The Life Poetic

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

The art of collecting memorabilia, assembling photos, and recounting my memories....my blessings.... results in a craft that I count worthwhile....satisfying....and perpetually delightful.  Today women across the continent are assembling to spend the day in festive observance of National Scrapbooking Day, and I will be one of them!

To kick off my National Scrapbooking Day festivities, I’m announcing the randomly drawn winner of the Cupcake Giveaway!
And the winner is…….. Lynn Mathers!
Thanks to all who participated, and be sure to come back for future give-aways!

And now I’m going to continue the Scrapbook par-tay by splitting my day between my two “hometowns”: Whittier (the town I grew up in) and San Clemente (the town I call home now and where we are rooted and raising our family). It feels so warm, and personal, and homey to be passing the day away in the two towns closest to my heart…with two of the scrapbook stores closest to my heart (I Love Scrappin’ in Whittier, CA  and ‘Member Me Scrapbooking in San Clemente, CA)…and their owners whom I adore (Teresa and Nicole).

If you don’t have plans today and want to make a fun, springy, make-and-take (the pencil top pinwheel), get some Sonnets freebies, gander at some of my projects, and come gab with me, please come on over! The more the merrier!

Here’s where I’ll be celebrating:

Noon to 4 p.m.    I Love Scrappin’
                                16561 Whittier Blvd.
                                Whittier, CA
                                (562) 902-2799

6 to 8 p.m.        ‘Member Me Scrapbooking
                            372 Camino De Estrella
                            San Clemente, CA 
                            (949) 542-7676

And might I be so bold as to suggest another way you might celebrate National Scrapbooking Day? My recommendation is to head on over to Karen’s blog, and donate a mere buck or more that will go entirely to Women for Women International. You’ll be extending a hand of assistance to our sisters in war torn countries and in return for your donation you’ll be entered into a drawing that might get you an awesome scrapbook gift basket…or even better: a chance at having your own photos scrapbooked by me (smile; it would be my honor and privilge) or another celebrated scrapbooker. There are only a couple more days left to get in on this phenomenal fundraiser that is a total win/win for everyone!

Women For Women

To live in a place where opportunity abounds…where safety for ourselves and our chidren is a granted part of life. ..and where women are rightly availed to education and can aspire to careers of their choosing…where food is as close as a grocery trip away… we are so blessed.

I can’t imagine what women in war torn countries like Sudan, Kosovo, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Iraq  deal with. Their strength, courage and triumph in the midst of adversity inspires me.  Will they ever know how much they are  respected? Will they ever feel the support of women more fortunate? Will they know that they have sisters in the United States who think of them…care about them…pray for them…who want to help?

There is a way. And I'm so proud to be joined with a force of wonderful, talented women who have teamed up in hopes of making a difference by raising money for the organization Women for Women International.

A $1 donation (all of which will go to Women for Women) will put you in the running for having your own personal photos scrapbooked in a layout by a talented scrapbook artist, or possibly being awarded a fabulous gift basket of scrapbook products from some great donors. And since this is about women, how apropos that the multitude of winners will be announced on Mother’s Day!

For all the details on how to enter visit Karen Russell’s blog (big thanks to Karen for spearheading this endeavor).

Definitely spend some time learning about Women for Women and all the meaningful work they do.

And then, for fun, you could visit the sites and blogs of all the gifted women who have decided to participate
(I took a little time this morning to do that, and I was both introduced to some new fascinating women and was also delightfully surprised to find out some of my industry pals were holding out on me and had blogs! What fun!):

