Creativity Booster: National Camera Day & Festive Frames

This Sunday is National Camera Day. I'm a big fan of photos. Even more than that, I love crafts that can be done with photos. Which is why I still print off hard copy photos and will most likely be found one day living in a house made solely of pictures. It's a lot like a house of cards, only with a larger percentage of my family's smiling faces.

Also, taking craft breaks is fantastic while I'm writing. Let's me stay in a creative mind space when I hit a point in the story that needs a little extra thought. In case you find yourself both in need of a creative boost and wanting to celebrate Camera Day, here's a photo guide to a craft I've been working on:

STEP 1: Get wooden boards/frames/decorations.

 I'm fairly sure I alone could keep craft stores in business. 

STEP 2: Paint base coat. 

 For paints, I like to pick two colors - in this case, teal and orange - 

and use them, plus whatever color they make when mixed. 

Sometimes I throw in a little white paint to create a variety of shades.

STEP 3: Ritz it up.

For the top left, I used a sponge.

Bottom right, 1" painters tape is very helpful. 

STEP 4: Add photos and/or scrapbook paper.

 It's helpful to put a book on top of these as the glue dries. 

It keeps the pictures/paper from getting bubbles. Once it's dry, add a gloss varnish. 

This prevents the photos from being easily scratched or covered in finger smudges. 

I like the gloss aspect as it adds texture and shine to the project.

STEP 5: Glue frames on base boards.

 Again, I'd recommend leaving heavy books on top of these until they're dry. 

STEP 6: Paint decorations.

STEP 7: Glue decorations to frames. Step back. Enjoy.

Once the glue dries, take the books off, kick up your heels 

and read those lovely tomes. Just don't forget to glance over every 

once in awhile and enjoy your festive creations!

BONUS TIP: If you choose to drink a beverage whilst crafting, pay attention when you grab for it. This is especially important if you're daring enough to leave libation next to your paintbrush water.

Pictured: Not delicious

Monday will be a continued celebration of this fun photo day. I'll be back with a showcase of my favorite pictures from this month and I'd love to see yours. Let me know if you're posting any on Twitter!

Quilting

So, I kind of want to learn how to quilt.

One, because I'm always cold and extra blankets are always worth having. Two, because I have just a bucket of t-shirts from various shows I was in growing up that I don't want to throw out, but also never wear. And, three, because I would like nothing more than to be able to snuggle down with a good book whilst draped in a blanket of book covers.

How awesome and nerdy would that be??


Anyway, I can't quilt yet, but I certainly can dream. Here's what I'm imagining my book quilt to look like:

What stories would make your blanket?

Process Over Perfection

I enjoy painting, probably for the same reason I like to write. I love looking at a blank canvas or page and having a picture form in my mind as to what could fill it. And then I like attempting to transfer that picture from my mind to the blank whiteness in front of me.

Spoiler alert: Rarely does anything transfer in an exact replica.

Things change. Sometimes because I decide midway through that something else would actually work better. Sometimes it’s just a failure of execution (particularly when it comes to painting). Either way, what fills the blankness is something new. And seeing what it is can be as fun as having that initial idea.

So, today I share with you one of my whimsical attempts at artwork. It will never be hung in any museum, but I had fun creating it and it makes me smile whenever I look at it. And, at least for me, those are the first two requirements in any creative pursuit.

 

Things you can learn about me from this painting: 

-          I don’t know how to paint (or draw) faces or hands.

-          It doesn’t matter what the medium, books are always a must. If you feel the same way, go check out the artwork here for some (mildly) more professional renderings of people and their books.

Wishing you luck with whatever you choose to create this week! Whether you're participating in NaNoWriMo, trying to finish up a slide deck for an important presentation, working on a new recipe, or attempting to put together the perfect outfit for that meeting on Wednesday, odds are your final product is going to be different than how you envisioned it. But odds are, still pretty awesome. So, forget about perfection and just enjoy the process. It's a lot more fun.