The Artist's Way

Isn't it crazy how the universe will answer you when you really need something? So, I am not too keen on new year's resolutions. I find it silly that just because it is a new calendar year, you are going to remake yourself with a whole task list of super high goals that you are going to start all at once. I mean how hard is it to change just one thing about yourself even taking proactive baby steps. And to think you are going to become a new you just because the clock clicked 2008?

Having say that, I got whimsical this past December 31st. 2007 was a good year in some respects but for the most part it really, really sucked. A lot. Like Dyson vacuum sucked. So I got caught up in the "rah-rah it's a new year!" thing. That, and I just am having a REALLY good feeling about this year. I still swear up and down that in 2007 some moon of Saturn was in the wrong alignment of Mercury and therefore we were feeling some negative ju-ju.

But that could just be me.

So this year I did make some new year's resolutions. That and I asked the universe for some help. I will have had my business going for a year this upcoming Feb 1st and while I am happy with it's progress, I really am wanting it to start stepping up to a higher gear. I mean, yes, I love making stuff. But there is this thing, you may have heard of it, it's called money. And you can exchange it for goods and services and say, fixing your car that's on its last leg. And as much as I would love to think my family can all live on sunshine and fresh air, we live in Minnesota where the sun comes out only twice a year.

So what has all this rambling have to do with The Artist's Way (TAW)? Well, I asked the universe to help me become a more creative person. I have had TAW book for about four or five years now. It was a dear present from my wonderful mother-in-law who probably thought that I or my husband would get right on it and become happy, creative people. Well, we had good intentions. But I would always get sidetracked by something silly. I would get a month into it and then miss doing the morning pages once and then just say "screw it!" and forget about it for a bit.

Well the universe being the sneaky bastard it is (meant in only the most endearing way of course) had me stumble upon a creative group that is going to do TAW together. I am always more motivated to do things when I know that others are also struggling through it too. And TAW is a struggle. It starts tapping into these parts of your brain that do not like being tampered with. There is that censor voice that is like "WHAT? You mean to try to drown me out?! Non-sense! You will be stopping this program this very instant!"

So I think I am going to be able to do this time. Like really do it. And I know that in the end both my personal and business self is going to benefit from it.

So, thanks universe.

Painting shoes = awesome

So it was ridiculously cold here in MN over the weekend. I don't think it got above zero and with the wind-chill factor, felt like -15 or worse. So suffice to say that I didn't once go outside the entire time. What to do when you are couped up? Paint your shoes of course :)

They started out as these fine but plain diesel shoes that I haven't worn in a long time:


And magically (okay, more like a whole Saturday later) turned into these!:


Tada!

I used just some thinned out acrylics in lots of layers and then applied a special "leather-only" varnish that is suppose to protect the paint from cracking, chipping, or wearing off. I also did an under layer of white to help with evening out the final color:


Here is the finished one next to the unfinished one. I think they look completely different now:


And more pictures of the finished shoes:





I still have to get some laces for them. I am hoping I can find some fun ones with stars or hearts or I am just going to go with plain grey ones. I also plan to cover up the diesel part on the tongue with some yellow felt. Nothing against diesel as a brand, but I think the khaki color looks just awful with the yellow and grey. Now I am on the hunt for any other leather shoes in our house....

long time, no blogging

Wow, I have been super neglectful of my blog here. Poor blog. But now that all the Christmas hoopla and whatnot is done, I am determined to start up again. This first post of the new year shows off one of the new year resolutions, finally organize my crafting/working area. Yuck, what a mess it was. I wish I had a *before* picture to show just how bad it was but then again, maybe I am glad to not have that image captured. So here is the desk area:


so shiny!

I even took all my junk drawer type boxes and went through them to toss all that I wasn't using. I mean I was ruthless. And then here is the cabinet that also holds even more stuff:



I even have a space up the corner to add to! Which of course gives me a *perfect* reason to go do some shopping, right?

