Sunday, February 19, 2006

Possible projects and next steps.

Okay, so now that I've de-foolished myself (at least for the moment, and on this topic), I'm still not sure what it is I will do next, but I have narrowed it down at least! I've ruled out both Art Escapes and Celebrate Your Creative Self, which didn't seem to suit me that well. I'm not primarily a drawer/painter and I just wasn't interested in what they had to offer. (Who knows, that might change in the future; but right now it's the case.) Art Escapes also makes me boggle at Northlight books; those binder bindings look really cheap to me, a lot worse than a simple spiral bind without the binder would, I think.

Anyway, I'm still considering the other two books (and the magazine, though it won't last long, of course, having fewer items). Whatever I do, I am going to revel in my ability to ignore entire sections if I don't want to do them, just because I feel a bit straight-jacketed by the AW. Maybe that's bringing me into sanity and maybe it's not, but either way it's confining!

Other projects I have that may or may not get done and may or may not occur along with the AW:
  • Take the ivy bowl and jar, and paint them brightly. See how they look with a light inside. This may be the solution to the fake tea lights, which could quite possibly look lovely if I couldn't actually see them.
  • Get fake flowers in their vase with fake water, and see how that looks - again for the desk-brightening
  • Use fake water to contain things in interesting shapes (must first get a container I can reasonably hope to remove from the water after it's solidified). I want to see if I can get a nifty paperweight or conversation piece. Worst case scenario it doesn't work, but it seems worth a try.
  • Zen sand gardens. I got a kit for a coworker, but looking at what goes into it, I can make these at home for less than that. I've never wanted one for myself because of my fear I'd get sand in things (probably a realistic fear). But if I make it at home, I can make it with the sand stuck permanently in the shape I pick. If it works, I can make several with different layouts, and rocks that I can set on them to finish it (can even change the rocks to adjust the mood). I have no idea if this will work. It seems worth a shot, though. My current theory is to use cardboard jewelry boxes as holders, they are shallow/flat and available in the right size/shape, and I can use paint to turn them traditional-looking shades like black or brown, or I could get real creative and make them bright and gawdy.
  • Throw pillows. I have some old clothes that are no longer suitable for wearing, but that I still love. They have enough solid fabric to make patchwork throw pillows out of, which I would rather do than entirely throw them away.
  • Work on my poetry. I have several inspired seeds that just need me to come to the table and start writing from them to finish them. Others need editing - mindful editing, not critic editing.
  • Send my poetry out. I want to find, in the next three months, at least three publications I'd be comfortable seeing my work in - then submit to them. (This limits the search to publications that accept unsolicited submissions, obviously; I'll do the first line of hunting from Poet's Market so I know which those are.) This is somewhat bounded by the fact that I must either buy Poet's Market, or drive to a library not in my hometown (it's a reference book, so I can't put a hold on it; and my library has the ever-so-recent 2001 copy - not so very useful).
  • Not so artistic but badly needed: clean the computer room so that the old desk can be removed and the bookshelves and table put in.
  • Find table to put in. After the bookshelves are in so that I can measure and be sure it will fit. Possibly get an old table and redo the top myself - that might be fun.
  • Fix the tabletop fountain the DH's husband gave us. Or, rather, steal pieces from it; the pump's burned out, but I have another pump. Will need to move it to another bowl for that also, but the piece that goes over the pump is nice and worth saving.
  • Possibly make other tabletop fountains since I do have the supplies.
  • Finish decorating the journal I put together, and see if I like it. (I'm dubious, right now.)
  • Consider playing with bookbinding (in what spare time??).
  • (added later) Figure out enough about Blogger templates to redo this blog without the fixed-width stuff that leaves so much screen space blank on my (relatively small!) screen. Maybe add an image - maybe one of mine, even - to the banner at the top.
  • (added later) Shadow art. I'm not sure if I'm gonna do this or not but I was thinking it'd be neat to take a photo of your shadow and write/draw/whatever the things you hide from yourselves and others (but want to admit in a picture, I guess!) in the shadow-space. (Thanks to Kara, whose post spawned this idea.)

And no, for the record, I am not expecting to get all of these done in a short period of time, or even necessarily to get all of them done. The computer room and the poetry are the two most important ones. None of these require supplies I don't have, so.... (The possible exception being the throw pillows - I may have fabric for more than I have stuffing for - but that would be after I made a couple, so.)

5 comments:

Kara said...

Hi Laura,
Your shadow art idea sounds wonderful. I just took a walk and was struck by how strong my shadow seemed to be. If I'd had the camera I would have taken a picture.
I'm happy you are feeling better and looking for the next steps. Go for your poetry and your computer room and all the rest. Here I am cheering you on!

GreenishLady said...

GReat list of projects, Laura. It's wonderful to see you can enumerate so many very clearly for yourself. Go for it! Glad things are looking up again.

Leah said...

ooo, Laura, i LOVE your list of projects. i was excited by the painting the ivy bowl, the shadow art, the patchwork pillows, sending your poetry art, posting an image of your own for the banner, well, they're all great ideas.

and you know, cleaning the computer room might not seem artistic, but i think it's all connected.

like kara, i'm here cheering you on!

Laura said...

*beams* Thank you! So far so good. The shadow idea has not worked well yet - I got a couple possible photos but now can't think what to put in. I had an idea, but no specific details. Oops! But I have the photos and will think about it.

I did the fake water stuff - round one, anyway - tonight. I think the vase will turn out well. I'm not so confident of the other thing I did, but it's an experiment, so that's okay, I figure. :)

AscenderRisesAbove said...

The list of projects just never cease do they? Which is a good thing!!