Handmade holidays

Again I’m ambushed by Christmas. You know, you’d really think I’d see it coming, considering they start putting up the holiday stuff in October now. That’s my main gripe about working in retail. It’s can be so mentally draining that when the holidays get here the last thing I want to do is shop.

This year I’m forgoing that and making cookies/treats and cards. I was inspired by a gorgeous folksy/Scandinavian-esq stamp by Martha Stewart Crafts. I eventually tracked it down at Walmart (Yeah, I know…) and with it saw a ton of other, lovely designs as well as boxes and bags to give treats/baked goods in.

I tell ya, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for the after holiday sales to snap these up! That will be my new holiday tradition: Bargain hunting containers and wrap after the 25th. The goal? To have my supplies by end of summer and be ready to craft, wrap, and go!

My childhood in a box.

Crayons!

My mother would never buy me the really big boxes of crayons. You know, the ones with the sharpeners in the back? Oh, how I coveted those beautiful blocks of artsy goodness! So today when I was at Jo Anne’s, looking for something to pique my interest, what should I find but the 96 crayon set from Crayola! And with a coupon for 40% off, they were mine.

I probably haven’t picked up a crayon since high school art class, or even earlier. It’s been a while, but oh! When I cracked open the perforated top and caught a whiff of that strange waxy-cardboard scent I was instantly five years old again! Then I settled in to re-sort all the crayons into color families because they color better that way…Yes, I’m that much of an art nerd.

See? Aren’t they pretty?

I also dug out an old (But blank) sketchbook and have probably done more drawing today than I have in a year. There’s something so comforting about a crayon. Probably why I like oil pastel so much. I think we as artists psych ourselves out too much when it comes to the creation of art and forget that it’s not just the actual, technical, aspect of creating that is important, but the joy and expression that fuels it.

I’ve decide that this will be my art for art’s sake book. Zero guilt. If I finish a drawing, fine. If not, onto the next page. It’s been fun scribbling with abandon and wanton disregard to color and all the rules I’ve learned over the years.

So you want a five dollar time trip? Pick up some crayons and go for it. Newspaper, sketchpaper, the wall? Be fearless and color outside the lines!

Begin at the beginning

Wow! There is nothing so exciting and daunting as a new website. All this space and no pictures up yet. Bear with me while I tweak and arrange. There’s much to do and share!