On AI and Art

Our children are growing up in a world where AI cannot be avoided (well, if you lived completely off the grid, maybe you could...) People argue that AI has its uses, but the problem I see is that we can no longer trust what we see, read, or hear on the internet. I would be watching a video of an animal, and my son walks by, takes one look, and says, "That's AI."

As an artist, I lament that people are relying more and more on AI to generate art, music, and even the written word. Again, AI has its uses, but what AI cannot ever do is replace human interaction.

Which is why the antidote to AI is COMMUNITY and COLLABORATION. 

You can "observe" animals on websites. Or you can go to the park or the zoo.

You can "travel" the world thru the internet. Or you can get out and experience the world around you.

You can "make" art by yourself at the computer. Or you can collaborate with other artists and go see live performances.

The more we do with other people, the more we are rooted in what is real.

This all hit me yesterday, as my family went from one activity to another.

We started off with rehearsal for my kids who are involved in the CYT Tri-Valley production of Frozen. I am on the set committee for this show (I get to paint!) and so I joined other set parents at our rented warehouse space and organized the paint supplies and old cans of paint while the kids sang, danced, and acted.

Meanwhile, my husband went to a café near us to meet with local artists. They chatted and shared their art and ideas, and one painter invited my husband to an art show and reception that afternoon at the library.

So in the afternoon, my husband and I took our youngest child to the library and admired the beautiful floral art done in glass, textiles, watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, acrylic, and oil. The artists were present and shared a bit about their processes and their inspirations. Then they held a raffle and I won a set of cards from one of the artists!

But we were still not done. In the evening, I took two of my girls to see my friend's professional ballet company perform in town. My other friend had choreographed one of the dances. As I watched, I marveled at their graceful movements set to the music. That night, I worked on a piano piece that I hope will be part of their performance someday.

Sprinkled in between all this activity was a guitar lesson between my husband and son, kids making birthday presents, and baking in the kitchen.

It was a full day, and I loved all the artistic things my family got to experience. My husband and I want to work more on "getting out there" and interacting with our community. That might be as simple as going downtown and listening to a band perform at the park. It might be as elaborate as becoming a part of the art association and helping with the next Comic Con in our town. Or in my case, workshopping a musical and performing it at the local theater!

Your family may or may not be artistic, but that's not what matters. Keep putting in the effort to connect with people, whether at home, at school, at work, or beyond!

Food for the Soul

During the Covid pandemic, I had a clear understanding of the purpose of art. Though most people had food and shelter during the lock-down, it wasn't enough. We aren't simply robots, needing a recharge and tune-up every now and then. We are human, we are souls, and art fed those souls. So my family and I painted cards to send to people and made music videos to share online. At that time, I understood that art was a necessity.

But somehow, this past year, I lost that understanding. I no longer had a clear vision of the "why" behind what I did. My head knew it, but my heart didn't. As I tried to think of ways to bring in more income to help my college-bound children, I felt more and more that artists were undervalued in society. Schools were cutting art and music programs. Tech and computer skills were desirable in the job market. I could make $25/hour teaching music, but if a fast-food employee makes $20/hour (new law here in California), then does that mean I'm worth a little more than a McDonald worker? (I know it's not the right question to ask, but that's where my heart was at the time.)

What made matters worst was that after I finished vocal directing The Wizard of Oz in June, I felt a big hole. I had spent months working on this beautiful show, and it was all over in four days. What was I doing? I asked myself. Is it all meaningless?

I needed someone to shine a light through my fog, so this morning I had breakfast with my friend KW (who was the director of The Wizard of Oz and my musical, Five Children and It.) As she talked about collaboration and worship and God and all things dear to her heart, she couldn't hold back her tears. I just sat and listened. 

