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Friday, April 30, 2010

The Whimsy of a child

WHIMSY - extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression; an odd or fanciful notion. [Whimsy week begins here. Read this delightful guest post or click here for some Bliss Initiatives to increase your experience of Whimsy]


Yesterday I went on a whimsy search. Hopping all over the internet for inspiration. It was a total blast. The truth of the matter, however, is that I do not need to go so far for my whimsical inspiration. My three year old is a walking (actually more usually running) talking (possibly shrieking) breathing (laughing, happy, fun) Whimsy Machine! 


Case in point photo!


Today as I was thinking about what to write about, little J came in and said, "My fairy dust isn't working! This sheep won't fly." She had doused her stuffed sheep with white rice (thankfully uncooked) and was very disappointed in the results. Earlier in the week the white rice had served well as the shaky filling to a paper plate tambourine. This is the norm for her, finding new whimsical uses for everyday items. I never know when chopsticks will become wands, cans will become drums, hats or shoes or any number of regular housewares will morph into pirate booty, shopping treasures, banquet offerings or bricks for princess "towders" (One of her dwindling number of baby speak words.) 


If you are a friend of mine on Facebook you are treated regularly to my J-girl-isms, the totally delightful "obserbations" (the positively x-rated baby speak word she otherwise uses correctly) and points of view from the girl herself. What, even you regular Facebook readers, may not realize is that this banter and movement s NON-STOP!! I am honestly thinking about installing motion sensitive cameras around my home to catch all the action. I gather what I can and even occasionally post something in her memory blog but I know I'm missing a lot. So, just for posterity's sake I thought I'd share some tidbits from an average day:


A first request of the morning. "Mommy can I have a chocolate?" I'm sorry J, not for breakfast. "But when you are little I let you have chocolate!" J regularly refers to the wonderful things she does when it is her turn to be the mommy!

"Let's go shopping mom!" (This does not require leaving the house. Some type of shopping bag is all that is required and any toy bin, clothes drawer, or pantry shelf serves as stores.) "I'll drive! You be the little kid." (We sit in the bed car and make the requisite driving noises) "We're here! Lets look at the map." (Once we took a mall brochure that had a small grid with the local streets, J referred to that map for weeks -- "Let me show you where we are. Can we get there from here? Yep, going home is an option!!" -- that brochure is lost so a piece of newspaper serves as a substitute.) We find some bags and use a small push cart and following our map find our way to buying books and other assorted items.  "OK lets go on a trip now." Back into our car we go. What trip J? Where are we going? I ask. "A place like Disneyland only closer." (I guess the six hour drive was more then J would like to repeat!).... and oh the place we go...



"OK you are the little kid and I am the mommy. I am a Pirate mommy. You are a 'egular little kid, you wear wings NOT a pirate hat."

"Lets do a project now mommy. We need EVERYTHING!" Everything consist of dumping the craft contents of a very large plastic bin on the dining room table. "I'm making this for you! Do you like it?!" Of course I do! Everyone loves a paper plate plastered with tape glue and sticks.

"Hurry! I need my 'noculars! It is wind-ing very hard outside."

"There is Max!! Mommy can we go see him!!" Max, the neighbor's cat, does not share her enthusiasm and disappears behind the garage across the street.

Undaunted, j looks for other friends. "Look! Snails!! They will be my friend! Snails love me mommy." A full hour of gathering and convincing the snails that they would be happier under a bush in the backyard results in only one little guy losing a shell due to rough handling. "Mommy, we can save him. I  will feed him leaves! He will grow his shell back!" We move the wounded snail into a plastic container filled with the leaves J has collected and hope for the best. Research on the internet tells us that he could actually grow his shell back if he wasn't too big when he lost it. Not sure what "too big" is but 4 hours later the little guy is still moving around in the container. We'll leave him under a bush and tomorrow I'm sure (no matter the real outcome) he will be better and off slithering around with his friends again!!

"Let's play Candy Land!! Come on mommy, you will LOVE it!  Kitty will be blue and you can be yellow. I am red." We commence with a game, which starts out normally until Jessie decides "I am the orange getter. Orange is my favorite. You can have purple." At this point J only moves after finding an orange card (flipping through the deck until getting to one) If I try to move on anything but purple I am told "NO you are the purple goer! Kitty can have that one." Game is over when Jessie says, "I done. Let's play Hide and Seek."

Hide and Seek is J's absolutely FAVORITE game and she pleads and begs to play often. I actually have no problem with playing the game but her version can get pretty monotonous. "OK mommy you count. I will hide here." Jessie if you tell me where you are I can find you. "I want you to find me mommy." OK count now. I count and "try to find" J. When the 3 seconds I have expended becomes too long for her she shouts, "I'm right here mommy!" Squeals of delight when I say "I got you!" follow.  When it is my turn to hide I am told "You hide here and I will count!" This can go on for hours... ok really not, I only last about three rounds and thankfully direct her back to another project!!

"It is a cele-great-ion  mommy!" (instead of celebration! I thought that was pretty good!!) "We are happiness mommy! Let's sing!"

