How I Did It (CREATE EVERY DAY)

I need to write a bunch of class proposals. Why make it a chore? Create Every Day is a privilege--a luxury--FUN!

I cranked up the tunes (Celtic, of course), lit the scented oil warmer (rosemary for alertness), drank coffee (mmmMMMmmm....), wore my PJs, snuggled under my (hand made recycled) denim jeans quilt, and created a wildly colorful jewelry set.   

I did it! I created...

I finished this necklace and bracelet and earrings set today. Some of the components were already assembled, but I'd been struggling with the final arrangement for a couple of weeks. I was going for a mixed media piece--something besides just beads and chain.

Create Every Day

I did it. I committed to creating something every day. I even started a couple of days early. And loads of people have decided to commit, too. There must be something in the air. Want to join us? You don't need to do anything except decide to do it.

It's Sally's fault. She sent me the article about November being Art Every Day month. Too many people think art every day means painting every day, or finishing something every day. Who says making a gorgeous, mouth-watering, golden-brown quiche isn't art? Since when do I have to finish the necklace for it to count as creating something? And will the Art Police arrest me if I write a song--or part of a song--or sing one--to create for the day?

Relax. We get to make our own rules.

But be reasonable. You don't have to sew a whole new wardrobe in 30 days, although you can if you really want to. You don't have to write your masterpiece book, either. Just take it in little bites. That's how you eat the whole elephant. Little bites.

I wrote a book about ArtCharms with Chris. Guess how. One charm at a time. Am I overstating this?

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Do I have to start on Nov. 1st?
A: Only if you decide to.

Q: Do I have to blog about it every day?
A: Only if you decide to.

Q: Does a sketch (doodle, cake, flower arrangement, closet-cleaning, letter, walk, etc.) count as creating every day?
A: Only if you decide it does.

You get the picture.     

Commitment Issues

I know it's kind of silly, but I have Commitment Issues.

November is Create Every Day Month. I'm preparing to commit to Create Every Day. Notice I still haven't actually said I committed? Yikes. Why am I hesitating? Here are a few reasons:
1. Fear of failure and its attendants
2. Fear of embarrassment
3. Laziness
4. Procrastination

Well, that's enough reasons for now. I'm going to explore these and see what's behind them.

Fear of Failure
I'm not really afraid to fail, but I sure don't like what follows: disappointment and disgust with myself. If I was as good at art as I am at self-loathing I'd be rich and famous by now. What's the solution to that? Maybe I don't want to solve it. Maybe it's not a problem but a tool. It's one of the tools I use to motivate myself. Uh, maybe it's not the best one, but it works.

I'm going to deal with this by heading into it instead of avoiding it. I hereby commit to consciously Create Every Day for the month of November. Notice I said 'consciously' create? We're all creating all the time. But I mean that I want to be mindful and choose my daily contribution.

I'll keep a list. I don't promise to blog about it every day. THAT's more than I'm willing to commit to.  

Fear of Embarrassment
So who am I going to be embarrassed in front of? I mean, if my friends read this, and they think I'm a dolt, will I be embarrassed? Yes. But more worrisome to me is the possibility that I'll miss a day, or a week, and be embarrassed about that.

I can either avoid telling my friends that I'm doing this C.E.D. thing, or I can pull up my big girl socks (you know what I mean) and Just Do It.

I'm going to do it. If you're reading this it's probably because I asked you to.
  
Laziness
What needs to be said about laziness?

I just thought of something. Sometimes I call it laziness when it's actually taking a well-earned rest. Who says I have to be doing every waking moment? When do I take time to just be? Do I get to fill the well every now and then instead of always pouring it out? I don't want to feel guilty when I read or watch TV. It makes sense to decide how much self-time I'm going to allow every day.

Procrastination
I'll think about that tomorrow.

Recovering

Yeah, I'm still recovering from Art & Soul. The finished pieces (fused glass cabochons) are all packed up and ready to send back to the artist-students who took my glass classes.

This is what it looked like when I packed it up to send to Oregon. Tools and glass are heavy and I didn't want to carry them on the plane. The boxes each ended up weighing 20 to 30 pounds!

Now it's time to start planning for next year.

Epic Fail--and Rescue

I can't believe I did this. I procrastinated--just for a couple of days!--on making reservations for the hotel in Portland. (I actually forgot and thought Tony was going to do it.) I have zero brains when getting this close to a big teaching event.

So I just found out that not only is the block of rooms for Art & Soul art retreat sold out, but the only rooms available are quite out of my price range. AAAKKKKK! 

I checked the Database for the A&S Yahoo Group to see if anyone is looking for a roomie. I'm hoping, praying, and crossing my fingers and my eyes that somebody will still have room.

Meanwhile, my Mom, who fell and broke her hip a week or so ago, has been in the emergency room twice in the last few days for a dislocated hip joint. Now they have her in a brace so she doesn't pop it out again. 

Two days ago the power went out and our computers, which had slowed considerably in the last few days, were "hanging" for every little thing. I wasn't getting emails on time, and it was taking forever to access my blog, Yahoo groups, etc. This morning Tony called the ISP and asked what was wrong, thinking the power outage messed us up. Nope. They said we needed to upgrade our modem. My mind started going  $$ $$ $$  and my stomach did a flip-flop. We just bought a new camera after our 10-year-old digital died. Not cheap. And I couldn't afford the kind of camera needed for taking the RAW format photos needed by my publishers if I do another book. I guess I can't afford to do another book.

But then, as it turned out, the upgrade to the modem was free, and done over the cable. Sometimes I love technology!

My Mom, helped by my sisters, has been moved to an assisted living facility in Milwaukee. I'm praying that she'll be happy and safe there.

While I was writing about all my troubles, I got an email from an Angel at Art & Soul Retreat. She has room for me in her hotel room. Her roomie cancelled! And here's what she said in her email: "A few weeks ago I had considered "pairing up" with some of the others who were also looking for roommates to share the room that had been booked.  But I figured I'd wait to see if I could bless someone was in dire straits and didn't have a room."

I'd just asked Deborah and Tony for prayers. Wow, nice timing! Thanks. I have goose bumps now. And I feel like the luckiest idiot in the whole world. 

What does the Lava Lamp have to do with all this? Nothing. I just like the picture. 

Book Signing Party

This is so cool! The Arlington Heights Senior Center, where I teach, is throwing this party for me! It's a chance for me to socialize with friends and students without being busy with a class. Yippee! Come on over just to visit and have some refreshments. Please let me know if you're coming, so I can tell them how much stuff to serve.

 

Book Signing 11-3

Naperville, Illinois

Sunday, September 12, 2010

10am to 4pm

Holiday Inn Select

Grand Ballroom

1801 N. Naper Blvd.

Public Invited

Admission $5.00


Book Signing 11-3

Details here

WAHOO, We're Number Two!

Making Mixed Media Art Charms and Jewelry is number two on the Amazon Bestselling Jewelry Books list again! (The ranking changes every hour, so I'm very happy to have caught it when it happened!)

Thanks so much to everybody who bought it and spread the word!


While I was checking this out, I discovered something interesting and puzzling. It's #3 on the Amazon Bestsellers in Decorating. Is that because people use the concepts and techniques to create home decor, as we suggested in the book? Or is it because you can use it to make stuff to decorate your own self? 

Steampunk Shell-and-Lightbulb Charms

Surprisingly simple, isn't it? Solder a jump ring or split ring to the top of a .22 caliber shell. Glue in a tiny light bulb. Add a jump ring.

You can use a tassel or bead in place of the bulb.