My mom bought me this book for Christmas. When I first received it I just assumed it was a drawing/sketching book/journal with a few words to help get the creative juices flowing. I liked the idea well enough, but as busy as I tend to be, I didn't actually sit down to work with it for a very long time.
After I did open the book, pencil in hand and ready to draw, I quickly learned the idea was not to draw but to create collages, and to "discover" oneself in the process. -While I'm not terribly into the deepness of self-discovery through a book that is basically an organized way to revisit the childhood fun of simple collage, I do enjoy the idea and like the way the book is organized.
-If you've been reading my blog for long you know I like to shop (usually from home) but don't like to spend money, and that I therefore spend a fair amount of time flipping through catalogues and updating my online wishlists. What you may not know is that I keep a small stash catalogues and magazines with pictures that I find particularly appealing -for a long time. I have a rather large collection of Pottery Barn catalogues, for example, because I just like to look at them from time to time.
Tonight I went through several magazines and catalogues, cutting out loads of pictures. Looking at so many pictures of things I like (which is the idea-not to create art, but to make a collection of things you enjoy) was terrific! I'm going to be seeing images of pretty things all night!
There is also the added bonus that I just threw away at least 10 or 15 magazines and catalogues in one night! (Did you ever save a catalogue for the one or two items you liked in all 100 pages? I had no problem discarding the catalogues after cutting out those pictures, and now it's sort of like having a terrific catalogue filled with only things that I like... and without all the prices reminding me that I can't have them!)
This is basic therapy for me. It's like coloring. Didn't you ever have someone hand you a page from a coloring book and some crayons, when times were particularly stressful? It may not heal the pain, but it is a nice way to relax and enjoy oneself.
Thanks Mom!
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Why didn't I think of this???
I never understand how people come up with this stuff, and I only wish I could be so creative.
In case you haven't already heard, Kyle MacDonald started with one red paperclip and traded up for a pen... then a doorknob... then a coleman stove... then a generator... then an instant party (keg, neon Budweiser sign, and an I.O.U. for a keg's worth of beer)... then a snowmobile... then a trip to Yahk (I didn't know where that was either)... then a cube van... then a recording contract... then a year in Pheonix (free rent)... then an afternoon with Alice Cooper... and next... who knows? His goal? He is trying to trade one red paperclip... for a house.
He'll probably do it too.
If only I could thinkg up something so brilliant!
In case you haven't already heard, Kyle MacDonald started with one red paperclip and traded up for a pen... then a doorknob... then a coleman stove... then a generator... then an instant party (keg, neon Budweiser sign, and an I.O.U. for a keg's worth of beer)... then a snowmobile... then a trip to Yahk (I didn't know where that was either)... then a cube van... then a recording contract... then a year in Pheonix (free rent)... then an afternoon with Alice Cooper... and next... who knows? His goal? He is trying to trade one red paperclip... for a house.
He'll probably do it too.
If only I could thinkg up something so brilliant!
Monday, April 24, 2006
So, dirt...
...my new motivation for working hard...
Tonight, after story time, Tommy and I were talking. (I love it!) He has been very excited to garden with me, which is a little funny because I don't know the first thing about gardening, though I have been wanting to plant some flowers since before we moved here. The reason he has been so excited is that we went to Target on Saturday and bought him his own gardening tools and gloves ($1 each, thank you). He asked us all rainy weekend if we could go outside and garden, and he continues to do so. Tonight he said we would garden "next day." I explained that we needed to buy dirt first (never thought I would be buying dirt), and he said, "Oh yes! We have to buy dirt first, before we can garden!" I also explained that we needed money in order to buy the dirt, and he agreed. When I asked where we were going to get money he thought for a minute, and then he said we would get it from his piggy bank. "Ok," I thought, "that's a good start," so I asked where we would get money after all the money in the piggy bank was gone, and he paused to think again. He finally decided we would "just get some," and then he added a few seconds later, "from the machine." (If only it were that easy.) I said, "Yeah, but how do we get money into the machine?" and while the gears were clearly still turning, I could tell he was truly puzzled, so I finally let him in on the fact that Mommy and Daddy have to work to get money. He seemed to feel much better, now having the mystery solved, and again said, "Oh, yes! That's where we get money! You and Daddy have to work so you can get money, so we can buy dirt!" Now we were onto something. "That's right!" I said. "Mommy and Daddy have to work all week, so that on Friday we can get some money, and then, on Saturday, we can buy dirt, and then we can garden!" That seemed to please him.
