Fiddling Away

Whenever I start feeling uncreative, or run into “creator’s block”, I try to do something different for a while.   I find that as I focus on developing new skills, or re-developing old ones, it helps me to get back into a creative mode.

Sometimes it can just mean doing something different for a few days, and sometimes it can be longer.  It just depends on the entire scope of things going on at the time.

Work is getting very busy again, so it has my mind fully occupied.  This leaves little room for creativity (not to mention leaving little time for it either).    So I decided to continue with beading for the time being since it requires so little brain power or energy.

I am finding it relaxing. The cadence of stringing beads and the tactile nature of the craft is soothing.   I put on my “Moving Art” videos (by Louie Schwartzberg) and just drift off into a Zen like state.   I don’t necessarily start with a firm plan.   I just buy some beads that inspire me, get to work — and let it be!

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Life got in the way

Hi friends!

I have been away for a couple of weeks and thought I should check in. 🙂

Progress — Despite the Curse

I swear I am cursed when it comes to kitchen scales.  I go through them like crazy.   Seems like every few months I am having to buy a new one.  My most recent one died a week ago, delaying my progress in making my lotion refills.

We went out shopping this week to an outlet mall.   There was a kitchen store there, so we popped in and bought a scale.  It’s a Cuisinart kitchen scale and it wasn’t terribly cheap (I think we paid about $40 for it).

So I get it home and start measuring out my dinner.   Oh, good lord!   Who makes a scale that shows you the measurement in fractions rather than decimals?   Well, apparently Cuisinart does.  Of course there was no indication of this on the outside of the box to warn me!  (So frustrated)!!!!

Remains of Winter – What to do in an ice storm

It is unseasonably terrible outside today.  In fact, it has been so all weekend long.   A late winter ice storm is slowly blowing through and we are under a winter storm warning.

It is mid-April and we should be getting some early spring-like weather here in Michigan, but instead, we get this:

Rhassoul Clay Palm Free Soap Refill

This soap was the shining achievement of my weekend!  I am so happy with it.

I have made this soap before, and it is my new favorite, but I just started on my last bar of it in the shower, so it was time to make another batch.  It should cure out just in time for my last bar to be used up.

It’s Ridiculous!

I spent the weekend again “not” making soap or lotion again.   I confess, it felt great to do something a little different, but I am getting ready to go back to soaping, probably next weekend.

My son told me that while he was cleaning out his storage unit, somebody walked away with a box of his Christmas decorations.    Several years ago I had made him and his fiancée’ ridiculously large Christmas stockings. They loved them! They have a fondness for ridiculous things.  Unfortunately, those stockings were in the box that walked away. 😦

Since the two of them are getting married next month, I decided to make them a new pair of Christmas stockings, just as ridiculous as the last ones.  This should help them celebrate their first Christmas as husband and wife!

Waterless Weekend

Due to some scheduled maintenance on the water system in our house over the weekend, I was unable to make any soap or lotions.    That didn’t stop me though — I simply broke out the ol’ knitting machine.   A girl’s gotta do something to keep out of trouble…er….keep busy!