Hello 2012

I thought I had better acknowledge the arrival of 2012 while there were still a few days of January left....I don't know where this month has gone.  I have a week off work so I am looking forward to catching up on my blogging as well as finding some creative time. 

My oldest son recent left home so I moved all my crafting equipment into his old room - I can't believe I have so much 'stuff', or that I had it all in a wardrobe.  When I finally have the room sorted I'll post some pictures.
While I was moving everything and put it away, I am ashamed to say I found a lot of projects I had bought several years ago and never gotten round to completing them.  Well this is going to be the year of getting things done,and of using what is already in my stash so let me introduce to project number one for 2012.......

Please excuse the nakedness of this little lovely.  She has been waiting patiently for me to 'clothe' her.

Here she is with her finery  on - I used a paper napkin for the decoupage, I have no idea what the paint I used was.  In an endeavour to 'make do' I used what paint I had and mixed different colours together until I had what I wanted..

I don't have a before picture of my next project - but it was basic brown as the pig above was to start with.
This is the finished article - I still want to put some inserts in it but will use it for a while so I can decide what I need.  I'm planning on using it as a sewing case.

I'm not sure what came over me when it came to choosing the colours - although they are in the patterned paper on the top.  I just mixed paint I already had until I got the shade I wanted. I love the way it has come out.  For me it has the old world charm I was looking for

Kiwiana makes

I recently finished a small canvas I had been making.  I have a small piece of wall in my kitchen where some kiwiana hangs.  A picture of three pukekos which I bought; my jandal clock - also bought; my wooden pukeko, which I made; and my map of New Zealand.

 The outline is made from seed beads, the two heart shaped buttons mark my two favourite places

 Pukeko - my favourite bird.  I love its colouring and it is so amusing to watch

Kiwiana corner - didn't realise those bananas were so manky looking

Close up of clock

Creativity

I started this blog as a means of recording my creative endeavours.  At the beginning this meant  mainly card making with the odd other activity thrown in.  Life has changed since then, I'm not the same person I was way back then.  Rather than beat myself up over my lack of creativeness of late I decided to do some research.

What is creativity?  Well according to the Oxford dictionary it is....
Creativity 

Pronunciation:/ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvɪti 

noun

the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness:

Interesting - that gives me some scope.  I would also add that, for me, creativity is making something, not necessarily something original, but also using other's ideas as a springboard . So I've done an inventory and these are a few of my creative endeavours over the last couple of weeks

Bread making

Photography      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birthday card

Pizza - made from scratch!

 I know!  I am being quite liberal with my defintion but to me, creating is making something that isn't everyday - hence the bread baked without my breadmaker (which vibrated itself off the bench and now doesn't work  :-(  ); pizza with hand made dough, etc.  At least this is how I am able to feel creative sometimes - there is so little time left over for me some days that I have to be creative about being creative!

Made a card Monday

I had yesterday off work as one of the boys was sick. Discovered that 'playing hookie' from work gets the creative juices flowing. Made this card for a niece, along with a bookmark which didn't photograph very well (even worse than the card) I made another card but will wait until tomorrow to take a photo. I could get used to not working Mondays!!

Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there in Bogland. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day with their families. The card above is one I made, with my new Basic Grey papers, for a friend. I'm liking the shabby chic look of these papers! (Excuse photo - it was taken late at night.)

Mothers Day is very cold and unpleasant weatherwise in Christchurch NZ. What better excuse to blob out with the children. The best gift received today has been 'No fighting' :-) At 16 and 12 they seem to fight non-stop lately - my plea for a bicker-free day didn't land on deaf ears. Best present! Although they both bought me lovely thoughtful gifts - not so sure about the teenagers assertion that he didn't need to wrap the beautiful jug he gave me, as he handed it to me in a supermarket bag, he is saving the planet!

I've been dipping into Graceful Creative's blog as she has some wonderful ideas on there. One post which has caught my eye is this one about menu planning. I'm feeling inspired as I know if I don't plan ahead our diet's suffer - last week we had nachoes twice. I know bad mother! Any how I'm off to decide on my menu for the week - not going to commit to two weeks worth just yet, will see how one week goes. Then some grocery shopping then if we don't drown in the rain, home to snuggle on couch and enjoy a movie together, and maybe some crafting time later. Happy Mothers Day everyone.

Where has the year gone?

I'm feeling a bit guilty about my poor wee blog. Can't believe I haven't updated since February - I wish I could say it was because I have been doing wildly wonderful things - but sadly that isn't the case. I've just let day to day 'stuff' get in the way and some how got lost in it all.

Anyway, i have a week off work this week with my youngest and have promised myself some blogging time and some crafty time.

I found this blog today - Graceful Creative and I really like what I have seen so far. She has this 'challenge' on her blog Edit, Add, Appreciate
Edit one thing--material objects, negative thoughts, bad habits, or activities that don't reflect who you are as a person. It doesn't have to be a physical thing; Sometimes bad habits and negative thoughts are more detrimental than physical clutter.
Add something. Bring in something or reinvent one thing in your life--thoughts, habits, activities, clothing, objects...Add something that will help you be a better person; And yes, sometimes a new pair of jeans can help!
Appreciate something or someone already in your life. Hug your children and tell them how special they are. Call your spouse, just because. Be extra polite to the guy who makes your latte. Frame that favorite piece of art.

I really like the simplicity of this and think it might be what I need just now. So this week I am going to:
Edit - some clutter, starting with my work table which is stopping my creativity from flowing
Add - one on one time with each of my children - no distractions, no interruptions, just us
Appreciate -take time to appreciate the change of seasons (autumn has made itself known in NZ), it is my favourite time of year and I don't want to let it go by without acknowledging it. Crunching leaves, kicking leaves, just enjoying the smells and colours of the season.