My patience is being tried. 

By what, you ask?  Carpal tunnel.  I developed carpal tunnel in my right wrist in mid-March, and my left wrist followed suit about a month later.  The past few months have involved scaling back all hand-related activities (while still working full-time), many visits to the doctor, taking anti-inflammatories, going to physical therapy, stretching, and getting acupuncture.  I’ve been wearing splints all day and when I go to bed at night (which makes for some restless nights for both me and poor hubby), and have been muddling through all this the best I can.  (It’s challenging to work with two splints on – it’s kind of like trying to do office work with oven mitts on!)

My patience is being tried because I’m so used to doing.  To working unfettered.  I’m used to being able to type out blog posts, instead of dictating them into a phone app that turns my spoken words into text.  And while I truly strive to appreciate my health, abilities and mobility each and every day, this minor injury has forced me to give up some of what I love for a time.  I’m generally a very patient person, but this carpal tunnel thing has gotten to me.  I’ve been stressed about potential financial effects, have been a bit grumpy at times, and have really missed “life as usual”.

That’s where the perspective comes in.

Though this trouble with my wrists is insanely annoying to me because of how it’s “cramped my style”, I know I’m really lucky.  I’m lucky because I’m able to get treatment, and my employer has accommodated my current limitations and made ergonomic changes to my work station.  I’m lucky because this injury isn’t excruciatingly painful – just uncomfortable, and I’m hoping it can be eliminated completely.  I’m lucky because I still have great health overall, have been able to adapt in most respects, and have a supportive and helpful hubby to help out at home.  He reminds me to take it easy, though I wish I didn’t have to.

Must stay relaxed.  Must stay focused on wellness.  Must not pull my hair out in frustration!

So, in case anyone was wondering why I haven’t posted any new recipes in a while, and why I’m publishing fewer posts overall, it’s because I’ve been really busy working on both my patience and perspective.  I thank you for your patience, dear readers.  I welcome any healing vibes you might like to send my way…

Warm regards,
Melody

*The image above – which features my left hand covered in ink – was created 5 or 6 years ago.  Several artist friends of mine made hand-related pieces of art to put in a special book for our dear friend who was battling cancer, and I participated as well.  I chose to incorporate words that I knew both my friend and I hold dear.  Love, laughter, friendship, family, art.  All these years later, my dear friend still fights on, trying to keep the cancer at bay.  Yet another reminder for me to embrace patience, appreciate my many blessings, and keep a firm grasp on perspective…

I’m pleased to announce the winner of my May Giveaway.  Congratulations, Celena!  You’ve won a copy of Marney Makridakis’ book, Creating Time!  Once I receive your mailing address via email I’ll send your book out, and hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway.  Please keep an eye out for next month’s giveaway!

Warm regards,
Melody

Once upon a time, I was a snapshot photographer.  I took tons of pictures, and they were good – but they weren’t great.  I started “applying myself” around ten years ago, and have improved a lot since then.  Today I’m going to share how you can improve the photos you’re taking with these 6 helpful hints.  I don’t profess to be a pro – and my photographic schooling is limited to one six-week adult education course that taught the basics – but I have developed my eye and some practices over time.  Hopefully this information will help you, too.

1. Always Remember the Rule of Thirds
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Per Wikipedia’s wisdom: The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb in visual arts such as painting, photography and design.  The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.  Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

In other words, don’t always frame your point of interest in the dead center of your photo.  Sometimes it’s called for (and believe me – I love symmetry more than the next gal) but you’re likely to have a more interesting photo if you compose your photo so that the point of interest is at one (or more) of the intersecting points.

2. A Fancier Camera Isn’t Necessarily Better
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The best camera in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t compose careful, mindful, interesting photos.  So don’t focus on getting new equipment – focus on using what you have well.  A relatively simple point-and-shoot camera can still do a great job.  For example, I used a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Digital Elph when I traveled to Peru a few years ago, and still got some amazing images.  Sure, I would’ve loved to have taken a DSLR with multiple lenses, but for safety and for simplicity’s sake I took a camera that fit in my pocket.  If you have a point and shoot camera with a decent macro feature on it (look for the little flower symbol), you’re probably good to go.

