A glimpse of Sheila Cain-Sample's Gratitude Journal...
Gratitude List Inspires!
It makes my day when a blog entry I’ve written inspires someone. Recently I was elated to hear list member Sheila Cain-Sample passionately discussing an idea for a creating a gratitude journal that she’d envisioned, carefully researched and executed. As you know I like to journal my pain away. Although I’ve got a trunk full of journals that reveal the painful journeys of my life, I don’t have a book I can open that relays the more blissful ones. Can you imagine having a journal that details your happiest moments? What a spirit booster that would be in troubling times! I know days when I could certainly use a whole boat load of positive energy, don’t you? Research has revealed that we tend to remember the more distressing times in our lives, so I think it’s nice to have a record to also remind us that life is good. Congratulations Sheila! I know this idea was born from a year when your life circumstances were as challenging mine – you came through the storm so beautifully and so creatively! If you’d like to learn more about her gratitude journal, please see: Sheila Cain-Sample Pencil Artist. What a great Christmas gift idea it would make – I know I’m gifting myself with one! I’ll be sure to share a page or two of it with you as well! In the future I hope Sheila will entertain being interviewed to give us some further insight into this wonderful project.
The clipboard frame such a cool idea from Style It Like You Stole It!
Clip Board Frames
Do you recall my blog article: Tales from the Observer: Art, Display & Inspiration? Well, in my daily walks around malls (for exercise and a little window shopping!), I ran across a really cool framing idea. On a trek though The Bay, I noticed photos and images placed on and framed with a clip board. It made me think of the different types of clipboards one could use to highlight a photo, artwork or even word art and the variety of looks each clipboard frame could give. For instance, aluminium or metal ones would give a nice industrial feel to an image; chipboard or wooden ones would have a neat retro feel to them and clear plastic ones would lend a minimal contemporary flair. Slip a piece of decorative, textured or plain scrapbooking paper behind your artwork and you’d also have instant matting! Here in Ottawa, we have a big box stationary store, Staples, that sells a nice variety of clipboards. So feel free to give this idea a go; please send me a photo of it if you do! I think it might look especially fun in the studio, office or kitchen where images get refreshed often. For further innovative ideas in this vein, please see: Style It Like You Stole It which has some incredible no-frame ideas for hanging your art.
Tanya Ahmed's snowflake ballerinas -- so wonderful! (Photo by Krokotak)
Snow Flakey Idea
As a collage artist, I’ve love the paper cutting arts. Do you remember that scene from Charlie Brown’s Valentine’s Day TV cartoon special where his dog Snoopy cuts out a carousel out of paper? Well, he folds his paper, makes a few cuts here and there and winds up with this carousel that has horses and cupids and even goes round and round! I always loved that scene! – and although it seemed ridiculously crazy and impossible, as a kid, I was willing to take a stab at it anyway… my carousel ended up in bits and pieces all over the floor! Most certainly not like Snoopy’s sophisticated one! Oh well, I tried. That story did inspire me to be more creative with my Christmas snowflake cutting designs. As a child I made so many wonderful paper and tissue snowflakes, you wouldn’t believe it! Each time I was obsessed with creating a design more unique than the next – you know that saying: no two snowflakes are ever alike! Well, I worked hard to prove that was true. All this to say, that this month my Facebook friend, Renée Deschamps, posted a beautiful take on the paper snowflake: a snowflake ballerina! Interior designer Tanya Ahmed has devised some breathtaking ones. I highly recommend trying out this crafty idea; it’ll definitely add some holiday elegance to your Christmas décor!
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