Merry Wreaths

Last week at work, we had a silent wreath auction.  Participants make a wreath, and they are auctioned to the highest bidder.  All proceeds from the auction are donated to charities our department selected.

This year, feeling a bit more creative than usual, I made four wreaths.  Hope these wreaths inspire you to make your own wreath - if not, hope you enjoy looking at them!

Have a fantastic holiday everyone!

Working with colour

My fellow blogger, Kristin, recently gave a box full of homemade blank Thank You cards as a gift to an expectant mother. What a cool gift idea! I thought.  The mom-to-be didn’t have to go out and buy cards – beautiful handmade cards were all within her reach!

Inspired by this, I started shopping at art stores for scrapbooking paper. Piles of paper started to appear in my living room to the point where this past Labour Day weekend, I had to force myself to sit down and begin creating the cards. I knew what I wanted to create – a mixture of blank Christmas and Thank You cards for my friend.  And I knew the  majority of the cards would be around one theme – French Bulldogs (because she has the most adorable Frenchie).

I purchased paper that I was drawn to, whether it was the pattern or the colour. And because it was my first time making homemade cards, I decided to start out simple – so for my first one, I created a patterned background with a solid outline of a Frenchie. 

My next one was inspired by a recent food event I went to (Pop-up Soda Shoppe) that had a 1950’s theme with lots of happy, cheery colour:

(I did a solid bright raspberry background with turquoise ribbons, and a floral patterned Frenchie).  

Then I decided to do a Christmas one - a turquoise background with a white Frenchie.

 Want to start making your own cards?  Here's some quick tips that worked for me:

• Purchase pre-cut cards and envelopes.  All you need to do is decorate the front. 
• Buy paper you are attracted to. Afterall, you want to work with paper that you love and inspires you.
• Buy a mix of patterned and solid coloured paper.  Too much pattern can look busy, but solids can help compliment or balance out the colours.

"Design By Inspiration"

 

"I've spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes." ~ Carrie Bradshaw

 

My home has always been my sanctuary. A place of comfort and refuge from the fast pace of life. It's the place where I have sleep-overs with my little niece and host cocktail parties for friends. It's where I read books that I can't put down, while snuggled in my favourite chair. It's where I have a good cry when I need to and where I spread out my craft supplies to lose a Sunday afternoon to creative flow.

 

My home is many things to me - each one as important as the next. It's always been essential to me that my home represent my spirit and my personality. Not content with four white walls, I have always tended toward the bold and creative when it comes to the decor of my homes. Past incarnations have included warm yellow walls with white furniture and black accents. I loved the yellow so much that it made it onto walls in four different homes of mine, each time with a new twist. The yellow was happy and invigorating - reflective of me in that snapshot in time.

 

Many friends have asked me over the years how I find my inspiration. Well, that's the fun part. I look for and find it everywhere. Magazines, nature, jewelry, television, fashion, and my memories and moods all inspire me.

"An interior is the natural projection of the soul." ~ Coco Chanel

 

My current apartment is calming. Again, reflective of who I am and what I need at this point in my life. It's a small apartment and I knew from past experience that with small environments you need to be cautious about too many conflicting colours. There should be flow from room to room if you want to create a calm environment.

 

Choosing the main colour was purely by accident. I had painted a wall for my niece and nephew behind their bunk beds. The top half was bubble gum pink for Emma and the bottom half was turquoise blue for Jack. The blue perfectly matched the ocean theme of the kids' room. But as I looked into the paint can at the beautiful colour of the sea I was also reminded of the blue of a Tiffany box. Could it be sophisticated enough for an adult? Clearly!

Around this time I was also devouring design magazines and pulling pages of things that grabbed my attention - colour schemes, furniture, clothing, travel destinations. Whatever I liked, without giving thought as to why, became part of my inspiration file. When I began to examine what I had amassed, there was a clear theme: turquoise! Even Carrie Bradshaw's apartment makeover in the Sex and the City movie reflected my new found favourite colour.



