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I just got through 2 much needed weeks off. The semester has started once again, but I really am thankful for the time I had off. Mostly I played catch-up, but I also indulged in my “other” love which is “making stuff.” It is definitely not really deep stuff. This is something both my Mom and I really enjoy. We both agree that we like to do it regardless of the outcome. I think we just like the process of “making stuff” or “toiling” as some would call it. What I also like about this “other” love of mine is that it aids in my creative process. Sometimes I just feel like I don’t have another ounce of creativity left in me, so when I start just toiling with things it revives some of that creativity which leads to other, maybe more meaningful things. I feel there are so many times when I find a lot of meaning and fulfillment just doing what I love…even if it doesn’t make you money, bring you fame, or even if nobody else gives a hoot. During the two weeks I had “off” I worked on some projects for items around the house, like a few towel racks, a necklace rack, a monogram sign, and a chalkboard sign (I am obsessed with chalkboard paint right now). I absolutely love going to antique stores as well. To me there is just something interesting about an object that has seen more time than you and has had previous owners. They offer a bit of mysteriousness behind them. And the thought of giving them new life is interesting to me. I guess that fits right into why I make the art that I do. The mixture of the following items came from antique stores, craft stores, World Market and one of my most favorite places, Anthropologie. Some are functional, some are decorative, either way, I just had fun making them or re-doing them. It sparked some new creativity and some new ideas about future ventures, which was enough for me.