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A New Year

January 3, 2010 by Rayna Diane Hennen

Flower Necklace
My First Necklace

Not really a lot to add to the year at this point though I have some change in the works that I’m really starting to look forward to the closer it gets.

I like that it’s really cold right now. It is refreshing, especially in the mornings. Even the coldest days are welcomed, if briefly, for the relief and reprieve from the stifling morning heat that pervades our apartment.

I think January is often a very bleak month. For Christmas celebrators I think the month can be particularly dull as all the greenery, angels, golds and reds have been tucked away in their storage closets, attics or basements.

I return to work tomorrow after a week off, which is always invigorating, and I am really going to make en effort to maintain some of the creative spirit that always sprouts for me during time off. I made my first necklace, took care of some practical errands and cooked some good stuff. It’s not easy to balance life – it gets in the way of itself sometimes. So, in keeping with balance, I will also not get SO down on myself after a week of not being creative that I thwart a month of future creative endeavors. I will not be my own worst enemy. As that’s a tall order, I think it’ll be a short list this year.

Wishing you all a healthy and enjoyable new year.

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Experiments in creativity and cringe. Join me!

Happiness hides in life’s small details. If you’re Happiness hides in life’s small details. If you’re not looking, it becomes invisible. - Joyce Brothers

#snowymoss
#snowymossontrees
#winterphotography
Continuing with the Bluebeard collage. After doing Continuing with the Bluebeard collage. After doing this I changed the blade on the xacto – the edges of the chair had white rough edges.

Bluebeard is originally a French folktale though many countries have a version. In the spirit of IMDB unhelpful, one-line descriptions of movies: A man with a deadly secret, intent on luring a young woman to be his new bride. 😄 🤷

A little more specific: The tale is about a wealthy man in the habit of murdering his wives and the attempts of the present one to avoid the fate of the previous wives. 🫣

This will be for the first spread, the ‘romance’ – truly, it’s not romantic, he’s trying to sway one of the sisters into, what will be a not so sweet marriage.

There will be 5 spreads total: the romance, finding the little door, the bloody key, the brothers to the rescue, and (kind of a gruesome end) the vulture.
We're getting closer to spring, which will be love We're getting closer to spring, which will be lovely but I do love winter. All seasons have beauty if you take the time to look (and dress warmly!) so I'll share some of my favorites while getting ready for spring 😊 

This is in my own front yard and I liked it immediately but liked it even more when I got it up on the big computer screen and could see the sun reflected in that little water drop! This one is available as a print.

#berriesinwinter 
#winterphotography 
#waterdropsphotography
Working on getting back to a rhythm of some kind a Working on getting back to a rhythm of some kind after unexpected time away. Looking at my last post, it was in October, which is kinda what I thought. From that point in October to the end of the year was a blur of physical pain that went on for weeks, then recovery, then a holiday, then an illness, then family and travel and another holiday and more travel and, well, I think I finally came up for air phew!! LOL

I have written or painted every day this week. After searching for a project, I think I'll go back to this project,  which I've been stuck on for a while. It will be based on the fairy tale Bluebeard.

Anyway, this project wasn't living up to what was in my head and I was making it too literal. I was sitting there bitching to myself and then I to me self, self:  you know you *could* just paint over what you've done and start over. 😄 Nothing gets by me, man!

I hope the health issues will stay at bay for a while because it really is true if you haven't got your health, what have you got and I much prefer not having pain and making things! You do have to give yourself grace sometimes and let some things go if you want to heal. 🤷‍

What have you been up to?

#embracethecringe #creativityandcringe
I was digging around in my closet for something an I was digging around in my closet for something and came across an older sketchbook, which of course derailed the search because I HAD to flip through it 😊

My Mom had this box for a long time, just sitting in a cabinet. It was just plain wood, the lid wasn't attached but it did come with the hinges. One summer I stole it, painted it and surprised her for Christmas. 

On slides 2 & 3 you can see the first sketches I made for the box. And slides 5 & 6 show where the next round of sketches ended up. Completely different direction as it turns out! Went for the Arts & Craft period style she loves.
This floral cone actually turned out all right! I This floral cone actually turned out all right! I haven't quite gotten the ribbon exactly right so sometimes this style hangs a little awkwardly. I have wall versions, that can hang on a hook but I'll be damned if I can find any photos of it on my phone 🧐 

Or the silvery one I made last year. You'll just have to trust me, ok? 😁
O-pin-ion: if you purchased these, would you expec O-pin-ion: if you purchased these, would you expect a hanger on the back (second pic)? 

In my head, because they have the wooden lip on the back, they hang flat against the wall. 

T'anks! 

Almost done - varnish coating left to go! Happy Friday 💃
New hearts ready to go. New hearts ready to go.
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