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It’s sort of like having Paris Hilton in my living room.

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It’s been a long time since the mailman brought me anything nearly this nifty…

As a consolation prize for beating my butt in the Great Gift Wrap Challenge of 2011, Michele sent me two of the amazing the most amazing stained-glass-like paper charms based on her children’s childhood drawings. Aren’t they wonderful?

You know, I see all sorts of artistic creations online all the time, but I rarely see them in person. It’s funny when you become familiar with the image of something in your head and then get to see it up close. It’s sort of like having Paris Hilton in my living room.

January, Dude, are you done yet?

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I don’t know about you, but I spend most of January stumbling through a gloomy funk. Somehow the daily grind gets much murkier when the snow on the ground is brown and the snow in the air is coming in sideways. Simple tasks that took an hour in September, can consume an entire day in January. The workload remains the same and yet I constantly feel overwhelmed. Why?

If someone has the answer, please share, because I would really like to know.

Well, I’ll tell you , the one thing I do know is that a lot of Creative Types struggle with this same issue, so I thought I would share one of my favorite rituals for combating creative funk: coloring.

Yes, coloring. As in crayons. Seriously, try it.

Look, it’s not going to replace Zoloft, but honestly, it can help. I’m not sure if it’s the smell of the wax or the rhythmic movements of moving the crayon across the page, but there is something about the act of coloring that clears my mind and puts me at ease. On days like today, when I am feeling especially dreary and overwhelmed, I rely on simple rituals like coloring to get me through the day. I cannot praise it enough.

If you have kids then you probably already have supplies on hand, but if you are living munchkin-free, go down to the corner store and pick up a box of crayons! They cost about the same as a candy bar and can do a lot more good than you ever imagined.

And, for those who are too old for coloring books, there is good news: you can make your own custom coloring pages! Simply upload your digital photo to Crayola’s free and nifty online tool, or follow these Photoshop directions. You are two clicks and a jiffy away from super keen coloring pages. Huzzah!

Public Service Announcement

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The mangled remnants of digital photo data recovery

If you ever accidentally delete the contents of your digital camera’s memory card, or perhaps the lovely airport security people do it for you, please, oh please promise me you will remember one thing: do not take any more pictures.

I repeat: DO NOT TAKE MORE PHOTOS. Get a new memory card and snap away, but leave the damaged/deleted/old card alone.

As soon as you realize the pictures are gone, take the card out of your digital camera and set it on the side. There is a decent chance you can recover the images on the card after you download one of the various data recovery software options.

However, if you take another photo, even just one lousy photo of your foot to test if the camera is working properly, you will lose any remnant images. Gone. You can spend $90 and 12 hours trying to recover the data, but the best you will get is a handful of photos and fractured bits of images layered on top of one another. Just what you always wanted: plaid photographs!

Then the fun only gets better when you can call Canon for help the customer service guy makes fun of you for going all weepy on the phone. After all, it’s not his problem you lost 1,300 photographs. And really, “well, the manual clearly states you will lose your data if you continue to use the memory card once it’s been reformatted.”

So, for anyone out there who missed that line in the manual, THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT PAGE MANUAL, I would like to take a moment to remind you, please, do not take any more pictures.

Thank you.

This has been a public service announcement.

War of the Mermaids and Monkeys

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Last weekend I met up with The Always Awesome Becca Jo at Uncle Fun. For those who have never had the pleasure of visiting in person, I should explain, Uncle Fun is like the ultimate gift shop for uncles who tell awesome dirty jokes. Think Bacon Band-Aids and “Cat Butt” chewing gum. There is a whole shelf devoted to rubber vomit. Oh hush. I know you want to go.

So while we were there, I found a drawer full of monkeys. Yes I said monkeys. Plastic monkeys. Actually, neon, candy colored, plastic monkeys, to be precise. Like those little thinga-meh-bobs you use to mark your cocktails. Well, they were dirt cheap so I picked up a couple and pledged to find a purpose for them.