So I took the plunge into an ocean of turquoise blue! The plan was to paint a single accent wall and lived with it for a little bit while I decided if it was for me. Well, it was love at first sight and now the blue is on many walls, along with accents of apple green, white furniture, and hits of black to anchor the rooms.

"A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body." ~ Benjamin Franklin
 

A few years later and I am still in love with my home and my colour scheme. I tweak things occasionally and I am currently considering tackling painting my bathroom. Oh, what colour to pick?! But my apartment is perfect for me - a balance of calm and sophistication, reflective of what I need to feed my spirit and soul.





So how can you find inspiration to make your house a home that reflects your personality? Here are my top tips:

* Create a vision board or idea file: Pull picture from magazines of things that inspire you. Don't edit yourself - just gather what you like. Once you stop to look at what you have, you will likely have a theme in terms of style and colour.

* Don't let trends dictate your decor: A home that's all your own shouldn't look like a designer show room. Is orange the "it" colour but you hate orange? then forget about it and move on. The most interesting and warm spaces contain elements of you - perhaps some travel photos that you took last summer along with the quilt that your mom made for you. If you love it, then it works!

* Don't be afraid of colour: So many people are terrified of colour. I am not the first person to say that a gallon of paint is a cheap and cheerful way to put your stamp on your home and that's because it's true. Try just one wall if you are just not sure. And if you don't like it? Paint over it. My front hallway has been numerous colours.
If colour is just not you, then embrace that. Although I would never be comfortable in a home in shades of white and cream, I have seen some amazing examples of this. If that's your thing, then go for it!

* Don't spend a lot on trends: Trends come and go. Avocado green was big in the '70's. I bet all those people who invested in colour coordinated kitchen appliances regretted it once the 80's hit. Check out spots like Home Sense, Urban Barn, and Target for inexpensive but on-trend accessories to lend some flair to your home.

* Look in your closet: Still stuck on what colours you should go with? Open your closet, check out your jewelry box, and sort through your makeup. Chances are there a few hints here!

The most important tip of all is just to be true to yourself and have fun!

Kristin

P.S. This is dedicated to my mom, my very first design inspiration who has always been creative and never shied away from a bold statement (black accent wall, anyone?).

P.P.S. My favourite design resources are Style at Home and House Beautiful magazines, "domino: The Book of Decorating", Pinterest (create your own inspiration boards online), www.apartmenttherapy.com and the lifestyle blog www.cupcakesandcashmere.com



 



Flow

My passion is painting, and there is nothing better to me than going into my studio and ‘playing’ with paint.  There are times when I feel stuck, which is very frustrating.  I stare at a blank canvas and I don’t know where to begin.  There are other times that I am filled with ideas, and the creative process just flows.  What creates that flow?

For me to get that flow, I need to create a challenge for myself (example - 30 minutes to paint a still life using only a palette knife), and give myself the freedom to just do it without over thinking or analyzing the process. I make sure I have everything set up, paints mixed, brushes, knives, water, etc. ready to go.  I put on some music and just start.  Sometimes I start by taking a brush or palette knife and just swipe the canvas with a stroke of colour – nothing planned, just to start the painting. When I really get into the flow, the time passes and I have such a feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment.  It’s these moments that I remember when I’m stuck, and it’s this feeling that I try to capture each time I paint.  It doesn’t always happen, but I’m getting into the flow more and more.  As they say, practice makes perfect.  I’ll be practicing a lot!

- Virginia

"Every Little Thing"

If only life was exactly like a Bob Marley song - "Don't worry 'bout a thing - every little thing is gonna be alright".  Is this song not about embracing and "going with the flow"?  Arguably, without flow the very essence of life would not be able to continue.  "Going with the flow" is what makes life less stressful, it helps us cope with the day-to-day and helps us to preserve relationships.

Take for example a busy work environment - without flow and without the ability to "go with the flow" would you survive or become a stress case unable to deal with tiny little things?  I would tend to argue that the ability to embrace this type of flow is what makes one successful.  I would argue that the strongest leaders in today's world are those that can simply continue to go with the flow despite what challenges are thrown at them.