I now have a new goal for the week. Work hard. Make money. Buy dirt.
It's a good plan, don't you think?
I love having a 4-year-old.
Tonight, after story time, Tommy and I were talking. (I love it!) He has been very excited to garden with me, which is a little funny because I don't know the first thing about gardening, though I have been wanting to plant some flowers since before we moved here. The reason he has been so excited is that we went to Target on Saturday and bought him his own gardening tools and gloves ($1 each, thank you). He asked us all rainy weekend if we could go outside and garden, and he continues to do so. Tonight he said we would garden "next day." I explained that we needed to buy dirt first (never thought I would be buying dirt), and he said, "Oh yes! We have to buy dirt first, before we can garden!" I also explained that we needed money in order to buy the dirt, and he agreed. When I asked where we were going to get money he thought for a minute, and then he said we would get it from his piggy bank. "Ok," I thought, "that's a good start," so I asked where we would get money after all the money in the piggy bank was gone, and he paused to think again. He finally decided we would "just get some," and then he added a few seconds later, "from the machine." (If only it were that easy.) I said, "Yeah, but how do we get money into the machine?" and while the gears were clearly still turning, I could tell he was truly puzzled, so I finally let him in on the fact that Mommy and Daddy have to work to get money. He seemed to feel much better, now having the mystery solved, and again said, "Oh, yes! That's where we get money! You and Daddy have to work so you can get money, so we can buy dirt!" Now we were onto something. "That's right!" I said. "Mommy and Daddy have to work all week, so that on Friday we can get some money, and then, on Saturday, we can buy dirt, and then we can garden!" That seemed to please him.
I now have a new goal for the week. Work hard. Make money. Buy dirt.
It's a good plan, don't you think?
I love having a 4-year-old.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Warming up the Walls
Brian left this morning to go grocery shopping, leaving Tommy and I at home, knowing that neither of us would be terribly interested in the errand. (In accordance with the wonderful blessing of a husband who cooks seems to come the rare priveledge of one who also likes to do the grocery shopping, mostly so that he can plan meals....) Well, about 53 seconds (give or take) after he left, we lost power and quickly started to wish we had gone with him.
Had it been as warm and sunny as it were a few days earlier we would have just played outside, but it was very rainy and somewhat cold, so that didn't happen. I would like to say we didn't need the electricity to keep us busy, but it honestly drove us crazy before long. It wasn't so much the TV; we weren't watching that anyway. I admit to missing the computer, as I had it on when the power started to flicker, but I could have done without that too. What was aggravating was the fact that we couldn't cook a thing or listen to music... or just look up and see the time. Of course the biggest frustration was missing the Red Sox game.
We hung out for a while. Tommy and I called my mom on the cell, and then we played a little. Brian came home and read some magazines. I crocheted while Tommy played and read, and then I, too, read a magazine and started studying for an upcoming licensing test for work. I read Tommy a book and played with him a little more, and then it started to get cold. We were beginning to get antsy, and Brian started to notice things he had been wanting to do since we moved into our apartment a year and a half ago... like hanging pictures on the wall. (Catching on to the title, are you?) We made a decision to go to the mall and purchase some art.
We had been looking for the right pieces for some time now, so we knew what we were looking for. It wasn't exactly fine art (ok, it was nothing like it), but it was cheap and reflected our passion for Red Sox and Patriots, plus it ended up making a big difference in our living room. For a total of $30 (plus tax), this is what we found:
We're happy. Hopefully some day we'll get a house, and the pictures will end up in our game room. In the meantime they add some much-needed color to our living room. We have also started hanging some photographs elsewhere, which is nice. It's funny how such simple things can make such a big difference.
Had it been as warm and sunny as it were a few days earlier we would have just played outside, but it was very rainy and somewhat cold, so that didn't happen. I would like to say we didn't need the electricity to keep us busy, but it honestly drove us crazy before long. It wasn't so much the TV; we weren't watching that anyway. I admit to missing the computer, as I had it on when the power started to flicker, but I could have done without that too. What was aggravating was the fact that we couldn't cook a thing or listen to music... or just look up and see the time. Of course the biggest frustration was missing the Red Sox game.