La dee dah…I got home that night and went to put them in my drawer marked “Too Dang Neat to Throw Out” (No joke. That’s exactly what’s on the hang tag.)… and what do I find? Mermaids. Plastic mermaids. Neon, candy colored, plastic  mermaids, to be precise. I bought them at World Market years ago and totally forgot about them. I laid down my newest acquisition in the same box. Monkeys and mermaids should be friends, right?

WRONG.

La dee dah…next day I am having lunch at a diner when what do I see? Swords. Plastic swords. Neon, candy-colored plastic swords OF COURSE. I asked nicely and she let me take a few home.

As a highly superstitious person, I firmly believe all good things come in threes. I also believe that the universe is magically sending me a message by way of plastic rainbow cocktail markers. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the mermaids challenging the monkeys to a duel. Honestly, COULD IT BE MORE OBVIOUS?

It could also be a sign that these items need to come together. In art. Or something. The question is: what something?

They are so unique and interesting all on their own, I am struggling to think of how I can use them. Anyone out there have any good ideas? You all are so creative and I am royally stumped on this one. Please, please help me come up with something. If I don’t glue them down and appease the universe, I fear I will wake up and find myself surrounded by an army of jagged, rainbow swivel sticks. Help!

Attention Crafty Peeps!

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A while ago I received a wonderful email from Alaleis, who, in addition to having the coolest name ever, is the founder of Kidzlist.com. Her daughter made coffee filters flowers (featured left) for her friends in first grade and asked if they could feature my tutorial on Kidzlist’s brand new arts and crafts section—check it out, and while you are over there, poke around!

Kidzlist is a fantastic local resource guide for all things kid-related. They are currently in 52 cities around the US, perhaps including a neighborhood near you 🙂

And here is where you come in: Analeis is on the prowl! Kidzlist’s arts and craft section is expanding rapidly and is in need of contributors. If you have a project for Kidzlist, shoot her an email analeis@kidzlist.com and she will send you more information.

Also, while I am on the subject of cross-promoting-all-things crafty…

Quilting Arts Magazine is looking for submissions to their upcoming portrait issue. I know a lot of you out there quilt —wouldn’t it be great to see your work in print? Well then, hop to it and  click here for submission details!

RIT Dye is hosting a creative upcycling challenge! Use Rit Dye to re-create anything that needs to be brought back to life. Prizes aplenty. Click here for details.

If anyone else knows of great places to promote your work, please mention in the comments 🙂

A Love Letter to Coffee Filters

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Oh my dearest Coffee Filters
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways….

For lining my flower pots so the soil doesn’t drain out…
For hanging out in the produce bag and keeping my lettuce crisp…
For making my own tea bags…
For making clove and soap sachets to line my drawers and closets…
For blotting up greasy blobs when I fry up biscuit doughnuts…
For diffusing the flash on my camera…
For serving up my morning cup of dry cheerios…
For backing fabric when I’m embroidering or hemming delicate fibers…
For wiping glass, chrome and mirrors without ever leaving a trace of lint…
For baking up super-size cupcakes and cornbread…
For lining the food scale when I am measuring in grams…
For straining wine when I shred the cork…
For covering bowls and dishes in the microwave…
And most of all, for being the neatest and cheapest art supply ever! 

Oh my dearest Coffee Filters , how I love you so. There are lots of other uses for coffee filters, but my favorite is making art, especially kid-friendly art. I have found that kids really enjoy working with coffee filters –it’s different from regular paper and there is something deliciously mischievous about scribbling and tearing up functional objects. It’s like getting permission to draw on the wall –it just sounds fun!

Last month, when I saw Sara’s amazing rainbow-style snowflakes, I just knew they would be great for making valentines. You can color your filters by painting them, or if you are lazy like me, just ask a munchkin to draw on the filters with a washable marker, then spritz with water and watch the magic happen. Once they dry, just trim into snowflakes, same as always. Cheap, easy, beautiful AND just one more reason to love coffee filters!

PS: Try making a few coffee filter flowers and you can enjoy them all year long!

Secret Nibblet: Organize Your Inspiration Files with Wishpot

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Idea file labeled: “Artificial Flowers in Unusual Ways”

Every once in a while I discover a ‘nibblet’ of new-fangled technology that puts a smile on my face. Something that makes life a little easier. Something that makes life a little happier. Something I want to share with everyone I know.