Hours later, I thought about her words, and it was then that my fog lifted. This is the vision I have now:

The shows I work on are like apples (or fill in with your favorite fruit here.) Most people will eat an apple, appreciate it, and enjoy it in the moment. They probably will not think about where the fruit came from, beyond the grocery store they bought it at. I, on the other hand, was there before the apple even started growing. I cared for the tree, saw the blossoms, and tended the apples as they grew. I worked alongside the Creator to ensure a sweet, beautiful crop. And in the end, when I enjoyed a bite of the apple, I could think back to the day I first saw the tiny apple growing on the tree. And I could be proud of the work I've done, even after the apple is gone.

So now I see that being an artist is an amazing blessing, not a curse. The world may not value it as such, but that's okay. I'm working with God to cultivate food for the soul!

Advice to Young Artists

I started teaching classes for my local branch of Christian Youth Theater in 2021. I never saw myself as a natural with teenagers (in high school, I always preferred to be with the children or sit with the adults), but I found myself really loving my time with the teens. In each young artist, I saw glimpses of my younger self: unsure and awkward, but eager to walk through open doors, if someone would just believe in me.

So I found ways to give bits of life advice in the midst of teaching singing technique and harmonies. I wanted these teens to know what I wish I had known at their age–what I wish someone had told me as I was learning to write, draw, paint, sing, and play the piano.

And that's what this post is about. I've written about creativity in one book, and about teenagers in another, and now I'll combine both loves and share with all young artists out there bits of advice that, I hope, will help them in their journey. I've also asked my artist friends to contribute (including my personal artistic heroes Ben Hatke and Sara Groves!!!), so scroll down to read their words of advice!

1) It's okay to copy...

I learned to draw and paint horses from copying drawings and paintings of horses. Studying someone else's work taught me to see the shapes, shadows, and colors that would be difficult for me to see on a live, moving horse (besides that I was living in Queens, New York, at the time, where there were no horses.) Once I understood how a horse was structured, I was able to try drawing horses on my own. Even so, professional artists work with models and reference photos all the time. It is not a requirement that you can draw everything from your head to be a good artist. Dancers, actors, musicians, writers... start by studying and copying the artists you admire. Now read on...

2) ... but find your own style.

When I hear young singers, oftentimes they want to sound just like the recording of their favorite singer. But the goal is to be a good singer, not a good mimic! As an artist, there is a point where you have to leave the safety net of copying and come up with your own creative ideas. Take the dance moves you learned and choreograph your own dance. If you like Billy Collins's poems, that's great, but mimic his style in your own voice. Don't sing like Ariana Grande; sing like YOU!

3) Try new focuses within your craft. 

If you love drawing animals (like me), also work on drawing people or objects (that's what I'm doing now). If you dance ballet, try tap or jazz. If you play classical music, learn to improvise by reading a lead sheet and playing from chord charts. In other words, don't get stuck on one thing. Don't be like "I only do graffiti style art, that's my thing." It may not come as easily as you like (jazz is still difficult for me to play), but by taking chances and stretching your mind, you'll also stretch your skills and be a more well-rounded artist.

4) Don't think in terms of winning or losing.

One of the biggest mistakes young artists make is believing that if they don't get the lead, or the solo, or the first place ribbon, they are a failure. Every attempt is worth taking.

5) It takes time, both long term and short term.

Another mistake young artists often make is waiting around for inspiration to hit. Learn to make your art a daily practice. When I was working on my musical, I did a little every day, no matter what. And it still took me years to finish it! And I was able to write it only after years of studying and practicing piano, music theory, composition, choral music, and writing. When I was a teenager, I would have NEVER imagined that I would be writing a musical in thirty years. I just saw piano playing as either a hobby or a chore. I am thankful now that my parents told me to practice the piano for an hour everyday! As I matured, I gave myself assignments: set this poem to music; harmonize this melody; write a short story using a given prompt. The key is to keep practicing your craft. For example, if you draw, carry a small sketchbook with you and rather than look at your phone while waiting for something, sketch your hand, your shoes, or your surroundings. When I started this blog, I set a goal to write something every week; that's when my writing really took off! And...

A few months ago I got an idea to dress birds up in clothes.
I didn't know if it would work, but I started sketching.... 

