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Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Opening Doors



www.facebook.com/connectiontocreative 
(if you would like to take this quiz, the answers are at the end of this post)

I saw this on my Facebook Feed this morning - you know, one of those innocuous little quizzes that seem to be floating by with increasing frequency....what college should you have gone to, what career should you be doing, what Broadway musical should you be in, if you could be a color of the rainbow what would you be, if you were an animal from the 17th century... If you are on Facebook, I think you know what I'm talking about.

Most of the time I will pass these by.  Sometimes I succumb.  This one intrigued me.  I love colors, and I've always been interested in the different designs of doors.  The  source of this "quiz" also piqued my curiosity: www.connectiontocreative.com  Now, when I tried the link, it was not working - perhaps, you'll have better luck.  I did find their Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/connectiontocreative,  and  I found that to be a fun, inspiring, "creative" place to explore.

What was my choice?  Well, don't continue reading if you haven't made your selection yet as I wouldn't want to "spill the beans" if we happen to be the same...{{allow time for you to make your choice}}....{{go on...}}.... Ok, this was pretty easy for me as there was only one door that really "shouted" out to me, and that was door six.  The color is my favorite, and that color combined with the door's classic and traditional styling made it the perfect choice for me.  When I read the description for this door, it was pretty scary spot-on.  Whoa!!  Very interesting.

Which door did you choose?  Or perhaps, more than one?  Does the description fit you for where you are right now?  Don't forget to "wander" over to www.connectiontocreative.com  (hopefully will be working soon?)  and www.facebook.com/connectiontocreative for more creative inspiration...or just plain procrastination ;)
WHAT DOOR WOULD YOU WALK THROUGH?
~ PERSONALITY TEST ~

Pick the door that looks the most appealing to you. This might reveal a few things about your personality. Let us know what door you picked and if the answer was accurate for you. Feel free to SHARE!

1 - You are a fun individual that likes to keep things light and airy. You are all about nurturing others and appreciating the simple luxuries in life; such as your fine dishware, favorite candle or eating artisan bread from the local bakery. You most likely have a love for traveling and other cultures. You truly want the best for everyone and love creating a welcoming atmosphere. It is important to remember that if you ever feel that you need help or support, it is OK to just ask someone.



2- You are clean and simple and don’t like any frills. You might strive to have a clean and perfect existence; but is it totally worth it? Don’t you feel that there is something missing? You are all about your personal achievements and you take pride in your work or career. Although you might be on track with your career path or have a few diplomas/ certificates on your wall, you need to spend more time on developing yourself as a person. Remember... the real you. Life is all about creating balance, surrounding yourself with color and creating memorable adventures. If you are finding that you have been taking the safe road lately, try veering off the beaten path. You might surprise yourself!



3 – It is obvious you are a quirky individual and very interesting to the people that you let into your life. You are good at many things... a “Jack or Jill of all trades”. You are an artistic individual that expresses yourself in many ways. You can make something out of anything and are not a stranger to your local thrift shop. You can basically make vintage “new” again. It is easy to get stuck inside the house or inside your urban bubble; but remember that you have to get out and connect with nature. It is time to come down out of the clouds and get grounded!



4 – You are an old soul that can be slightly dramatic. You are a very artistic person that loves to express yourself through writing, music, art or some kind of expression. You are a dichotomy; for you can be very open and friendly, yet closed and deeply private. You often have your guard up, keeping your thoughts and troubles to yourself. Although you might think that nobody will truly understand you, if you allow yourself to open up and share your feelings, you will feel so much better. Deep down you are not aright with any imperfections and you feel the need to come across as “the rock” in any group situation. Know that people are willing to share their feelings with you and want you to share your feelings with them.



5 – It is very important for you to fit in and feel as though you are a major contributor in every situation. You always have things going on, for being productive is what makes you feel at ease. Your busy-ness can sometimes cause the need for you to become more aware of what is really going on around you. What does your body want you to be doing? It is alright to relax on a Monday and simply just BE. Feel free to take some time to figure out what you really love to do. Possibly try some new hobbies or activities that are out of your normal routine. Explore being you, even if that means relaxing. Life is not just about how many muffins you can make in a single batch or how many fit-it jobs you can do in one day.



