Sleep - Feed Your Brain

Human beings, and most of the creatures living on Earth, require sleep. Sleep allows the brain to wander down pathways that we never imagined possible. There are many discussions about whether people dream in color or black and white, whether or not they remember their dreams, and what their dreams correlate to in "real life". But I am a proponent that dreams are simply another reality, one that I haven't been visiting often enough (I'm very sleepy today).

I dream in color. I rarely dream about people or places that I already know. I have a great love of structures - buildings of all types and floorplans play a major role in my dreams. Color plays a large part - a sunset over a gloaming magenta sky looking at a drop-off pool against the sky is one vivid image from more than 20 years ago that is still a treasured memory. A variety of buildings - some friendly, some much definitely less than friendly, are also treasured memories. The colors and concepts sometimes come through in my artwork. I do find that my art tends to be structural in the underpinnings - I find it next to impossible to work in the totally abstract. Think about your own dreams. Not necessarily the specifics, but the general concepts. Do these come through in your personal art? Maybe you should explore those avenues for a more personal expression of yourself through your art.

Super Poke Pets - Addiction or Fun?

My Assistant Manager, VerLaine, introduced me to Super Poke Pets a short time ago. Who would have believed that petting and furnishing a habitat for a little frog (named Hopper) would be so addicting! I play with my pet and the pets of a wide range of "friends" (most of whom I've never met and who don't live anywhere near me) on a daily basis. I purchase new items to place into my habitat, and even purchase new habitats as Frogger decides that new digs are just the perfect thing. I give items to friends, and receive them in return. I collect "coin" to spend on even more things. It is totally addicting. But......on the off-chance that you also are playing with virtual pets, feel free to "friend" my pet at sandragravesisisrising.superpokepets.com . Hopper loves color and friends and plays every day. (This is NOT my habitat, but a nice example of one.)

On a more mundane level, my DH is getting a little jealous of my Hopper. He wants me to play Lord of the Rings Online with him, and I promised him that I would play on Friday and Saturday night and part of Sunday. So, the next three days will have minimal pet contact and maximal sword contact. That's also to the good because it is always a good thing to interact with one's spouse.

Where's the creative turn for today's post? Well...there is certainly something creative about furnishing a habitat..... Feed your pet (and your creativity) today.

Fun, Fun - Hidden Sun

I am a child of the sun. I grew up in the Western and Southwestern parts of the United States, where we standardly received 270-300 days of sunshine each year. I moved up to the frozen Midwest US when I married my husband and have been up here for a LONG time. The thing that gets to me are the grey days. It's one reason why I love color so much. And, since the weather yesterday was determined to remind us of winter, it was a joy to spend the day at the kiln.

I purchased new enamels a few weeks ago for a project in-works. I had no color samples, just pictures in a catalog. Pictures in a catalog just don't make color clear. So, I had cut new color strips and marked them. Yesterday was spent stamping the color numbers, prepping the copper, and making color strips for the colors. Of course, since I couldn't find my old color strips from when I moved my enamel studio to my home from my shop, I started also making new color strips for all of my colors. I didn't get as much kiln time as I wanted, but it was such a joy to be back at the kiln - even if it was to do something as mundane as color strips. So...color your world in bright and vivid colors today. Enjoy and relish your day.

Product Envy.....Or Not

Bill Struve, the inventor of BronzClay, has fashioned a copper clay variant. Last year I had really wanted Bill to include me as one of his beta testers. As it turned out, I was not chosen. But I am finding that I am not minding this. Although I really enjoy metal clay, and although I will be one of the first to admit that some wonderful things can be created with it and that in many instances it can minimize the work needed to fabricate an item, there is something really fantastic about holding a hammer and torch in my hands. I do plan to play with the copper clay when it becomes commercially available later this year. And I plan to continue playing with my BronzClay and Silver Clay. But I also plan to continue to increase my traditional fabrication skills because I am, at heart, a free spirit and I will use whatever media will allow me to succeed at my project in the best fashion.

Today I will work on making color strips for my enamel colors. I want to continue with my project for Beading For A Cure and some enamel pieces are a part of my vision for the end product. Therefore, I need to make sure that the colors I purchased will actually work with my beads. Here is another Beading for a Cure auction item for you to look at. Be sure to check out our weekly auctions on eBay and bid. I have already been out-bid on several items . Think creatively!

Disappointments

If disappointments can be kept minimal, then life can stride forward in a positive mode. I am disappointed that we will have snow for many of the remaining days this week. Spring is supposed to be here and I'm, frankly, really tired of snow. But, it probably will look lovely, and it won't hang around for long at this time of the year. Oh, wait. I was supposed to be disappointed - to place a negative spin on things. But I find myself unable to do that. Maybe snow isn't such a bad thing :-)

One thing that I saw this morning chilled me, though. And it made me grateful (again) that I have the priviledge of living in the United States (or another "civilized" nation). OK, that may strike some people as being disparaging. But when I saw video of the Taliban enclaves in Pakistan and their whipping people in public for being addicted to drugs - an illness, not a crime.... My stomach turned over and I, once again, determined in my inner soul that leaving with nothing or dying would be preferable to living without freedom to express myself. So, those of you who read my blog and who live in a part of the world where you have that freedom of personal expression - take up your brush, your file, your clay. Create something that expresses that freedom and the determination that you will not live your life under the dictatorship of any misguided overlord. Rebellion and death in a cause of freedom is a war that can be fought on the canvas as well as in the streets. Just be cautious if you live in an area where such expression of rebellion could cause injury or death. Be cautious...

Focus, Determination, and Dancing

I actually don't wake up every morning with a "happy, happy, joy, joy" feeling. In fact, in many instances the last thing I want to do is awaken, shower, and go to work. But I have learned, over many years (no - I'm not going to dive into admitting my calendrical age here) that attitude has a great deal to do with my physical and mental health. And so I focus on happiness. I determine that my attitude will infect others throughout the day and I really work hard on keeping a positive and happy outlook to the world. I wish I danced better - it would be wonderful to dance with the stars and the rays of the sun. As it is, I do dance, but I dance through the internet by letting my fingers express their joy.

It all comes back down to choices. I have made the decision to live an artistic and joyful life. I'm not claiming that it is always easy - going to the dentist, getting a medical test, getting caught in a traffic jam - there are always times when getting that positive attitude is difficult, or almost impossible. And as human beings, we have to acknowledge the dark times also because light looks much brighter against a dark background. But the key is to allow that darkness to remain in the background. To forbid it to become the foreground. And so, today as I look through a wonderful collection of estate jewelry that I purchased many years ago, I might just find that jewel to push me off in another creative direction and I will be happy. But right now, at 4:33 am, I just wish I could go back to sleep for another hour - with joy - :-)