An Artist’s Date

I’m really not trying to fool anyone here. I am no artist in any capacity but as I had all of Julia Cameron’s books out two weeks ago as well as my workbook, I was inspired.

A Workbook for better bubbles.

Bubbles for inspiration

When my daughter came for our Saturday together, I put on the tea kettle and she started her laundry. We sat down to decide what we would do with our day. I was thinking at first of helping her start on a summer dress that is waiting to be made. Then it occurred to me that I was ready for something out of the ordinary.

lace for the edge

Some parts have two layers

Pattern ready

Ms. Cameron is very big on Artist’s Dates to unblock creativity. They should be done alone but I drive very little these days while my daughter is an excellent chauffeur. I suggested that after we had our brunch out at Bob’s Red Mill where she could do some grocery shopping for the following week, we go to a thrift store, a dollar store and another little junk shop nearby for some inspiration.

I have always loved Mary Engelbreigt’s work

Where my morning pages live

I found notebook paper for a dollar to put into the binder I’ve had for at least 20 years that has been only used for decor so far. It is now the holder of my morning pages. Then we decided to go look in a fun antique consignment shop in a suburb where she once worked to see any changes. It’s been three years at least since our last visit. This time I saw the soda fountain. How did I not notice it before? We purchased nothing but had a good time looking.

Soda fountain in the antique store

Part of the draw to sit there

Vintage soda fountain in old town Milwaukie Oregon

Directly across the street from where we parked was a new shop. K. Marie Vintage Ephemera. I had to go look. So much was French inspired and they were offering classes in making interesting things with paper and ribbons, etc. I know we spent a good twenty minutes browsing. I could have stayed much longer but it would have been rude as I would be purchasing nothing. Too many hobbies already.

Vintage paper crafts.

Inside the she shop

Paper shoes!!!

K. Marie Vintage Ephemera

Next door to the Vintage Shop was a…CHOCOLATE shop! My daughter, trying to be ever helpful of my diet insisted on walking me right past it and kept going. My two-year-old self almost had a meltdown. You could not pass this place and not go in! I opened the door for her and pushed her through. It was like time travel. Their chocolates and sweets were mostly from France and they had a Parisian theme going on as well as very vintage. It’s called “Enchante’.” I was in love and there was as much eye candy as edible candy. It was like Alice going down the rabbit hole.

Too many choices

Tree of goodies

Sweet treats everywhere

Bonjour. Searching for the magic

Tiny tiara

We left with only one piece of rich, dark chocolate each. I had to have a lemon marshmallow and my daughter got raspberry. We saw wish candles and tiny tiara’s plus so much more. We left with the wish candles and I think a tiny crown will find it’s way to her birthday package when I can get someone to take me back there.

Chocolate bees in the tree

I was feeling like an artist afterwards and inspired enough to continue work on a crazy quilt that has been on hold. More on that later. I think we will do this once a month.

Do you take yourself places that are out of the ordinary in your own town to inspire you or are you a strictly routine kind of person?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself

Bumper stickers

I’ve collected a few bumper stickers but I never put them on my car. No one on the road is interested in my philosophy. They just want me to get out of their way so they can go faster. I am not a slow driver in the fast lane and I don’t, for the most part, drive in the slow lane. On the road as well as in life, I tend to go with the flow to some degree. I will take a stand about something I believe in and if you are going too slow in the fast lane, I’ll find a way around you, carefully and with consideration. They won’t let me install a lift mechanism on the front of my car to move you physically so I have to do a mind meld.

 

My favorite

My sister puts lots of bumper stickers on her truck. She has a lot to say to the world. I love reading bumper stickers, but many make people want to hammer the vehicle or smack the driver on the back of the head and ask what is wrong with them. You know that feeling. Of course, I restrain myself because we are all going to see things from a different perspective. I’ll be nice to you even if yours is wrong.

An extension of my sister.

 

I am not a stereotype

We are all here because we are not all there. Explains a lot.

Only when the last tree has died & the last river poisoned, the last fish has been caught,, will we realize we can’t eat money.

Oh no- not another learning experience. Yes, indeed

Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes.

 

My license plate frame says “A creative mind is never tidy”. I really need that hanging from my front door to let people know what to expect if they decide to enter my home. Bumper stickers tell people a lot about you. Maybe more than you want them to know or is safe for them to know about you. I keep them for my own reference about who I am in case I get lost some days. I will never put anything derogatory towards anyone or anything out there. There is enough hate without adding even a slice of it to the world.

 

My beliefs are quite strong, and I’ve done my research. I’m sure everyone else feels the same way about theirs. I can hang my views in my home for all who enter to see. I do not want to start an argument or a debate. My verbal skills are too limited to make many understand my perspective. I also have a great deal of difficulty with confrontation of any nature. My sister is the brave one in our family.

All I fully understand is that whatever view I hold, it will always come from a place of caring and kindness. Nothing else matters. So I’m sharing some of my bumper stickers here where the only thing that can be hurt are my feelings and I’ll get over that quick enough. I still like to be mostly invisible on the road. My Angels have learned to move very quickly and keep the police radar guns aimed elsewhere.

I’ve had these for 30 years

Do you proudly display your bumper stickers or do you slide under the radar in traffic?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself