Take Time to Read

I recently found a site that lets you list and review the books that you have read and then compare notes with others. The site is called Goodreads and it is free to sign up. I have several friends who have joined me on that site and now we are able to get ideas about good books to read. I am hoping that a few more friends will join me, too.

Currently, I am reading a book called The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. The review that I read compared this novel to The Da Vinci Code. In this novel, rare book expert Hanna Heath is looking for clues in a document that dates back to 15 century Spain. I am enjoying this book so far. I really like reading March by the same author. She won the Pulitzer Prize for than novel.

So, why not join us on Goodreads? There is a link on the bottom right hand side of this blog page that will take you to this site.

Exceptional Artists

I spotted this snowman display while in the hallway at school the other day. Here is one example of "Snowman Art". The children who created these whimsical pieces of art work always bring light and laughter whenever they visit my Library. They brighten my day if I have been having a stressful one. All the other children and adults in the school know this class and everyone stops to say "hello" to them.

Gail, our Art Teacher, does an exceptionally fine job with this class. She brings out their natural abilities. She has done several art projects involving all the students in the class. In fact, one of the local colleges even purchased one of the class paintings. (The painting was featured in a local student art show.)

You see, there are only 12 children in this class and they all have special learning needs. Some have found different ways to communicate, such as through sign language. Others depend upon walkers and wheelchairs to remain mobile. Others are struggling with vision problems as well as a whole host of medical conditions.

Each one of these children is a gift to us and has something unique and special to offer us. They are exceptional artists, indeed.

Paper Crafting

I thought that I would post a few examples of the projects that I have created with my new paper cutting machine. My first simple project was to create these paper hearts. ( I used my compact digital camera, so the photo quality isn't that good.) I am going to use the hearts as decorations in my school library.

I took the paper cutting machine to work today and had my Library Assistant try it out. We had a great time making paper snowflakes. Perhaps I can convince our boss to buy a paper cutting machine for the teachers and staff to use at school.

My friend Mary came over tonight and I demonstrated this fantastic machine. Mary enjoys making cards, so she was able to make a greeting card very quickly using the paper cutting machine.

I hope that everyone is having a good week. We had a great day here in Central New York as the temperature was above 60 degrees F! It was a record temperature for this day. And the snow has melted. (I really do understand. All good things must come to an end. But a local restaurant sign says that spring is only 71 days away.)

January Blues

Wintertime here in Central New York State is usually very cold, snowy, and extremely long. We had a bit of a "heat wave" today as the temperature climbed above 40 degrees F. It is supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. So, we are having a little January thaw.

I noticed just how dirty and gray the remaining snow on the ground is right now. There seemed to be absolutely no hint of color anywhere. And the Christmas decorations have all been taken down now. I asked myself if anything in nature seems colorful during this time of the year. And the I happened to look at the western sky just before sunset. I was reminded of the beautiful shades of blues and purples which only nature can paint across a dreary sky. My photo above is entitled "January Blues" and I think that it perfectly captures this time of the year.

My New Toy

Yesterday, I bought myself a new toy at the craft store. I used the gift cards that I had been saving up to purchase a machine called "a personal electronic cutting machine." Wow! This little machine does so much with paper! I just have to load the paper into the machine, select the clip art or font that I want, choose the size and push "cut". It is all done for me! This is wonderful for my scrapbooking and cardmaking projects. I already made some Valentines for a bulletin board in my school library.

I even purchased the machine on sale! (I have never seen this machine on sale at the craft store before now.) The company that makes the machine is called "Cricut" and their website is www.cricut.com

This machine is so much fun! It is portable, so I am going to take it to school with me. I am going to bring it to my Mom's house so that we can work on scrapbooking projects.

Hopefully, I will be able to post a few of my creations here soon. Have a good week everyone!

Take Time to Enjoy Yourself

I seem to be getting myself back into my ordinary routine. Certainly, I enjoy the excitement of the holiday season spent with family and friends. But I have to say that I don't miss the hustle and bustle of that busy season.

So, this weekend, I am just going to take some time to do activities which bring me pleasure: read, cook, go to the bookstore with a friend, and perhaps get my camera out once again. I am not going to set some demanding schedule for myself, but just enjoy those activities which I am able to do. As John Lennon once said, "Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." How true! I am hoping that some downtime will provide me with some creative energy.

I hope that you have a great weekend!

Creativity Through The Eyes of A Child

As you may already know, I really enjoy discovering different ways of getting inspirational ideas for my own artistic endeavors. In my last post, I wrote about using children's literature as a springboard for my creative projects. Today I rediscovered another one of my inspirational sources: children's artwork.

At work today, I stopped to admire my students' colorful artwork just outside of my school library. (Please see the photo I took of one of these masterpieces posted above.) I was struck by the fact that even the very youngest children showed so much passion for their work. And then I remembered that many of the children don't have a lot of preconceived ideas about how art should look. This sense of freedom enables them to combine colors in exciting ways as well as to use lines and shapes to enhance their work. Many of these very young artists are so self-absorbed in their own work that they do not worry about comparing themselves to others.

I thought of all of these ideas in terms of my own artistic projects. Why can't I feel some of this same sense of creative freedom? I believe that I should enjoy the creative process in and of itself, but why do I tend to judge myself against the work of others?