As I began to contemplate this post I began to become a lot more conscious on my own ability to "Go with the Flow".  What did I discover?  Here is a synopsis of my week - a week of consciously embracing FLOW.

Friday

On Friday my brother, one of my sisters and her boyfriend all headed out to meet our cousins for a road trip to Star Lake, BC.  As we caravaned through Hope, Merrit and Kamloops I was conscious of my ability to literally flow through our province at higher than normal speeds.  Splitting the driving with my brother we didn't really know how to get to our final destination but kept up with our cousin who knew the way.  I felt that our ability to "Go with the Flow" was good because we were able to trust our cousin to lead us to our final destination where she had been several times before.  I love having the ability to venture somewhere unknown partially blind.  It is getting lost that you often encounter hidden treasures.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday

The weekend found us at Star Lake Resort.  This is a great little spot where I had never been before.  While there we embraced "Flow" and also got see some awesome embodiments of how the earth deals with flow.   For the most part, we took it easy and enjoyed the company of family.  I believe that spending time with your family is probably the best place to test your ability to "go with the flow".  I would say we all managed to cope very well being in close quarters and had a fantastic time!  We had very few arguments and we got to experience lots of wonderful things such as seeing Helmcken Falls in Wells Grey Park, venturing to a buffalo farm in search of buffalo mozzarella (of which we got a very strange reaction and no mozzarella from the farmers - too bad Jacqueline) and even hiking through the beautiful West Coast rainforest together.

I don't get the opportunity to spend time with my extended family like I did over this weekend and it was great - just like when we were kids just with a little less energy.  Without the ability to embrace flow we would have wanted to plan every moment.  Instead we went with the flow and were not disappointed by not being able to do all of the outlined tasks.

Tuesday

Tuesday I went to a food cart with friends for lunch.  I embraced "going with the flow" as we chose the cart that we wanted to go to. I find that it doesn't really matter where you go for lunch as long as you have good company!

Wednesday

On Wednesday I played softball with one of the teams that I play on The Spirits.  This team has taught me a lot about "going with the flow".  All of the individuals on this team are there to have fun.  Sure they like to win, but they are just as happy just to get out there and be able to play!  Playing ball at several different levels over the years it is refreshing to see the spirit that is in each and every one of the players on this team.  Playing at higher levels sometimes you forget why we play - we play to have fun.  This team definitely has fun!  Their ability to "go with the flow" and learn from their mistakes is incredible and inspiring!

On Wednesday we ended up calling 9-1-1 at our game when a girl was hit in the head with a ball.  A fluke accident that left her with a concussion and 7 stitches, the ability of all of the players there to "go with the flow" and act quickly to get the injured player help was impressive.  It is times like these that I remember why I am on a team and how teams help you by supporting you no matter what.

Thursday

I had an incredible day on Thursday and I think it was because I spent the whole week thinking about my ability to "go with the flow"!  As I was thrown multiple challenges at work I accepted and incorporated them and was able to produce a great product.

I embraced spontaneity on my way home and explored my new neighbourhood.  Venturing to Whole Foods and finding a new fresh, local market on my way home I bought some new foods to try.  I was excited to get home and try the new foods.  I went to turn on the stove for the first time and poof - no spark.  Oh well - I went with the flow and ate a salad instead.

What a week!  I observed and learned when I am more or less inclined to "go with the flow".  Just remember "Don't worry 'bout a thing" and "Go with the Flow" and everything will be alright!

I would like to put the challenge out there to our readers – observe how you incorporate flow in the everyday.  They say the first step towards change is awareness – how successful are you at incorporating “Flow” into your day to day?

Practice and Flow

I'm not a big listener of classical music - until I heard Fujiko Hemming's piano piece from the speakers in the living room. When I first heard her, I was going about in the kitchen, taking out plates to prepare lunch when my ears suddenly tuned into the piece she was playing - La Campanella by Franz Liszt.