Alannah Jurgensmeyer  Ali Edwards  Amy Grendell  Angelia Wigginton  Becky Higgins  Candi Gershon  Carrie Colbert  Carol Wingert  Cathy Zielske  Cheryl Manz  Christine Adolph  Christine Brown  Christy Tomlinson  Dana Smith  Danelle Johnson  Danielle Thompson  Denise Pauley  Erica Hernandez  Erikia Ghumm  Erin Lincoln  Faye Morrow Bell  Ginger Rohlfs  Heather Melzer
Heather Preckel  Heidi Swapp   Janna Wilson   Jen Lessinger  Jenni Bowlin   Jennifer Harrison  Jennifer McGuire  Jennifer Wohlenberg  Joanna Bolick  Joy Uzarraga   Judith Fender
Julie Scattaregia   Kah-Mei Smith    Karen Burniston   Karen Russell  Kelli Crowe   Kristina Nicolai-White  Leslie Lightfoot
Lisa Russo   Loni Stevens   Marah Johnson    Margie Romney-Aslett   Maria Grace Abuzman   Melissa Inman
Nichol Magouirk   Pam Kopka   Patricia Anderson  Polly Maly   Rebecca Sower   Renee Camacho   Renee Coffey    Renee Villabos-Campa   Robin Johnson    Robyn Werlich   Rhonna Farrer   Sarah Champion   Shannon Montez   Shannon Tidwell   Stacey Panassidi   Stacey Sattler  Sue Thomas   Susan Weinroth
Tara Whitney  Tena Sprenger   Teresa Collins  Teresa McFayden  Terrie McDaniel   Tia Bennett  Tracy Kyle  Vicki Boutin  Vicki Harvey

Cause for Celebration

The featured quote at left from Joseph Zinker really sums up my thoughts about creativity...about meaningful  practices such as journal keeping and scrapbooking....about how they connect the dots to life and creative purpose.

Hopefully today’s blog post will spur on lots of reasons to celebrate!

First reason to celebrate:
A Sonnets Cupcake Collection Giveaway!
Here’s a photo of the festive and fun birthday collection of papers, stickers, epoxy, chipboard and ribbon that you will be receiving.  (You’ll even get the sunny yellow metal tub pictured.)

To enter:
1. Click on E-Mail Me at the sidebar on the right.
2. Put “Cupcake Giveaway” in the subject line of the e-mail and send it off to me.
3. I will pick a winner at random and post their name here.
(I will also reply back to the winner for their snail mail address to which I will send the winning loot).

“When?”, you ask, will I draw the winner’s name and post for all to see?
Well ….that leads me to my second reason to celebrate:
National Scrapbook Day!

On May 6th I plan to celebrate National Scrapbook Day in a few ways:
- as mentioned, by drawing the winner of the above Cupcake Giveaway
- and by doing "make and takes" at a couple of my favorite scrapbook stores!

So if you are in the Los Angeles or Orange County areas on May 6th, maybe you will want to come to one of these two events and join me in commemorating a wonderful craft form that celebrates life and creativity!  Here’s where I’ll be:

Nat’l Scrapbooking Day
May 6th, 2005

Noon to 4 p.m.           I Love Scrappin’
                                    16561 Whittier Blvd.
                                    Whittier, CA  16561
                                    (562)902-2799

6 to 8 p,m,                ‘Member Me Scrapbooking
                                    372 Camino De Estrella
                                    San Clemente, CA
                                    (949) 542-7676

Tomorrow I have a truly exciting post about an even more dynamic type of giveaway.
One that celenrates creativity....one that celebrates women...one that celebrates the human spirit!
One that I hope that you might want to participate in!

Love Notes

First off, I’m sending out a little love note to Lauren Elliott who is the randomly chosen winner of our Love in Bloom giveaway. Thanks to all who participated, and as usual, stop by the blog again as more contests and giveaways are going to be a frequent occurrence here.

Next, I wanted to share a few of the joys of working as an artist where your children are part of the coming and going scene of the workplace: where the daily life of your vocation blurs with that of your family life. Case in point, are these signs that my daughter, Victoria,  has been in the studio (photo on right). These little notes scrawled in chalk just make me smile, even when we are in the heat of a deadline.