We hung out for a while. Tommy and I called my mom on the cell, and then we played a little. Brian came home and read some magazines. I crocheted while Tommy played and read, and then I, too, read a magazine and started studying for an upcoming licensing test for work. I read Tommy a book and played with him a little more, and then it started to get cold. We were beginning to get antsy, and Brian started to notice things he had been wanting to do since we moved into our apartment a year and a half ago... like hanging pictures on the wall. (Catching on to the title, are you?) We made a decision to go to the mall and purchase some art.
We had been looking for the right pieces for some time now, so we knew what we were looking for. It wasn't exactly fine art (ok, it was nothing like it), but it was cheap and reflected our passion for Red Sox and Patriots, plus it ended up making a big difference in our living room. For a total of $30 (plus tax), this is what we found:
We're happy. Hopefully some day we'll get a house, and the pictures will end up in our game room. In the meantime they add some much-needed color to our living room. We have also started hanging some photographs elsewhere, which is nice. It's funny how such simple things can make such a big difference.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
I won!
I was searching for pictures from Wallace and Gromit this morning, particularly for today's post, when I won on Blingo! It was just a movie ticket, but I haven't won anything in a very long time, so I was surprised. Because I signed up through Stephanie's link, she won too. How great is that? While I haven't seen a movie in the theater in four and a half years (no joke), I might just have to do something outrageous now and actually go out for a movie! Actually, I've been wanting to take Tommy to his first movie theater movie, now that he is four, so maybe we'll wait for just the right one and use it for that. Any good suggestions?
With all the excitement (okay, I know it's not that big of a deal), I have forgotten what it was that I wanted to say about Wallace and Gromit. I will say, though that my favorite short is A Grand Day Out (above). Tommy, of course, likes the train scene from The Wrong Trousers (below). After all, how can you go wrong with a movie that ends with the on-train capture of a wanted penguin jewel thief, where the penguin ends up flying through the air and landing with a quick "pop," inside a milk bottle, which just landed in the hands of a dog who, less than a second ago, crashed into the kitchen cupboards? Nick Park is brilliant.
With all the excitement (okay, I know it's not that big of a deal), I have forgotten what it was that I wanted to say about Wallace and Gromit. I will say, though that my favorite short is A Grand Day Out (above). Tommy, of course, likes the train scene from The Wrong Trousers (below). After all, how can you go wrong with a movie that ends with the on-train capture of a wanted penguin jewel thief, where the penguin ends up flying through the air and landing with a quick "pop," inside a milk bottle, which just landed in the hands of a dog who, less than a second ago, crashed into the kitchen cupboards? Nick Park is brilliant.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Why?
I don't know how I find time to do it, but I always do. I always check familiar blogs for new posts, and I occasionally (ok maybe more than occasionally) get side-tracked and start to forget that I am not serious about yarn! What? Yes, yarn! It all started with A Housewife With Yarn (no offense Stephanie - I love the blog), and all the links along the side. I really do enjoy reading, but I get so distracted by all the wonderful yarn blogging and lose myself. The other day it dawned on me that I have knit a total of *1* item in the past, oh, 10 or 15 years. Yes, it's true. Now, I enjoy knitting, and I like to plan lots of future projects... just as I have planned to use my new sewing machine and make some skirts and baby clothes... and curtains for Tommy's room, which are waaayyy overdue. I do have some limited experience from way back when, and I haven't lost it completely, plus I have completed 2 projects since late January/early February and am more than half way through the third (the second two being crochet), but I am nowhere near in the league of all these other serious people! Why, then, am I so drawn to these blogs? Tell me, why? I am borderline addicted. It's crazy!
Of course, I don't see anything wrong with enjoying what good people put out there to share, and I am sure I will continue to do so. I just want to know why. What is about you knitters and crochet-ers and your reflections on something so simple as yarn that draws me in?
Perhaps I'm just jealous that you've found something so simple and made it into something that can be faboulously interesting. Yes, yarn has become very interesting to me. You all have roped me in. It's true. I'm afraid there is no escaping now.
Of course, I don't see anything wrong with enjoying what good people put out there to share, and I am sure I will continue to do so. I just want to know why. What is about you knitters and crochet-ers and your reflections on something so simple as yarn that draws me in?
Perhaps I'm just jealous that you've found something so simple and made it into something that can be faboulously interesting. Yes, yarn has become very interesting to me. You all have roped me in. It's true. I'm afraid there is no escaping now.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
My Last Post
With a score of 5-1 Devil Rays, in the bottom of the 9th, with the bases loaded and Trot Nixon at bat, I had to do something.
It didn't work, though I tried.
It didn't work, though I tried.
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