fear and paralysis

no, that is not this week's inspiration. it is today's realization. today i was stuck firmly across the face with the hard truth that i cannot get out of my own way and trust myself to continue moving forward. to illustrate what the hell i'm talking about, here's a choose-your-own-adventure blog post (the words in all-caps are placeholders - feel free to fill in with whatever you want while you are reading):

YOU are a creative person. YOU totally enjoy expressing yourself through many forms of creativity, but in particular through your ART. YOU constantly think about ART, dream about being able to do ART all day and actually be paid for doing so! Every day is a challenge to find ways to incorporate ART into your life, with some days more successful than others. Yet YOU try to not get yourself down about it and recognize that tomorrow is a new day and offers 24 new hours to do ART.

Suddenly, one morning, an announcement flashes across the sky - like a lightening bolt writing in cursive across the clouds "Do you want to do ART for a living? We're looking for someone just like YOU to do ART with us!". The rest of the message provided the information on when and whom to contact, and that there was no cost associated with putting YOU up for consideration. What do YOU do? (Choose one option below)

A. YOU quickly look away, pretending that YOU didn't see it, while secretly planning for how YOU were going to participate later that day.

B. YOU jump up out of your chair and announce, fist in the air, "YES! This is my time! Onward trusted companions. We have ART to do!"

C. YOU silently look away, knowing they wouldn't want you anyway so why even bother. Oh, and you can't really afford to take that risk. So just shut the window shades and go about the day please.


Which option did you pick?

cat hoodie update

Suki is anxiously awaiting her new sweater and at the same time is slightly nervous that it won't be finished before the warm weather comes. Happily for me this project can conveniently fulfill both last week's and this week's inspiration.

Love is a cat hoodie. Creating it has been a labor of love. I love seeing cats dressed up in clothes because it makes me laugh. Suki loves being the center of attention. Win-win!

Close-up is the next phase of this project. One more arm (photo was pre-arm assembly) to finish, loose ends to weave in, and finished! Close-up project.

Whew. A two-fer project. No more creative obligations for the week for me. Now it's your turn!

New Inspriation!

So this week's inspiration on that other site is "close up". Glancing through the various meanings and contexts for this inspiration, I'm betting that not one of us will create the same thing as anyone else!

Let's go!

Flee, February, Flee!

I need grass
and green leaves
and a warm, gentle
breeze,
I need to see
a bumblebee
on a wildflower
slowly sipping
sustenance,
I need to see baby ducks
following their mama
amidst the ripples
near the shore,
and squirrels scampering
hither and yon
for breadcrumbs,
chasing each other
up and down trees
full of buds,
I need to smell raw earth
feel it between my fingers,
sit under a tree
rough bark against
my spine,
flee frigid February
run away from cold grey
ground and sky
sit under the big pines
and hear my morning birds
celebrate the sun.

Love is...

good soup!



A few turnips, some celery stalks, an onion, one red bell pepper, garlic, cabbage, a can of diced tomato, water, dry onion soup mix and a wooden spoon for stirring. In one hour and for 2 or 3 more days you have a sweet aromas and a hearty dish.

Love, baby

The inspiration this week is "love, baby". One would assume this is in honor of valentine's day, but don't let that limit your creativity! How do you show, define, create, appreciate, accept, witness love? Maybe with a hug or a photo or a post on this blog?

I'll start - Here's a heart for you, from me!

cat hoodies and relative sanity

So this weekend I started a new knitting project. It is a pullover hooded sweater for cats. A cat hoodie. Suki is very excited about it - especially as it exists in its current yarn form. I continuously remind her that she can have the sweater once it is in sweater form, not during its yarn stage.

I will know tomorrow what the next creative inspiration is for the focus-52 project, but I think I stumbled upon a potentially relevant photo for last week's inspiration "framed". This photo of Ivy from the hallway of the Children Theater Company's education hallway. I hope you enjoy it!!!


And since I didn't stumble across the project/site until the 13th hour I didn't think that I would participate in last week's challenge. However, I found myself with a recently completed scarf and a super adorable 5 year old and the start of the weekend. The combination of the above which lead to a shot that could be titled "framed". I'll let you all decide whether it is appropriate!

Let's start!

Congratulations on beginning this creative adventure! I have no expectations on what will come from this effort but I am excited to discover what it will be. I'm going to participate in the focus-52 project, and will post the weekly prompt here. Feel free to use the prompt as inspiration. There are no requirements for type of creativity - only that whatever you post is something you created, be it art, writings, food, photos, knitting, etc.

Now - lets create-n-share!

-cm