Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Breaking Down the Walls

I have been very into the Creative Moms Podcast. I listen to it while working out a lot...if I loose the 30 pounds I am going for I owe it partially to Amy of Creative Moms.:) Today I had listened to the most recent podcast, so I went back and downloaded the first one. Since then, I have been thinking about the walls that are around me and those that I might help build around others. Several things came to mind.

My grandfather was dying of lung cancer and I became very interested in recording some family history that I felt like was dying with him. I made up a questionnaire and gave it to several family members to fill out. I also asked that they include some pictures. I had a great response and they shared wonderful insight about my themselves. I was so excited. Then I sat down to write....the plan was to weave the stories together into something compelling to read. I began with my Grandma Brown and some of her stories. When I was finished with the first draft, I gave it to my dad to read. He hated it. He said that I had all of the facts wrong. I was crushed. For one, how do you get the facts wrong, when they are sitting right in front of you? I don't think I have sat down to write down anything outside of personal journals and papers for school. I still have all of the questionnaires, but I have no idea what I will do with them. Regardless, I was motivated today to keep writing...good, bad, or otherwise writing is a passion and something I can really pass down to my boys.
Hence this blog. It is an attempt to expose my writing gently.

The podcast also got me thinking about my interest in sewing, knitting, etc. I have always considered myself creative, although I am not sure anyone else would describe me in this way. I am definitely not an artist and it may be a stretch to be even consider me artistic, but like Amy I do not like to think of myself as a crafter. The word that best describes me is creative. In my mind the things I create are as much of a part of me as my children. I think about them and work with whatever medium until it takes the shape of something that reflects something in me. I cannot imagine putting a price on my little creations.
Currently I am really interested in holiday decorations. I love transforming my living room for each holiday. It makes me smile when Adam comes out and points out the new additions. Here is a picture of the Valentine Banner I made.....I am happy with it, but more than anything, I learned a lot of different tricks and got a lot of ideas for more projects.
I also really enjoy creating the "perfect" rooms for my boys. Vintage Airplanes is the theme for Adam's room and Nursery Rhymes the theme for Nathan's. Here are a couple of pictures. I will write more about the details and how I developed these rooms. I love them!
Adam's Airplane Room
Nathan's Nursery Rhyme Room