Goal Week

Hi! Happy Monday! Usually, it would be a busy day for me (and many), getting back into the grind of things. My typical weekday usually includes a lot of juggling between my various jobs and daughter and husband and home and I just never quite have enough time for ReLove Projects. However, this week is different. This week I get to focus almost entirely on my home, my art, & my projects. I've learned from experience that the more I have to do the more I actually get done. For example, if I have a list of 10 things to do versus a list of two things to do, the ten list will get about eight things knocked off, and the two list gets lost in the shuffle of all my distractions. It doesn't make sense, I know. It seems like if there are fewer things they are easier to do and take less time... Another thing I've learned is that if I don't somehow hold myself accountable then I totally lack self-discipline. What can I say? I'm weak! I know! And now you know too! So here is my solution to that: I'm going to share much of my to-do list with you.

Anne's To-Do for the week of August 3
1) Clean my studio a little bit every day (by "a little bit" I mean at least 20 minutes of focused organizing). On Friday I'm going to take a picture of it to share with you. Feel free to bust me if it still looks like a pack of raccoons went on a rampage!
2) Finish my twelve new cards that I started last week.
3) Finish two of the four pieces I was commissioned to do, and at least get started on the other two. (I'm really exited to create these. They're like my cards, only bigger. They are for two little girls and will be ocean themed.)
4) Blog every day. Yes! Every day! I have so much I've been wanting to share- other blogs, etsy finds, project ideas, and new work. Oh yes, and a giveaway!
5) Create something just because. I don't want to get lost in the world of not loving what I do. Sometimes I think I get so sucked into being productive and supporting myself that I forget that the real reason that I create things is simply because I love it.
6) Get started on my new art. This is what it looks like right now:


When I find a scrap piece of wood I paint it with primer and hang it up. Then I wait for inspiration and time.

Well, with this big list I need to get cracking! See you tomorrow!

PS- I only shared the To-Do's on my creative-ish list. I figured you weren't interested in my cleaning the toilet and calling the accountant! I didn't want you to think I was a slacker with only 5 things :).

Summer

Today when I got in my car the temperature was over 100 degrees! Ugh. I always forget how hot it gets here in the summer (and while it's so hot I forget how cold it gets in the winter!). I would love to read a good book and then take a nap here:
Or here!
Both photos are by Annika Vannerus. More can be found here.

29 cards off to market

I just sent 29 cards off to be sold at the Mile High Music Festival! Now I'm having fantasies of some of the big names at the show coming across my work- Ben Harper, G. Love and Special Sauce, Ani DiFranco, Thievery Corporation, DeVotchKa, Matisyahu, Paper Bird (ok, Paper Bird isn't a big name yet, but they will be! They are AMAZING performers, and so fun. If you haven't heard of them check them out!). I listen to all of them to help me crank these creations out. How great would it be if one of them bought one of my cards!?
These are a few of my favorite ones:

Octopus

I checked out Craftivity by Tsia Carson a few weeks ago. This book is AMAZING! I wanted to do a large majority of the projects she had.
I created an octopus, which turned out super cool. I'm thinking about adding buttons all over the arms for those suction things, do you think that would be overkill?
I also started making a rug. This project is much more involved and requires a lot of yarn. I'm budgeting myself- each time I go to the craft store I get a few things of yarn. When I'm sitting around I'll make a few puffballs. Eventually I'll get there!
*In my efforts to try and blog more, I'm going to be reviewing assorted arts and crafts books, and making projects from each one I look into. If you have any suggestions please leave a comment!*

Cool Stuff

I'm starting to get back to my old self again! Soon I'll be able to post my creations, but until then I thought you might enjoy seeing some other creative recyclers. Or upcyclers. Whatever.
This was found over at the great Design Sponge. It looks like vertibrae from a large animal, but amazingly it is recycled egg crates! ‘Metamorphosis’ egg crate lamp by Sukmo Koo and Young Taek Oh.
And another light (what is it with me and lights lately?!)’Sleeve’ sweater lamp by Sara Ebert on the right. The left one is made from pipe cleaners by Jennie Maneri.

Down the rabbit hole

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't had too many posts lately. Not for almost a month, actually. I wish that I had my normal excuses to defend myself with- lack of inspiration, too busy with other things, and so on. Unfortunately, this time I atually have some real viable reasons. The main one being that I had to have emergency surgery. It has been a blur of pain meds, recovery, and all the strange things that the body does after it takes a hit. It is a good sign that I'm now up and on the computer, and an even better sign that I actually feel like doing things now. I have one more week of bedrest, and I'm hoping to make the best of it!

Distractions

Goodness gracious, it has been awhile. So what's my excuse this time, you may be asking. Then you'll say, "You haven't been working as much with you new summer schedule, you've been making all sorts of new creations, you've had an exiting few weeks, and still, no posts?" Well, what can I say? I got so wrapped up in painting my living room red (or 'Spice', which is a brownish-red), organizing my studio, making a stuffed octopus, sewing a little stuffy for my daughter's 12th birthday, celebrating my daughter's birthday, and becoming totally absorbed with Ann Wood. I saw her cardboard castle a long time ago, and emailed it to myself but failed to follow through and look into her and what she does. She's amazing! She reminds me a little bit of myself- using recycled materials and her whimsical creatures. If you haven't ventured upon her site, you should go there now!