Outside My Comfort Zone

I had lunch with a former high school teacher of mine... I was in his choirs over 20 years ago.

I was a girl then. My world was out of focus and I was unsure of where I fit and what I was doing.



I talked with Mr. Fett for two hours that day. I showed him some of my recycling projects. And he talked to me about the fact that I was trying to do everything myself. There is a demand for my products, so much so, I am not keeping up with my Etsy shop and I am just selling orders.

Mr. Fett's point to me was that maybe I didn't need to do this all by myself. I could hire people that needed work. I could recycle more items that then wouldn't end up in landfills. My takeaway was that I could be more if I wanted to. It was my choice.

The conversation threw me. I had to look deep inside somewhere that was uncomfortable.



But I did.

I thought about Mr. Fett's points. They are good ones. I want to contribute to this world. I want to make it a better place for people other than myself. What I feel inside is larger than me.

Fear was holding me back.



But I thought about exactly what is holding me back. What is truly scaring me. I like to plan and make certain everything is in order and it is going to work out and really how that is just an excuse not to move forward. I am afraid to move forward without knowing where I am stepping.

In spite of this fear and nonsense, I managed to push on my glass walls.



I am moving forward with expanding my business to include others that can use work. I have already started to design several lines that are my creation but can be replicated by others. I am trying to go forth organically and let this happen as it occurs. If it is meant to happen the way my mind works, it will happen the way my mind works.

If you think it, it will be. (If you build it, they will come.)

And I now understand why all those artists I watch on PBS have small armies of other artists helping carry out visions.



Getting out of my comfort zone is good. I am finding more creativity and more ideas just by letting go of what I THINK I SHOULD be doing.

Tell me what you do when you hit the walls of your comfort zone. Help me continue to push mine out further and further.

Thank you readers. And thanks for letting me know you are still out there!

The Truth Comes Out

Did I lose my head?



No.

Was I talking to the animals?



No.

I've just had a lot on my mind.



Here's what has happened since September:

1. I moved to Ohio.
2. My husband stayed in California and will be there until the end of next month.
3. My husband and I found a business to buy.
4. We bought the business.
5. I have been working on that, some art, and a few other things.

It seems like I don't have time to reflect on what is going on... but I am going to try to get started back here again.

I want to get my shop filled back up as well. Slowly but surely, this will all happen. If you are still out there, I look forward to hearing from you.

Photo Cubes!

Ah! It has been so long since I have blogged! So much going on... vacations, job searches, house guests!

But here they are... I took some boring, clear photo cubes (saved by a dear friend from the dumpster) and sanded off the logos. I then dyed a nice rainbow of colors using Rit dye and volia!


Look! They hold artwork! (Or photos or business cards or your finger or notes or whatever makes you happy...)



So pretty...



Thanks Nanner!

We have a new baby!

Alright, so it's a cat baby -- not a real baby... but all the same! So cute!



We got her at the shelter and promptly named her Buttercup. She is small and shy and yellow. Although from this angle she is looking a bit bigger.



She has short little legs and a short tail -- and she's overweight from being at the shelter as Snoopy was... but with three flights of stairs in our home and Skippy, who's favorite hobby is cat-chasing, I'm sure she'll thin out in no time flat!

The picture below was the normal view of her. Buttercup came with a free tent. And it was a good thing because when we first got her home, she spent 24 hours a day in it.



But now, I haven't seen her in it for over a week! She is shy, but she is getting used to all of us. We all are hissing and talking and petting her and eating her food and chasing her out of her hiding places... but she seems to like it as she is starting to appear at the most unlikely moments. This morning I made my breakfast and turned around and there she was...

She looks a little grumpy in the photo above... I'm sure she'll be wearing a big grin in the pics from the next photo shoot...

Happy day to all!

My Baby Brother Got Married!

I've gotten a few e-mails asking me where I have been... here is a quick pictorial shot by my hubby to highlight the wonderful event last Thursday!

Here is my brother dressed as a penquin... I think it is fitting he chose to get married dressed as a flightless bird as the wedding was at Walt Disney World. He fit right in with the other cast members.

And he's actually not that tall, he's standing on my suitcase.



Here is the Wedding Pavilion at Disney.

I officiated. Here I am walking to the altar.

Here is my brother giving the vows he wrote. He is crying and he is making me cry. It's the whole sibling thing -- he cries, I cry. He laughs, I laugh! I'm sure you understand.

Here are the two princesses of the day! Both are so beautiful! (But only one has glass slippers...)

And speaking of Cinerella -- check out this dessert!!! A white chocolate mousse filled shoe! (Much better than glass, if you ask me.) And that castle pattern on the plate? Some sort of wicked awesome chocolate stamp!

Dessert AND CAKE! My kind of wedding!!!

And the day after... I am morphing into Minnie. No big surprise there...

Happy Holidays to all of you!

The Secret Life of this Book...

So my friend Buzz had a birthday. And this is what I made...

She gave me this book to use in a project a couple of months ago.

And then recently I was hanging out in her office for a bit and she showed me one of her favorite paintings by Carl Larsson. Buzz told me that this painting looked like a good life to her - reading, cool air, a cat and a dog...

So as much as it killed me to change the life of the book, I created a book box and then recreated the painting inside of it.

This is one of my favorite projects yet!

Happy birthday, Buzz! And thanks to Susan for giving me the idea in a roundabout way!

