kid art

This past week, every night before going to sleep, I have been picking out whatever color Sharpies catch my fancy and simply letting myself play with the colors. No rules, no artistic goals, just the desire to let myself play. It only takes a few minutes each night, but the enjoyment and feeling of calm is hugh. I just wanted to share some of my "kid art" as I am calling it:

I even love how some of the colors from previous night's drawings sometimes bleed through onto the page:


And a scan of my trusted Costco-size box of Sharpies. Oh how I love them so!

Yeah, my previous art teachers would not critique this work highly, but heck I'm having fun with it!

will work for money

blog fodder
Originally uploaded by misslissa13

I have already been offered an amazing job, in the setting I want to work in, with the population I want to work with, and at a great starting salary. The catch is, I cannot start this job without first having my limited permit professional license. Everything has been submitted to the state for review and, provided I took all the classes that this state requires (each state is different), I will have no problem getting approval. Of course, the state being the state, this can take up to two months. My future employer says this is no problem, as soon as I have it I can start working there, even if it takes the full two months.
So now I have up to two months of not having my permanent dream job. What to do for the next bunch of weeks? My wit and charm mean nothing to the landlord, utility complany and banks (can you believe that???) and I do not want to take a full-time permanent job under false pretense. I guess it's back to the temp agencies for the time being, unless something else falls into my lap.
Yes, I will work.....for money.

organizing

I was inspired the other day by Nina's blog to make a one item "to-do list" so I decided to make "finally get the kitchen organized for the first time since moving in to this apartment" my task. I did it. Moved the furniture around to a more functional placement (difficult to do when you have a tiny kitchen), cleaned above the cabinets, decorated a box to hide some "not for daily use" items, cleaned under the refrigerator, emptied and organized the cabinets and I was inspired the other day by Nina's blog to make a one item "to-do list" so I decided to make "finally get the kitchen organized for the first time since moving in to this apartment" my task. I did it. Moved the furniture around to a more functional placement (difficult to do when you have a tiny kitchen), cleaned above the cabinets, decorated a box to hide some "not for daily use" items, cleaned under the refrigerator, emptied and organized the cabinets and reinforced the island that was really wobbling from the move. Whew! Quite n job, but it is done and I feel much better about it. Next tasks: finish sorting through the boxes of papers and random stuff while making an organizational system for the keep stuff.

organizing
Originally uploaded by misslissa13

Also, organize the incredible desk hutch that Greg's father built for us. Since our desk only has a keyboard drawer and small hutch, we desperately needed office storage space. Now we have it.

I will take a full view picture when I have it all organized and pretty-like. Of course, a Buddha was the first thing to adorn this lovely hand-made piece.
The apartment is starting to feel more like home.

donations, please

There was a sweet story (pun intended) from the AP about an elderly woman in Maine who was quoted in a previous news story about high fuel costs effect on the elderly in which she had mentioned that her vice was an occasional chocolate bar. After the first article ran, people and companies, including Hershey Company, began sending her tons of chocolate. In the current article she explains that she had so much, she shared with others since she could not enjoy it unless she was able to share (and a person could only eat so much chocolate).

This made me wonder, if I penned my own article here about my vices, if people and corporations would start sending me things as well. It is worth a try, so here is my 'chocolate':

My vices in no particular order are: 1. wonderful new people entering my life and old friends returning, well, because I collect good people, too. 2. health, fitness and yoga buddies 3. fresh organic foods to share with good company 4. a sense of balance, goodness and groundedness 5. love, love and more love 6. humor, laughter and joy 7. a group of people to get together periodically to make crafts for fun, drink coffee and talk about life. I think I will stop my list here....do not want to appear selfish ;)

So there you have it, my vices. Anyone want to 'donate'?

here and there and everywhere. you can measure, too!

It has recently come to my conscious awareness that I have a habit of measuring distances between places. I do this most times I drive, even if I have already clocked a path before. (Who's ever idea it was to put trip meters on the dashboard...brilliant!) Part of this is functional for clocking out distances to measure walking or biking workouts. But the other part is a fascination I have with placements of things and places in relation to each other. I find simple joy in this. I do not know from what this stems and am trying to figure out what it means for me. Not only am I fascinated by the juxtaposition or vast distance between places but I am also fascinated that I find joy in it. This habit is by no means an obsession. It is not that I cannot drive anywhere if I did not reset the trip meter. It is just a simple pleasure.Perhaps I have an inter cartographer just waiting to get out.








No, really....I'm the Map!! I'm the Map, I'm the Map, I'm the Map!

miso new york

miso_ny_logo
Originally uploaded by misslissa13

We are two major steps closer to putting some of our pieces up for sale on our Etsy page. As you can see, our Art Department (Greg) completed the logo and our photographer (me) finally figured out the macro focus on the equipment (my camera). There are some rudimentary pictures of a selected jewelry pieces up on flickr. I...I mean the Art Department still need to play with the photos, cropping and making sure the color appears as true to real life as possible so buyers know what they are purchasing. Additionally, the IT department (Greg) secured the domain www.miso-ny.com which will be up and running in a couple of days.

All this creativity stuff is bringing me joy.

clutter be gone

squatter yard sale
Originally uploaded by misslissa13

Though my chaos is contained, I, admittedly, I am not the most organized person. However habitual moving has helped me discover motivation to downsize, simplify and minimize. Additionally, over the past few years I have learned to decipher healthy and unhealthy emotional attachment to material objects. It is incredibly freeing to dispose of, donate or pass on things I no longer use, need or want.

The things I am sorting through this week are boxes of "important paper and miscellaneous stuff" I have lugged around (and accumulated) through three US states. Mixed in with old utility bills, truly important papers that are worthy of creating a proper filing system, "congratulation graduate" cards and half finished crossword puzzles, are letters, emails, pictures, etc from a significant ex. Some of which I knew were still in my possession, others I completely forgot about. Two things that amaze me about these rediscoveries are: 1) I am having no emotional or visceral response (positive or negative) and 2) Shredding and disposing of such items brings some clarity and light on my self image.

Here is just a taste of what I have noticed:
I no longer allow others to define me.
Much of my self doubt built up over the past few years has dissipated.
I only desire relationships that each person enhance the other.
I value my family and friends more than ever.
My "I can do anything I set my mind to" attitude has reemerged.

Clearing things can clear the mind, calm the body and sooth the soul. When we have unhealthy emotional attachments to objects we need to work through the underlying issues and let both the emotion and the item go. This is a gift we can give ourselves.

soap nebula

soap nebula III
Originally uploaded by misslissa13

We have a soap nebula in our bathroom. Body wash and hand soap do not mix....but make some fun visuals. I love noticing the beauty in the ordinary. Sometimes we create it doing the ordinary, such as helping a friend paint her kitchen, sometimes it just occurs, like in the refilled soap bottle. What art was created around you today?