Mini book

So after seeing several mini book youtube videos I got a little hooked.  I’ve been playing with creating small books with used envelopes or cereal boxes and painting, stitching, covering, etc.  It’s fun.  There’s one small problem.  I don’t have any use for them.  I mean I don’t have any impulse to write in them or add photos.  They end up being empty albums.  I struggled with what to do…and then came up with an answer….RAK.  I’ve decided to leave them in public areas to be found by someone.  The cereal box one is harder to leave, but my first one is ready to go.  I’ve taken photos to keep a record of what I’ve done and what I’m sending out into the world.

TFL

Gifting

It’s taken me awhile to finally download a bunch of photos from my camera including the napkin rings I made for one of my sister’s in law.  I’m not a practiced X-mas participant and I have found the last few years of buying a $25 gift card and passing to the left rather unsatisfying.  So this year when on the list of items wanted I saw “decorative napkin rings” I was just thrilled! Off I went to Michaels in search of the perfect materials to make some….I had no idea just what that would be, but roaming the isles I found a bag of leather strips and a bag of bells.  I knew I had beads and wire at home and before I knew it 3 sets of three rings were born.  Three white leather, three black leather, and three tan leather. The white and the black  are shown below.  It was so much fun to make something and I vowed next year I would come up with something to ask for and not perpetuate the soulless gift card pass along!

New ATC, new technique, for me.

I  actually have been working on a lot of cards lately, just not scanning and posting.  Here is the last one I did manage to scan.  The people are each on cardstock that can be slipped out or tucked in and the “bed” is a small first time playing with needle felting.

I am now addicted to needle felting beads….

New Year’s Post

I keep seeing New Year’s posts from so many–their messages of hope and goals for the new year.  It’s funny…January  has never really felt like the start of the year.  The Jewish New Year in in the fall, right around the start of school.  I’ve been influenced more years than not by the school year calendar, even at 44, that fall always feels like the beginning for me.  I’m not a resolution maker–I hate making promises that I can’t keep, and for me goals don’t really work.  Don’t get me wrong…I’ve achieved a fair amount in this life.  I have a master’s degree, I am completing  a post-master’s program, I have a thriving (though somewhat struggling at this moment) business, a successful marriage, and a wonderful dog. I own my postage stamp apt in NYC with a view of the Empire State building, not bad, huh? And not one of those things came from a clear and articulated goal–so I don’t make them.  I do tend to review the past–it’s been a challenging year.  My husband’s job has become increasingly stressful, my business has taken some hits,  we’ve needed to scale back on recreation, and extended family is ailing.  Still, our home is secure, our heads are above water, our health has been good, and our dog is a delight! I am very thankful.  I’m thankful and hopeful.  While I’ve embraced an identity as an artist, I have not made it my main focus.  I have increased my focus in the last 18 months and it has shown–this blog while not utilized to the fullest, is satisfying to me; I’ve had 2 pieces accepted into juried shows and that has been thrilling; and I’m working on a body of work.  Again, thankful and hopeful.

As the new year starts, I carry on.  I know that as I move forward a pattern evolves and looking back periodically allows me to see the pattern and fuels my hope for the future.  I keep my “future” thoughts fairly near the present–I work at not looking too far ahead.  I have no crystal ball and like to keep it that way.

Wishing you all peace.