3. Get Up Close & Personal: MACRO

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And speaking of macro, I love shooting close ups.  If you’re familiar with my blog and/or photography, you know this already.  And while not everyone likes the close ups and detail photos as much as I do, it’s important that your camera has the capability – in case the mood strikes.  Want a close up of the texture of a ribbon you’re using on a craft project?  Macro.  Want to share the lovely center of a diminutive flower you stumble upon while out on a walk?  Macro.  Do you want to share the surface texture of your most recent baked dessert with your friends, family or blog readers?  Macro!  The macro features on my cameras are indicated by a small flower symbol.

4. Eliminate Distractions!
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Sometimes, particularly in fast-moving situations, you have to just snap the photo and take what you get.  However, if you have time to compose your shot carefully and make a few adjustments, look carefully at your shot before taking your picture.  Are unsightly elements ruining your shot?  Sometimes shifting a foot or two will remove a lamp post, a trashcan, or a parked car from your shot – making it much more pleasing.  Scan your shot for things you don’t want included, and adjust to remove them when possible.

Here’s a good example: While taking photos in Kansas, I came across an aged sign post with beautiful coloration.  My first photo, shot vertically, captured the colors on the post but the cars and buildings in the background were distracting.  By shooting horizontally (landscape) and pushing in so the post filled the frame, the photo became more interesting and more abstract.

5. Photograph Children & Pets at THEIR Eye Level
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Photos of children and pets are much more engaging when they’re taken at your subject’s eye level.  It can be good to shoot from above if you’re trying to clearly establish their size in relation to the photographer, but the viewer will be drawn into the photo more if they’re seeing the child or critter at eye level instead of hovering above.

6. Look for Interesting Perspectives & Angles
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Take time to play and look for interesting angles when taking your photos – particularly when shooting buildings, nature, and scenery.  For example, when photographing a tree don’t just shoot it from straight on from a distance.  Why not walk to the base of the tree and shoot straight up the trunk?  The same suggestions apply to a building.  Taking a photo from near the base of the building will provide a unique perspective.  By using different angles and perspectives when taking photos you can capture details and sights that many pass by and miss entirely.

Questions?  Comments?

Please let me know if you have any questions about what I’ve shared above.  I personally respond to all comments posted on my blog (giveaway comment entries excepted), and am always glad to hear from you!

Warm regards,
Melody

Greetings, dear readers!  Today’s post celebrates the release of Marney Makridakis’ new book, Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life.  Not only can you read an insightful Q and A with Marney (provided by her publicist), I’m also hosting a giveaway for my advance copy of the book!  I first became acquainted with Marney around ten years ago, and was pleased to have a poem and the accompanying photograph published in an issue of her zine, Artella.  Congratulations on your new book, Marney!

Q and A with Marney Makridakis - Author of Creating Time
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Why did you write Creating Time?

Like most people, time has been a big challenge for me throughout my adult life, but it escalated to an extreme after I gave birth to my first child in 2008, and struggled in vain to find the time to “do it all”. I devoured every time management book I could get my hands on, but still found myself exhaustively chasing time. I finally put myself on mission to find a new solution, and began to explore ways that I could apply my best resource (imagination) to my biggest problem (time). I passionately researched and experimented with imagining, viewing, and experiencing time in new ways, and at last, felt time expand and change at my design. I created an online course to help others do the same and saw that other people had success with these techniques as well. After that, I finally felt able to sit down and write a longer work that developed these ideas much more fully. Creating Time is for people who feel like they don’t have enough time to live the kinds of lives they want to live. I want everyone to know: when we don’t have time, we have to create it, and the incredible news is that we can do so using one of the greatest resources ever to exist on our planet: human creativity.

It seems like time is going by faster than ever these days. Why do you think that is and what can we do about it?

