30 days of creativity

Last year I participated in 30 Days of Creativity in June. I’ve also pledged to do it this year. If you want to get your creative energy moving, check out that link and see some of last year’s participants’ results. If you click on my tag listed on the lower right in my tag cloud, you’ll see that not all of my daily efforts were “winners”–the night we got to our cabin in Arkansas, for example, the most creative thing I could manage was making myself a comforting cup of hot chocolate.

My point is, you don’t have to create a daily masterpiece to participate. But you never know where something will lead. I sold three paintings last year that had their genesis in work I did that month. I found a book that helped me think in other creative ways and celebrated processes and results with family and friends. Use June to flex your creative muscle, and share what you do with the world via the 30 Days of Creativity site. EVERYONE is creative, but some of us get that creative spark snuffed out of us. I promise if you find it and coax it into a flame, it’ll be a gift to yourself. You deserve it!

30 Days of Creativity: Days 29 and 30

I went by Edwards Cinema at Greenway Plaza in Houston just before midnight on Tuesday. I wanted to see how many people were waiting to get into the six theaters that were showing Eclipse for the first time. I talked to some of the people standing in line and they were really excited. It was a more diverse audience than I was expecting–plenty of guys, and they didn’t look like they were forced to see the movie. There were also some tired parents. Mostly, there were people of all ages who looked happy to be there. Whether you hate the movies and books or love them, it’s fun to see people excited and having a good time.

ETA 2022: I created a little video for all of this, but the site who hosted it deleted it. Oh, well.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my contributions to 30 Days of Creativity. I’ve had fun participating.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 28

Here’s something I was working on a while back but I don’t think I ever shared. Lynne met a man in Virginia who makes boxes out of scrap wood, and she brought me this one (those are two drawers that pull out). I decided to feature it in a little department store tableau, using miniature perfumes that were a gift from James. I wanted Barbie to have a Grace Kelly vibe. This is one of the dresses I made for my most recent Project Runway final collection. The backdrop is part of the painting “Gold” from my True Colors collection.

For 30 Days of Creativity.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 27

I’ve sent my book cover submission to Work of Art, and it should be posted by Monday. In the meantime, just for kicks, I decided to take one of my paintings and create a cover for a less well-known novel. Some of you may have read it.

For 30 Days of Creativity.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 26

Happy Pride from Houston! Unfortunately, because I’m sick, I’m unable to walk to Westheimer tonight and watch the parade in the sweltering heat. Rumor has it that this year’s parade will draw one of the largest crowds ever, and people were already settling along the parade route before noon today (the parade wasn’t scheduled to start until after 8 PM).

We opted to order pizza, bake cookies, and host a second craft night at The Compound. In honor of Pride 2010, I made this bracelet:

and gave it to Kathy S:

Happy Pride to all my GLBT friends from one of your most committed allies and advocates. Thank you for being who you are, and may Pride festivities one day include celebrating your full equal rights and treatment under the law.

For 30 Days of Creativity.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 25

Tonight is dinner and craft night at The Compound. I’m working on what will become my submission to Work of Art on Monday, currently acrylic paint on a 7×9-inch-canvas.

For 30 Days of Creativity.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 24

Today being June 24, I hereby dedicate my creativity to David Puterbaugh.

Cassidy suggested I stitch up something for her to show that all the dolls are clowning around in honor of his birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVID!

For 30 Days of Creativity. With thanks to Marika for the purple trim, and to Lindsey for teaching me about HandiTAK, which is what’s holding on the nose and the shoes.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 23

Back to the little sketchpad. This one’s for Tim.

For 30 Days of Creativity.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 22

Today, I went back to Keri Smith’s wonderful This is Not a Book, page 156:

Braving the mosquitoes and the heat to go on my adventure, I came to a stop sign, walked ten more steps, and looked down at:

My feet (with professionally polished toenails, because there’s nothing like a good pedicure)
Gravelly asphalt with some dead leaves
A bed of beautiful, pale yellow lantana

I do love lantana, and it’s very forgiving of our heat and soil. We used to have some come up next to the house, but after we turned that area into a stone-covered walking path, it hasn’t come back. I think it will; it just needs to find a way past The Oleander That WIll Not Die. (I secretly congratulate the oleander, even though I know if we let it go unchecked, it’s reaching its poisonous branches toward Tim’s windows, seeking vengeance for that day.)

For 30 Days of Creativity.
Photo shot with my Nikon; I added the Polaroid effect using Picnic.

30 Days of Creativity: Day 21

I went back to the kitchen for today’s creative effort. Here are the results:

Breads: homemade banana nut bread and cornbread
Soup: lentils, beef, carrots, onions, potatoes, peas, green beans, rice, corn, celery
Salad

Oh, and Tim got creative, too, JUST FOR LINDSEY:

Which made Margot smile.

For 30 Days of Creativity.