Leafy jacket pin

So I really need a new winter coat. I think I have had mine now for 8 years. It might be the most unflattering thing ever not to mention not the best jacket for Minnesota winters. But I really do not know how to get without it since most jackets seem to run in the $100-200 range. Maybe I could try to attempt making one but the idea of that just exhausts me right now. So anyway I decided to make myself feel better about said coat by giving it a little pizazz with this leafy pin, which is my first (and a bit sad) attempt at embroidery! I know that true embroidery needs like patterns and what not but I just wanted to play around with a couple of the stitches to start out with. I think my jacket will be better off with it.

Oooh! I got a treasury on Etsy!

Isn't it puuuurty?
I am especially hankerin' on that yellow and grey hand spun yarn, I mean only $13 for hand spun yarn?! Problem is I have no idea what i would make with it. I was just checking out the treasuries yesterday and noticed that I was about 5 minutes away from being able to get one. I had to think fast of what I wanted to showcase to come up with a title and I was inspired by these puppies that are my latest obsession!Yikes I am in love with these shoes! But with a price of $88, just a bit (or more) out of my reach

Charmed I'm sure

Wow, I really cannot believe it is October already. I feel like I got NOTHING done in September and the last two weeks have been really slow sale wise. But it seems to be etsy-wide so I am not taking it personally. And I keep getting these opportunities that fall flat for one reason or another. A bit discouraging :/

But I just ordered some super cute charms from a supply seller on etsy, Card Blanc
I am so excited! I also got some bees, keys, and random assortments. I am working on this new idea for my craft show to incorporate felt, fabric, charms, and the like in with my own polyshirnk parts. Also I have having to save up my pennies to make this huge order from fire mountain to restock my dwindling jewelry supply. I hate making orders if I can't get to the 200+ assortment price. But I just got a fortune from a cookie saying I should expect an inheritance from an unexpected source soon. *crossing my fingers for an unknown great uncle to remember me in his will*

Ame hoodie

So I cooked up this little number from a zip hoodie that was on sale at Target for only $5 and some felt that I had hanging out
It is a bit big on her but lucky for me she is growing like a weed and she should fit in it tomorrow (okay a slight exaggeration but it feels like she grows that fast!). And then here is the awesome action shot
The ears look wonky since she is not one to sit still for a picture and the hood was moving all around. But I really ike how it came out. I mean how can you go wrong with a pink panda on a baby?

I got into No Coast Craft-o-rama!

Huzzah! I got accepted as a vendor at the Minneapolis No Coast craft show this December! This is going to be my first craft show so of course I am just as nervous as I am excited. But I am anticipating that no matter how much I sell, it will be a valuable experience. Now I only have two and a half months to prepare...

Crocheted Baby Jumper

So Miss Ame has learned how to pull herself up and cruise around on the furniture. It is a remarkable thing to see, this person that only nine months ago couldn't even hold up her own head is basically walking around. However, this requires her to be constantly supervised leaving me very little time to do, well, anything. But I have learned a great secret. I am able to easily watch her and crochet at the same time. So I am expecting that I will be posting a lot of crochet projects in the future. I am also finally going to teach myself how to knit since I am dying to make this one sweater. But anyway, I was messing around and came up with this little number for Ame Bean. I am really digging grey and yellow together right now. I didn't follow a pattern, just winged it. But I wish I would have tried to write down what I was doing since I really like how it came out and would like to do another. Oh well, such is life.

Lucy is Home!

Lucy got home on Monday and brought along a smash of souvenirs and pictures. Here she is showing off her new Arsenal scarf that Paula knitted for her as well as her new friend Chas Oiseau. I really can't describe how awesome of a swap partner Paula has been, you should check out her flickr album of Lucy's vacation, it's a riot. And she generously included tons of treats, magazines, maps, and generally great stuff (like Guinness bread mix! Yumm!!). Lucy is still decompressing a little from all the excitement but she hopefully may get a chance to go on another trip again someday!