Back in the Saddle, and Not Going Anywhere!

This time, I'm blogging about being hospitalized with pneumonia, missing more work, and coming home to rest for a week.  Who knew that the noodle-y legs would lead to this?!

I'm home, with orders to sit. And rest.  And hydrate. It's given me ample time to think about my blessings: caring family and friends, and students and coworkers...a caring and loving husband, a peaceful and nature-abundant place to live. 

Today is my second day home from the hospital, and while I was gone, all the pretty golden leaves fell.  The flower garden west of the house is still in riotous array, colorful spires and blooms falling over each other in their last hurrah of the season.  Colder and perhaps freezing temperatures are forecasted, so I am paying attention to all the colorful displays while they are available.

I snipped three roses to bring into the entry hallway, arranged some other plants and flowers that came to me, and sat down with a steaming cup of Korean tea, called Ssangwha Cha.  It is a delicious, spicy, nutmeg-y tasting tea that comes in little packets that include chopped fruits and nuts (I think).  You can buy it at Korean grocery markets.

Later, I put on a long denim jacket with a hood and fun wooden-toggle closings, hooked up Jackson, and took him out for a doggy-potty-break.  Passing the mailbox, I snagged several envelopes addressed to me, two of them being large, manila-type envelopes.

I found a sunny, quiet spot on the red brick patio, settled into a green rocking-style patio chair, and shook out the contents of the envelopes.
Two were cards from loving friends, and the big envelopes were full of get well wishes from two of my classes.  I sat there in the sunshine, with the mild fall breeze ruffling my hair, and smiled over the love and hard work of my art students.  Hickory nuts were scattered over the table-top in front of me, as well as acorns and fallen leaves.  I reached over and lifted a resin bird statue to anchor the fluttering pages. 

I am thinking here of the teachers who took the time and effort to have their students do this kindness...about what that teaches children, to think of others, to reach out, to express empathy.

Of course, I came on inside and rested after the outing, and reflected some more about life and love and gratefulness.

I think I'll refill my teacup, snuggle with the dog, and begin using one of my new idea-journals to jot down some inspirational thoughts.

Blessings!--Miss Elainie



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The Energy Fairies Attack

Friends, I knew last week there was going to be trouble.  There was a show coming up, and things needed to be done.  And, true to form, I suddenly decided that I should buy another folding table to take to the show.  (I demonstrate my craft during the show, which entertains my customers and keeps me busy).  Anyhow, I was part-way through my search when the energy fairies attacked.  They dashed cold water over my plans, and skittered away laughing, leaving tiny sparkles behind.  I knew it instantly, although I only saw them out of the corner of my eye.  My legs went noodle-y and all ambition went flying away.  I plunked down in the driver's seat and sat there for a minute, pondering whether I had enough energy to drive home.  (I did.  Barely.)

By the end of the show Saturday night, it was obvious that I was going to be um, flat on  my back.  This is not surprising, since I always do this when I get over-tired, and over-stressed.  It has a lot to do with working full-time, and trying to be my creative-genius self at the same time. :)

I ended up missing two days of work, and am still not back to my usual self. I've decided not to do any more shows through the end of the year.  I'll just concentrate on making more products, making a better blog, improving my advertising and networking.

And, come on back, energy fairies!  I promise not to over-do it!

Blessings!  Miss Elainie

Smithville's Octoberfest Show

This show was the first for MissElainie'sEmporium to display windchimes and art magnets under the auspices of the new name.
When asked where I came up with the name, I told people that the name is a play on words---the word "miscellany" means an assortment of various objects, and an "emporium" is a store that carries lots of various items.  Plus, my neice's middle name is Elaine, so the spelling changed miscellany to MissElainie.  Cute, huh?  I love it.

Anyhow, the business cards with my blogspot address and my phone number went home with customers and potential customers, and I had interested persons sign up for a newsletter (to be created soon).

We were fortunate to have a wonderful turnout of people, enjoying all the music shows, booths and activities available, plus the local food favorites.  And I was blessed to have my friends from The Vintage Flamingo right next to me.  Their store is an amazing collection of vintage and eclectic finds, in downtown Smithville (M0), and the three women who run it are a hoot.  I can't stay away from the shop, whose merchandise changes almost daily, and the gals are new friends that I just adore.

Speaking of blessings and friends, my friend Pat (who is retired from Hallmark) showed up at lunchtime, with not only MY lunch, but lunch for the three Flamingos...and since she lives next door, she dropped off lunch for my husband, too!  And what a lunch!  She served chicken salad in guacamole tortilla wraps, with tomato basil chips, fruit wedges, and baked a cake to share for dessert!  The plates were beautiful large paper plates with a fall theme...and people walking by stared and demanded to know what food booth was selling THOSE!

