Creativity Starts

Creativity starts from a belief.  An idea.

This ad sponsored by ADCOM–made by Florence Ki of Junior Chamber International, Petaling Jaya, in Malaysia–is remarkably creative and full of animation.  I applaud the magnificent minds that made this creative project.  It makes me nostalgic.

I do have an brilliant idea.  It may not make my nation proud, but, who cares.  I am darn proud of myself for taking action.   Not everyone will to be happy about it.  I will do it anyway…simply to live, collect moments and not things.  Play big.  Act accordingly.

Make your ideas happen, my friend.  All you need is a belief.  It’s never too late.

Optical Spectrum–Organic Waves and Rosettes–was one of those ideas I let it played out, a couple of weeks ago, using a quarter skein of Caron Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) and a skein of Red Heart Boutique Treasure in Size 10 needles.

A goal is not always meant to be reached.  The idea was served simply as something to aim at.

A great way to spend a violent wind-storm afternoon.  Once conditioned and rinsed, the points were blocked out…organically.

A nice wrapped scarf started out with a single idea of a classic fan & feather stitch…with random changes…into a wing-like, similar to this last one but totally random on short-rowing.

Another jazz/swing knitting success.

I do hope my teen’s flute mentor will like it as I do…it’s my Pay-It-Forward to her for all that she does for my child.

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Blessed in a Way that Fills My Heart with a Thousand “Thank-Yous”

Freedom isn’t free!

I’m taking a moment of silence to honor all of the men and women who have fought and died for my country to protect my freedom including my right to choose what foods I eat and drink!

This was our way to honor those who have served us and protect our freedoms at one of the largest Veteran’s Day Parades in Oregon! ♥¸.°´° ♥.¸¸.•°´°▪♥ღ

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Got Food?

You HAVE to watch this Pissing Off a Frog video clip…only 25 seconds long.  The kids laughed their heads off. I was all set to hate it until the final second

Sometime in my life, I wish to go back to my childhood life…to reminisce those lovely days…way, way back. As a child, I was free from thinking so many problems. As a child, I had only three task to follow–eating, playing, and sleeping. I was free in my own world. It’s good to be a child…just take a look at my older teen when she was about a year and an half old.

Raising a child is never an easy task. I always want the best for mine, thus, really work hard to provide the basic necessities of my children. Lately, I wonder if my children feel I am a micromanaging and overbearing mom.  How do you make the transition and letting go growing teens?

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

One Thing

Sometimes what seems like surrender isn’t surrender at all.

It’s about what is going on in my heart. About seeing clearly the way life is and accepting it and being true to it–whatever the pain–’cuz the pain of not being true to it is far, far greater.  ♥

Today, I choose to let the true me out…with no apologies…only then will true beauty radiate and make a difference to those around me.

I am grateful.

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

I have the Power

At any given moment

I have the power to say

This is not how the story is going to end.

In case you missed the annular solar eclipse, check out this amazing footage. ♥

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Waking Up

…to who I am, who I really am. I’m sure of the value and eager for the experience and knowledgeable of the guidance and certain of the outcome.

If today were my last day, I would do what I’m doing.

I would love more,

forgive more, and give more. ♥

Forgive and give as if it were my last opportunity.

Love like there is no tomorrow.

And if tomorrow comes, I’ll love again…every step of the way.

Our attitude defines life. Be an uplifter that touches someone’s life, today, no matter how small it may seem.

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Effortless to a T

My time is limited, so I won’t waste it living someone else’s life. I won’t be trapped by dogma–which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. I won’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out my own inner voice. Most importantly, I will follow my heart and intuition. They somehow already know what I truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My friend Bebe knitted one when Hannah Fettig of Knitbot first released the pattern Effortless in September, 2010.  I love it then.  It’s about that time waterfall aka wrap cardigans have gained in popularity.

I started the swatch with Cotton Fleece from Twisted last week and cast on on Sunday.

Despite having miles of stockinette and a fair amount of ribbing–even with little time to knit on Monday between major spring cleaning–this is surprisingly a quick knit. ♡^.^♥ The cardigan is finished, washed and drying this evening.

