With thanks to Craig who sent me the following link:

http://weburbanist.com/2009/10/29/all-aboard-clever-recycled-train-car-homes-offices-hotels/

It involves the clever reuse of train cars. Now what I find so inspiring about this … well in college my friends and I found a couple of old wooden cabooses…sitting on abandoned tracks a short walk from our dorms. [...]]]> My inspiration of the month….

With thanks to Craig who sent me the following link:

http://weburbanist.com/2009/10/29/all-aboard-clever-recycled-train-car-homes-offices-hotels/

It involves the clever reuse of train cars. Now what I find so inspiring about this … well in college my friends and I found a couple of old wooden cabooses…sitting on abandoned tracks a short walk from our dorms. The tracks had become a cut through or back way to get to a local shopping center.  Since none of us had a car it was our preferred path and I saw them frequently over 4 years. I even thought of “stealing” the abandoned cars – but where would I put them? They are an enchanted part of my past – and involve one of my fondest fantasy:  re-using them for a private retreat, or art studio.  To this day it makes me sad to think of the neglect, and the vandalism. People had started fires in them and spray painted the interiors – it was so needless.

In an ideal (for me) world I would have a property that I could put a train car or two on – I’d be able to find the legal owners of the abandoned cars and buy them for myself and get them moved. I want to restore them and make an office / writing studio in one. In the other I would want to make a painting studio. For obscene amounts of space / time / money I’d have about 5 or 6  more cars and create for myself a village of train cottage work rooms for my various needs. Such as:

• jewelers bench and studio
• sanding, grinding woodworking (dust filled and messy)
• painting / finishing studio for varnishing, glazing, glazes
• kiln room for various kilns (jewelry fusing, slumping, etc)
• fabric arts, quilting, costuming, weaving, spinning
• an extra long car for raw material storage

In reality – I already have a nice little studio, and access to a garage fro all my woodworking needs. I just like to dream big and impossible things – after all who knows – maybe I’ll be fortunate one day and some more of my big dream will come true too.  After all I never thought I’d have the chance to stay home and work on my art and jewelery.

It may even be possible to one day have my village. But if I do it will more than likely be made of small and large work sheds – and in the center – my one lone train car to serve as my inspirational retreat and office.

Hey – I even forgot my photography studio and the clay shop! Do I have too many interests?

You betchya!…and counting…..

*fingers crossed* Wish me luck and I wish the same for your own Big Dreams.

http://flickr.com/photos/nickgray/2434200018/

I find it inspiring to find people who can be this creative, but equally refreshing that someone else can recognize it enough to want to photograph it.

“Change is BAD, I hate change – I’m not good with change, I don’t like change – BUT it IS important.” – Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson – The Closer – 3rd season premier – Episode – Homewrecker.

I rather agree with this quote [...]]]> I’ve been contemplating change a bit recently – well okay – a lot.

“Change is BAD, I hate change – I’m not good with change, I don’t like change – BUT it IS important.” – Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson – The Closer – 3rd season premier – Episode – Homewrecker.

I rather agree with this quote – I fight change ALL the time – I’m always wanting something NEW – but I don’t want to change – or have things or people around me change. That is a short sighted way to live.

Things change. It is important to who we are that we strive to change ourselves and the things around us. Or else there would be no great writings, or inventions or thoughts. We could still all be living raw and simple – with no achievement except existance and procreation.

Adapt or Die

Same context – different quote. I don’t know who to give the credit for this quote – it’s been used all over the world – for many purposes – for a very long time. This very simple – brief phrase is both over used and under utilized. I too must adapt. To my own strugles in my own life, as others must do in theirs.

I suppose the choice isn’t really about adapting – but about how we adapt…
willingly – with eager curiosity
fighting – kicking and screaming against the tide

What do you choose?

I only kinda knew you before the last TCEP at the Days Inn. That was the year that Craig and I ended up stuck in the con suite most of the time. You offered to take over when we needed a break, you sat and watched silly movies with me as you put [...]]]> Lady Denneal -

I only kinda knew you before the last TCEP at the Days Inn. That was the year that Craig and I ended up stuck in the con suite most of the time. You offered to take over when we needed a break, you sat and watched silly movies with me as you put together another puzzle and we talked. About a lot of things…. and that’s when we discovered that we had a lot in common. I just wish we’d found out sooner.

I was so happy – I found another friend, and that’s not easy. Books, movies, crafting, jewelry, sarcasm, devious, silliness and laughter… who could ask for more in a friend? You even got it – I like gamers and talking to gamers, and learning the rules / strategy – but not gaming.

