Create-a-cation

I love my summer vacation time. Unlike many, I really don't have the funds to travel to exotic places or spend on lavish cruises or stay in luxurious hotels complete with spa, gourmet food, and maid service. The one thing I do have is LOTS of imagination. Every summer I try to have a few projects to accomplish when I have the energy, time, and can finish something over a few weeks. I thought I'd share some of this summer's creations and some tips about how I was able to do them for pennies on the dollar.





IKEA Shade for about $20--BEFORE.



IKEA Shade--AFTER, for about $16 more!



Here's the steps/materials I used to upgrade the shade: 

1. IKEA Shade and light kit--$25
2. 1/2" Hardware Cloth from Home Depot (found in the gardening section)--$9
3. About 20" of 20 gauge wire
4. Copper Floral Wire from JoAnn's Fabric--$4
5. Assorted beads from my leftover projects.
6. Copper palettes from WalMart (60)--$2.50
7. Jewelry tools--wire cutters and round nose pliers

• Measure the wire to fit around the shade, plus 1". You'll overlap this and wire together with a small piece of wire to secure it to the shade.
• Before you wire your length of hardware cloth to the shade, weave the floral wire though in a design of your choice. This is much easier to do while the cloth is flat. The floral wire came in a five-foot roll. You'll need to purchase wire according to your personal design taste.
• I cut my wire so there were wire points on top and bottom so I could add baubles and beads.
• Wrap your hardware cloth that has been enhanced with the floral wire around your shade and secure with the small piece of 20 gauge wire by weaving your ends tightly together. I actually did this while the shade was hung, but you may want to do this before you hang the lamp. I wanted my naked shade to hang for awhile so I could let the creative juices flow for a bit.

I might still add some to this, but I will let it stew some more before I do. Have fun! I would love to see some of your ideas, too!
 
One of the unexpected by-products of my create-a-cation is while I'm using my right brain, it opens me up to see how my designing and crafting parallels life.
 
We all start out in a pretty basic form, much like my lamp shade, with the potential to be uniquely different from everyone else. Our form--character, personality, appearance, values, will change and morph many times in our lifetime. These changes will be influenced by others, our environment, life events, health, activities, our community, world, friends, culture, and the media. With the advent of Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and the plethora of social media, we are exposed to even more input on a daily basis. I'm addicted to Pinterest and love the myriad of ideas I walk away with at the click of a button. I am only limited by my resistance to let my mind wander and let go of preconceived formulas or beliefs. Inspiration is everywhere, and I love it when I'm not afraid to jump in with both feet and just see what will happen. Isn't that what life should be like? My fear is the only thing that gets in the way of a wonderful outcome. Taking the feeling I get when I create and translating it to other parts of my life is a little more difficult. That will be the next step...taking it outside the safety of my home and the things I create. There's always a project, and I'm not finished yet, either in my home creations or my life creations.

I'll post another souvenir from my create-a-cation in the next day or two, complete with more thoughts for summer.
 
 

A long time has passed since my last post. This one will be essentially therapeutic and reflective.

I recently visited with my youngest daughter and we had seven years to catch up on. That is a long story to be told another time, but her visit has had me reflecting a lot on my relationships with my daughters. Our family has been fractured for many years as a result of their parents' selfishness and inability to put themselves aside and remember that they had two children who deserved a loving, caring home. After 20+ years of living as a divorced woman, I've had  a lot of time to reflect on not only my exes' failings, but my own as well. My girls are in their 30's now, both have children, but the similarities stop there. I can see myself in both of them. They are beautiful and creative. However, I see the results of my inability to give of myself to them. I have tried over the years to connect, but I feel a distance from them both that I can't help but wonder about. I know they have their own lives to live, but I also know that their boundaries have been restrictive when it comes to our being close. I understand that. I've had to do that with my own parents. Unfortunately, we don't get many second chances as adults with our adult children. I'm hoping that I can be more open with both of them. It is scary to take that risk. I've not had many positive relationships, but when it comes to my girls, the risk is worth it.

To Don't List

Well, right about now everyone will be making their New Year Resolutions. I've certainly made my share over the last 62 years. Maybe not 62, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I'm making a "To Don't List" instead. See if there is anything on this list that you can use or add your own.

1. Don't waste energy on negative thoughts.

2. Don't lose myself in thoughts about tomorrow...give today my best shot.
3. Don't forget to laugh at myself and enjoy myself and others.
4. Don't pass up an opportunity to smile at someone.
5. Don't forget to listen.
6. Don't fill my loneliness with food...talk to a friend.
7. Don't forget that everything is temporary...good and bad, and God will get me through it all.

I plan on putting one of these into practice a day...thus my seven "don'ts". I figure that in the course of 52 weeks I will have succeeded in all seven by the end.

Okay--now it is your turn. Share your list with me and others. Have a good one and remember to enjoy the moments. Happy 2011!