6) Don't worry so much about the final product.

Every project doesn't need to be a big, impressive final product. There are plenty of songs I never finished writing. Many drafts of stories that stayed drafts in my notebook. Pages and pages of sketches that were failed attempts at capturing an idea in my mind. The key is to just start and see where it takes you. Don't be afraid of the blank page. Don't keep your sketchbooks shiny and pristine. Remember that you are on a journey of learning and practicing, and every step you take, whether big or small, is moving you along!

7) MOST IMPORTANTLY: Do NOT compare yourself with others.

This was my biggest downfall. I spent my high school years constantly comparing. "She sings louder and higher than me." "His photos are so much more creative than mine." Now I know that there are certain things that a person can change about him/herself through learning, and there are certain things that a person cannot change. For singers, your physical structure dictates somewhat how high or low or loud you can sing. Some people are naturally loud. I, on the other hand, am naturally quiet. With training, I've exercised my voice to be louder and stronger, but I can only reach a certain level of loudness before I start hurting myself. And I will never be able to sing the high notes my daughter can sing–she's a natural soprano, and I am not. Again, I've trained my voice to reach some of the higher notes, but I physically cannot even squeak out a high C. So why waste my time lamenting over what I cannot do?! Other things that I can't do well (or at all): dance, play sports, play the violin, whistle, juggle. And that's okay. Nowadays, we hear this message: You can be anything you want to be. The truth is, I will never be a Major League baseball player or a ballerina, no matter how hard I work at it. But I can focus on what I'm good at, develop the talents God has given me, and become the best writer/artist/musician I can be. And be grateful everyday that I get to do what I love! 

(AND WHATEVER YOU DO, STAY OFF OF SOCIAL MEDIA! DON'T WATCH VIDEOS OF THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD PRODIGY OR TWELVE-YEAR-OLD CELEBRITY AND COMPARE YOURSELF TO THEM!! DON'T DO IT!!!)

And now, some excellent advice from other artists...

Aaron Anderson
Photographer
andersonvisuals.com

What you are going to experience is more fun and beautiful than you can ever imagine, you will do things and see things that are inspiring in every way, most of which are once in a lifetime and few people will ever experience. It will also be one of the hardest things you've ever done, there will be moments where you question your own sanity, where nothing makes sense and it feels like everything is falling apart. You will have to hold on, and believe in what you're doing even when there is no logical explanation or evidence that you aren't a crazy person. In the end you need to make sure you enjoy every moment, don't get so caught up in what others are doing and what you don't have, and allow yourself to drink in the experiences that you've been given.

Joanna Crawshaw Miller
Painter/Visual Artist
joannacrawshaw.com

Never stop learning.

Don't be afraid to try something new.

Surround yourself with other creatives, including older creatives.

Go see shows, plays, concert, etc.

Keep your eyes open; inspiration comes from everywhere.

Camden Daly
Pianist/Accompanist/Conductor/Composer

Stay patient. You are going to learn so many things... things will come your way.

Jana Gehring
Painter/Visual Artist
leafbyjana.com

Don't be so afraid of looking different or slowing 'everyone' down that you ignore the desires you have to play with paint and pencil.

You'll almost never feel "ready" or that things are "finished". Frame them/finish them anyway, and learn what you can to keep going.

Spend as much time as you can playing and learning from your materials and techniques and methods. You'll never regret the time you spent learning to draw or paint something new, or learning a new medium. It's all building blocks you can use later.

You can do a lot more with 15 minutes a day, most of the time, than you can with 4 hour blocks once a week. Don't let "I only have a bit of time–it's not worth it" stop you.

Sara Groves
Singer/Songwriter/Recording Artist
saragroves.com

Don't edit yourself. You can't play the role of producer and songwriter in your head at the same time. There has to be a point in the process where you let it ALL out, unedited. You might edit later on, but you have to be in no-idea-is-a-bad-idea mode when you are creating.