As I researched the different elements that seem to affect our perception of the flow of time, I pinpointed several key factors, one of the most significant being the difference between focused and scattered time. When we are focused on just one thing, time seems to move more slowly; on the other hand, when our focus is scattered, time seems to move more quickly. These sensations seem to be true whether we’re talking about hours, days, months, or years. At this point in our planet’s social evolution, we are constantly taking in much more information than ever before on an internal level, constantly being stimulated with new thoughts, feelings and ideas. At the same time, we are being asked to multi-task on the external level, as more and more demands are made on our daily productivity. The result is a near-constant state of extreme scattered focus, which in turn makes time feel like it is moving very quickly. On the one hand, multi-tasking may make us feel more productive, that satisfying feeling is typically rather fleeting, as the very act of multi-tasking makes us feel like we have even less time, as our dispersed focus plays tricks on our perception. The solution lies in a blissful state of being less aware of time itself but more aware of the present moment. Connecting right here to this moment and focusing on one single thing, as if we had all the time in the world, makes time slow down and give us all that we need.

What does “Creating Time” mean?

To me, it means that there is amazing power held by each of us to imagine, create, and completely reshape the way we experience time. For too long we have been servants of time when in fact, time that can and should serve us. We can finally drop all the archaic view and limitations of time that have held us back from fully embracing the wild beautiful truth: time is not a defined line; it is instead a vibrant, completely moldable, layered, multi-faceted work of art that is in your hands to create and design, each and every day.

How is your book different from a typical “time management” book?

Time-management books, as well as the latest time-tracking and productivity aids, can certainly be of help to us on the practical level, but they are limited in their long-term effectiveness, since the true nature of time extends beyond the chronological hours displayed in our calendars, wristwatches and smart phones. I really wanted to dive into the psychological, philosophical and emotional aspects of time, to help readers come away with a liberating new view of self and a fresh perspective on the meaning of being human, empowered, and fully alive. So while the book is definitely filled with practical, hands-on tips for creating more time in your day, it’s also about finding a new way to experience time in its entirety, your full time on this earth…shifting our focus away from how we spend time to instead reveling in what we receive from our time. And, besides, most time management books won’t guide you to make collages and design offbeat new clocks and creative time-pieces! While intensely practical, I also wanted the 14 time shifting projects in this book to be a lot of fun and inspire a sense of playful abandon and freedom.

Professionally, you work primarily with artists, writers and creative individuals. Does someone have to think of him/herself as “creative” to benefit from your teachings?

Absolutely not! The conclusion of each chapter presents an “ARTsignment,” which is an art project designed to activate and expand self-awareness and transformation. ARTsignments, which are at the core of my ARTbundance approach of self-discovery through creativity, offer a powerfully effective way to internalize and absorb a process and truly take it in. I’ve discovered that engaging our minds, imaginations, and bodies through physically creating art catalyzes an unmistakable transition from simply reading a concept to absorbing and becoming it, and this is true for anyone, not just people who think they are creative or artistic. Through the creative projects in this book, absolutely anyone can enjoy the adventure of being transported through creativity, and this has very large and valuable implications regarding time “traveling” and time creation. Each ARTsignment combines a step-by-step introspective process; interactive journal questions; and a unique, hands-on art project that pulls you directly into the full dimensions of time, extending the breadth of its meaning and experience. You don’t need to be an “artist” to tap into the transformative power of creativity! In these projects, the emphasis is completely on the process rather than the product, and their transformation power holds true whether you are sketching stick figures on a paper napkin, making a collage of magazine cutouts, painting on a canvas, or creating an elaborate mixed media sculpture.

What are the main challenges with time that you’ve identified, and how does this book address them?

To personalize the reader’s process, Creating Time contains a “Time Diagnosis Chart” which identifies 14 of the most popular time complaints, and recommends which of the book’s tools are most effective in addressing them. I find it interesting that, while everyone’s specific time complaints are unique, they usually boil down to one very primal theme: I don’t have enough time to live the life I want to live. For most people, time is the biggest challenge in fulfilling their potential. Whatever improvements or changes we want to make in our lives, it often seems to go back to the topic of time; we need time to exercise and eat right, time to establish and strengthen relationships, time to pursue a meaningful hobby, time to follow a dream. Our perceived lack of, and limitations on, time affect all areas of our lives, especially our hopes and dreams. Time is the ultimate scapegoat when things aren’t going our way. But this book shows that time is also is the ultimate resource when we can tap into its expansiveness and partner with it in new ways.

