Props to Martha and to the finding of good things

I have been getting my craft and creativity on for this compaign, and writing this blog for eight weeks.  I think I've shown considerable restraint in taking this long to mention Ms. Martha Stewart.  I know that for some, she is an "acquired taste".  Like her or not, I can not dispute the fact that she has made an industry from being creative.  She has inspired people (well me) to think creatively.  I like her.  I have to stay away from Martha Stewart.com or I risk losing an entire day to surfing that site and getting so buzzed on ideas and "OOOO! I want to make that!", to the point that nothing else gets done and I wind up frustrated and not inspired.  So, I look in small timed doses.  I love her ideas and instructions, and yes I know she has a staff to come up with all this stuff. I think that's cool, staffing people to come up with creative ideas. (I know I've heard the stories about the sort of boss she is, I don't know if all that's true)  Martha's site is a great place for me to start or help figure something out. 

For this week's project, I was drawn into Martha's site, in search of wreath how to dos.  Martha sure does love her some wreaths.  Boy Howdy, she does.  There are wreaths for every occasion and wreaths, well, just because.  I like a wreath at the holidays.  I usually go to the store and buy one big one, slap it on my front door and call it the holidays! Oh, yeah, I add a big red bow and then call it the holidays!  This season, I wanted the big store bought wreath and two smaller ones for my front pillars (Martha does that).  How I got this desire for more wreaths was seeing green foam floral forms at the Dollar store. Perfect. Easy enough to stick greenery from my yard on these forms and call it real good for the holidays.  Take that Martha!  Thanks for the wreath ideas, but I have my mine way for doing these, thank you very much.

I went to my back yard and cut greenery from the big pine tree.  It smelt great.  Mickey and Gus, my cats, went nuts!  I had my green foam circles, some wire, some decorations- including red bows.  As I sat down to create my wreaths, I realized that these green foam circles for the Dollar Store were for silk flowers.  The greens were not wanting to go into the forms.  Dang it!  This is something that happens to me a lot as I'm creating.  I sometimes don't have the best or correct tools or materials fo the project.  Not very Martha.  I wasn't about to run out and get stuff to do this project.  I was hell bent on creating these wreaths with the materials I had.  Again, maybe not very Martha of me, but very very me and my creativity.  I remembered that while I was at the Dollar Store, I also picked up a package of what they call Greening Pins.  These little pins did the trick!  I was able to pin my branches on the foam circle and shape them into two wreaths.  I felt very Martha.  I had solved a creative problem with great results.

I think somewhere in all the reading of Martha's instructions and looking at her ideas, picking up the Greening pins, seemed the right thing to do.  I may not have copied one of Martha's wreaths.  I know I didn't follow her instructions.  Yet I learned enough about making wreaths from her, to create my way.  Which as she would say...Is A Good Thing. (Now did you really think I could post about Martha without saying that phrase?)  As I was creating I kept thinking...I learn from people all the time.  I love learning.  It's easier for me to learn from folks I really connect with, but you know, sometimes I learn the best lessons from folks who are an "acquired taste", who it takes me a while to connect with.
I'm glad I discovered the Greening pins and wreath making, which I really like making.  I can see using wreaths for other times and other occasions.  I have Martha Stewart to thank.

Until next week...create to feel great.
8 projects complete 44 to go.