It was a good show, sales-wise, and an auspicious beginning.  I am thankful (and tired!) and encouraged.  Many thanks to my customers!

Blessings---Miss Elainie :)

Partners in Crime

I have at least four artist friends who accompany me on "artist dates" once in a while.  I borrowed the term from author Julia Cameron, who recommends individual, alone-time artist dates, to promote creativity.  I do those, of course, wandering and pondering...but my greatest fun comes from getting together with a friend and casing the latest inspirational source.  We've been known to yell, "artist date!" when there's something interesting we want to come back to investigate.  We've also been known to slyly refer to ourselves as "partners in crime," because we tend to spend all day and spend out our maximum allowance of reseources.

But it's only in jest, the crime part.  We are really enjoying ourselves and purposefully filling up with fresh ideas and materials.  Local thrift stores are a treasure-trove of possibilities, but we also love:  Ten Thousand Villages  http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/,  Pier One, http://www.pierone.com/, and Urban Arts and Crafts http://www.urbanartsandcrafts.com/.  We snark that they are really Suburban Arts and Crafts, since they moved from their first, downtown location, to a suburban hilltop retail village overlooking downtown.  Note:  somebody on these trips needs to drive a vehicle with carrying capacity!

The only problem we've run into, besides running out of time and money, was the fact that we all tend to admire/covet the same things at the same time! Nothing makes you conflicted like the stricken look on your friend's face when YOU snag the item first!  On the flip side, having a like-minded friend along can validate your choices, provide feedback on an item, or snag an item for you, that they know you will love!  Gift-giving to your like-minded artist friends is a breeze.

Spread Kindness!---MissElainie

When Overload Strikes

Creative people are frequent sufferers from overload, for various reasons:  we work full-time at a "regular" job and then try to squeeze all our creative projects into to our "spare" time (which is why the clean laundry is solidifying into a new continent on my bedroom floor, ha, ha, ha).  But seriously, there are other things that have to get done, too, or the house falls apart, there's only a path through the rooms, and somebody hotlines you for being a hoarder or creating a public nuisance!

I know that we all share the overload problem, regardless of what we do for a living, but I think that creatives get frustrated for the above reason and others.  I've been known to joke that my day job gets in the way of my creativity, but it's also how I support (monetarily) my creativity. What a dilemma.

Here's what I do to save my ideas and sanity:  keep a journal handy.  Mine is small enough to fit in my purse, and I write down ideas, problems and do sketches when they come to my mind, or at least scribble a note or a post-it and stick it to the journal so I can revisit the idea later.  Oh, all right, sometimes it's the back of a Wal-Mart receipt, that gets crammed between the pages, but you get the idea.  There's a specific place to put ideas. And it doesn't mean you have to act on each one, either--sometimes they need to germinate, percolate, or ferment.  I look back through my journal periodically and either take action on an idea, add to something, or appreciate it as an idea for later.  Either way, it's a very valuable tool!

Blessings!---Miss Elainie

Wisdom comes from unexpected sources

This morning, I thought I would never get going.  It was one of those mornings when all I wanted to do was pull the covers back over me, close my eyes, and drift into hours of blissful nothingness.  Instead, I sloshed down some coffee, and picked out a lime green and hot pink skirt with orange and purple accents and sequins to go with a hot pink top.  Believe me, the skirt was the only thing that was sparkling.

 I dragged myself off to school.  Then, during a fourth grade art class, a student came up to share her sketchbook work.  (We have ten wonderful, silent minutes at the beginning of every class, provided so that each student can float away into his or her mind, totally absorbed in their own creative thoughts.)  This is always fascinating, to see what they are drawing about and pondering, and how theyy solve visual dilemmas.  The piece that was shared was so wise, I copied it down to share with you.  The page was divided into a grid, and the left diagonal space had a pattern of blue squares.  The right side was white, the boxes filled with letters that spelled out this thought:  "When you paint a picture, it sometimes tells a story, because art is in the human mind, not in the picture itself." 

I was trying to remember if I had deep thoughts like that when I was 10.  I remember being kind of a loner and very contemplative, in addition to being smitten by the dark good looks of a boy in my grade.  A memory just came to me about wandering the outfield area of our new playgound, where there was a long, cement drainage ditch, filled with water and a film of mud, and tadpoles of all sizes were swimming around in there.  I was mesmerized.  I think I spent most of my growing-up school recesses wandering and thinking and noticing things.  Perhaps that was the beginning of the creative consciousness I have developed over the years.

Today I have included links to authors who have been influential in my thinking about creativity.  I'd love to hear your comments!

Blessings--Miss Elainie