Wrapped Emotions Extended Version...

So, I quickly finished the table good enough to post about it and actually had another layer of polyurethane stuff (the really thick stuff) to put on it but I figured it was close enough to being done. I had put the first layer of poly on it but the next layer I wanted to get right to the edges but unsure on how to do it, I put it off. I finally figured out a way that I thought it would work.

Well...it didn't work the way I had hoped. I had found an edging that wrapped around the corners well and I tightly put it on the table and poured the poly on. Not only did it not stay in the edging, but it started pouring onto the floor. P-O-U-R-I-N-G. Me, not being so prepared for this did not have something on my floors. So quickly I grabbed some old newspaper, lay it on the floor all around the table and kept working. Yeah, so it all poured onto the newspaper, but the edging did hold it long enough for it to get a decent layer around the edge of the table. I walked away for a while just so it could have a chance to set a little. When I came back, I realized that it was coming off of the newspaper.

Not that I really care about the carpet. We plan on redoing it eventually anyway, but I don't really need a whole lot of poly all over my kitchen floor. Yeah, you read that right. The previous owners carpeted the kitchen. Grrr!

So, after the table stopped dripping, I cleared the newspaper while keeping the table in place so it could completely dry. I waited, and waited, and waited. I realize now I must not have mixed the poly well enough since it is still sticky almost 2 weeks later.

The adventure doesn't end there. Oh, no it doesn't.

I put this table near a door we rarely use. But because my kids cooked bacon on a pizza stone (one with no sides) I had bacon grease in the bottom of my stove. So now it's time to clean the stove.

No, not with stove cleaner. Are you crazy? Just my automatic oven cleaning thing. You know, the one that just starts the whole thing on fire until everything becomes ash? Yeah, I'm that lazy.

Well, you have never seen a stove smoke like when there is a layer of bacon grease in the bottom of it. Smoke everywhere. Choking, eyes burning, everything. So I opened the kitchen windows, the front door, and then went to open the door in the kitchen just to help get the air moving. That means moving the table.

The table is now heavy. But this extra layer of poly seemed to make it extra heavy. Or I'm becoming a wimp. Then I realize I have polyed the table to the carpet. And it aint coming up. No siree. I try a couple times. Nope. Nothing.

Last night, Knight and the kids moved the table. The pulled, ripped, and cut. Finally the table is free. It has a couple battle scars. There is carpet attached to the bottom of one leg, and a hole in my carpet where my table had been.

Wrapped Emotions--Picking Through the Pieces

This week at WE featured the first guest blogger. Our assignment then came in to create a mosaic.

My challenge to you this week is to create something out of pieces,
specifically, a mosaic. Mosaic is defined (Wikipedia, yay) as "an ancient and
contemporary art form which uses individual pieces of materials placed together
to create a unified whole. The materials commonly used are glass, ceramic,
marble, pebble, mirror, shells and china." (The differences between mosaic and
collage are that mosaics tend to keep the pieces individual, whereas a collage
is more overlapping...)But I don't care what you use (the ideas above, or paper
or fabric is fine or even cookies if you'd like - the sky's the limit)...break
something or cut something or separate something and then put it all back
together into a new and beautiful whole. Breaking something changes it, perhaps
irreparably, but it gives us a new opportunity, a new chance, a new beginning,
to create something different and something whole.

When this came through I was excited. Not only did I know exactly what I was going to do, but I already had all the materials for it. I was excited, and on Tuesday while I was telling Knight what the project was, he asked how long I had to accomplish this task. I told him, and he told me that I would never get it done in time.

You see, I have had these materials since, oh...June. Sitting there. Waiting.

Good plans. Not so great ambition.

So I set out to prove him wrong.

I had a table, tiles, adhesive grout, sealer. I had an idea, a plan, and started to create. I smashed the tile, picked the pieces I wanted, broke some even more, started putting them into a picture. As I did I thought about how symbolic this really is.

Breaking something to create something new. Some of the tiles were harder to break than others, just like people. I tend to be more stubborn. I don't want to be broken, to change. Most of the time, I really don't even want to become part of a new picture, unless it is a picture I picked.

It took a lot of pieces to create a whole table. There is big pieces, small pieces, curved, straight, bland, colorful, smooth, and textured. Each was used. Each has a part in making the picture complete. But each of the tiles cannot "see" the other tiles, cannot tell what their part of the big picture is, but as the creator, I know why each piece was picked, and I know that each piece was put in a certain location for a reason.

With my picture, I created smaller pictures inside the larger one. And unless I specifically show and tell someone what the pictures are, they probably will not see what I see. And I like it that way. It can mean something to me, but it's just broken tile to everyone else.