When Beth came to work on Monday, this little love note was waiting for her (photo on left).
Misspelled words and all, it just makes you feel loved.

These are the little things that make the studio such an inviting place to come to day in and day out. If you want more glimpses into our studio life, I started a little photo album here. (Since it was such a gorgeous sunny and clear week, and since I had to clean up the pre-CHA chaos, it was the perfect time to snap a few shots of the studio cottage. It won’t stay this tidy for long, and Lord willing, we are going to be remodeling one day when the permits and financing all fall together, but that’s a story for another post.)

Think about leaving some love notes of your own: the classic lipstick rendered note on the bathroom mirror, or a post-it note on the dashboard of your hubby’s car…. a folded note dropped into your child’s lunch bag… an unsolicited expression of affection to your whole beloved family on the ‘ole refrigerator whiteboard.

And remember the endless streams of notes passed between you and your best friend in high school? The ones where scribbles, pictures, and things of great importance (of the moment at least) were a significant part of your communication as best friends. Maybe its time to unearth that form or correspondence! Why don’t you scribble a note to your best friend today!

Demystifying the Artistic Process

I hear much talk about the mantra, “enjoy the [artistic] process”. However, I find that many people really find the whole artistic process to be a perplexing mystery. Hard pressed to know that the artistic process is, they don’t even begin to know how to enjoy it. Intimidated by the whole thing, they often don’t approach artistic practices at all, or enjoy them in the least.  Well, it needn’t be so. Let’s try to break it down and demystify the artistic process!

Today’s quote by Jean Cocteau eludes to the fact that there is a conscious and unconscious aspect to art. I think that is true, but I also think of the artistic process as an equation where there is a mechanical part and a mental/emotional part.

The mechanical part of art is really about the execution. The mechanics can be anything from selecting fonts, picking pantones, determining your medium, actual illustration (whether it be graphic or manual), to collage or painting. The mechanics are something that is simply studied and practiced. Studying can certainly be done through a form of less formal means (like reading up on technique, and observing more accomplished artists). Or studying can be done by a more formal means, like in a classroom environment. Both are entirely valid. I am more a student of observation, but I envy those who have great technical skill formed by years in the classroom. No fear, though; very often is the case, that both forms of study can take you to the same destination!

After that it is really about practical or applied knowledge and understanding. Trial and error, practice and more practice, is what will cause you to be a “good mechanic”. Building experience for yourself (even it is just at your own drawing board) is what will lend you confidence. And frankly, feeling more confident about your art is a key part in “enjoying the process”. If I try to hone my mechanics in the middle of a deadline, frankly, that is NOT an enjoyable process.

One thing I recommend is to be sure to schedule time for simply playing with mediums and hue and form (where there is no deadline!). This will help you to maintain that childlike love for the art. And if art is not your profession but is your recreational pursuit, treat it as such! Hobbies are not intended to stressful but rather a stress-reliever! If art is your profession, I think it is all the more important to have play dates with your paints, charcoals, and papers! It renews within you what drew you to the artistic pursuits in the first place.

While the mechanical part of art is what is really coming from your hands (maybe what Cocteau calls “conscious”), there is a crucial part of art that is mental or emotional,  and pertains to what is occurring within you as you work (maybe what Cocteau calls the “unconscious”).  This mental disposition while you create is really what can make or break your enjoying the process. I speak about this at length here, but in large part, I think the mental part of art is about cultivating love and joy. That love and joy will cause you to work with passion, verve and ultimately result in beauty. That love and joy will cause you to “enjoy the process” especially as you learn to see yourself and your art through God’s eyes.  As you do this, you will begin to not critique your work too harshly and rather allow the work to evolve.

To play devil’s advocate, I suppose some truly great art was spawned not from a place of joy, but rather a place grief, depression, anger, or even rage. I merely postulate, that those pieces while stirring (Van Gogh’s later work comes to mind) were probably very painful to create, and an enjoyment of the process was nonexistent.