Don't teach; bear witness. The songs that move me are just bearing witness to what is true about life. Even in a song that is written for advocacy–if I feel like my story telling is devolving into finger wagging, or a sales pitch, I back and rework.

Songwriting is not prose. It doesn't have to be linear or make sense in story-form. Sometimes a collection of words evoke emotion and create a setting better than any word-for-word description.

"God is the ocean and we keep writing about a cup of water." Producer Charlie Peacock told me this years ago, and it has stayed with me. The subjects for songs are everywhere, inexhaustible.

Ben Hatke
Author/Artist/Illustrator/Fire Eater
benhatke.com

Making art consists of two skills–the skill of *making* and the skill of *sharing*. How you combine those two skills is up to you. For instance you could use the Emily Dickinson Method, where you write poetry every day, very well, and put it all in drawers to be discovered after your death. You could also work like a performance artist, making art live and up close before your audience with every bit of your process on display.

When I was in college I enjoyed making a series of stores I called "Bathroom Comics." These were sheets of paper I would tack up to the wall in our dormitory bathroom and I would add a little bit to the story every time I was in there. My roommates loved it (I enjoyed hearing them laugh when they were using the facilities).

Both making and sharing have their challenges and can be scary. You have to make a habit of both (even if you are using the Emily Dickinson Method you have to form the habit of always putting the poem in the drawer).

I think you have to practice *every day*. As the painter Apelles (4th century BC) said: "never a day without a line." So keep those sketchbooks! Scribble those half-formed ideas. Learn every day and don't worry if your drawings are "perfect."

Genoa McDowell Sperske
Dancer/Choreographer/Director

Trust that you - as you are, as God made you - are enough. There will be people tearing you down as you learn your craft. Always take the opportunity to learn, but don’t let critiques lead you to change your spirit. You have something to offer the world. Find teachers who see that and guide you to develop the great things about you. Find the right balance between being strong in who you are and being teachable and open to self-development.

Find the space that is right for you. If you feel like your artistic community isn’t aligning with your personal convictions or isn’t emotionally healthy, find a new one. Or move into a different aspect of your art that supports you mentally, emotionally, spiritually. For example, if the competitive nature of auditioning as a performer feels like it’s weighing on you emotionally, try teaching for a little while. Take care of your soul to become a better artist. 

Remember that your worth doesn’t come from your art - what you produce, what role you land, etc. God gave you a special gift, but He would love you just the same without it. Your worth is in the fact that God made you and loves you. Try not to find your identity in your art. 

Humility and empathy go a long way in the arts. People and relationships are more important than the art you produce. Making art together is one of the most amazing feelings and you can’t have a positive experience making art with others without humility and empathy.

Bottom line - Stay true to yourself, be teachable, don’t find your worth and identity in your art, stay humble. 

Martha McDowell
Actor/Singer/Musician

Commit the gifts God has given them to Him and make Him an audience of One in both your preparations and performances. Work at your gift striving to please Him primarily. He will comfort you when you are disappointed in some aspect of your art whether it's not getting a role or making a mistake in a music recital. Because God has a plan for every aspect of your life you can trust Him to develop whatever area of art He has blessed you with. If you glorify God in your attitude and effort He will bless you. I know this from direct experience.

Alyssa Penman
Paper and Fiber Artist

It is enough to create what I do because it brings me joy. Comparison is the thief of joy and it is so true when you are one among so many talented artists. Also, it isn't foolish or crazy to want to make a living from creative pursuits. Maybe if I had pushed on when I was younger it would be easier to find my niche.

Heather Warren
Dancer/Choreographer/Actor/Singer

Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to try something new! Personally, my biggest regret in life was passing up a job with East Bay Parks as a Naturalist-in-training for what now seems like silly reasons. I'm trusting that God is using my decisions to place me exactly where I should be, but there were times I was afraid to jump into the new and unknown. Don't be afraid to try and fail!

