Carol Wiebe

I have a million ideas in my head. When I concentrate on a particular one, it flows out from my mind like a flag, waving and inviting me to create something out of it. Which made me think of the song Waving Flag, by K’naan. I  admit that, as an idea person, if someone’s ideas appeal to me, I will grow to love their work, even if my “first impression” was indifferent or even negative. Waving Flags I am not saying good-bye today, but I am saying that when you next hear from me,

Many people are all bent out of shape over their huge array of unfinished projects. That is an issue, no doubt, but equally important is to watch what you start because you may fall into a rabbit hole so deep, you will not come up for air for years at a time. A huge idea requires a large commitment of time. Excuses pop into the mind like jack rabbits. For instance: None of us know how much time we’ve got. How do I know I’ll get a chance to finish this? There are so many other

So you have lots of ideas, way too many to ever complete. Overwhelming numbers, really, because what is the point of an idea if you can’t actually make it materialize? Perhaps, you can learn to just enjoy your ideas, like you enjoy watching waves on the shore, or flames in the fire. See them. Appreciate them. Let them go. Stay sane. Idea Pile #ideas #CWWOL20120613 #materialize #enjoy #sane

We love to claim the ideas that drop into our heads as our own. But are they? How many times have you had a brilliant idea, just to find, via the Internet, that others already had it. There was no claiming it after that–who would believe you? We often say that insights come from out of the blue, are flashes of inspiration, divine intervention, or use other terms that seem to suggest they are given to us rather than being derivative from our own thought processes. Ralph Waldo

There are some ideas that won’t leave you alone. They demand your attention, are always coming back even if you try to ignore them. And once they know you are thinking about them, they are unstoppable. There is no denying their growth. They fill your mind, your heart, they take over your life. If you haven’t had at least one of these kinds of ideas yet, hope and pray you will. It’s incredibly exciting to be part of an idea that takes on its own being and gets way bigger than

Sometimes you just have to do something totally ridiculous. And when people question it, you say “Don’t bug me, man.” Bug Man The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. …………~ Mark Twain Time sneaks up on you like a windshield on a bug. …………~ John Lithgow #ideas #MarkTwain #man #CWWOL201202287 #bug #ridiculous #JohnLithgow

. Of course I HAD to turn my one angel into a host of them . . . . Well, four to be exact (one for each of the four corners). I simply took a photo of the original and played with the result. The Four Corners It is very much a part of my nature to keep pushing whatever envelope I happen to be holding. I have a very difficult time doing the same thing twice. Something always changes. Changes completely. My challenge is halting the creative process, not accessing it. After all,

. I wonder how many people have a crystal clear picture of how they would like their lives to be. Apparently, some people do, and claim that if we can visualize exactly what we want with perfect clarity, it will happen that way. I have a clear picture one day, and the next a whole new scenario shoves it away with sharp elbows and says, “No, look at me.” Both ideas look good. Now start multiplying to get 4, 16, 256, etc. You get the idea ~  and that’s precisely the challenge o

. Circles are sacred, she said. They are symbols of wholeness, and I have arranged them in such a way that there is a bridge between the two of them and a crown of leaves above them. The green leaves demonstrate new growth, the orange leaves a more mature understanding of how two beings, who are whole in themselves, can still complete each other on a higher level. . That sounds profound, he said, but it really doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s easier for you to think than se

Creativity gives new forms, new patterns, new ideas, new art forms. And we don’t know where creativity comes from. Is it inspired from above? Welling up from below? Picked up from the air? What? Creativity is a mystery wherever you encounter it. ……….~ Rupert Sheldrake Creativity Is a Mystery We don’t know where it comes from, but we are ecstatic when it comes. #ideas #mystery #RupertSheldrake #patterns #creativity #ecstasy #ecstatic #encounter

Stitched Paper . .. . . . . . . . Usually, I stitch on paper alone.This piece is a typical example. For these two journal pages, I put the pages onto felt. I do love the buttery way the needle slips through the paper into the felt, and I has lots of depth to work my ends into. However, you can’t just add such a thick piece, especially one with a felt backing, onto an artwork in progress. For one thing, felt doesn’t glue  well. I purchased some glue made especially for that pu

I was sitting on my front porch, a place that feeds my soul, and noticed that the grape leaves behind the rocking bench were casting beguiling patterns onto the cement. I scurried inside to grab my camera, because you never know when a cloud will position itself in such a way that the place you have set your heart on photographing is no longer in amenable light. Shadows thrill me: their graphic quality, the way they echo the “real thing,” their ability to simplify an object t

This week I received a package in the mail from Dayna Collins of Alley Art Studio. The package contained my little art buddy (LAB). I have not named the LAB yet, nor decided on gender. Here is my challenge: 1) art it up 2) alter it beyond recognition 3) take a photo/photos of the little guy going on a field trip, 4) think of something Dayna hasn’t thought of 5) a combination of all of the above! I thought Dayna might enjoy seeing that her LAB arrived safe and sound. I’ve been

Ariadne Weaver has a terrific idea on Sacred Webs and Spirals. She offers a portable art portfolio, in PDF format, that interested buyers, or anyone else, can download. It is set up beautifully, with titles and chosen quotes. All the pieces have a simple black frame to set them off. The last four pages offer such essentials as an artist statement, a curriculum vitae, contact details, and a price list. The key word that comes to mind is “elegant.” An added bonus? Weaver’s work

I haven’t always thought this way. At one time, I recited a constant monologue about not needing to sell, where I insisted that selling isn’t everything, I’m not in it for the money, it’s not about commercialism. Somewhere along the way, those feelings changed. Now, I want to sell my work. I liken it to a mother whose children have grown, so they need to go out and be part of the world, interact with it, contribute to it. I am thrilled to think of my work having something to

I read something that Susie Monday, from El Cielo Studio, wrote on May 1, that has had me pondering for some days now: What would take me to the next level in my work, without just being a “technique of the moment.” I suspect it might take me deeper into the world of precision, or sewing, or traditional quilting. I’d like something demanding and stretching, something that challenges but contributes validly to my path and work. I have come to certain conclusions about this qu

I used to buy a lot of polymer clay books, including Nan Roche’s The New Clay. I bought a few videos, too. I still have a box (a BIG box) full of polymer clay supplies: I purchased the pasta machine, the cutters, extruders, the whole nine yards. But I never actually made anything I was wild about. And I didn’t like the process. Sound familiar? What supplies do you hide away in a closet or shelf that you invested a wad of cash and attention on, but never got around to using? I