Perhaps prompted by this quote, I have been reflecting a lot lately about what things I might be feeding my mind that come forth in my art. For me I think it can be summed up in “…whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:1). If I can keep my conscious and unconscious mind nurtured with such a diet, then the marriage of the two is sure to be a happy union, yielding art that is a reflection!

Love with a Paper Doily

With Valentine’s Day nearing, it’s a perfect time to bless another with an expression of your friendship or love. The loving influence on one soul to another shouldn’t need an occasion, but for those that need a little encouragement in that department, the upcoming holiday provides just that!

I adore the iconography of Valentine’s Day (Victoriana cupids, hearts and flowers) and delight in all the paper crafting that takes place leading up to February 14th.  Fond recollections surface of elementary school days when the holiday meant paste, pink & red construction paper, and lacey white paper doilies; when you were so careful to pick just the right conversation heart bearing just the right message you wanted to convey to that special someone. Rickrack and velvet ribbons all still make my heart skip a beat.

In the spirit of those nostalgic memories, we have added two new projects at The Design Room. Be sure to download the pdf instructions (which includes a template that can be printed right on to the rear of your paper) making the project entirely simple! I’ve already made a centerpiece of the heart flowers in a white porcelain urn, and made thirty plus pillow boxes for my daughter, Victoria, to take to school.

Also, for no other reason but to share the love, we are going to randomly give away all the elements from our Love in Bloom collection. (Your winning loot shown here on the right).

To enter:
1. Click on Email Me at the sidebar on the right.
2. Put “Love in Bloom Give Away” in the subject line of the e-mail and send it off to me.
3. On Friday morning, the 10th, I will pick the winner at random. (I will reply back to the winner for their snail mail address in addition to posting the winner’s name on the blog as well).

Congratulations to......

(the obligatory drum roll, please).......Dana O' Dea!

Dana, I hope you enjoy your new set of Flea Market Foam Stamps and the Enchanted Evening collection of papers and embellishments.

All other entrants and visitors, stay tuned because I have another givaway planned for the first part of February!

Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun.

The First of Many to Come

I think one crucial element in living “a life poetic” (or one that is inspired and expressive) is to include some form of giving in your daily life.

Giving can be demonstrated in a material form ($$$ or things), but it can also be demonstrated in a non-material way. The non-material form of giving requires nothing tangible from you, so none of us (that’s me too!) have any excuse for not giving.

One easy, but extremely powerful form of giving is through words of blessing and encouragement. How many times has some kind words bestowed upon you entirely made your day?  They can totally transform your mood. And the mystery of it all is that you, the giver, and not just the recipient will be elevated in the end.

And something my dear Dad taught me much about was the power of simply giving someone a smile. (Dad’s smile was his trademark!) This small little gesture emits so much joy and happiness…and yes, it’s contagious. What fun when you see that you’ve infected someone with it! It’s funny (in a sad sort of way) because giving a smile has gotten to be such a rarity that you can tell people are often confounded and confused when they are given the token. That almost adds to all the fun, though.

So in an effort to weave a little generosity in our wee studio, we are going do some periodic giving here! I’m going to send off a wonderful little freebie package with our Sonnets Flea Market Foam Stamps (our featured product at our studio site ), and a sampling of all the elements in our Enchanted Evening Collection (paper, transparency, stickers, alphabet, and chipboard). If you want a sneak peek at what you might win, just take a closer look at the photo beneath today's quote from St. Francis of Assisi. 

Here’s how to enter for my random drawing:
1. Click on Email Me at the sidebar on the right.
2. Put “Enchanted Give Away” in the subject line of the e-mail and send it my way.
3. On Monday morning, the 23rd, I will pick the winner.
(I will reply back to the winner for their snail mail, and post the winner’s name here as well).

And in the meantime, spread some smiles and scatter words of blessing around!