.  Telly has been everywhere with us and has faded from a sweet pastel yellow to a dull gray from being loved so much. 

Our most recent collaboration is this:

A sketch I was doing to record an art idea and Ky decided to add some of his colour inspiration to the side.  There was a slight hesitation in me when he decided to "draw with me" but he is careful to not obliterate what I'm doing but rather just embellish it.  And I have to say that I love these.  It makes me very happy that we can work together like this.  The possibilities for future collaboration are endless.  And soon there will be another set of ideas, and little hands to contribute as well.  I love art.

Art of the Month: January

It's time for our next installment of the Memory Keeper Project.  Here is the third block in what will be a quilt of my life.  (to see block one and two)  2010 was a year when the ocean called me and I carried over an interest in Runes from 2009.  Thanks to my mother-in-law giving me Runes:: Theory & Practice for a holiday gift I was able to research the Ansuz rune which seemed in the beginning of the year to herald a new year of health and cleansing.

What it ended up bringing to us though was an opening. A feeling of push and pull, two steps forward, three steps back and ultimately our family of three was faced with opening up to the addition of another soul. 
I quilted a wave across the background as a homage to the cleansing of the ocean.  The effect is subtle but peaceful to contemplate up close. 

...A message comes to you.

Open eyes and ears

to the gods who speak

with tones loud as an avalanche,

soft as a feather's fall.

                                                                   -excerpt from Modern rune poem by E. Vongvisith

Art of the Month: December

I want to share some of the lovely gifts both received and given this month.  I feel so privileged to be around so many creative women and talented artists.  Fostering this creative spirit in Kyan is a joy to me.  I don't structure our art sessions much yet as he is only 3, but when he sees me painting or drawing he asks to do it too and that says to me that he sees merit in it and enjoys the process of creation.  Our gray skies have cleared up and so we've got sunshine but it has brought with it much colder temperatures.  Well, much colder for the west coast anyway.  I can't believe that the New Year is upon us.  I hope to fit in my yearly tarot card spread this weekend.  Usually I do it in November around my birthday but I didn't fit it in then.   I hope to share a bit about this tradition with you in the new year.  I stole the idea from Heidi Joy many years ago and it never ceases to amaze me how looking back over the year and reading the results of the spread reveals so much about what occurred.  And now for some of the results of gift giving and receiving.

 Kyan's crown that I showed in progress in this post.  I can't say he has warmed up to it yet but it's there for whenever his future self is inclined to be king-like.

I received this lovely Soul Sister from my wonderful friend Sarah who is journeying with me through pregnancy at this time.

 Some handmade pot holders from Heidi Joy.  Such a lovely combination of fabrics....I almost hesitate to use them.  And below is the finished doll house.  Ky has played with it and I just have to make some cushions for the sofa and some blankets and pillows for the dolls.

 And I put these drawstring bags together to house a bamboo game of Tic Tac Toe and the blue bag has a good luck charm in the pocket.  Drawstring bags are useful for holding so many little things together whether for child's toys, for traveling or any type of storage.  I'm contemplating making some to just have on hand out of odd ends of fabric.  Maybe after the thousand or so other projects I have in the cue.  This year has been a success for many projects and I've had a blast getting some started, a few finished and dreaming about all the rest.  In a few short months my life will be graced with yet one more distraction from this work that I love but I know there is light at the end of the tunnel.  And the days that I devote to the new baby will be brief in the grand scheme of life and I'll get back to a semi-regular sewing/creating schedule eventually.  May 2011 be fruitful for you in whatever you choose to create.  Happy New Year.

Art of the Month: Bathroom edition

Today I'm sharing my latest finished project from Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures.  I created the very cozy towel rug from a thrift store towel and a vintage sheet.  I changed the dimensions so that it fits perfectly in the small space between our toilet and wall in front of the tub.  Dave later informed me that it wasn't wide enough for him to feel balanced on....so the next one will be slightly wider.  This project is really quick I did mine in an hour and a half and it is really easy to throw into the wash unlike the rubber backed rugs that tend to disintegrate over time. 

 

 I love that you can get such instant gratification from a project like this.  And I love the feeling of the terry cloth circles under my feet.  I have plans for at least one more of these so that I can rotate more frequently and because my other rubber backed mat is not going to last much longer.  These mats are certainly the most economical and homey feeling that I've come across.  And they dry really quickly too.

Art of the Month: September

Truthfully there has not been much art happening around here lately.  Instead I thought I'd share a piece I made several years ago for my friend Matt.  He was gifted with two Roman brass ornaments and he gave one to me to include on a cuff.  I was very into making cuffs a few years ago and enjoyed the instant gratification they offered as a project.

As you can see the ornament is very inspirational.  Heavy though so I'm not sure how much Matt still wears it.  He planned on using it as part of his stage outfit during performances but the weight may have deterred him from wearing it while playing guitar.

The golden hue and red are helping inspire fall feelings in me.  I hope to have a new project to share very shortly.  There is a little bit of sewing happening around here this week.

Art of the Month: July

Well, here it is the big reveal.  I thought I would get this posted much sooner than July since it was finished in May but alas the weather here was not picnic/beach friendly.  But this blanket has been out for several fun occasions now so I can finally share it.

 This is the beach blanket from Amanda Soule's Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures.  It is made from vintage sheets, all thrifted and a thrifted piece of a poly blend on the back.

Since I've been obsessed with the sea and grey and blue tones this year I chose to use those tones in the blanket so that it would be an extension of the water.

The handy part of it is that it rolls up like a sleeping bag and so it is great to transport around too.  I love this blanket and Heidi Joy loves hers as well.  We haven't picked out our next project to do together but we'll get it chosen soon.  It helps when your first attempt turns out so well.

Art of the Month: April

I'm happy to share my first art for art's sake piece that I've finished in quite a while.  I wanted to play with lots of stitching, beads, embroidery and the rough edge applique that I've been using for a while now.

The idea for this came to me in an unusual way.  I saw it in a trance journey and the name just popped into my head.  As an exercise in following through I sketched and cut and stitched and here is the result.  It feels good to have it done and to have finished it in less than a year (I didn't work on it exclusively of course but under a year is a great pace for creative work at this point)

Art of the Month: Spring

This month is a bit different in the art department. For our Equinox celebration we (Heidi Joy and her lovely boys, Kyan and I) made the fun hand painted place mats from Amanda Soule's book The Creative Family. Sage being almost 5 was very into this project and Heidi and I were able to sit down periodically and just let the moment dictate what we'd paint. It was a fun exercise in spring thinking and a nice way to preserve the moment for the boys since paper art is a bit more apt to be destroyed at some point.


To keep with the spring theme we used bright and cheery fabric on the back. The front fabric is a poly blend that was in my stash. We used fabric paint rather than acrylic and painting canvas as Amanda does in her book. This is a fun way to mark seasonal celebrations or to just help involve your kids in the decorating of the table (maybe it will even encourage them to eat more? Who knows!)