Now, I’m not in the business of promoting products or service, but if I come across something that makes me say “Why didn’t someone tell me about this years ago?!” then, chances are, I am going to let you in on it too. It will be our little secret 😉

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sometimes people ask me where I get ideas for stuff. The answer is usually;

a. Something I did as kid.
   or
b. Something I saw on the internet.

The kid stuff I’ll have to sort out and record one-by-one, but the internet stuff is far more abundant and complicated. At least two or three times a day I see something and say HOLY BAJEEZERS THAT’S COOL!….and I’ll have to make note of it immediately, otherwise it will fall off the hamster wheel inside my brain, never to be seen again.

Now, when I say make note of it that’s a tricky thing.

How do you note it? In a journal? On a que-card? On the back of a napkin?

Ten years ago I would print out the webpage and stick it in a file. Five years ago I would bookmark the hyperlink. Two years ago I would save the image to a file on my computer’s desktop and use the URL as the image description….but, as of six months ago, all that changed. Thanks to a nifty little program called Wishpot, my growing library of inspiration snippets is organized, online, and isn’t consuming gobs of paper or space on my hardrive. Nifty, huh?

If you know about Wishpot, then this is old news to you! If you have never heard of Wishpot, get ready to be impressed. It’s free. It’s fabulous. It’s easy to use. You are going to love it.

Think of Wishpot like a online bridal registry, minus the wedding, and instead of tagging gifts, you are tagging ideas. Interested? I could explain all the knitty-gritty here, but I suggest you pop on over and watch this quick video on Creature Comforts –Ez explains it so much better than I ever could! (BTW, while your over there, pop around the site. Geez, talk about sources for inspiration!)

Wishpot is initially intended as shopping site, but you can use it to organize just about anything online. I use it to record and sort my online inspiration, while my friend Jami uses it to keep track of online recipes. I have a coworker who uses it to store the titles of books and music she is considering buying down the road. I have even heard of people using it to organize their business receipts and invoices. The possibilities are endless!!

I know there are other similar services out there, but I have found this one to be the easiest for me to use. If anyone else out there uses other tools for organizing their sources of online inspiration, or just other nifty tools in general, feel free to post it in the comments!

Thatched Paper Wall

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Living Room at Casa Peaches

A few folks inquired about the book pages in the background of my photographs. I never mentioned it before because I put it up long before the blog began…but since y’all asked….

It was really very easy. Cheap too. AND apartment-dweller-friendly (read: it doesn’t damage the wall. Wahoo!)

If you come to my tiny place, you will see a lot of things, not just the one wall, covered in old book pages. It’s kind of my thing. Not like I invented it, I just like to use it everywhere. I love the visual texture it creates especially when used in mass.  It’s like a neutral.

Yes, I said neutral.

Neutral means beige and gray  and cream and navy blue, to some people…to others, like me, neutral means old books, brown craft paper, black and white stripes and Kermit the Frog green.

But that’s just me.

It might be a little heavy handed for some folks but I like it just fine. It creates a great textural base layer to display all kinds of other stuff. It’s also the one wall in my home that gets flooded with natural light every morning, so you will see it in my photographs a lot.

Hmmm…what do these projects have in common?

It’s like an apartment-friendly alternative to wallpaper. Just use a low-adhesive tape, like painters tape or removable scrapbooking tape. This wall has been up for over a year now and is doing just great. There was an especially humid stretch in the summer when I would find a page or two falling down every week, but big whoop! A little extra tape patched it up just fine.

If you choose to do this, the one thing you will need to be careful about is choosing the book. It needs to be big. It needs to be interesting. It needs to be an author you enjoy.

See, everyone who sees this wall is going to ask you “what book is this?” and it would be really embarrassing if you had to tell them it was some crumby thing you got at an airport concession stand. The book I chose was a three part volume: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island.

Suppose I could have chosen something much more high-brow, but LM Montgomery is my childhood favorite. Plus, she is one of those authors who writes in a way that each sentence stands on it’s own –you can look at any page on this wall and find a wonderful passage. It’s a constant source of comfort and inspiration. I love it to pieces.