How did you incorporate science into your book? What does science have to do with “creating time”?

From Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, to the modern quantum physics notion that the observer has an effect on the observed, to the scientific breakdown of how light reflection works…these are just a few examples of scientific studies that found their way into the book as foundations of the idea that we can, indeed, create our own experience of time. I even conducted a few creative time experiments of my own, and the book invite readers to try out the experiments for themselves, in addition to reviewing the data gathered. Art and science are the two pillars on which Creating Time is built. To use a metaphor of a clock, I see the art component in this book as being the face of the clock, helping us see what new time can look like. Science is like the clock pendulum, drawing us back to the earth, rhythmically keeping us connected to life’s mysteries.

Explain the concepts of kronos and kairos and their relationship to “creating time”.

The Greeks have two words for time: kronos (sequential, linear time; from this we get the English word, “chronology”) and kairos (non-linear, numinous time that is not measured or bound). These terms provide a helpful starting point for expanding our sense of time. Simply asking ourselves questions like, “Am I in kronos or kairos right now?” and “What might happen if I switched into the other state of time in this moment? What new ideas or insights does that bring to light?” is an easy, yet powerful way to start partnering with time in a new way.

What do you most hope that readers take away from this book?

I hope that readers will come away with a new sense of a time, as well as practical tools to put this new approach into action, both in their day-to-day lives and into their fuller spectrum of meaning and purpose in life. When we are not slaves to time, when we are not chasing time and wishing time was different, we finally set our souls free to live the lives we’re meant to life. We enter into a new realm of possibility, partnering with time to create a life filled with awareness and fullness, instead of an inherent sense of lack, worry and dread. Believe it or not, time is in your hands, and you can mold, craft, and create time to be just about anything you would like it to be.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marney K. Makridakis is the author of Creating Time. She founded the Artella online community for creators of all kinds and the print magazine Artella. A popular speaker and workshop leader, she created the ARTbundance approach of self-discovery through art.

And now, back to Melody…
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Creating Time is a thought-provoking read, and it’s inspired me to reconsider my perception of and use of time.  Though I’m a big scheduler and planner, and always strive to be punctual, Marney’s book reminded me that I’m often happiest when I lose track of time.  When I’m creating art and writing time drifts away and I’m just living in the moment – enjoying my creative endeavors.  This is some of my favorite time of all, and Creating Time reinforced the fact that I’m on the right track with how I’m spending much of my free time!

Giveaway: How to Enter
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To enter the giveaway for a copy of Marney’s wonderful book, please complete both of the following steps:

1.  Subscribe to my blog.
2. Leave a comment on this post.

I will draw a winner at random, and will announce the winner on Thursday, May 17, 2012.

Thank you, Marney, for inviting me to participate in your book’s blog tour – what a treat!  And good luck with the giveaway, everyone!

Warm regards,
Melody

Back in 2005 I visited New York City, and shopped at an open air flea market.  While I was there I found and bought a few bulky and ridiculously inexpensive vintage pieces.  One was an old ledger, and one was a wooden tray originally used to hold the letters/type from a printing press.  I found these items early in the day, and unintentionally drove hubby crazy as I lugged these two clunky items around Manhattan for the rest of the day.  I think the wooden tray was $2, which was a steal, and I was thrilled to have found such wonderful items so cheap!

Somewhere along the way I decided the tray would make a great display for some of my vintage buttons.  I probably thought of this project at least four years ago, and recently sat down to make my vision a reality. Finally.  Better late than never though, and I knew it was just a matter of time before I put this cool piece of print history to good use!