6 – You are a confident person with an eye for detail. You can come across as someone who is all together and exciting; yet you are just YOU on the inside. You care about your appearance and how the world sees you, yet the inside your home or car is probably a total mess! Your personality can be self destructive, for you could turn against yourself when the going gets tough. The life of a person who is a living a total contradiction... has got to be a difficult one. Remember to breathe and just relax. Life is not just about pleasing others. Truth is, the world isn’t always watching... Take time to reflect on who you truly want to be? What is it that you truly want to do?



7 – You are a simple minimalist that always has important things to do. You care for others and find your time anything but your own. You surround yourself with meaningful things, for you are very sentimental. Family and friends are very important to you and you would do anything for them. Not putting yourself first has made your life a safe and complacent one. What is it that can enrich your life today? What will make your life more colorful and enjoyable? Even though life gives you labels such as a mother, father, wife, husband, teacher, manager, etc; remember that your life is still YOUR life. Take a moment to decide what you want your future to look like. It is perfectly acceptable to want wonderful things to happen to you. Carpe Diem.



8 – Your fun and playful personality keeps you young and youthful. Although you are easy going, you tend to have lower self-confidence and anxiety about specific things in your life. You are usually unorganized; yet don’t even know where to start to help yourself to fix the messy problem. You are a proud individual but you need to learn to love yourself more. You need to take the time to find yourself through self expression. How are you currently expressing yourself to the world? Remember that there are people around you that can help you, but you need to let them know you are willing to receive help. Life is easier when you let people in.



9 – You are a quirky person that is always making things work. You are an amazing problem solver that prides yourself on your thrifty living. You like to live an uncomplicated life and usually get by with the basics. Why would you need anything else? You are very easy to please and love doing things for others. Whether it be fixing your neighbors toilet, building a bird house for your mother out of reclaimed wood or helping your friend find a great living room set at the thrift shop; you are always there to lend a hand. Remember that life is special. It is OK to treat yourself to amazing things. You are special too!



10 – You are one who truly appreciates stability and wholeness. You are a reliable person that takes pride in their love of quality and detail. Some might say “cookie cutter”, but you say dependable! You always know what you are getting because you have checked the consumer reports. You love safety and security in all parts of your life. You prefer not to have anything frivolous or extra, if you can’t see the use for it. Chances are you have some sort of creative side that you have curbed in some way. You might love scrap-booking, music or art; yet would never try to make it your career. You feel your problems are your own and nobody needs to be burdened with them. Just keep in mind that exposing your true self to the world (or your neighbors) is not a crime. We are all human.

www.connectiontocreative.com



Tuesday, March 31, 2009

TICKLING THE MUSE

I love puzzles. I have loved doing jigsaw puzzles with my children when they were small ~ I have enjoyed having a big puzzle set-up at family gatherings for everyone to work on over the course of the holidays ~ and one of my treasured memories will always be seeing my grandmother, now 98, continuing to work diligently, despite her failing eyesight, on her puzzles every Sunday afternoon at my mother's or on the ongoing project always "in play" at her apartment....yes, I love puzzles.

It was great fun to discover a special site today that not only "tickled my muse" but also tickled the "child" in me (or perhaps that may be heart of my muse...). Art Puzzles, from Susan Reynolds' Studio, provide you lovely "art canvasses" which become jigsaw puzzles online at the click of your mouse. A terrific escape and wonderful way to "feed" the muse and the brain at the same time.



So, pour yourself a cup of tea, relax, select your favorite print, and click away - but watch that timer... :-)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

TICKLING THE MUSE

I have to admit I'm enjoying this new weekly feature as an excuse to take a break and "play" a bit - who can argue with that!? As I was blog-hopping this past week, I found and bookmarked this site which I knew would be perfect for today's "tickle" and indeed it has been great.

WORDLE creates "beautiful word clouds." As the site explains, Wordle "is a toy for generating 'word clouds' from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends."

