Life In Color

I've been itching to write another blog post for weeks, but the month of July demanded my undivided attention. All my ideas and thoughts are dying to spill out now!

I thought after I finished school summer might lose a little of it's magic, but it is just as sunny and full of possibilities. Days spent with friends and family in the company of art, music, movies, and the gorgeous outdoors. It's a beautiful time. I've missed staying indoors crafting, although I've found time for a few small projects I can't wait to share soon. My August must incude more arts and crafts for the soul, you know?

Living in a place where the actual seasons are so mildly different, you could blink and miss the change, has caused me to appreciate the seasons of self. They aren't defined by a calendar or weather pattern. For the past year, I've been in what I would define as "winter". A little icy, a little fragile, maybe even a little treacherous, yet allowing for perseverance and cleansing. Full of spring's seedlings peaking out. But now is my time to appreciate life's color. Now is my summer. Not just in the temporal, emotional sense, but deep in my heart. The kind of feeling that comes from the inside out, where I am giving rather than receiving. Every season is one of beauty, and with this change I appreciate my new season even more profoundly. What season are you in?

<3 Taylor

DIY: Idea Jar

Today was one of those days I couldn't wait for work to end so I could run home and play with paint and popsicle sticks. That's normal right? It was definitely worth the 9 hour wait, because now I can finally put this little project to use.

Do you ever have that hour, that day, that weekend you need a little help figuring out what to do? I'm constantly taking note of activities I want to try later, but when later comes, suddenly all those ideas fly out of my mind. Anyone else have this problem? Or is it just me? Well, I hope you can relate, so you can be as excited about this DIY as I am!

Idea Jar:

Materials:

• Jar
• Paint (craft paint or spray paint)
• Paint brush
• Popsicle sticks
• Cloth
• Twine
• Pen (not pictured)
• Scissors (not pictured)
• Ideas and creativity**

1. Pick your idea categories and color coordinate. I chose red (costly/24 hour+ activity), purple (arts&culture), green (outdoor activity), yellow (inexpensive/no planning needed), and blue (food&drink).

2. Paint those popsicle sticks! It might help to make a list of your ideas first so you know how many of each color you need... or improvise!

3. Pick a fabric to wrap your jar in and cut it down to fit your jar. I folded the edges, wrapped the fabric around the jar, and tied the twine around it. If you want it to be more solid, you could put a few stitches around the edges and/or at the back. If your jar has a label, you might want to take it off. I just covered it to save time.

4. Write down all your creative ideas on the popsicle sticks and stick them in the jar.

Last is the best part: go find (or make) some free time in your schedule and see what activity you pull out of that jar first!

<3 Taylor