Treading water

I'm working on another journal page, but it's not ready yet and I started writing a post about how I'm struggling a little to keep the creative juices flowing right now, but it was depressing and I prefer to avoid depressing because life's just better when you try to find the upside.  Even when the upside is in deep cover.  So I decided to show you one of my side projects instead.

I made these guys back when the weather was still cool and there were far fewer daylight hours.  I was learning how to knit socks from the toe up with one long circular needle -- the magic loop method -- and these guys just seemed like way more fun.

The centre front of this little fish is fashioned exactly the way you'd create a sock toe and the rest of his body is an improvised set of stitch increases and decreases.  The eyes and fins are cut from wool felt that I made by knitting swatches of wool yarn and washing the heck out of them in hot, soapy water.

I used almost the same method for my little octopus friend.  I began at the top of his head and increased and decreased until I had something that vaguely resembled the head of an octopus (or possibly a light bulb.)

For the tentacles, I cast a bunch of stitches on a pair of regular straight needles and knit into the front and back of each stitch for a couple of rows, then knit a few more rows, and when I cast off, the tentacles just naturally curled up. 

In the end, they were indeed fun to make.  They helped me learn a few new techniques and they've since found good homes in my daughters' toy boxes and the occasional leading role in their imaginative play.

As for my creative juices, I suppose they'll return when they're good and ready.  What about you?  What do you do to rev up your creative energy?  Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated!

Tweaking - Thanks to a great suggestion

I've written about the fact that I often have a hard time composing blog comments.  I spend a lot of time writing them -- you know, trying to be witty, but not flippant; trying to contribute to the discussion without veering off topic; trying to make sure that I've spelled my own name correctly in the sign-in box -- and sometimes I still can't get it right.

So I am extremely appreciative of every comment that I receive here at Grace is Overrated.  I'm endlessly curious about how you're using my journal pages and I love to read your feedback.  

A few days ago, I received this comment from Dix:

Dix's comment sparked a great "aha!" moment and I've since gone back to the posts for journal pages 16 through 21 and added bordered, colour-free pdfs to the end of each post for those of you who'd like to add your own splash of colour.  Thanks, Dix!

Here are the direct links to each of the new pdfs:

Page 16, Page 17, Page 18, Page 19, Page 20, and Page 21.

This was a quick tweak, but now I'm thinking about other ways to add creativity to my pages.  Your comments are like an ongoing brainstorming session and it's such fun to imagine the possibilities!

New journal page

Update: The journal page in this post is no longer available for download. For a selection of free, printable journal pages, please visit my Printable Journal Pages collection.

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Popping in quickly today to post a new journal page.  I have a feverish three year old on my lap and I won't be able to think straight until she's feeling better.

Today's page invites you to think about the people you adore . . .

and map out the path to your front door . . . 

Here is the full page:

You'll find today's page in black and white here and in colour here.

Before I go, I'd like to welcome readers who have found me via One Pretty Thing.  Thanks so much for stopping by and a great, big thanks to Rachel at One Pretty Thing for including my journal pages in her Printable Roundup!

Edited to add:  If you'd like to add a splash of colour of your own, download the page with a colour-free border here. 

New journal page

Update: The journal page in this post is no longer available for download. For a selection of free, printable journal pages, please visit my Printable Journal Pages collection.

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The design of today's journal page began with the to-do list, which is usually a great place to start.  I love writing down my plans for the day or week ahead.  Seeing each task, even the mundane ones, out there on paper somehow renders them real and manageable.  And is there any greater thrill than crossing an item off a to-do list?  I think not.

I'm noticing, though, that the summer sun can wreak havoc on even the most organized, prioritized to-do list.  Lately, I've been known to put every detail of my day on that list and then completely ignore it.  Sometimes, I write down tasks that are nearly, if not already, complete just so I can check them off and go out and play with my girls.  And there are more than a few items that have been passed from list to list.  Yep, I've been cheating on my own to-do lists.  That's something I'll definitely have to work on.  (I'll add that to the list.)

Today's page includes the usual, not entirely traditional to-do list . . .

and a few queries to get you thinking about random things . . .

The full page looks like this:

You'll find the black and white version here and its colourfully-bordered counterpart here.  Wednesday is nearly over as I publish this post, so I'll jump ahead a few hours and say, Happy Thursday friends!  If you have a moment and would like to share, tell me, what's on your to-do list today?

Edited to add:  If you'd like to add a splash of colour of your own, download the page with a colour-free border here. 

One pretty thing

Today, Rachel at one pretty thing has included four of my journal pages in her Printable Roundup.  In addition to her crafty Roundup collections, Rachel features a daily gallery of do-it-yourself projects that celebrate a handmade approach to life.  Go on over and take a peek!

Book report

I made this little book.  It's a "Single-page book with pockets" from Alisa Golden's fantastic how-to, Unique Handmade Books.  The "single-page" part of the book's name refers to the fact that all of the pages come from one letter-sized sheet of paper, which has been folded, cut in places, then glued together.  The only additional piece of paper required is the pretty stuff for the cover.