A Musical is Born! -Part 10- The Playbill

"Playbill" is the fancy word for a poster for a show. Basically, when you walk by the movie theater and see the posters for the movies featured at that theater, you are looking at playbills. They give you information about the actors, writers, times and dates. Some playbills are iconic; when we think of Gone with the Wind, we instantly see in our minds' eye Clark Gable with Vivien Leigh in his arms, in front of a background of flames. Playbills give information about the show, but also set the tone for what to expect. Will this show be funny? Serious? Light-hearted? Dark? Is it a western? A mystery? A romance? A tragedy?

Usually, for a community theater group, not much goes into designing the playbills for our shows. The theater company provides us with the images, sometimes even telling us what colors are allowed on the poster, and tell us what text we are required to use and how big the names need to be. But now... 

we have a show that has NO images, NO requirements, NO playbill whatsoever! We are the designers of the very first Five Children and It musical playbill ever!

My husband, being a graphic designer once-upon-a-time, took the reigns on this. We knew we wanted color, magic, fanciful things. We also knew that many people were not familiar with the original story; it is considered a classic, but it is old and British and so not very well-known. So my husband chose images to represent elements in the story: the country cottage, the sandpit, the various wishes. And the only hint of the mysterious sand-fairy is the "V" in the logo. We also needed to put the time and place and ticket info (of course), but more information about the origin of this new show. Hence, the words "based on the novel by" and "a new musical by." His final poster is eye-catching and fun! And next weekend, our CYT actors will put these posters up all over our valley's downtowns!

Bringing Out the Art in Your Child

I'm sorry that I haven't been blogging. I keep telling myself, "It's 2022 and you haven't posted ONE thing!!"

But I have an excuse. I've been delving into writing for musical theater and doing more visual art. The musical theater stuff is a conversation for another day, but the art... oh my! I'm rediscovering an old love!

And not only am I painting and drawing again, this time I'm posting my creations on Facebook, which is a big step for me. I've learned to stop worrying about "not being good enough." There are a gazillion people on the Internet who are definitely better artists than I am, but that doesn't matter anymore. I'm learning, I'm growing, and I'm having fun.

Seeing my art on Facebook prompted a conversation with a friend. She has a son who is creative and artistic, but won't do any art outside of art class. Her question was "How can I encourage him to draw at home?" Our lengthy dialogue became the perfect basis for this blog post!

So here are some steps to encouraging your child to do more art!

1) Sit and draw with your child. A reluctant child is more likely going to sit and draw if he/she sees you drawing too. Get a drawing book from the library and try a few exercises together. Try one of the drawing games listed below. Suggest drawing something that your child loves (your dog, cars, ponies, Minecraft...) Make it about having fun, not about achieving a goal.

2) Use only encouraging words. Your child is probably reluctant to draw because he/she doesn't feel competent. He/she sees another person's drawings and thinks he's not good enough. Build up his/her confidence by emphasizing that the goal is not to draw as well as a professional artist, but to improve his/her skills.

3) Combine steps 1 and 2! Even if you're not an artist yourself, by sitting down with your child, you are showing him/her that you are also willing to try something new. Put aside your self-consciousness and your child will too! You'll be growing together! And be careful here: use only encouraging words to yourself. No self-deprecating remarks like "Mommy's not that good."

4) Display your work! Frame your artwork and hang it on the wall! Take a picture of it and text it to a friend. Make a card out of it and send it to grandparents. Art is for sharing!!

Now, for some ideas for art time at home!

1) Get a big sheet of paper and draw a scene together! Pick a theme and everyone can add little details to create the scene. Theme ideas: underwater, outer space, your neighborhood, medieval castle.

2) Create a silly creature. There are two ways to do this. One way is simply to give a prompt like "Combine an octopus with a hamster to make a new animal" or "Draw an alligator-chicken." Another way is to make it a group game: everyone gets a sheet of paper, folded in thirds. On the top third, everyone draws a head of some sort. Then fold back the top third so it is hidden; pass the paper to the person on your right (he/she should not be able to see the head drawn on the paper.) Next, take the paper that was passed and draw a body on the middle section of the paper. Again, fold the paper back so that the new drawing is not visible. Pass papers again to the right. On the bottom third, everyone draws legs of some sort. Then open up the papers to reveal your new creature!