Love Thy Neighbor

One of the many diatribes I have been on in the past has been the fact that we are all too busy to care for one another. I have to eat my words. There are wonderful people out there; some are right next door, some are total strangers.

The last 72 hours here in my little world have proven me wrong. The Kitsap Peninsula was hit with a punch that included freezing temperatures, high winds and snow. Although the snow wasn't a lot, the other two wallops created ice rinks on every road and caused major powers outages--55,000 homes without heat and lights. I was at school on day one--the snow was starting to fall, phones were ringing off the wall, and the staff were kicking into high gear for a day of chaos. My school staff is fantastic! Many braved icy roads and cars travelling at zero mph to get to school. They greeted the children and prepared to have school. Meanwhile the office was slammed and we had everything from police and rescue crews helping a family who had been in an accident outside the school driveway to our principal spending the day on the playground to help in freezing weather while children played. The phones never stopped. The parents came in a steady stream to take their children home. One of our staff members shifted her schedule to help in the office the entire day. Oh--I forgot to mention that our receptionist/records secretary was out sick. I watched firemen and paramedics carefully help the family in the accident get to doctors and home. It was just the beginning.

As the day wore on, the school population dwindled and the snow blew in puffs as the wind churned. It didn't look good. School continued until the end of the day and our buses, although late, finally arrived. We had to load on the street due to an icy parking lot. One of our teacher's husband, an off-duty school custodian in our district, came with shovel in hand and began to work on the sidewalks so children and parents could walk without skidding and sliding. Another teacher took broom in hand and swept off the cars in the parking lot, installed chains on several cars, pushed a few out of the driveway and wore a smile the whole time while ice crystals formed on his uncovered head. Still, the phones rang.

The stories were changing. Now, parents were frantically trying to get to school to pick up the few students remaining to save them the long bus ride home. The families were stuck in traffic jams that extended for miles in every direction. Some hadn't moved an inch in two hours. Again, the staff kicked in to high gear after a very long day. Children were gathered by bus groups and escorted safely to awaiting buses. Day care children were kept for parents while teachers and staff played games, provided snacks and lots of reassurance that they would be safe until their families arrived. Oh--the teacher who wielded the broom, he gave me a ride home because my little Miata was not designed to handle the icy roads ahead. The commute is normally 12 minutes--it took one hour. Again, people were helping people. No one was impatient or rude, we were in this together.

Shortly after arriving safely at home, our power went out. There was a little scramble for the emergency stash--flashlight, kerosene lamp, candles, matches, water. Then we hauled out the blankets and assessed the canned goods. A peanut butter sandwich was dinner. The cat was fed and after donning pajamas, robe and slippers, I got under the covers to read by flashlight until closing my eyes. The cat was good company not to mention a wonderful heater.

The next morning our wonderful maintenance man was busy shoveling the walkways of our condo. No hesitation or grousing, he checked every building and took care with a smile. The downstairs neighbor had a butane stove going and made me tea and we had a wonderful neighborly chat while looking at the beautiful snow capped mountains. Then it was upstairs to check on my good friend and neighbor.

Out came the fondue pot and her gel fuel to heat water for coffee. It took awhile and I watched the pot too much, but eventually we shared the brew and told stories about other storms we had survived over the years. It was quite a site--we had so many layers of clothing on that we both resembled the Michellin Man. My toes never did warm up! As the "Tea" neighbor downstairs was leaving to help a friend, he offered his butane stove so we could cook our evening feast. No hesitation--just kind and giving. My neighbor and I spent the day in front of her fireplace, rearranged her living room furniture (another story), and later we cooked a meal of homemade soup and frittata!

As I left, with a down comforter in hand to help ward of the chill of the night ahead, I was warmed by all the memories of loving neighbors and strangers. My power came on in the early morning hours. Total strangers came from Idaho, Oregon, and Eastern Washington to help our crews throughout the freezing nights. There are many still without electrical power and stuck at home with cars abandoned on the roads, but our community spirit was active and generous. Thanks for the reminder that we are not yet too calloused and self-centered that we have forgotten how to love our neighbor. I'll keep it in mind, not just on the stormy days, but hopefully throughout the year.

Honor and Remember

November is a time for thankfulness and I can't think of anything more to be thankful for than freedom. The month begins with honoring men and women who have served, died, and are actively fighting in a war far from their homes and families. Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, total strangers can raise a flag, say a prayer, shake the hand of a veteran. These are small gestures, but when you have fought without home, hearth and loved ones at your side, the smallest things become the most important.

I have friends and acquaintances who are awaiting any word about their loved one. There are children going to school everyday and celebrating birthdays without their mom or dad because they are in 115 degree heat helping others build schools, protect their families from terriorists, and endure hardships that most of us will never experience. We can all be thankful that men and women of this country continue to choose to serve others. Remember them today, but honor them everyday. Share their families' burdens, step in to help with a hug, a meal, a phone call. Freedom belongs to us all--do your part.