Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I've got a bad cold (again - yes, I know, you all are going to start sending me vitamins in the mail!), so it's a bit on the short side. I'm saving some of the creative juice that's been flowing in the house for next week, and the week after that... and so on. But, I didn't want to leave you hanging this week... after all, those of you in the U.S. may be enjoying a long weekend - and leftover turkey dinner. Here's a bit of creative company to see you through while you knit, or paint, or draw, or do the dishes, or work on your CMP ATC cards, or upload to the FLICKR account, or scrapbook, or just sit and enjoy a moment of downtime.

~ a family portrait gets drawn at school, and I despair over our potential lack of clothes
~ fragments of American history and a set of symbols to celebrate Thanksgiving come home from the "Writing Center"
~ the corn muffins at the rhombus table are a big disappointment
~ ooh and aah over the wonderful spaces (and photos) in Where Women Create
~ Shall I Knit You a Hat?: A Christmas Yarn -- a charming sounding storybook for kids with a knitting theme
~ I finish the lace by following directions and start the Pismo Hat, which requires me to learn the tubular cast-on (I again follow the directions), which turned out great
~ and more... (show length: 47 min)

Featured Podsafe Music: Jon Schmidt ~ I Do [PMN]
Podsafe for Peace ~ If Every Day Were Christmas [PMN]
Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Titles Mentioned in Episode 25 and related titles... (and other relevant highlights)

Posted by Amy at 09:52 PM | Permalink

(Mentioned in a previous episode...)

Posted by Amy at 11:26 PM | Permalink

~ I'm thrilled to walk into Starbucks and find the the holidays have arrived, replete with red cups, sleeves in red, blue, and green, and two new "cards" (to add to my collection)
~ painting with kids' watercolors... the realization that all watercolor is not equal - even for kids... and thoughts on color mixing - or the convenience of readymade colors (and a sketch of my Circa knitting journal finally gets a wash of Crayola pink)
~ a persistent but unnoticed "sea" theme is brought to light
~ I draw a barebones castle outline to try and buy myself a few minutes to get some work done while they paint... but a stray doodle of a fish causes some confusion
~ a give-and-take storytelling creative prompt (inspired by listener Amy and her use of wooden StoryBlocks)
~ Charlotte in Giverny offers an excellent and mesmerizing introduction to Impressionism and is presented in journal format with wonderful paintings interspersed throughout
~ a brief Moleskine new clip... a sleepy Matthew walks in and takes a look
~ a wonderful and very funny entry on the decision not to make handmade Christmas cards this year (but to at least buy ones that look handmade) at CheryLOL
~ Rebecca at KnittyMama talks about toys and creativity and her husband and son put a knit hat to innovative and knightly use
~ "To a Maddening Ghost" off of Sara Hickman's Motherlode double-album, played by special permission [check out Sara's Zen La La blog and podcast, too]
~ Sara's also got a Christmas album out, and lots of other great music for both kids and adults... I find her rendition of Hush Little Baby (with alternate lyrics by Sylvia Long) a wonderful change from the traditional lyrics
~ Rachel points me to Sara's music and to the way cool Austin Mama site
~ Amy recommends Micawber, and Ryan recommends titles by author/illustrator Colin Thompson (see below)
~ reminder that ATC's should be mailed out by December 31, 2006
~ and more... (show length: 50 min)




Featured Podsafe Music:
Beatrice Ericsson ~ Reach Out [PMN]
Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]


Played by Special Permission:
Sara Hickman ~ To a Maddening Ghost (from the Motherlode double album)

Titles Mentioned in Episode 24 and related titles... (and other relevant highlights)

Posted by Amy at 11:03 PM | Permalink

I forgot to put the title/cover of the book I talked about in Episode 23 in the show notes last week, and several of you have asked. The book is Altered Book Collage by Barbara Matthiessen.

Posted by Amy at 08:15 AM | Permalink

I'm finally getting it posted a day late, but...

~ I attend the dance-along at school that marked the end of the 10-week dance rotation for the kindergarten class and marvel at a creative "crayon" approach to stretching
~ the little one paints and colors "lists" and "spells" lots of things which "Gramma will like," the boys paint at the easel and I sit in the rocker, the designated paper towel holder and brush wiper, and Matthew leaves a painted message on the top of Spencer's painting a la the artist Gregory in All I See
~ Dave at Chub Creek talks about being behind the lens or mic versus being in the moment and remembering taking pictures versus [Episode 74: Home Boy] and I pause to remember the rocker and the little red easel over the last few years
~ I think about music in our house and in my history
~ I turn up Marnie Maclean's Pismo Hat as a definite "maybe" for my brother [see also her similar but stockinette Carlsbad Hat]
~ Ace Young (American Idol contestant who wore the beanie [and referred to it as his "comfort"]; see photo)
~ Wikipedia definitions of and differentations between the Toque and the Beanie
~ I start catching up on blogs and find Jana Bouc's fabulous monoprint entry, mention of the tempting Casino shawl, mention of a book called No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog by Margaret Mason, Manda at Tree Fall shows pictures from the A is for Artist book I mentioned a few weeks ago [see Nov 2
entry]
~ Anika points me in the direction of gift tag swaps [see this Flickr album]
~ a return address label prompt inspired by the collision of the coming holidays and my reading of Griffin and Sabine (remember, Sabine is a stamp designer) and regret that we don't (yet) have a tradition of making and mailing hand-made or home-designed holiday cards
~ and more... (show length: 1hr, 02 min)






Featured Podsafe Music:
Beatrice Ericsson ~ Put a little love [PMN]
Shelly Niebuhr ~ Not Going Down [PMN]
Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Titles Mentioned in Episode 23 and related titles... (and other relevant highlights)

Posted by Amy at 05:51 PM | Permalink

~ we say goodbye to Halloween and "hello" to the holiday season with Franklin movies [halloween | Christmas Gift | Magic Christmas] [Franklin books are classics in our house]
~ Matthew and I spend several early mornings talking about sketching and sketches underway, watercolor pencils, and more
~ I "wow" him with news that pencils (potentially) get "all used up"
~ we do a give-and-take drawing together - one line at a time, a la a suggestion in Danny Gregory's The Creative License
~ thoughts on the sketchbook versus standalone works
~ the beauty of watercolor pencils for this creative mom (and anyone on the go - especially for visual journaling)
~ I realize I really need more colors!
~ comments from listeners about Journal: The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Amy Zoe Mason [Marti's blog | Rosemary's blog entry | Molly's blog | Craft Borg podcast | Journal site]
~ I discover the Griffin and Sabine saga (all 6 volumes) - and you should, too!
~ I pick up some Barbara Hodgson
~ Mrs. Beeton's, my brother wants beanies, the Halfdome hat, still itching to knit Fetching, and an update on the holiday lace
~ and more... (show length: 53 min)





Featured Podsafe Music:
Monique Rhodes ~ Queen of A World [PMN]
Katy Pfaffl ~ Wandering Blue [PMN]
Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Titles Mentioned in Episode 22 and related titles... (and other relevant highlights)

Posted by Amy at 04:44 PM | Permalink