Shelf Talkin'

I had a fun opportunity to create something at work this week -- we had a "craft time" moment in our staff development day, inspired by the work of local author Marthe Jocelyn. Marthe recently published a book called Sneaky Art, featuring random acts of public art that kids can make, things that will surprise people and hopefully bring a smile to their day. Some of the photos in the book even featured our library!

So we took inspiration from one of her ideas, and created our own shelf-talker "conversation bubbles" to stick into books on the shelves, suggesting content, or perhaps a reading situation which a book might suit. After pondering for a while, I came up with this theme:

This is a view of my staycation bubble as you're walking down the aisle. Below I've turned it around to catch the sun, and so I can show you which book I chose. While Astrid & Veronika is not light summer reading, it does take you away into a Swedish summer, with a very memorable scene in which the two main characters decide to go swimming at the lake...so if you can't get away, read yourself away.

Creative Days this month

I've had so much fun with the 30 Days of Creativity project! Each day in June, participants were supposed to create something and share it. While I've been lax about posting pictures of all my projects I've enjoyed the push to create...and I wasn't creating great works of art or even anything lasting, but it was the impetus to look at things differently each day that I found enlivening.

By focusing on creativity daily, and also being reminded of the vast creative impulse by looking at all the projects others were posting, my playful energies were restored and I found each little project entertaining. Somehow it gave me a sense of wider horizons, offering a chance to look outside my habitual perceptions.

All this from a little glue, paper, fabric and foodstuffs! Who knew? While I made some kitchen goods and sewed a bit, a lot of my creative output referred in some way to bookish themes (quelle surprise, I know). Thought I'd share a few of the book/writing related projects I've made this month.

Day 2: A Bookish Business Card Holder (I think this was one of my favourite things)

Day 18: folded corner-tab bookmarks

Day 13: Earrings from fountain pen nibs - I especially liked the ink reservoir cutouts in this set

And lastly, a dream board collage for my business, Four Rooms Creative Self Care (this was really fun to make)

Just a few of the things I made during a month long creativity extravaganza! Lots of fun, and surprisingly inspirational.

Day One: 30 Days of Creativity Challenge

For my first day, I wanted to ease into things...to create something small that I'd never tried before. Inspired by the covers of two books I read recently --

this one:

and this one:I took out this book from my library:

And I ended up with this:

The red ones are from a pattern in this book. The others are a pattern I found online -- from someone who was at a Wayson Choy reading at which he folded butterflies in return for questions. She was nice enough to post the pattern instructions (very easy, just my style). Origami has always kind of baffled me -- even though all the seven year olds in the library are experts. So I am pleased I finally made something that looks like the thing it is supposed to be! (I added paperclip antennae to the yellow & white butterfly and quite like them...)
They seem quite at home with the gnome in the front porch ;)