I looked forward to hanging out with you more…. You looked snazzy as a Devil in a Blue Dress at your party in ‘04… and I got to see how good you were with pretty much everyone. We hung out in the kitchen discussing ROCKS, and light sensitive threads. You loved to show off your collections…. and well – another thing in common!

We talked a bunch on IM and email after that…. we only got to see you a handful of times after that Halloween, but you always had fun, even tired and in pain. What a class act.

You looked so beautiful – I loved your wedding dress. You got very tired – but generally looked so good. I remember you being very pleased that your hair had grown back enough to look good for the wedding. At the same time you scolded yourself for being vain…how silly!

July 4th, you had a lot of energy, and were so pissed off that the cancer was back after your trip. Damn it! We all were. Even in all that you were more concerned with how unfair this was to Stew and your parents than anything.

Oct – the Ren Faire…. I really wasn’t up to going – but we did have fun. Craig and Stew hauling your A$$ all over the faire in that wheel chair. Jewelry shopping, seeing the shows, issuing directives – “no – over there – I want to see THAT”, It was a fun day. Your best friend from back home was visiting and you were determined to show her EVERTHING. She had a lot of fun too, but I think she was happy just to be hanging out with you. I know I was.

Another Halloween – this time at our place. I think we spent a couple of hours just talking jewelry making and crafts. I only regret we never got to make glass beads together. I know how much you wanted to try that.

Because of your conviction that day – I had the courage to go ahead and start Driia’s Dreams…. and to honor you the “signature” piece is your necklace. You know the one. Eventually – you’ll have your own line – The Denneal series, but it’s not ready yet…. I hope you’ll like them girl – you’d better – or else!

So I guess – I have no one memory…. but a lot of little memories of someone who had fun, and liked others to have fun too. A very caring person – who knew the value of life.

Just because you’re YOU – Thank you.

We miss you… we all do.

Love ya!

Carrie

http://afmetalsmith.livejournal.com/

I’ve added her to my links list and I look forward to reading her blog more in depth. She does some very beautiful work, and has some nifty scent lockets.

Her online store:

http://www.afmetalsmith.com/index.html

I really like her site design as well. The layout is completely different [...]]]> Found the following jewelry artist while lurking on the jewelry makers LJ community:

http://afmetalsmith.livejournal.com/

I’ve added her to my links list and I look forward to reading her blog more in depth.
She does some very beautiful work, and has some nifty scent lockets.

Her online store:

http://www.afmetalsmith.com/index.html

I really like her site design as well. The layout is completely different than mine – however there are lessons to be had from her site’s look and feel.

Inspiration on multiple levels today! Beautiful jewelry, good journaling, and hansome website.

I was reading a post by Lelia Thomas about freedom. And while the ideas are not new, they are well worth the re-telling. She writes [...]]]> I often hear people talk about our freedom…. and feel most strongly that fear and the need to “conform” in as many ways as possible eats at that very freedom.

I was reading a post by Lelia Thomas about freedom. And while the ideas are not new, they are well worth the re-telling. She writes quite eloquently. And her thoughts in this particular post resonate within me.

Truly Freedom is a choice one must actively make at times and all too often the masses fail to make the choice…believing either that they already have their freedom, or that because they are “just” they will never have that freedom taken from them.

Sadly freedom is seldom taken away from us outright…all too often it is whittled away, and erroded one small bit at a time. And in an effort to point this out to others… those who can see or feel it happening are ridiculed.

The reason I use the term sadly is because people are so much more willing to fight for it if they feel the threat. When they don’t feel the threat – they say there is nothing to fear. This behavior works against people in so many ways…. one of which is un-reasonable amounts of fear over things that were always a threat but because they were suddenly hyped in the media – are now feeling scary to them so they want action taken. That action then takes away one more layer of freedom.

So what is freedom? I think freedom may just very well be like an onion. It consists of many layers, that when pealed away one at a time reveal nothing at the center – maybe just a seed of a thought. All together it is tangible – solid – something to hold onto. It can make us cry when we cut into it. The aroma is strong and very recognizable. Once chopped up you can taste it – but it is often hidden. The pieces are still there adding flavor and a reminder of the whole. The best we can do is sow new seeds and try to bring forth a new onion.

Today I shall work on my website for my artwork and ponder the choices I have made for my own freedom – however small. And offer you some of my precious seeds to plant in your own life.

Thank you Lelia for sharing your seeds of freedom with me. You truly have a gift for writing.

– Robert Frost

This quote boldly lifted from another’s post about freedom. I’ve seen it before – and was reminded today that I wanted to add it to my personal quotes list.