I experimented with WORDLE today, using first my blog http address ~ simply typed it in and a "wordle cloud" appeared and then I started "playing":
Next up was my Artfire shop http:
Finally, I wanted to try my hand at WORDLE's free text entry so I entered words that I would associate with SignatureSterling in general and then "toyed" with that cloud for a while - quite happy with how that turned out!
So, grab your words, your website, and stop by WORDLE ~ get tickling!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

TICKLING THE MUSE

Last Tuesday, I started a new blog "practice" designed to promote my "artistic energies" or what I call ~ "tickling the muse." Now ideally I am doing this in different ways throughout the week - for example, I'm learning to play golf and my instructor, aware of my "creative, artistic bent" and background is approaching it by telling me that I need to find the rhythm and tempo of my swing...spending time outside in this newly springtime weather is always refreshing to my mind...quiet time with Abby, considering the miracle of new life and hearing the wonderful newborn noises inspire and renew me.

But, yes, on Tuesday, specifically, I'll be searching online for special sites that might be helpful in "tickling the muse" in an "outside the box" approach. Today, especially as one who is not a "traditional artist type" (as in can't draw a straight line and struggled with traditional "art" classes in elementary and junior high school...), I encourage you to visit the National Gallery of Art's site for "kids" of all ages - designed for online painting creations.

There are many options - select different pattern, brush designs; use an auto color option or pick your own colors; once you've made a "painting," apply special effects; or try the "auto" painting creation and see what "pops up." Each of your masterpieces can be framed and saved, printed...and certainly something will inspire you later if color and design is something you use in your work. Most of all, have fun and laugh with joy - after all, that's what tickling the muse is all about!

Peace...

http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/brushster.htm

Thursday, March 12, 2009

AW, SHUCKS! AWARD TIME!

I was so very honored to receive the following award from one of my favorite goat bloggers, Pricilla (The Maaaaaa of Pricilla), ...well, actually, she's the only goat blogger that I know personally, to be honest with you, but she is still one of my dearest friends (hmmm, just wondered what that says about me!), writes an awesome blog, and makes the most incredible soap I've come across in a long time! So, when dear Pricilla bestowed the Kreativ Blogger Award on me, indeed, I truly felt my day had been made ~ thanks, Pricilla! A big "MAAAA!" right back at you, girlfriend! :-)

Now in lieu of an acceptance speech, this blog award comes with rules. I am to list 7 things I like and then pass the award on to 7 people, being sure to comment on their blogs to let them know to come by here and pick up their award. And so, I begin...

7 Things I like:

1. My new granddaughter

2. Watching my daughter play soccer

3. Getting lost in bookstores

4. Reading cookbooks

5. The first few minutes of settling under the covers in bed at night before drifting off to sleep

6. Having my cell phone calls to Andrew in Tanzania get through on the first try

7. The ocean - anytime, anywhere

I pass this award on to:







Tuesday, March 10, 2009

TICKLING THE MUSE

As I begin to study "The Artist's Way," this week, I considered that one way I might commit to "tickling" my creative muse on a regular basis was by every Tuesday (Tuesday ~ tickling...see, sometimes there is sense in my nonsensical randomness...) intentionally seeking out and sharing new (or perhaps, tried and true) ways of jump-starting the creative process ~ thinking outside the box ~ heading in a different direction ~ or seeing potential creations with new vision.

Today, I returned to a site I was first introduced to last fall through our Artisan Beaders Street Team Fall Color Palette Challenge ~ colourlovers.com. There you can see already created wonderful assorted palettes and patterns or create your own, sometimes even creating your own new color!

Knowing that I wanted to focus sometime this week on a new "Pretty in Pink" piece, I headed in "that direction" and first began working on a color palette with that title:

Now as it turns out, the center color was a "new" color and needed to be named in order to be included in the palette (and now forever in the system) :-), and so "Gerbera Pink" has bloomed.

Then I wandered over to the "patterns" and simply browsed through using "pink" as my keyword search to find some favorites that might add some further design and color inspiration for me as I'm working later this week.




My muse is already gearing up and anxious to "play" with these colors and ideas....it will be interesting to see what appears later in the week as a result. Stay tuned!