One day I will leave this apartment and I’m pretty sure I will shed a tear when it comes time to take down this wall. Maybe the new tenants will be Anne with an E fans too and I can leave it up.  Fingers crossed!

If you aren’t the literary type, there are all kinds of things you could thatch. What about yellow pages? Or sheet music? Or newsprint? (Anthropologie catalogue always does a lot of neato stuff with newsprint)….What about cookbooks? Wouldn’t it be cool to see a whole formal dining room covered in pages from 5 or 6 different cookbooks? They would all come together is different shades of cream and different styles of font….Oooo, I could just swoon. Someone do this and send me a picture!

The trick is to start with the edges, then work from the bottom up.

Must give credit where credit due: First time I saw a thatched paper wall was in the hallway outside Mrs. B’s art room. For a while in college, I toyed with the idea of being an art teacher and was lucky enough to serve as her aide for a semester. Things went in a different direction for me, but I learned an awful lot from Mrs. B, including the concept of layering children’s art work. If you have enough space to hang your kid’s art on it’s won with lots of space around, that’s great. But if you are a Chicago Public School teacher with 250 kids, white space isn’t really an option.

To address the problem and make sure every child could point to their work and be proud, Mrs. B took to layering their work like thatched shingles. The end result was a hallway filled with a riot of color and texture. The pieces would gradually change over the course of the year, but the overall feeling of joyful excitement never changed. Most important, the kids loved it 🙂

Thanks Mrs. B!

Not Bad for Two Bucks

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Check out my new shoes! They are from a party at the G-Dub.

Btw, G-Dub is short for Goodwill, as my friend Dee calls it. Also known as the thrift store, or second-hand shop, or charity shoppe if you are fancy and spell shop with two P’s and an E.

I wish I could pull off fancy spelling.

Well, while I was the G-Dub Shoppe, I got my artistic brain juices (technical term) going by challenging myself to make One Pretty Thing out of Two Ugly Things using $2.00 or less.

I won’t show you pictures of the two “ugly things” for fear someone will recognize the items and think I have deemed their personal possessions “ugly”….Heavens to Murgatroid, that would be rude, so you will have to settle for  the recipe, or shall I say, equation;

         One pair of teal satin 1980’s bridesmaid shoes

      + One 1970’s tapestry needle point thing of a a scary clown 

       =Pretty New Party Shoes!

   
Just slice up the tapestry into 2cm strips and  and glue to the shoe. Regular white glue works on lightweight materials, but heavy stuff does better with tile adhesive. There are oddles of variations on this method …check out some of these super cool decoupaged shoes!

That’s it. Complicated, right? They looked a little sloppy, so I embraced it and added some raw, red, Frankenstein style stitches. Done.

No one will ever consider them elegant or refined, but they are a pretty nifty. Not bad for two bucks!

Name that Pink!

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Every year, the good people at Pantone pull together color experts from around the world to predict design trends and to select the Color of the Year.

2010 Color of the Year: Turquoise

2011 Color of the Year: Honeysuckle

From Pantone:  

While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

Yeah yeah yeah….elevate the psyche and all that is swell. Problem is: honeysuckle is white. Maybe cream. Even yellow, maybe. NOT PINK.

Should this bother me? No. Does this bother me? Yes. In fact it bothers me to the point that I have avoided using this pink-lemonade like color the last month just because I am irked.

IRKED I tell you!

And that’s too bad. It’s a nice color. I love me some pink. And yes, technically, honeysuckle comes in a variety of colors, including pink, so I really have no right to be annoyed. But I am . I am annoyed and anxious to fix the problem.

So today, I want to give this color a new name. Doesn’t mean anyone will ever use it in an official capacity, but come on, let’s have some fun! What shall we name it?

Here, I’ll start a list–you chime in some ideas in the comments. Let’s do this!

Iced Watermellon
Revenge of the 80’s
Pink Lemonade
Mamie Eisenhower’s Underpants
Snooki Love
Pink Gumballs
Lolita
Srawberry Magrarita
Milk Punch Romance
Flirtation
Pixie Dust
Carol Channing Pink

….Your turn!

PS: Anyone share my fixation on color names, read this earlier post.