1 skin, 2 skin, 3 skin, 4...

I use to be afraid that school depleted me of all creative energy. I remember when I was a kid, I loved getting projects because that allowed me to make things, not just study them. All sorts of images would pop into my head of the projected end product and I'd be busy busy busy making, drawing, cutting, pasting... creating!

I think I was influenced by my sister, the ultimate Renaissance woman, both intelligent & artistic. When we were kids, she'd yell at me for coloring in her "Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers" coloring book with her crayons, and not only that, but I'd be coloring too hard. She also turned an egg carton into a full-fledged studio apartment, which must've later given her the idea to empty out our eggs while still maintaining the shell and eventually turn them into all sorts of various jungle animals. Whatever it was that she made, I just remember that I wanted to make it too! I don't even know if she still remembers half the things she did; I only remember them because that was the kind of influence her creativity had on me

now that I have the summer off before grad school, I've decided to relax, which has given me a lot of free time to create. In fact, I finally got my little craft corner set up! It comes w/office supplies, books, pattern/idea notebook, ball winder, yarn box, caddy fully stocked w/knitting and crocheting equipment, and plant. It's not much, but it suits my needs. I'm trying to think of some clever, witty name to call it so that I can vaguely hint at what I'm doing. Something to the tune of, "well, time to drop the kids off the pool..." but you know, more on the funny, less on the TMI connotations

I feel that having this creative outlet, some of the juices have come back! For instance, the other day, it just occurred to me to make an alphabet-themed toy & letter plate set for my nephew. I've been knitting and crocheting all sorts of toy animals with no particular purpose, but to make them and learn some techniques along the way (I have plans to design my own pattern some day). So for each letter of the alphabet, I'll make him a little animal accompanied with a card representing said letter and animal and an interesting fact about it. This would give him something to play with, two- and three-dimensional objects to visualize, teach him the alphabet, AND expand his knowledge of the animal kingdom. I'm also hoping that his parents will take the letters of his name and maybe hang them up on his wall?

but anyway, I've only got B is for Beaver done. This will definitely be a summer-long project because this one letter alone amongst all the other things that I have to do, has taken me about 3 days...

my dream house

I use to own a box of pictures, notes, and clippings of things I wanted to have someday in my dream house. Over many, many years, I accumulated ideas for different kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, landscapes. I included color schemes for which areas of the house, skylights in which rooms, porch decor. I had both interior and exterior covered! The idea was to collect anything and everything I liked, decide what was economically and ergonomically the best choice, and consult with my construction team from there. Unfortunately, I lost this box. I've recently come to terms with this because I figure my tastes change with experience anyway. And now with it being spring and the season for plant shopping or traipsing through Japanese gardens, I've been learning a lot about plants and landscaping, and my mind is going wild! I think now is as good a time as ever to start a new box of pictures, notes, and clippings of the things I want to have someday in my dream house, so here goes...

my dream house will have Magnolias & Wisterias

my mom has a silk flowering plant that she bought years ago when we still lived in Houston. It's some sort of Oriental plant with huge, blooming pink flowers. I've always liked this plant, but assumed it was either non-existent or only grew somewhere in Asia (presumably Japan since her furniture seemed to carry that theme). Until recently, I've discovered that this plant does exist, and in fact, can grow in the Pacific Northwest. It's a magnolia. Every time I've tried to describe this plant, people always thought I'd been talking about orchards or cherry blossoms, which are beautiful plants too, but they shed. After having a weeping willow, I've learned that shedding trees are way too high-maintenance for me. Besides, I much prefer the gorgeous, huge blossoms of magnolias and they're far more fragrant. I'd love to have a soft breeze carrying that scent all throughout my house

I've also learned a new species of plant that I've always liked: wisterias. I've always wanted a trellis with some sort of climbing plant wrapping itself around it and hanging blooms draping off of it. I'd always thought these plants were some sort of grape variety, but as I was at the local nursery by my parent's house, I've learned that they're wisterias and that they grow quite well in the Pacific Northwest and England. I'm not sure what color I'd like them in (it depends on the color scheme of my dream house), but I think I'd like them in purple. Or maybe white. Or maybe yellow...