Glass Gifts for Memorial Day Gatherings

With the three day weekend coming up, I am sure there are many gatherings planned for family reunions and barbeques. And many get togethers will be entailed with memory sharing of those that have been lost in service to our country so we can enjoy the freedoms of rounding up all the brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, etc. As I was perusing artists of Memorial Day gifts through Etsy, I came across a unique and gorgeous piece that just speaks to the events of this weekend. The above photo is of a small glass US flag dish made by BoJo Creations. This would make a great patio table centerpiece and a great conversation starter to talk about the artist!

I chose to hop into the BoJo Creations shop to see what other delightfully designed pieces were available, and I found there to be many colorful beauties fit to various occasions or gift types. Jewelry, dishes, and knick knack novelty. I chose to feature this shop and it's owner, Barb Barrell, on my website to honor her design and glass gift items.

Please go and check it out!

http://delightfullyperceptive.com/perceptive_designs/featured_designer

OCD= Overload Creative Disorder



I have personally self diagnosed myself as having OCD (the Obsessive Compulsive type). I don't really know everything that entails with OCD- but I am sure that I have very similar tendencies.
For some examples: I am way too organized. I am constantly writing out and re-writing my to-do lists. I have a difficult time trying not to overstress myself when something changes in my schedule and prevents me from overcoming all of my tasks on my overwritten to do lists. I can barely sit still and relax when I know there are things to do on my overwritten to do lists. This stress level in turn interferes with my creative process- which I call OCD as well (Overload Creative Disorder).

When I start thinking about items to make handmade for selling or as gifts for family and friends, I get a whole bunch of ideas at once. I then list them all out as they come to me. I have been trying to schedule in which items to complete by a certain date on my calendars but am never able to find enough time to get to each item I want to complete in a day. I then feel overwhelmed and depressed and like I just have no time to achieve anything I actually want to do because I have to focus so much on things I really need to do.

Time to kick myself in the bottom and rethink my strategy on my overstressed life style so I don't lose my creative curve. Of course- I will still do a calendar and overwrite my to- do lists to fit my schedule cosntantly. But I am not going to "schedule in" when to be creative. Being creative is on my own standards and should be something I do when I'm ready to and when I can enjoy it. I still make a list-  mind you- of items I want to create that may fit with a certain month, season, holiday, etc. However, I will not pressure myself to complete those items within that timeframe. If I can't get to everything I want to make now- I'll get to the ones I feel like doing the most and then maybe save some ideas for a rainy day when there's nothing else to do (does that ever really happen???)

My story here is just a reminder for the rest of you who own your handmade item businesses- don't let pressure kill your creativity and block your brilliance. In my opinion you'll lose your value in what you're making and what you love to do if you can't just sit and enjoy what you're doing.

Happy Monday!

Creative usefulness: Phone Cozies!

I had this item catch my eye by one of my local Etsian artists today as I was perusing through handmade housewares. Phone cozies, or covers, (whichever you'd like to call them) are a great example of something that is creative and useful as well- not just an aesthetic piece of work. It is always so fun to see when handmade can be integrated into our daily lives to help us make a statement of support for those who take their time and love and pour it into a project of use. It is not to say that an aesthetic piece of art isn't just as useful to some of us (my living room wouldn't be comfortable without the few knick knacks I have sitting around or the paintings on my walls) but when one can give art a practical use- it is very inspiring!

Way to go to the etsy shop by: loves2docrafts2 !!!

Go check it out!

And stay tuned to this blog for future posts on highlighting "Creative Usefulness".

Naturally Inspired

The sun on my face, the colors of my lilac bushes blooming, the imagination wandering to fresh vegetables soon to be in my fridge, the peaceful sound of birds and bees flying around- such inspiration for a creative soul!

It does not take much to inspire me to want to create. I can walk through the aisle of crafty items at Walmart and just come up with 1000 different things I could do with those dangling beads, that pattern of fabric, those colors of paint, that ball of yarn, etc. But nothing inspires like the natural world around me. I have just been blooming with excitement the past few days with this sunshine enlightening me with outdoor ideas!

Take one moment to let your mind wander and picture these scenes:

- A mother and daughter on the patio filling colorful planters with potting soil to get a fresh start on the spring and summer blooms...

- A small boy picking the flowers that were so cherished in the front garden "by accident" so he could give them to his mom...

- Going for a bike ride and passing by all those cute white picket fences with fresh garden scenes popping through...

- Sitting at the kitchen table cutting open all those vegetable seed packets and getting those little babies started in simple greenhouse starters...

What can you make to capture such moments???

You'll find featured on my website this week some of my new spring scene inspired items from my online gift shop through Etsy (photos above). These items are great gifts for those you know who are naturally inspired by new growth and spring air love.

Take a look and share with me your spring inspirations!

http://delightfullyperceptive.com/perceptive_designs/my_etsy_gift_shop

Featured Artist on my NEW WEBSITE!: Megan's Beaded Designs

I'm just going to share quickly- I have a brand new website that I am totally excited about! Please come check it out!

And my first artist feature on my website is my sister: Megan. She is an amazing and talented young woman with so much patience and creative inspiration. What can I say? It seems the creativity runs in the bloodline- but she has much thicker blood than I. Megan can create on various different levels with many different media types. She is a beader, a painter, a drawing artist, and a graphics designer. Am I missing anything, Megan? If so- Comment and correct me!

Here's the URL to my Featured Designer page... Megan's Beaded Designs will be there until a new feature come in line.

http://delightfullyperceptive.com/perceptive_designs/featured_designer

And here's a link to Megan's shop on Etsy where you can view and purchase her many delightful beaded creations:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MegansBeadedDesigns

Have a great day!