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Saturday
Jun142008
Sparks of inspiration
In which I sing praises of good things going on, my earlier blog crisis notwithstanding
1) Tara's got a great idea going on in her life: One Project a Month (OPAM to those in the know). She looks around and identifies one corner of her world that she'd like to whip into shape (we all have them: the I'll-get-to-that-someday, not-quite-disastrous-enough-to-warrant-emergency-attention pockets of the house).
I asked her if I could post her photos of her last month's triumph + she generously agreed. DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF THIS IDEA SHOWS UP ON MY WALLS. I love it. You can see details of this particular project here. I love the blend of black-and-white and color, the fantastic close-ups (she's a photographer so she had great shots to choose from), the square format, the groupings, the TTV effect (she explains it better than I could), the modern + unobtrusive Ikea frames.
The best thing? You can join in with Tara on the OPAM crusade! Fighting procrastination, one doable project at a time. Are you in? I am.2) Believe it or not (I'm sure you do) I still have a bunch of my kids' artwork in boxes and folders. Sometimes I took a photo of them holding the art and then got rid of it but much of it remains, even 13 years after the fact.
When I saw this collage by Jan Eleni, I was happy I kept them (or at least some of them). This is genius. A collage of miniaturized kids' artwork. Brilliant, I say.
via Design Mom
Do you think I could get the same effect by scanning them in myself and printing on a great printer? Or here's another idea I just had: a collage of your family's yearly holiday cards.
3) I have been particularly inspired lately by the lovely, delicious offerings of the foodie blogs. In particular, I like Annie's Eats (no, the Annie is definitely not me), The Pioneer Woman Cooks (I know, with everyone else on the planet, right?), and Smitten Kitchen (who wins my vote for the cleverest cooking blog title and who sells her fabulous photos of food here. There's another idea for the collage! A food one for the kitchen.) What's important to know is that I, by nature, do not usually feel the love for cooking. Eating? Yes, got that covered. But I have been a pretty utilitarian cook for my family. I rotate through a standard 4 or 5 dishes. The picky young eaters won. Yawn.
However. These daily culinary ideas have been just the thing to spark my kitchen creativity (or is it still creativity if I'm just recreating their recipe? Hmm. Don't know). Honestly, sometimes I just look at the post and admire. But more and more, I break out the bowls and give it a try. Let me know if I'm missing out on one of your favorite food sites.
4) Allysha's hosting an virtual book group for Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. I have to admit I've never read it (I know! And I call myself a bibliophile! I haven't read Anna Karenina either. Sorry) but I'm looking forward to joining in after reading her introductory tribute to it.
I love summer reading. {Mom, remember the summers when I used to stretch out on the beige sofa and read All Day Long? And only every once in a while would you nudge me to go outside and do something? Thanks for letting me do that. I was so oblivious to anyone around me...you probably could have used my help somehow...but it was a great gift, that endless reading.}
That's it for now. We're off with our friends to the Cape this weekend.
I hope you have a good one!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Reader Comments (13)
"We're off to the Cape..."
Can a Utah girl be a WASP? Because that sounded very WASP-ish!
Have fun. I'm jealous...
Love, the WASP wannabe
Gabi,
Touche! I guess I hear it so often around here, it just rolls off the tongue.
True story: when I first came here years ago, someone asked about my plans for the weekend. I knew someone was taking us to Cape Cod and that the "cool" thing was to call it by just one word. Sadly, I chose the wrong one and said "I'm going to the Cod!"
That? Not so WASPy. :).
yes I too am jealopus about "Off to the Cape" from here in Atlanta - although I do have to admit that I am "Off to the Cape" in 3 week for about 3 weeks - so I guess I can't complain!
Thanks for the links - I LOVE Tara's photo wall and I love your idea about the holiday card collage - just wish I had a better camera to take the pictures - oh, and photoshop!
Yes, I do remember your summer read-ins! I remember you coming home from the library with a stack of books that I thought would last the entire summer, and you were through them in a week. I wasn't nearly so generous to leave you alone when in high school, you started watching Days of Our Lives. Not the same thing at ALL!
Your "Cape" story made me think of our little neighbor Teeya, who a couple of year back, when I asked if she was going to go on any trips in the summer, she said, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe "Cabo". Apparently, that is the cool way to refer to Cabo San Lucas. It cracked me up, because she was only six.
Love, Ma
To date we have exactly 2 art projects proffered by our 2 year-old. But, I anticipate future offerings and that inspired montage is the best thing I've ever seen to combat the clutter. I'm filing this away for the future, thanks for letting me piggyback on your inspirations.
I'm in with the projects! These are some great ideas! Thanks
Hope you had a great time at the Cape and I put my two cents in for Dandelion Wine. Love it. It begins at the start of summer and ends with the beginning of school. A PERFECT summer read. (and don't let the "Ray Bradbury" authorship fool you--not so sci-fi this one.) Hope you enjoy it to.
Well I need a format for putting pictures on the wall and I am always copying. Great idea.
Woops. That was me making that last comment. Sorry for the mix up!
Have a great vacation. I miss the Cape, sob.
i couldn't love the photos by tara more. what an amazing idea and beautiful photos. i guess i need to learn photoshop and get to work! thanks for sharing.
Okay, those are the cutest ideas EVER. I think I might just have to steal that picture arrangement and mini kid's artwork idea. Now if I can only find an Ikea in Nepal???
Thanks for commenting. You have an adorible blog!
Thank you for sharing all these cool ideas! LOVE the photos and the Smitten Kitchen. Also, I love your Basic Joy Children's Festival Idea. I will have to rent Children of Heaven! It sounds so good. Can't wait for another installment!
Wish I could just run off to the cape...;)
Janelle :p
Also (regarding Children of Heaven)such a good way for kids to relate to others who live in different circumstances than their own. Such a good idea.