3) Invent a do-it-all machine. This one is similar to the silly creature. "Draw a machine that can flip pancakes and make your bed at the same time." The sillier the better!

4) Draw a squiggle monster. Draw a squiggle or blob or weird shape on a piece of paper. Then trade papers. Now turn the squiggle/blob/weird shape into a monster of some kind by adding eyes, horns, teeth, whatever you like!

5) Try March of Robots or Inktober. Sometimes it helps to have prompts. The March of Robots (in March) and Inktober (in October) are both online drawing challenges that give 31 prompts for 31 days of drawing. If that is too intimidating or stressful, come up with your own prompts. My friend Liz and I started our own group! Every week (or so, depending on how busy we are), we take turns coming up with prompts. Then we share our work–it's fun to see what the other person comes up with!

This year, as I was thinking of what verse to draw for Christmas, this is the one that kept coming to my mind. Christmas is not about the lights, it's not the presents, it's not the food. Christmas is about God giving us the one Gift that we desparately needed.

I wish you and your family a wonderful, merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

 2020 was a strange, difficult, exhausting, weary year. 

May you find hope, and rejoice!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving season to you and your family!

Rejoice!

Happy Easter!

Joy to the World!

Merry Christmas to you!

May you experience God's love, 

peace, and joy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

from my family to yours

A Work in Progress

Petit à Petit

Growing up, my family did not have much money for furniture and household items. Most of what we owned were second-hand, which meant I did not have a say in what my bedroom looked like. I learned to be grateful for what I received and creative with what I had.

One day, when I was a teenager, my parents had me pick out a lamp and window valances for my room. For the first time, I had to think beyond the practical and ask myself, "What do I like?"

To the surprise of everyone, I picked out a Tiffany style lamp and ivory crocheted valances! To this day, I love stained glass and crocheted things!

My journey as wife and mother has been similar. My husband and I started off with mostly hand-me-down couches, vacuum cleaners, tables, and chairs. Then one year, I asked my husband that instead of Christmas presents, we go out and buy our very own coffee table. And slowly, ever so slowly, I've furnished my house and discovered my style along the way. I know now that I love rustic wood and antiques. I also love color and organic prints, especially florals. It may be decades before my home looks "done", but that's okay, I still have time to discover myself. My home is always a work in progress. As the French say, Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid. (Translated, it means, "Little by little, the bird builds its nest.")

I chose to write about this now (and do a little pencil sketch of a jay working on its nest) to remind myself that most things in my life is petit à petit: not just decorating but organizing my home in a way so that it runs efficiently, learning to manage my curly hair, discovering my fashion sense, homeschooling (every year I'm teaching a new grade!), parenting, marriage, understanding the Bible…sometimes I wish I had everything figured out, but that is never the case! My life is a work in progress, and though I grow impatient because I want instant results (or envious when I visit someone's beautiful home or admire someone's luxurious hair), I must remember that "little by little" is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, God is shaping me, moment by moment, and just as my home slowly reflect my personality more and more, I will slowly reflect God more and more. And I get excited just thinking about the ways He is growing me and the beautiful things He has planned for me! I am the ultimate Work in Progress!

Craft Ideas for Busy Moms

Because I don't have much free time, my creativity usually comes out in my cooking and baking. But I find that if I go for too many months without doing something artsy, I become disgruntled. I need to do art because it feeds my soul. I love seeing my environment beautified by something that came from my own two hands. And as much as I enjoy feeding my family, sometimes I just want to make something that won't get devoured in two minutes flat! 

First, let me say that I don't consider myself to be a crafter, and this is not a craft blog. But I do enjoy making quick and simple decorations for my home, and I've learned how I can make that happen even with little ones. For years, I tried to do art, then grew so frustrated that I would abandon it for a while, only to try again because I needed it so much. It took me a while to figure out how to balance my creative time with my mothering time. So if you like arts and crafts, I'm excited to share with you what I've learned!