And then I remember one of my favorite Pablo Picasso quotations: "All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Ah, words of wisdom! Now I am not advocating that we just ignore such time honored artistic rules such as the rule of thirds, but I am thinking about how to keep the creative passion flowing. And I believe that viewing my students' artwork provided me with some answers.

Keys to Creativity

As we begin the second day of 2008, it seems that all is back to the regular daily routine. The magic of the holiday season is over and winter is here to stay with a vengeance here in Central New York State. (The freshly fallen snow looks lovely, but it is only 11 degrees F this afternoon and the temperature continues to fall!)

I usually do not look forward to this time of the year because I can't seem to find many things to look forward to during the bleak winter months. The joy of the holiday season is over and work is filled with many tasks to accomplish. And spring, with its glorious light, seems like it light years away.

But this morning I decided to focus upon other thoughts. I just want to look at daily life and discover creative sparks that will hopefully fill my imagination.

As I prepared my lesson plans for the students in my school library, I rediscover one of my keys to creativity: children's literature. One of my passions in life is sharing outstanding children's books with my students. In turn, I have found that some children's books are so artistically done that they serve to spark my imagination as well.

The book that brought this idea to my mind was Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoerr. Author Yolen's text is so descriptive that the reader can just picture discovering that snowy owl. I love sharing such passages as "the snow was brighter than milk in a cereal bowl" with my students. (Some of my students are "city kids" and have never seen an owl, but Jane Yolen's writing makes this come alive for them.) The illustrator, John Schoerr, used muted shades of blues, browns, and greens among the winter white in order to beautifully enhance the book. He won the Caldecott Medal (an American award given to one children's book illustrator per year) for his outstanding an magical illustrations. You can find out more about Jane Yolen by visiting her website at www.janeyolen.com

An now I am remind about how much I turn to children's literature for ideas and inspiration! These appealing masterpieces provide me with ideas for photography and craft projects. Somehow, my winter photos reflect my appreciation for books such as Owl Moon. I now observe and use colors, shapes, and lines differently. I try to really "see" what I would normally just have given a passing glance.

Yes, I can provide you with many other examples of fine children's literature titles, but I thought that Owl Moon would provide a perfect example. Why not try discovering these gems, whether they be classics or current bestsellers? You may even find a creative spark. And remember the words of Thomas Carlyle: "The best effect of any book is that it excites the reader to self activity."

And so I will continue to find creativity within everyday activities. I wonder what I shall find?

A Blank Canvas

I have always taken time to ponder the passing of an entire year as well as the beginning of a new era. As a child, I would wonder about such things as past news stories that I heard about in my parents' world of the late 1960's through the mid 1970's: US astronauts landing on the moon, the end of the Vietnam War, and the resignation of Nixon. I wondered about the world outside of my small town, even though I didn't have a clue what Watergate was all about at the time. Of course, I was thankful for blessings in my life such as the birth of my siblings, family celebrations and spending time with friends.

Imagine, if you will, this pony-tailed ten-year old taking time to look at life this way. I can still remember going over the past year, even at this young age, and thinking that there must be a better way to live life in the new year. It was then that I knew that doing simple things with great pleasure is a key to a better life. (I still enjoy some of those simple pleasures to this day: reading, cooking, and doing craft projects.)

And so I developed the personal philosophy of viewing the new year as a blank canvas; a canvas waiting to be filled with such activities as learning a new hobby, cooking a new recipe, or discovering a new author. Yes, I realize that it is a simple view of the world, indeed. But I truly believe in the positive energy behind each and every creative act.

Now I am in a contemplative mood as we welcome 2008. This new year began very quietly for me as I spent time with friends and family. This New Year's Day has been snowy and so I am tucked in at home just watching the snow fall. I try to visualize my "internal canvas" as I watch the enormous white flakes enveloping the mighty pines. My canvas, not too surprisingly, remained a glistening white for much of the day. I did not rush to change the canvas scene as I somehow instinctively knew that ideas would come swirly to me as the ground receives its cover from the winter sky.

Slowly, my canvas was painted with hunter green pines that reached majestically towards the late afternoon sky. The gigantic flakes of white gave way to a gentle dusting as the buttery-yellow sun peeked through the opaqueness of the sky. And a barn red Adirondack chair, left over from the autumnal leaf peeping season, was covered in winter splendor.

Somehow, that snow covered chair seemed to inspire me. The chair remains there as the seasons pass and the year turns. Of course, it will need maintenance, but it is still sturdy and ready to serve it purpose over and over again. Purpose. It reminds me to use my talents wisely and make my world, our world, a better place.

No, these simple ideas are nothing new. Henry David Thoreau, one of my favorite American Transcendentalists writers once said, "This world is just a canvas to our imagination." And I do believe that this world would be a more peaceful place if each one of us would look inside and visualize how our own creative canvases can be used to serve ourselves and others.

What do you see when you take some time to look inward at your creative canvas? Do you visualize the same canvas, or has it changed and evolved? Do you start with a blank canvas as the new year arrives or do you add to an existing canvas?

And so I wish you a new year filled with creative endeavors, whatever they may be. Please take time to savor the simple pleasures of life and to embrace the creative side of life!