Materials
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• Wooden print type tray (consider looking for a modern alternative to this vintage piece at your local craft store if you’re not into vintage)
• Pop-Up Glue Dots
• Wire Cutters
• Buttons

Button Selection
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I have a box full of vintage buttons – I started collecting around ten years ago – and started this project by sorting through them.  I decided to do one row of each color, of eight different colors, and looked for buttons that were a good representation of the variety in my collection.  I chose mostly one-of-a-kind buttons, meaning that I only had one of them in my stash.  If there were three or more of a button I didn’t use them, since I tend to use either three or four of a particular button in my collages.

Each little niche was labeled with a paper letter when I purchased the tray, dating back to its original use, and I opted to keep the labels on and preserve that bit of history as well.

Directions
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1. Select the buttons you’d like to display.  I used one button per spot.
2. Cut the shanks off the backs of any buttons that have them.  I used wire cutters to remove the buttons’ shanks, whether the shank was metal or plastic.
3. Lay the buttons out in the grid, shifting buttons as needed until you’re pleased with the layout.
4. Attach each button to the grid with a Pop-Up Glue Dot, being sure to press the button down firmly.
5. Attach a hanger of some sort to the back of the wooden tray – like a sawtooth – and then hang on the wall.

This project is easy and versatile.  Not only can you customize the colors and patterns you display in your grid, you can take buttons out and put new ones in once it’s been hung.  The glue dots hold firm, but should allow you to pull a button out if you find a “new” button you’d like to display later on.

Please let me know if you have any questions, and feel free to comment!

Warm regards,
Melody

I recently went on another ethnic market adventure – hubby and I ventured up to LA to visit El Mercado de Los Angeles in Boyle Heights.  A three-story indoor mall, El Mercado is full of visual stimulation and is a great place to eat and shop.  You’ll know you’re in the right place if you see a large, beautiful shrine to the Virgin Mary in the parking lot!  Shops sell everything from beautifully embroidered clothing to religious figures – there’s something interesting and colorful to see nearly everywhere you look. Piñatas, candy, cowboy boots galore – those are just a few things you can feast your eyes on.

When you’re actually ready to feast, you have several options.  Whether you stop by one of the food stands for juice and ice cream like we did, go to one of the “order at the counter” eateries, or venture up to the third floor to the HUGE mariachi restaurant “El Mercadito”, you’ll be able to fill your belly and enjoy the environment – particularly if you’re new to such environs.  You can also take edibles to go – there’s a bakery and a market on the second floor.  The market sells cactus, and yes – the cactus is meant to be eaten, after you scrape off the “prickles” and cook it.  I’ve had cactus at my in-laws’, and it’s a yummy dish!

Because my husband is Mexican-American, and because I’m pretty well immersed in the culture, I’ve been to markets and restaurants similar to those at El Mercado before.  For this reason, this particular ethnic market adventure wasn’t quite as “foreign” to me as my trips to some other spots here in Southern California. Little India, the Persian market, Chinatown, and the Korean market seemed more like a “local international adventure”, but I still really enjoyed my time at El Mercado.

Hubby and I wandered around, saw some new and some familiar things, ate some yummy treats, and did a little shopping.  Our edible purchases included candied pecans (upper right), cookies from the bakery, and Tomy’s butterscotch-y candy.  Hubby also bought a few movies he’d watched as a child, and I purchased Loteria sets for my at-risk art journaling students.  (Loteria is basically Mexican Bingo, and I like to include the cards in the supply kits each child receives.)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek at our trip to El Mercado.  Please let me know if you have any questions, and please feel free to share any ethnic market adventures you may have been on lately!

Warm regards,
Melody

Lovely daffodil,
your sunshine yellow cheers me.
Cup, petals, and stem…

Daffodils are one of my favorite things about spring, and I look forward to their arrival each year.  I don’t have a yard to plant in, so this small bunch of daffodils was a very happy find at the market! Displayed in a Mason jar on the counter, these beautiful blooms are helping me enjoy the spring season.

