#51

Challenge 51: Make something that would not normally be considered cute and cuddly into something that is.

Ok, first thought - a teddy bear!  I realized that I had just put some newspaper and ads into the recycling bin, which are never cute or cuddly.  The idea can about simply and I whipped up this bear in no time, with the help of some masking tape and a marker to help me make his face look cute:

Sure, he's a little lumpy and not quite proportional, but just look at that face!!!

So, in the end, is he cuddly?  Not really.  Cute?  YES!  I loved making this bear and it was a fun way to spend a little time unwinding after work.  

Day 50!

For those of you who have stuck with me since the beginning of this blog, thanks!  I appreciate it.  I'm only on to the 50th challenge, but I actually feel pretty proud of myself.  If I were stressing about completing one challenge every day, taking and editing photos, and writing up a summary, I'd go nuts.  And I have a feeling that this blog would be pretty boring.

So...on to #50: Be a minimalist.  Work only with white materials today.  Try working white on white for a real challenge.

Paper is white, and I have tons of paper around me - drawing pads, scrap paper, paper for the printer, wax paper, and so on.  I took some of my scrap paper and cut petals in varying sizes, then used a little scotch tape to piece them together.  I added a few little curly strips for some flair.  Here is the result, in different views:

(the paper I used is white on one said and has print/pictures/color on the back - so I guess I cheated on this challenge, but I don't care since I mostly followed the rules).  :-)

I've been making flower prototypes out of different materials for possible wedding decor, so I definitely have flowers on the brain.  This idea came about so easily and I just went with it, not really thinking of anything else I could do instead.  I like the result, and while I think it's important to push your creativity and limits, sometimes it's okay to just go with what naturally comes out.

I moved!

Dear loyal readers,

Yes, I have moved.  Again.

I moved a couple months ago and have only recently settled back into creative habits.  Check out my creative space:

It's a small desk space with a couple shelves and a bulletin board, but it's something.  The surface of the desk is currently being bombarded by an afghan that I've been slowly working on recently:

I'm especially proud of the storage jars I rigged up, containing lots of drawing and writing utensils, paint brushes, etc.

And lastly, to highlight the new space, I present my bulletin board, filled with ideas, inspiration, and personal goals:

I've mentioned in the past that some friends and I do craft shows occasionally a few times a year.  We actually sold some of our work last month at the FreeMusic Fest in Freeland, MI.  It was a great time!  The weather was beautiful, it was the first craft sale of the year for us, and there were awesome musicians playing music all day long.  We had a lot of fun together.

These friends that I mention, well, we are getting a little more professional and organized at each craft sale.  We've developed a logo, business cards, and we actually had a business meeting a few weeks ago and discussed the development of a collective blog - and it's here!  Locust Street Crafts is the place to find us.  I'm incredibly proud of how far we've come in a couple of short years and look forward to making greater strides in the future.

I will still update this blog with my creativity challenges and other highlights, now that I'm a little more settled into the new living arrangement with my fiance, and of course, Lola:

Thanks for sticking with me - more to come soon!