Can you believe that the month of May is almost done? That makes me sad in some ways as I do enjoy the spring weather. But, it is more truthful to say, that any month in which I can escape outdoors without a jacket or sweater is a month to be savoured. So, I will not allow myself to be sad that the month is coming to a close, but will celebrate that a few more months of lovely weather will follow.
May was a good month for - a me in terms of getting things done or learning new techniques. The kumihimo braiding was something that I had wanted to try for a long time and now that I have mastered the basic steps, I find myself braiding at any and all hours of the day when I just need to sit down and refocus my mind for a bit. I found a few balls of crochet cotton in a bin in the studio and have set them aside to try on the loom in the upcoming week. One ball is a glittery gold colour which I think could be turned into an interesting braid to wear around the neck once a suitable pendant is found for it. I have a package of black lacquered bamboo tiles, about an inch long and half of an inch wide, that could become a pendant once I either paint a pattern or decoupage an interesting decal onto. When I am out and about, I tend to look through sewing/craft departments and often find interesting bits such as the tiles. One of my most recent finds was in a discount bin containing discontinued items - a small package of ladybug buttons. Looking at these now, I can picture them being sewn onto a flat braid, likely a black one with hints of red peeking through. I suspect that this is going to be my next project on the braiding loom.
My mind seemed to be on overload for the better part of the past week and I have made a lot of notes to follow up on with more than a few projects on the horizon. Looking at one particular web site that I enjoy, http://www.omiyage.ca, I found that Marisa has added some wonderful neon accents to her product line. Washi tape, stickers, paper tags along with a few other items found their way into my cart and I am looking forward to playing with these pieces and adding them to some collage ideas that have been percolating in my mind. Marisa writes a fun blog that you would definitely enjoy, especially the ones put up on Mondays entitled "Monday Eye Candy." Pictures of different paper crafts and such are put up for all to enjoy and will definitely make you smile. Having a look at the blog will certainly entice you into her web shoppe and I can pretty much guarantee that you will be wanting to pick up on some of the lovely washi tape. I suppose I mention that because that is one item I am always drawn to admire and most times to buy a few rolls. Adding the tape to cards, envelopes, loot bags and such is an easy way to bring them up to the next level and to colour coordinate these items to a particular theme. If you see something you like, best be quick about ordering them as they fly off of the shelves! The nice thing about overindulging in the goodies from Omiyage is that they are calorie free and will not go to waste whilst waiting for you to decide which project you want to use them in first. But, do use them! How sad to buy these items and not put them to good use as soon as possible.
Now, what else has been percolating in my busy little mind? Percolating may not be the most wisely chosen word since I found myself making a lot of coffee over the past week. But, maybe that was why I made so many notes to follow up on! I am starting a project that I may have alluded to previously, a new journal with larger paintings or collages to follow based on the journal pages. Since I am progressing using Suzi Blu's book, "Mixed Media Girls," the idea of doing a journal containing pages of children, faeries and other majickal creatures has again crept into my conscious mind. Suzi's book is a wonderful guide on how to achieve the winsome child faces that I hope to draw. Her idea of basing your proportions using graph paper is spot on and I now keep a book of graph paper nearby so that I can practise at a moment's notice. I still need to work on the body proportions, but feel that the work on the first page of my journal will commence soon. I am working on selecting colours, patterns, and other elements to make it special. The subject will be a little girl dressed to the nines in all her faerie splendour, complete with the requisite wings, trying her best to turn the family feline into an elephant. Molly Cat has informed me that she will not pose for this particular piece, feeling that it is below her dignity. I will just have to make do with pictures of Molly in her various poses in order to capture the correct posture of the sleeping cat I see flopped out on the chair. As soon as I complete this piece I will share it with you so you will have an idea of where my mind flits to when it escapes a mundane afternoon in the flat.
May was a good month in which I managed to finish reading a few books. Friends brought me over a copy of "Fifty Shades of Grey" which I plan to start later today. I also have a few other books loaded on the e-reader and am anxious to start. A few pertain to the art of writing and an equal number will hopefully teach me some new techniques to try in the studio. So, it would appear that June will be a month of learning again. But, every month should be one in which we learn new things.
With just a few days left in May, I still want to enjoy each one of them rather than just dash into another month without a thought. I will make notes regarding which books I should keep handy to refer back to for artistic tutoring and I also need to make notes on which balcony plants need to be replanted. I did not get around to replanting the rosemary and must do that this week to ensure that I have a good crop to put away for the winter months. The geraniums are blooming nicely, but I have yet to go out and pick up the pansies that I really would like to see sitting on the outdoor table just outside the slider doors. If the weather is nice and I have the scooter charged up, I just might make my way to a vendor on Monday that I know to have a nice selection of plants. Getting my treasures home could be a bit tricky, but I will make sure that I bring a few bungee cords to tie a flat down to the cart on the front of the scooter. Surely, if I drive slowly, carefully, a flat of assorted plants will survive the short ride home. Then, it will be back to the shoppes to pick up another bag of soil and a few more pots to provide homes for the plants.
With all of these activities/ideas floating around, I wonder if I will accomplish all of them? I really hope to do so in order to make the most of each day. The prospects of colourful plants on the balcony, journal pages to complete, and cords to be braided, all call out to me saying that I need to complete this first rather than something else. Just so much temptation and only so many hours in each day and I hardly know where to begin. But, as with any journey, it all begins with one step. What step will you begin with this week? I would love to hear from you about what you are beginning or finishing, if that be the case.
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