What are some of your favorite signs of spring, dear readers? I invite you to comment and share…

Warm regards,
Melody

I’m pleased to announce the winner of my April Giveaway.  Congratulations, Denise Penn!  You’ve won a copy of Seth Apter’s book, The Pulse of Mixed Media!  I’ll mail your book out shortly, and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!

May is just around the corner, and so is my May giveaway!  Next month I’ll be participating in a blog tour for Marney Makridakis’ new book, Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life.  I’ll be posting about Marney’s book and will be giving away the advance copy I received, so please keep an eye out…

Congrats again on winning The Pulse of Mixed Media, Denise!

Warm regards,
Melody

I love using a variety of materials in my collages, and this new collage – featuring a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson – is certainly made up of a variety of materials.  New, old, smooth and rough textures, a photo, text, and even foreign language text!  I used one of my own nature photos as the central image.  I’ve thrown a bit of everything into this collage, including bamboo “clips”, metal tape, netting, and masking tape.  And though the materials and textures are varied, I think the overall composition is harmonious.

In addition to using a wide range of materials, I enjoy using found objects in my work, and in this case I found three smashed, scratched, and rusted bottle caps that became three of the main decorative elements for the collage.  I found them in a parking lot, tucked them into the cup holder of the car, and eventually worked them into this collage.  I’m often drawn to damaged, imperfect things.  Things with history.  Things with character.  And though most people wouldn’t have even noticed the mangled bottle caps, or would consider them rubbish if they did see them, I saw their beauty and potential and snatched them up off of the gravely pavement.  Proof that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure…

Curious about how I made this collage?  Here’s an overview:
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Print an original nature photo onto photo paper, trim to your desired size. Print quote onto cardstock, trim to desired size.  Tape along all four sides of both the photo and the quote with narrow silver metallic tape.  Use a tracing wheel to add texture to the silver frames, then distress these frames by peeling up some of the edges, and by adding black metallic rub-ons.  Slide bamboo “clips” onto one corner of the photo and quote.  Set the image and quote aside.

Glue pale green handmade, textured paper onto your substrate/base.  (I used an 8′ x 10″ canvas panel as my base.)  Tear a strip of text, and glue along the left side of the collage – top to bottom.  Attach a 5 inch-wide piece of yellow netting over the text, allowing enough length to wrap the excess around the top and bottom and secure to the back.

Punch four holes in each of three found, flattened bottle caps, and stitch an “x” pattern onto each one using black embroidery thread.  Attach the bottle caps to the collage using Pop-Up Glue Dots.  Attach the photo and quote to the collage using Pop-Up Glue dots as well.

“Frame” the collage by taping each side of the collage with two layers of masking tape.  Treat each corner with a diagonal layer of masking tape as well.  Accent the masking tape frame with black and gold metallic rub-ons – apply with your finger using a light touch.  Finish the collage by signing in the corner, and by applying a blank sheet of cardstock to the back to cover what you’ve wrapped around to the back.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the materials or my creative process, dear readers.  I always love hearing from you…

Warm regards,
Melody

Welcome to my post on Seth Apter’s new book, The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed !  It’s a pleasure to be a part of Seth’s blog tour, and I’m happy to share a bit about his wonderful new book with both my long-time readers and new readers.  Welcome, new visitors!

I received an advance copy of this book last month, and really enjoyed pouring over the pages in order to get better acquainted with the book.  And though I’d love to keep this advance copy for my personal library ‘tis better to give than to receive, so please keep reading for details on how to enter my giveaway!

An Overview
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One of the things I love about this book is it’s filled to bursting with two of my favorite things: artwork and insight.  Not only are readers treated to the visual creations of many of the quoted artists, we get to peek inside their hearts, minds, and creative processes as well!  The creative process is often a solitary one, and this book gives us a chance to hear what other artists are thinking and feeling about the art experience.  Another great thing about this book is that it’s really thought-provoking.  Sure, you’re reading the responses of others, but it also helps the reader to think about their own answers to the very same questions the author asks.