Wrapped Emotions 6

Keep a Crayon Handy

Life is full of texture...physically and emotionally. I love
texture...to touch...to see...physically and emotionally. Scratchy, bumpy,
smooth, woven. Texture stimulates sight as well as touch. We identify emotions
and life events in terms of texture...a bumpy relationship, woven with love,
smooth sailing. Can you name more?

Sometimes taking a photograph of something just doesn't seem like
enough. I want to take part of it with me.This week let's do crayon rubbings.
You will need an unwrapped crayon and thin paper such as tracing paper, onion
skin paper, or tissue paper and your eyes and finger tips.

As this week's prompt came through, I of course, thought of leaves. That is the only crayon rubbing I have ever done. And with all the leaves changing colors and falling to the ground, it would have been easy to quickly get my project completed and move on.

And yet, I didn't want to cop out. So I looked around. I touched. I actually tried a few things. My grass skirt that I received as a thank you from a lady in Yap, Micronesia...didn't really show the texture I wanted. My walls...it didn't do the trick either.

Then I noticed "the window" again. I have an old window from our house (we have put new windows in). It had four panes, and I let each of the kids paint one pane and I have it displayed in my classroom. The paint is thicker, and the kids gave it some texture. I thought it would make an interesting piece and hopefully unique. I don't go and visit the other Wrapped Emotions posts until I post mine, that way I cannot use someone else as inspiration.

*Sorry you can't click on a picture and get a closer look. My camera battery is dead--again so these picts were taken by my phone.*

Wrapped Emotions 5

This week let loose...get edgy with your style...free your
spirit...absolutely no fear. We had enough of that last
week. This prompt is not associated with any tangible or figurative
wrapper. I simply want you to experience the fun of creating. This week we're
working to feel the emotion of JOY. Not necessarily expressing the actual word
or symbolism of joy in your art...you can celebrate shoe polish if you choose.
But enJOY the process. Let's create our own graffiti.



Graffiti artists develop their own styles. They work quickly,
intuitively, randomly and never stop the process to think about what to do next.
You should try anything, everything...collage, paint, stains, spray paint,
markers, colored pencils, markers, stencils, doodling, marks, lines, swirls,
symbols, written words, calligraphy, images (photos, magazine cutouts,
photocopies, sketches), stamps, prints...whatever.



Think of urban graffiti walls. The art is vibrant, multi-layered,
freestyle, textured. Do not over think as you work, and do not think neat,
orderly. Think juxtaposition.

Sorry, I'm not going to explain. I will just let you see what you see. That's the way it is with graffiti

Wrapped Warped Emotions 3

When Melody started this blog, I have to say the thought of thinking and posting about emotions wasn't the most comfortable thought in the world. In fact, I will admit I thought about saying thanks but no thanks. That was until the first couple assignments. I was on a roll there, thinking this is a piece of cake. I had even convinced myself that no matter how hard the assignment, within reason, I would give it a shot (there are a few things that is off limits though). Then came assignment #3. In part she said this...

Our WE creations should represent something substantial. A book has
substance...pages bound together...like your day to day life. Your creations and
thoughts deserve the same substance. The time you set aside to create, connect
and express yourself should not be treated loosely. It deserves a proper binding
to signify it's substance.

This week I want you to purchase or make an art journal in which to create your projects or to put
photos of your creations which are not worked on paper. An art journal being a
(spiral-my choice) bound book of sturdy blank pages of any dimensions you
choose. You can find them at an art supply store, arts and craft store, even
T*rget and W*lmart.

You may construct your own book of bound, blank pages in any
manner you choose.Once you have the journal, take your first WE project (the
collage) and mount it in the book. Trim it, cut it into pieces if you need to,
re-collage it, but put it in there. Then from your blog print a copy of your
photo and post for your last week's project and mount it in the book. Do any
additional art work, embellishment or collage you choose as you add these
creations to your art journal. You're creative. You can make them fit.

This is the project that made me want to give up my dedication to the project. You all are thinking....WHAT?!?!?! Yeah, going and getting a bound book to keep my projects in made me almost throw in the towel. To be honest, I still am not totally convinced I should do this one. Let me explain...



I don't like bindings.



At. All.



I don't even like to be needed. Wanted yes. Needed makes me want to run. I don't want to be forced to do something, be around someone, feel like I should help someone, or even feel the need to keep people in my life. Yeah, you heard that right. I don't have a need to keep the same people in my life. Quoting a friend that is in the processing of moving away from our area-

Relationships are more fluid than I imagined, and life goes on.

That has been my way. I will be your friend now, but if you chose to walk out of my life tomorrow, I will not stop you. I will not make you feel guilty. You are in my life for the time being. I will enjoy that. But someday if you choose to leave, I will wish you well. No hard feelings.



So when Melody said I should have a binder for my projects it caused my stomach to do flips. I don't want another binding in my life!



