WHAT TALENT DO YOU SHARE WITH THE WORLD? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 35

Even if you are unaware of it, you have a special talent.  Each person has talent even if it is yet untapped.  It might be playing a musical instrument, dancing, painting, crafting with clay or metal, fibre arts, acting, writing or any of the many art forms available to us.  Not everyone has an opportunity to take lessons to unleash talent, but there are other ways to discover your creativity.  Library books, Internet searches, local shops and craft stores are possible venues to learn how to do something that appeals to you.  Visiting art museums when the admission is free will expose you to many works of art.  Painting, sculpting, carving, dancing, singing, acting, writing, and film are just some of the options from which you may choose.

With something as simple as a pencil and piece of paper, try your hand at drawing.  With sand at the beach try making sand sculptures.  With a brush and some inexpensive water colors try painting.  Charcoal drawings or pen and ink drawings may be your forte. Needles, thread, yarn, crochet hooks, and fabrics may open up new vistas for you by creating something new or by up cycling something old and worn.  With something as simple as a plastic recorder you can make music.  Modern dance may be your way of fulfilling your creative desires.

There are so many art forms, and since many schools are no longer teaching the arts it is up to individuals to find their creative talents.  Art and music take the rough, harsh edges off of life.  Life without creative arts is never as beautiful or enjoyable so find your own path and share your creativity.

Today's message is:

Create art!

Create lace or other fibre arts.

PLANNING PREVENTS EMERGENCIES - CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 22

Are you more interested in executing rather than planning?  Some people think that is the best way to approach doing anything of importance.  There are others who know for a work project, a home improvement project, a community or charity project, a craft project or even a new recipe it is smart to take time to plan actions and  assemble all needed materials.  There are those who think planning is a waste of time, and there are others who have learned that jumping in without a plan can result in disaster, increased costs, wasted time, and the need to repeat the project.

Today's message is:

Think Ahead

 

My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe In Logan, Utah

Perhaps many of you are already familiar with Kris and Kim, identical twins from Utah who are incredibly talented, successful entrepreneurs, and very creative fiber artists. Their videos and websites provide creative ideas, patterns, and how-to-instructions for making apparel, accessories, home decor, and an abundance of other projects. They maintain several websites http://www.theDIYDish.com, http://www.youcanmakethis.com, http://www.swakembroidery.com and http://www.mygirlfriend's quiltshoppe.com. Kris and her husband own the retail store My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe in Logan, Utah. If you take a virtual tour of the shop on line you will see it is filled with charm, color, beautiful fabrics and great ideas. If you watch their videos and/or subscribe to their free newsletters you will be enchanted by these young women who are absolutely delightful to watch. One of the recent how-to videos from My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe showed me how to make a ten-minute table runner. I needed a gift so I went to my fabric stash, followed the video, and quickly made this table runner for a friend.

Kris and Kim seem to offer something for everyone in the variety of arts and crafts they share. Visit their sites and enjoy!

Crafting With Toddlers

When I was a teenager and also when my children were small, I did some teaching in the nursery class during Sunday services at church. It is not too early to introduce toddlers to the fun of coloring, pasting, drawing, finger-painting, or using stickers to decorate their masterpieces. Scissors are too much for them to master so any cutting should be done beforehand (or by you during the crafting). They can use simple items like pipe cleaners in lots of colors that bend and twist so easily into decorative chains. Popsicle sticks in lots of colors can be used for building or making simple picture frames. Egg cartons and round oatmeal boxes can find new life in their hands. Not only will your toddler enjoy spending time with you and be proud of his/her creations, but it helps his/her dexterity, hand/eye coordination, and encourages him/her to be creative. Let them be free to make what they want as they want it. Although you can demonstrate to them how to use the materials, don't expect them to do it perfectly or to do it "your way" (just keep them safe from eating the paste or getting paint or crayon marks on the wrong places). Buying a couple of yards of oilcloth at your local fabric store will provide years of use as protection for your table, floor or whatever surface you opt to use for crafting. The Dollar Store is a great place to find inexpensive craft supplies. All kinds of simple craft ideas and instructions can be found on the Internet. You can also find coloring pages to download from various websites. If you save paper that has been printed on only one side you can be eco-friendly by printing the coloring pages on the remaining clean side. In this world that sometimes seems to be filled with bad news, I promise you that spending time with toddlers is refreshing and delightful. They are pure, they are innocent, they are funny, and they are smarter than you might think. Remember, they are just "short" people! Have a great time, and I would very much appreciate receiving comments about your experiences.