Another plus?  Exposure to interesting new artists and their mediums!  For example, after reading “The Pulse” I’d like to try using plaster for the first time.  I’d also like to give encaustic work another try, and add some more dimension to my work.  We never know what seeds of creativity will take hold in our hearts and minds, and this book is chock full of “creative seeds”.

144 pages long and full of both text and original artwork, this book is a treat for anyone who’s interested in the creative process and life as an artist.  Whether you’re just dipping a toe in the lake of creativity or have jumped in and submerged yourself completely, you’re sure to find quotes, artwork and/or questions that resonate with you.

MY answers to 3 of Seth’s Questions
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Seth asked those of us participating in the blog tour to answer three questions from the book ourselves.  Here are my responses to three of his questions…

What do you think your preferred art medium says about your personality?

Well, given that my preferred art medium actually includes multiple mediums, I think it says I have varied interests and enjoy the challenge of working in different formats while still staying true to my aesthetic.  I’m most drawn to mixed media, photography, collage, writing, and card design.  And though I love vintage elements, and often incorporate them into my work, I tend to think of my art as “modern vintage”.  Not only do I mix modern elements in with pieces from the past, my work is usually clean and uncluttered, and I believe this can be said about all my work – whether it’s a photo, a collage, or a short story.

How has the internet changed your artistic practice?

I suppose the biggest change the internet has had on my artistic practice is this blog.  I launched it in August of 2010, and life hasn’t been the same since!  Blogs weren’t really on my radar prior to MY blog’s launch, truth be told, so I was a bit late to the party.  Since then, my horizons have definitely expanded.  I still don’t follow a ton of blogs, simply because I don’t have a lot of free time, but I have started following some blogs organically.  They’re mostly the blogs of creative friends/peers – folks I’ve networked with and/or come to know along the way in my own blog journey.

One benefit of the internet and blogging is the wonderful connections I’ve made with folks in my ever-growing network.  I’ve made so many new in-person and online friends, and it’s been great fun! From teaming up with folks like Catherine Ryan Hyde, Dawn DeVries Sokol, and Seth Apter on giveaways featuring their books, to receiving donations for my art journaling program for disadvantaged public school children from some of my wonderful readers, it’s all been a blessing. The more the merrier, I say, and blogging has definitely brought more wonderful people, laughter, kindness, and creativity into my life.  For that, I’m very thankful. 

Is creativity built-in, learned or both?* 

I think creativity is both built-in and learned.  Some people are driven by a need to create – the “obviously” creative people.  The ones destined to become artists, writers, musicians, and so on – regardless of what life throws at them.  They embrace and relish their creativity.  Just about everyone else is on a sliding scale of sorts, ranging from those who enjoy creating but are reluctant or afraid to call themselves artists in their respective medium to those who don’t think they’re creative at all.  I believe that every one of us has the ability to thrive creatively, particularly if we devote the time, make the effort to find our niche, and make creating a regular practice instead of an “every once in a while” endeavor.  This applies to art, cooking, interior design – the works!

How to Enter the Giveaway
* 

One lucky winner will win a copy of The Pulse of Mixed Media. To enter, please complete all three of the steps below:

1. Subscribe to my blog (via the email feed).
2. Leave a comment on this post.
3. “Like” my website’s Facebook Fan Page.

The winner will be drawn at random and will be announced on Thursday, April 19th, so please complete all three steps by Wednesday, April 18th.

Blog Tour Schedule
* 

Here is the complete blog tour schedule, including blog tour “stops” before mine, for those of you who might be interesting in hearing what other bloggers have to say about Seth’s “baby”.

April  2  Rice Freeman-Zachery   
April  3  Stephanie Lee               
April  4  Ali Edwards                  
April  5  Ro Bruhn                      
April  6  Roben-Marie Smith        
April  7  Nancy Lefko                 
April  8  Kelly Kilmer                  
April  9  Trudi Sissons               
April 10 Melody Nunez               
April 11 Dina Wakley
April 12 Stephanie Hilvitz

Thank you for including me in your blog tour, Seth – what a treat!  Good luck with the giveaway, everyone!

Warm regards,
Melody