I completely stopped.

Then I felt a crack on the left side of my chest, and tears came. It was the first time where I listened to a piece of music and was brought to tears.

Reflecting back to that moment, it made me realize that a good piece of art or music connects with your soul. Perhaps she was in the moment of Flow when I heard her interpretation of La Campanella through the speakers and was touched by it.

In the previous post, Kristin mentioned about artists creating their best works during "Flow".  I thought about other works of art that I regard highly, making me think that it must have been made during Flow  - because the art is still living inside my head, making me think about it from time to time.

Another piece of music that has highly impacted me are those that have appeared in Hayao Miyazaki movies. Miyazaki (a great animator known for Totoro, Spirited Away and many other animations) - works with an equally amazing artist - a music composer named Joe Hisaishi. Hisaishi's music compliments Miyazaki's work so well, that I think they make a great team (talk about collectively inspiring each other!). Hisaishi's music conveys so much emotion and compliments the story telling that I'm convinced it was made in moments of Flow.

Want to hear some of Hisaishi's works?  How about something uplifting (this music is from Laputa).

How about something more upbeat?  (Hisaishi's take on Iron Side, theme song from the American show with the same name.)

How about something dramatic?  Listen to the first 20 minutes - there's music from Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke.

I get a kick out of watching Joe Hisaishi - he really looks as if he's enjoying the music as he's conducting the orchestra. Even if you don't connect with the music, I highly recommend watching Hayao Miyazaki's animations. 

All great artists have prepared themselves for Flow by showing up faithfully with paintbrushes in hand everyday (Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet), or photographers with their cameras ready to capture what is presented to them that day, or poets and novelists who have all shown up everyday at their desks with pen and paper (or laptop), and musicians who compose new music or create their own interpretations of a piece written by other composers -  they all wake up to nurture their art, and when Flow happens, they are ready because they know what they need to do. 

I believe practice, prepares us for Flow. 

And for Fujiko Hemming?  Right at the moment her career as a pianist was to take off, she lost most of her hearing. Despite that, she practiced on the piano, and still performs today as she approaches her 80th birthday.

- Mari

"Go With The Flow"

Ever lost yourself in a moment? Ever lost yourself in a moment and then realized that moment was actually an hour or an afternoon? Gone. Poof!

Friday. The end of a busy week and I am usually so tired that all I can think about is sleep. As a result I almost never make plans for after work. Sad but true. But this Friday was different - I had plans for a night out with a friend. Around 8:30pm, rejuvenated after a delicious nap, I began a great night. Before I knew it, it was 12:30am and my friend and I were saying our goodbyes. Our evening together was a great example of flow. Um, what? Flow?

"Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of activity."

So how did we spend our evening? What was so special about it? Well, it was something that neither of us had done before. We spent the evening at FUSE at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Cocktails and conversation in the VAG courtyard where we lost ourselves for two hours before we realized we hadn't even ventured inside to experience the art, performances, and multimedia experiences on display. It was a great example of free-flowing conversation in which time almost feels suspended. Another couple of hours gone as we wandered amongst the art and just stayed in the moment. Thought provoking, inspiring, and rejuvenating to my soul. That's what the night gave me.

So why is flow important? Many artists argue that it's a way to achieve some of their best work - when their mind is free and so is the creative process. As a creative individual I have many times experienced flow, sometimes with my writing and sometimes when I am making something, like a scrapbook or cards. Those are times when I am blissfully happy and afterwards I feel energized. It's meditative to me. In fact, it's easier for me to achieve flow through creativity than it is to meditate.  But the end result in terms of the rewards are the same, I feel.

How can you find flow or create flow in your life? How about trying a new experience to get your creative juices flowing? Make time in your life for it. It might be as simple as setting aside an hour to spend in whatever manner you choose. It could be a walk in the woods. The only rule is to focus on that one thing, whatever it may be. No multitasking, no checking email. Just flow.

Kristin

P.S. For more information about FUSE and the VAG, check out this link: http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/events_and_programs/fuse.html