But then I slapped myself silly, got real, and went out looking for a compromise. I found one. I spent a whole buck on it. And it already came decorated to fit my blog theme! It is a mini photo album. And since I am not a pack rat at all and had already thrown away my project from week 1 (shhh! Don't tell Mel!) I just made a photo of it, along with the photo from week 2, stuck it in my adventure book and wah-lah, project done. And without too much panic.

So, here is me admitting that this struck more emotions than child hood memories, or crawling on the floor of the church, but I got through it. It has to get easier from here.

Yes, I know. I have warped emotions

Wrapped Emotions 2

This weeks WE project had us looking at our comfort zone public places from a different viewpoint. This had me stumped at first. I don't go a whole lot of places. I thought about the places that I frequent the most and it is WalMart and church. Now, you can't normally drag me into Walmart unless I'm there to work (I stock shelves for Old Dutch, and Tombstone, along with L.D., on weekends.) I think I probably spend $20 a month in that store. To go there when I don't have to, I don't think so. So that left church.

Gotta say, this felt a little like cheating. Melody specifically said-

A public place, not your living room or Aunt Bessie's kitchen.

This was technically a public place. But I am probably as comfortable there as I would be in Aunt Bessie's kitchen. Nobody thought twice went I went up to the front of the auditorium, bent down on the floor with my camera and took some pictures. I took a couple of shots with different viewpoints. Here's what I came up with.

*Edited so Melody won't lose what is left of her sanity* To be honest, I am not 100% sure what is the part in color. I think it is someone's foot in the back of the auditorium. I edited the photo to be mostly b&w with the only the center focused, and the very end in color because the shot from under the chairs reminded me of a tunnel. Church---light at the end of the tunnel---it seemed appropriate. To see the original photo, untouched click here. Again, I put WAY too much thought into stuff like this!

Wrapped Emotions 1

This week's assignment for WE was to eat our favorite candy from our early childhood. Since this is the first week, I will put the instructions up, so you can see how this works if your interested in playing.

We are going back to our childhood years. For the sake of those of you
(and me) who are trying to relocate our creative spirit, our first project is a
very simple one. Think kindergarten art. Think like a kid. Think messy. Don't
worry about the finished product. Play and have fun.

As a young child what was your favorite-absolutely-loved-to-get candy
treat? Now go buy it and eat candy. Save the wrapper or box. Sit back, savor
your treat, close your eyes and remember enjoying the candy as a child. What
were you doing? Who was there with you? How did you feel?Now create a collage
expressing that childhood emotion. Include the candy wrapper in your collage.

What did you discover? Was it the thought or act of eating the candy as
a child which invoked your emotion? Or was it the people or event? Or was it
aspects of both?

So as I used all my brain power and I honestly have no memory of "candy" from early childhood. You see, my mom was June Cleaver. We had home made dessert, every night. I still don't know when the frozen pizza actually was invented because I think I was 14 before I tasted my first one. So I thought about my favorite treat as a kid.





Rice Crispy bars. Again, I could have gone and bought one for the collage, but that would not have been right. These were home made. So here is my picture...

Can you feel the perfection of my early childhood? The family is all accounted for, the sky is blue, the grass is green, not a cloud in the sky. If you look carefully you see 4 red dots around the picture with some writing on them. Those are easy buttons. The easy buttons were in abundance in my childhood.






For some reason, rice crispy bars take me back to Crete, Greece. I was around 5. We had just moved to Crete, and we were still living off base in an upstairs apartment (I think). There was a large dumpster that had chickens around it. My parents would ask me to take the garbage out, and I was so afraid of the chickens!







There was a field on the other side of this small dirt road or alley. There were trees close to the edge of the road. One day the greek man that owned the property strung a goat up between two of the trees and slaughtered the poor thing. After lunch we went out to watch and he used the opportunity to teach us. He showed us the liver, the heart, etc. He gave us a great biology lesson. As we were watching this, my younger sister, Becca, came out and handed the rest of us a rice crispy bar for desert.







It must have not been a normal thing, if I am to remember it so clearly. But it didn't feel wierd either. I know that this was shortly after we had moved to Crete, as we were not in that apartment long. But it is such a vivid memory. There were lots of kids around watching, not just me and my older sisters. I have often wondered if the man was speaking Greek or English. That may be a strange question, but I also remember talking to a waiter in a restaurant over in Crete, and mom has mentioned that he only spoke Greek. I just remember talking to him. Not that it was in Greek.






I was so blessed to be able to have the experiences I have had growing up. My mom and dad were absolutely great parents, and with 4 sisters there was always something fun to do. We moved around and were able to experience new places, new cultures, new things. My mom didn't just sit around the house. We went. We did. We explored. I could not have asked for a better childhood. I hope that showed in my simple, clean picture I created.




If you want to play with us, just click 0n the WE button at the top and log in each monday to find out the theme for this week!