Second, I need to say that if you're a new-ish mom (or even a veteran mom), tell yourself not to feel guilty about taking some time to do something you love. I don't really believe in "me" time, but I do believe in "God" time, which means enjoying God by doing what He created you to do! Whether you need to go out for a bike ride or jog, play the piano, read a book, refinish a table, catch up with a friend over coffee… if it refreshes you, do it! You may feel like you're abandoning your post, but you'll actually be a better (and happier) mom when you reunite with your kids!

And now, on to the projects! 

My criteria for crafts is that 1) they do not require long periods of attention or many days and 2) I use as many found objects as I can (meaning I spend as little money as possible). I love the challenge of creating something new from something old!

The first project is the welcome wreath pictured above. I made that today in just a few hours after I saw a similar wreath on the blog Elegant Nest. I love birch trees and I love music, so what is better than making birch tree-like bark out of music paper? The heart is shaped from an old wire hanger, and the 'welcome' from some bendy wire I found in the garage. I wrapped the ends of the 'welcome' wire around the heart, then duct taped them in place. Next, I cut up old piano music into strips, then used Mod Podge (available at craft stores) to wrap them around all the wire. (I brush the Mod Podge onto the strip of paper first, then wrap. Warning- it gets pretty sticky.) Lastly, I took some dead branches from a bush in our front yard. While carefully holding them in place, I wrapped paper (with Mod Podge) around the end of the branch, just enough to keep them from shifting. I also made sure the branches blended into the wire, so it looked as if the branches were growing out from the heart. If you look carefully, you will see three little butterflies I added as the finishing touch. Though I think I might add some color later… like many of my projects, it's a work in progress! (more about that in my next post!) 

Next is this all-occasion banner that came about when I grew tired of hanging store-bought paper "happy birthday" signs. I had a lot of felt on hand, which is perfect if you want a sewing project that requires no sewing! The triangles are actually diamond shapes folded in half to go around the string. I did end up stitching the letters and triangles on (using a simple straight stitch) but you can easily make a banner with just felt and glue. Bonus–you can work on one letter a day.



Here is another banner-type decoration. I found that I had lots of fabric scraps that were too small for any big project, but perfect for making a "rope" to hang things on.  I pulled out fabrics of similar color, cut them into small strips (about 1/2 inch by 3 inches), and knotted them together, end to end, until I reached my desired length. The "rope" is perfect for hanging children's artwork, signs, or photos because the knots keep things from sliding around. And it also adds a touch of color to any room! I have the blue/yellow rope pictured here, and also a red/green rope for Christmas. I use my Christmas one to hang cards as they arrive in the mail.

Another quick project is arranging pressed flowers in an old frame. Flowers can be pressed in between the pages of any book (put things on top of the book to press down on the flowers), then glued onto paper using simple white glue (like Elmer's). Sometimes I collect wildflowers on my walks, just to have pressed flowers on hand when I feel the urge to be artsy! These two frames hang in my main bathroom.

Then of course, I have my ever-handy chalkboard. I used to get so frustrated because my art would get ruined by a child, or I messed up my own artwork when a child disrupted me. With chalk, I can wipe it clean and try again, and again, and again. I can work on it for a few minutes at a time and not worry about the paint drying while I step away to change a diaper. Big chalkboards can be pretty pricey, so make your own if you have a big frame that you no longer need. All you need is a bottle of chalkboard paint from the art store. I actually recommend this, because many of the chalkboards on sale now have a slick surface, which is good for chalk markers, but not as good for real chalk. And real chalk is still pretty cheap–just buy a box of white ones like the ones we used to use in school!

If you have questions about any of the projects, please ask. As always, if you have ideas to share, feel free to do so! I'm always up for trying new things! And I hope you feel inspired to do something artsy today, even if it's only for ten minutes!

Wishing you all a most joyous Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Joy & Honor

Under His Wings

(I was feeling discouraged and I needed this reminder.)

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing