Cemetery Serenity

Call us crazy, but both my DD12 and I like to hang out in cemeteries. They're so quiet and serene -- and rich with history. I love imagining the stories of the people buried there, and I allow myself to feel some of the sorrow that people might have felt as they buried their loved ones, especially little ones. It makes me grateful for my life as it is.

Yesterday, DD wanted to hang out in a tree at a nearby cemetery to read a new book. It was a little far for her to be going alone, so I accompanied her -- with my own book, my camera, and a dog pillow for my tush. I figured we'd hang out for an hour or so. We stayed for four hours. I tried getting creative with the camera for a little while, and then we both settled into our books for a good long while. (Oh, I also wrote some more in my Joy Notes book and made some mental notes for potential poetry that I'd like to write one day.) Eventually, it got too dark to read, so we watched the fireflies and talked about life. It got cold -- but it was cool! We both enjoyed our little retreat, and I think it will be a precious memory for years to come.

I won't bore you with all of them, but in the interest of my attempt at creativity, here are a few of the pix I took, some of which I might edit later:

I was trying to play with having a blurred background with a focal subject in the foreground -- but I really don't know how to do that with my point-and-shoot camera.

It's hard to believe she sat there for FOUR hours!

She was going for the "blank" look, so I played with the exposure and colour after I uploaded this one. Though I didn't plan it, I kinda like how her face is a bit blurry, but the background leaves and branches are crisper.

I liked the shape of the top of this tomb stone. As you can tell, I was trying for an interesting angle ;) I tried getting a close up of the cocoon, but wasn't very successful.

I think I heard the sound of laughter as I lay on the ground to get this shot ;)

I dunno -- that might make an interesting background for something one day . . . It has a poetic quality to me, with prickly branches and soft, green leaves ;)

I liked the verse on this one: "I will fear no evil for thou art with me."

Just in case you didn't believe we stayed until after dark ;) I was shooting "blind" because I couldn't see anything on the camera screen until after the flash went off.

Another shot in the dark. Oh look -- a smile :) She said she could have fallen asleep on that branch.

I wish I'd been able to capture the fireflies in my photos -- they were like twinkling diamonds catching the light against a backdrop of dark velvet. They reminded me of a poem I wrote years ago . . . in fact, a month before DD12 was born! The amazing thing is I was able to put my fingers on it to share with you:

Firefly

A young boy taught me

that I can glow like you.

All I have to do is

catch you

with my hands

and press you

 between my palms.

It's true.

He caught you and,

not viciously,

rubbed your fluorescent essence

on his skin.

Then, your life

 made him shimmer

in the blackness of the night.

Your life,

it seems,

was a small price to pay

for a glowing moment of brilliance.

For who counts the cost

to the universe?

Who counts the cost of a firefly?

Who counts the cost of anything

that gives even a brief

glowing moment of brilliance?

Deep, eh? I found myself wanting to write another poem last night, but I didn't have anything but my teeny-tiny notebook to write in. I do want to get back into the "habit" of writing poetry, though -- and reading it, too. I think The Artistic Mother will help me with that -- if I ever get back to working on those projects:)

Are there any unusual places you like to go to "re-charge your batteries"? Are there particular places that inspire you to be creative?

Silent But Not Unproductive

I know that I haven't posted in a while. I have, however, been quite busily productive. We hosted a baby shower at our home on Saturday, and that meant lots of cleaning (does that count as creativity???? It should!) and "prettying up" the house. For example, here is some of the porch prettiness (more later when the lilies are in bloom):

Oh, and here's the freshly groomed greeter:

In addition to scrubbing all the mainfloor baseboards (a task I've deferred for far too long!),  I dismantled and moved (with muscle help from DD12) the china cabinet and purged it to look a little less cluttered -- finding homes for things in various other cupboards and cabinets. (Let's see if I can ever find anything again!) Oh, and DH primed and painted the ugly grey legs of our board room turned dining room table. What a difference it makes! I didn't get a chance to take "before" pictures, but here is the colour of the legs before, since the top still looks that way (for now):

And here's what they look like now -- though they still need another coat of paint:

(That table cloth looks purple -- it's actually brown, as the colours for the shower were brown and baby blue.) What a difference, though --- don't you think?!?!?

And here is a shot of the "summerized" dining room chandelier (which we don't particularly like) -- DH's handiwork:

DH also created this "wall of fame" (for lack of a better term) by picniking some photos from a recent photo shoot and framing them:

Ahh, it feels good! We need to host events more often so we're motivated to get those little things done around here! Alas, I didn't take ANY photographs of the shower -- which is a shame because my DH and SIL did a fabulous job of decorating. The table, especially, was beautiful! (They've missed their calling as a team of party planners!)

The children have enjoyed a little bit of creativity, too. Last weekend we did a "Family Adventure Tour" during which they got to work with some pottery clay:

Actually -- even the rabbits have been (pro)-creative lately:

(There are five little cuddle bunnies snuggled in there -- just two weeks old.)

And last, but not least, in addition to adding to my Joy Notes booklet, I have been working on a Father's Day gift for my beloved. It's still a work in progress, and of course I can't show it to you yet, but here is how it started out:

(I love Usborne books -- but I've never understood the value of children's books that simply label pictures -- so I felt no guilt about altering this.)You'll have to come back next week to see the end result :)

What are the "little things" you've been doing lately that might not typically be considered "artistic," but that add a little creative flair to your life?

Oh, BTW -- do you like my new signature????

Artful Lists

One of the first projects in The Artistic Mother is to use some of those fun backgrounds (see a few posts below) and create useful lists, such as babysitter guidelines and schedules for art activities. Here is one background I made (using watery acrylics and smooshed plastic wrap that was left in place until the paint dried) but didn't post because it wouldn't upload for me the other night:

And this is the "Art To-Do List" I made after doing some photo editing (click on the pic to see it up close):

The little box at the bottom is my square from our Family Art Day project. Since the individual papers in it represent each member of my family, I included it as a reminder to keep family a priority in my creativity.

While I think I might tire quickly of this particular background (I think I need something more muted), I love the idea of using my artwork in functional ways.

Have you found any functional ways to use your art -- besides the traditional ways?

Joy Notes

Inspired by Shona Cole of "The Artful Life" (author of The Artistic Mother), who was giving away a few of her own creations this past week, I used one of those blank playing cards I was rooting around for the other day to make this:

My dh asked me what it was for (I guess it IS kinda small!) --- but I had a good answer ready!

As I mentioned in another post, I've been noting the lack of joy in my life -- not because there's no source of it, but because I haven't been claiming it or practising it. I also mentioned that the theme for this month in the Creative Every Day challenge happens to be "bliss," and in the context of the challenge that word is used interchangeably with the word "joy." Also, yesterday I was absorbing some motherly encouragement at Sally Clarkson's blog, "I Take Joy" -- and then this morning I was reading Psalm 51 about joy being restored -- and I just knew I was meant to reflect on this theme pretty seriously.

Sooooo, I created this little notebook to document all the reasons I have to live a joyful life. That's what I want to live, and that's what I know I CAN live, but I have to choose it. As Sally Clarkson says, I have to "practise" it.

So I'm starting with this little notebook.

What about you? How do you practise living joyfully? Is there any creative, artful thing that helps you to do so?