Milk Made

Look at my new light sculpture!


What have I recycled now?







Did you get a clue from my post title?




That's right! It is made of the plastic from gallon milk containers!

It is 30 individual pieces that I hand cut from 10 milk jugs. The pattern was in ReadyMade magazine last fall. This one is pretty little... about eight inches across.




Watch out! I'm going to be milking this project for all that it is worth!

Make Me the Popular Kid!!!!

Hey! I took my pumpkins to instructables and I need YOU to vote for them so I will have fame, fortune, glamour, popularity, and terrific prizes!

VOTE HERE!

The pumpkins and I thank you in advance...

Recycled Jack O'Lantern Magic

Where have I been, you ask? I have been trying to remove labels from my food jars so I could make these darling Jack O'Lanterns!



All I can say is some of the adhesives used on food jars do not want to release the labels. Hot water and elbow grease is my preferred method of removal, but geesh! It takes a heck of a lot of work. It's almost scary...



This is the simple shape face. Darling, isn't he?




The paper I used to cover the jars is also recycled from a kitchen item I received from last Christmas! I saved it because it was these huge pieces of perfect orange and finally I found the perfect use!

And the black paper pieces are scraps from another project! I love it!



I'm going to place my pumpkin spice tea lights in them and place them in the window so maybe we'll get a few trick or treaters this year...

This recycling trick is a real treat!

Happy Halloween!!!

Help! I Need Somebody!

As Cathy would say, "Ack!"



And I am only reminded of this as my favorite SNL cast member Andy Samberg played Cathy recently on the show during Weekend Update.

I am so busy. If I could clone myself right now I would. (And just not anybody. I need somebody. Help!)

I would make that clone do the icky things like clean the bathroom and change the kitty box and dust the creatures I insist on placing in front of the telly to liven up the box of light when it is off.



If the clone (or Kelly B. 2.0) could do all the housework and mail out my packages and write blog entries, I could just do fun stuff.

And why was I entertaining the idea on Friday of posting something every day when I can't even blog once a week? I guess I should remember I was entertaining the idea. I took it to a show and out to dinner. I didn't invite it in to stay over...

Is anyone else out in the ether feeling crazy overwhelmed and the holidays are still a ways off?

I'm sure this will be better in the morning. And when I can stop adding new items to my to do list.

*sigh*













And you don't have to tell me it will get better. I know it will. I have no doubt it will. Sunday nights can just be a tad overwhelming is all...

A cheerier post is right around the corner. I can feel it!

Happy Monday to you and yours.

Top Five Reasons to Read Craftier Magazine This Month

The top five reasons to read Craftier's on-line magazine!

Number five... Awesomely cool layouts featuring awesomely cool products!!!



Number Four... Craftier somehow knows that you REALLY ARE craftier than your third grade teacher! Just like them!

Wow. How do they know?



Number Three... Mad Libs. Do I really need to _____ more?

Number Two... They include amusing pictures of costumed animals ready to go trick and treating. Yes. With dogs it is tricks first and then treats.

And the Number One reason to love Craftier?

They named ME Craftier Ambassador!

I am shown here with my tv boyfriend, Jim, my yarn 'do (very crafty indeed!), and of course the paint French mustache I give myself when creating art.

"La moustache est très importante pour l'art!"

So go read Craftier for yourself right now. You'll enjoy the entire thing. Cover to virtual cover.

Good Grief, Where Did I Go?

Hidy ho, friends in the ether!

I pulled up my blog and realized that it has been a little while since I posted. I wondered to myself, "Where did I go?"

The answer to that is: dreamland, the doctor's office, Vegas, the vet's office, a job interview, the kitchen table working on art, the garage working on art, the pool, around the neighborhood, the 1920's as I read Seabiscuit, the 1830's as I read an account about Laura Ingalls Wilder's mother, the Emmys, the kitchen, I think the couch swallowed me at one point... but now I am here today. Writing. Realizing all the other things I need to catch up on too!

I hope you all have been doing well. I hope there are exciting and fun things happening with you. I am off to read blogs after this post so I can see what you have been up to lately!

And the Husband of the Year Award goes to...

Skippy Boisenberry McAllister!!!



What an incredible award! And you coordinated your t-shirt with the award! Well done, I say!



Skippy Dippy, you're the one!
You make my life a lot of fun!
Skippy Dippy, I'm awfully fond of you...

Skippy, you're the best husband a gal could wish for... you've helped me through so much this year. You are thoughtful and kind. You always have a good attitude in your pocket for me when I lose mine. You laugh at my stupid jokes almost as hard as you laugh at the good ones. You tell me to chase my dreams and then follow me, giddy with joy.

You listen to me grumble and you never grumble back. You smile at me when I cry because you know the downpour will only last a minute. You love me for exactly who I am. You want me to feel what I feel and be who I am and you love me every second.

I love you. Thank you.

I know you'll be good with the kids because of how good you are with the cats...



Sharing your patch of sun with Petey.



Giving Snoopy rabbit ears even though you know they are her ultimate enemy after moths and flies and birds and lizards.



Being self-effacing and giving yourself rabbit ears.

And there's what you do for me...



You enjoy the sunshine and every new day!



You continue to hug Snoopy even though she's not too sure about it.



You pose for my never-ending requests of strange and wonderful portraits.

Thank you for being my husband. You are the husband of the year every year in my book.