Comments on: Inspired Giveaway: Handmade Penguin Ornament & Gift Bag

By: MaryLena Anderegg

MaryLena Anderegg — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:19:01 +0000

What inspires me in my home?
We have, over the years, simplified the way we live. We use serene colors and most of our “accessories” are reminders of people we love or places we have been. For ex, on the mantle is a beautiful vase given to us by a dear friend in Japan. Also on the mantle is a clear jar filled with seashells…a handful from each beach we vacationed at before we got to retire here. Hanging on one wall is the needlepoint ottoman cover (now framed) that my mother-in-law did in her grief when her husband died. She gave it to me with warm hands. I write my notes at her secretary (another warm hands gift). In it are small treasures from children I taught many years ago.
The colors are the serene colors of the beach: the beiges of the sand, the blue-greens of the water, the almost turquoise of the deep waters, the murky gray greens of the marshes. There are no concealing coverings over the windows save those needed for sleeping in the bedrooms. The rooms are small (my husband says the better to catch me in) but we had to do a lot of paring to get here.
In our youth, we like most Americans had a “big house fetish”. Now, when I look at big houses, I think maintenance and housework and I love my little cottage all the more.

By: Noella

Noella — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:40:21 +0000

I get my inspiration from my kids! With 4 of them coming up with all kids of things, there’s always an idea, thought, or laugh to be had. Currently my youngest is playing tug of war with our 15 lb snaggletooth hound, it would make a great painting! And the snaggletooth hound wants to eat her crayons!

What deters my creativity is lack of organization. Being highly creative, organization is not a strong point for myself. I try, and do what i can, but I’ve yet to perfect a system. There’s always something to search for… but eventually found!

CUTE penguins btw!

By: Yelli

Yelli — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:42:33 +0000

What inspires me? This is totally corny but I always see things as a means to an end. For example, when my son smiles and laughs during a project. This makes going from store to store and asking for help in my bad German searching for crafty things totally worth it! (I am talking mostly about little stuff like jingle bells!)

What does NOT inspire me is not getting enough sleep! Creativity always happens when I am well rested (although well rested when one has a 2 year old has an entirely different meaning now!)

Thanks for doing this! I LOVE penguins!

By: toebi r

toebi r — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:32:39 +0000

What inspires me in my home is when it is clean….I feel like I have accomplished something and it makes me want to make things and ideas start flooding my brain. I am uninspired when my house is a mess, when I try to start crafting I just keep thinking about whatelse I could be doing like cleaning or doing laundry instead of being selfish and doing fun things.

By: Becky

Becky — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:40:19 +0000

I’m inspired by what I see on the crafts sites. I’m detered by laziness, the state of my sewing room (a mess) and business. :-(

Thank you for doing this.

By: Holly

Holly — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:47:56 +0000

What inspires me in my home…neatness. A clean, clear surface; a stack of papers transformed into a neat file box; an organized cabinet. And the opposite feeling, paralyzed creativity, comes from clutter. Our home is plenty large for the four of us, and yet clutter can (and does) make it feel so small to me at times.

Glad to have found your blog!