What you end up with is a neat little booklet with pockets. (It measures about 2 1/2" x 2 3/4".)

I added an embellishment of my own by gluing a ribbon beneath the cover page.  I figured that I'd probably fill the pockets beyond capacity and then I'd need something to hold the book shut.

Once I had the hang of it, I made two more books.

And now I'm a little stumped.  What shall I put inside the pockets?  I made a few little trinkets, but neither of them is screaming, "put me in a little book with pockets!" 

So, I'm still thinking about it.  What special little something would you put inside one of the pockets?

Foolishness, enthusiasm and a new journal page

Update: The journal page in this post is no longer available for download. For a selection of free, printable journal pages, please visit my Printable Journal Pages collection.

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I love this quote in today's journal page:

It should be my personal motto.  Case in point, (there are so many cases in point . . . ) I have always stressed about leaving comments on blogs.  I spend a lot of time composing them, until I can't stand it any longer and hit the publish button.  So far this week, I have entered a six-word story contest while totally misinterpreting the contest theme word and written a goofy comment that I thought was light, but later realized looked ridiculous beside all the other, more thoughtful entries.  Thankfully, I used a whole bunch of exclamation marks!!! . . . which really lifted it to the realm of enthusiastic foolishness.  Ugh.

Moving on.

Today's lightning round is the round of firsts.  I hope it will bring back sweet memories.

The full page looks like this:

You'll find it in black and white here and with its colourful border here. 

Happy Wednesday friends and may all of your foolishness be conducted with the utmost enthusiasm!  Exclamation mark!

Edited to add:  If you'd like to add a splash of colour of your own, download the page with a colour-free border here. 

Rainy days and silver wings

It's raining today, which might under ordinary circumstances be considered an unfortunate turn of events.  Sometimes, though, it takes a dark sky and a little thunder to summon the rare, silver-winged fairy princess.  There have been sightings around here all morning.

Weekword journal page

Update: The journal page in this post is no longer available for download. For a selection of free, printable journal pages, please visit my Printable Journal Pages collection.

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Doodler extraordinaire Aimee of Artsyville is hosting a creative challenge today called weekword.  This week's word is flavour and I'm playing along.

Today's journal page is inspired by food.  It includes a chance brag a little about your prowess in the kitchen . . .

and this quote to get you thinking:

It is important to experiment and endlessly seek after creating the best possible flavors when preparing foods.  That means not being afraid to experiment with various ingredients.

~Rocco DiSpirito

The full page looks like this:

and is available in black and white here and with its coloured border here.  When you're finished here, go on over to Artsyville and check out the other creative interpretations of the word flavour!

Edited to add:  If you'd like to add a splash of colour of your own, download the page with a colour-free border here. 

New journal page

Update: The journal page in this post is no longer available for download. For a selection of free, printable journal pages, please visit my Printable Journal Pages collection.

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I think today's to-do list is my favourite so far.  It is probably everything that a to-do list should not be.  Yeah, now that I think about it, it's the the anti-to-do list.  It's a little subversive.  A little cheeky.  Take that, daily planning . . .

And then there's a great quote that makes me want to wander a little beyond my usual haunts and see what's out there . . .

Here's the whole page . . .

You can download it here in black and white or here with the border.  Happy Wednesday friends!

Edited to add:  If you'd like to add a splash of colour of your own, download the page with a colour-free border here. 

Birthday cake and Sunday driving

The 4th of July: an American holiday and my birthday.  I'm pretty sure this post is going to move swiftly toward melancholy, but let me say first that it was a lovely day spent with family . . . playing hopscotch, having dinner at our favourite Italian restaurant, eating cake out of doors at dusk.

We left late and everyone was pooped.  I was driving and even though it was after 10 p.m., the traffic on the highway out of Toronto was heavy.  Cottage traffic.  I could read the minds of the drivers around me; we all just wanted to be home.  The headlights from the stream of oncoming cars were a little too bright and the rush of impatient drivers, me included, was occasionally punctuated by the roar of an expensive car weaving in and out of the lanes, narrowly avoiding disaster.

My mother-in-law can't drive on the highway.  That's what I was thinking while the husband and kids slept peacefully in their seats.  She used to, when she was my age, but she can't anymore.  As far as I know, there is no specific reason.  There was no catastrophic accident, not even a near miss.  She just can't drive on the highway anymore.

It's the fear.  It has to be.  That malignant wisp of thought that reminds you that in a moment everything could change.  It sneaks up on you while you hold the fate of the people who are most important to you -- your whole world -- in your sweaty hands, white-knuckled around the steering wheel.  No one tells you about the fear.  Why would they?  It's depressing and morbid.  But there it is, lurking. 

Then it recedes and you return to regularly scheduled programming.  And you think to yourself, holy crap, lighten up.