I will tell you more about the sweater tomorrow when it dried and modeled.

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Smiles

Profit and Loss statement completed.  Taxes filed.  Teen’s back from The Heritage Festival in Anaheim late afternoon, yesterday.  Congratulation, SUMMIT WINDS, for outscoring all 39 bands–in all size classifications! In addition to the Gold-Metal trophy and a plague for outstanding band, Summit Winds took home another trophy–that isn’t given out every year and quite rare–for earning the highest mark and outstanding critiques by all judges. You kids ROCK. Thank you Dan and Lorene Judd for your wonderful leadership, love, and care for these young musicians and making an epic impact on their lives!  It’s nice to have my teen home…after a long trip away.

I came up for a little breather

and started some swatching for my next project. It’s difficult to knit up the next project for Knit-Purl and not say anything about it.

Luckily, invisible knitting here won’t take long ‘cuz I have self-imposed a deadline to have it finished and shipped by this weekend. Then, I will be able to share a couple of publicly knitting next. ♡^.^♥

Today’s food-for-thought (a chicken and egg scenario): Does smiling lead to positive thinking or is positive thinking a precursor to smiling? I tend to think the latter…Be a superhero today and spread some smiles!

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Mystical

I don’t know about you, as a child through teen-hood, I frequently found myself indulging in one of my favorite pastimes–watching anime. I would cry when one of my favorite characters was killed. I’d feel pretty bitter. I still do. In my daydreams, I fantasized being a character from a show, fighting a villain or being a princess meeting her prince-charming and lived happily ever after.

As one of her many hobbies, my 13-year-old love drawing manga-looking pictures in her spare time.

These 5″ by 8″ drawings shown here are just a few of her earlier creation when she was 9 years old.  It is all so far behind me, yet, the vivid memories make it seem like only yesterday…her sitting in front of the computer, watching some manga artists drawing online on YouTube, toggling between the pause and play buttons, drawing her little life away…

Time after time, I suggested hosting her own art exhibit or sell some of her art work. She declined without hesitation. It’s fascinating how personality traits, artistic interests/tastes, and learning styles differ between the girls–when they grew up together as if they were inseparable twins, in same environment, with same circle of friends. What were the outside forces that influenced/impacted their lives? I often ponder the mystical question.  What’s your personal experience?

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)

Moments of Bliss

It’s easy to just get wrapped up and never move past. When I thought she would back away, she walked forward. growing through her struggles, confusion, uncertainty, and the moments of bliss as she experiences the natural occurrences that I experience as I begin my journey in adulthood.

Not that she doesn’t get nervous when competing, it’s just that the nerves don’t show. Francis Poulenc’s sonata 1st movement was the piece my teen chose to perform at this year’s Central Oregon District Solo Ensemble over a week ago. It didn’t matter that she came down with runny nose, cough, and sore throat–hours before her performance–or who’s in the judging room, she just played her heart out. Everyone there heard her expressive tone and musical phrasing. So did the adjudicator.  As first runner-up, she and her band-mate Nick Loeffler–who took first place–are advancing to compete at state level next month at Lewis & Clark. Her improvement in rhythm, technique, and articulation has given her a great set of new tools in her musical arsenal.   Her mentor Pam Hughes feels she is on the verge of going up another entire level.   I am a proud mother who couldn’t help but share the admiration for my daughter.

Between yesterday and today, I saw the strongest winds in months, with gusts in the 45-50 mph.  Good thing hubby took care of trucking the girls to classes and practices…so I could just curl up with my woolly blanket, a big ‘ol bowl of comfort food, soothing music, and knit a little.  I decided to scratch the stripes for now but added lace element to front panels.  I like what I see so far.

With good intention…reading just wasn’t an option as my vision is still bothering me today. No worry. Tomorrow will be a better day. I just feel it.

Happy crafting and keep those creative juices running!

(still doesn’t do texting, MySpace, Twitter, StumbleUpon, DiggIt…but caved into Facebook!)