We are happiness indeed! And so it goes... books are read, animals go on adventures, every second as whimsical and silly as the next. Oh, and that white rice, it is now being used as kitty food because "Kitty's get really hungry you know."  I am certainly the luckiest mommy on the planet!

Next Post: Whimsy Whimsy and more whimsy!


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Created a whimsical doll, sculpture or other artistic expression? 
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Bliss Posts on the topic.]

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Flash Inspiration is back!!

WHIMSY - extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression; an odd or fanciful notion. [Whimsy week begins here. Read this delightful guest post or click here for some Bliss Initiatives to increase your experience of Whimsy]

I mentioned that I would be doing "flash inspiration" searches, whimsical followed by fill in the blank in google images, and today it is time to get back to it! This is a really terrific way to get the whimsy flowing. Do you like to design jewelry? Then you might like to try this one:

My search Whimsical Bracelets netted these results:

By Original Woman - celebrating the artistry of human nature
Nicknamed the corsage bracelet, this whimsical bracelet is made from a combination of vintage and new beads accented with ribbon. This whimsically offbeat jewelry collection artfully combines old and new to create a unique, thoroughly modern yet vintage flavored confection. Fun to wear alone or in multiples, these bracelets will add whimsy to any outfit.




 DRESS ME UP CUFF – fabricated sterling silver with silk ribbon accent, $85 – by Nina Gibson Designs
CHERRY BRANCH CUFF – mix of high polish and oxidized silver flowers with copper verdigris leaf accent, $55 – Jorgensen Studio

For my doll making friends I thought the search Whimsical Dolls would be interesting... you tell me, anything strike a chord with you?

By KazeKidz ~ Dolls by Kaye Wiggs 

Her name is Nettle 


Knobbies by Annie Dolls
A whimsical departure for me, the Knobbies, while sharing the same pattern I designed, are each one-of-a-kind and have very individual personalities. They are clothed in wonderful fabrics, have outrageously styled hair, and each has a hand painted face. Each Knobbie holds or carries something meaningful to her! Sometimes a Knobbie is attached to her best friend, and occasionally 3, 4, or 5 Knobbies are all sewn together.



Eveningbag Fairy
This is an Eveningbag Fairy! The base of her body was carefully crafted from my grandma Cookie's eveningbag collection. A leopard print, powder puff hat with black fur trim & pink bow, sits atop her pink hair. Her black, ribbon wrapped arm is bent, up to her face, as if she is flirtingly laughing at someone. Her black, ribbon wrapped legs are crossed, like a little lady should! She is wearing some taupe colored heels with black fur trim that perfectly coordinate with her outfit.

Then I decided to ask J what she wanted me to look for on the computer and she said "Birds." OK she was watching Peep and the Big Wide World at the time and it is a tale of three birds so perhaps the idea is less then original but nevertheless netted some fun results:

Yardbirds® by Rich Kolb
Yardbird Bird: Peacock - Small "Chubby Nut" 
When people ask Rich Kolb about his creations, he smiles and says, 
"The things in life that bring us the most joy are those which are fun and unexpected, not the mere necessities."
These whimsical feathered friends are sure to encourage some smiles!
It is pretty simple: Yardbirds® are really just about happiness.


Sculptural Works by Jerry Hallan

Ucello-1
This whimsical bird was assembled using hot melt adhesive, solid polyurethane foam and shavings of pine, mahogany,African hardwoods and wormy driftwood. The bird's eye is an ammonite fossil and its claws are made from sea shells



And look at this really beautiful "whimsical birds" paper:

Found at "Oh So Beautiful Paper"(Which is a fabulous blog by the way!)


Gorgeous 100% Recycled Gift Wrap by Whimsy Press
These stylish wraps always make a strong first impression - with very little impact on Mother Earth. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and printed on 100% recycled paper with soy-based inks. 

And finally, just because they are so darling:

From Gifts Define Creativity Blog (An amazing inspiring whimsy stop!)

"Winter theme" wedding favors for happy sweet couple J & M ~ with their 'faith' and 'love' messages favors for their guests (which we're still working on, stitching those beads onto the birdies). They love to have clean, chic colors wedding, from pastel blue, mint, green, and of course the bride will have calla lilies bouquet...

Whimsical cookies, whimsical music, whimsical giraffe, whimsical what? It is a total blast!  If you want to see even more of my whimsical searches from past Whimsy weeks check out these posts:

And the search could go on and on... go on try it yourself! 

And let me know of any good finds! 

Next Post: Whimsy initiative check up!




Have something to say about Whimsy? 
Written a a fun post about your whimsical exploits?
Created a whimsical doll, sculpture or other artistic expression? 
This is the place to share it! 
New and old favorite posts are welcome here!
I have something to say about Whimsy!
Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
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My 13 bliss virtues are  










 [Click on any virtue to see all the Everyday 






Bliss Posts on the topic.]






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Ben Franklin's 13 Virtues

  • 1. TEMPERANCE - Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
  • 2. SILENCE - Speak not what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
  • 3. ORDER - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
  • 4. RESOLUTION - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
  • 5. FRUGALITY - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e. waste nothing.
  • 6. INDUSTRY - Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
  • 7. SINCERITY - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and if you speak, speak accordingly.
  • 8. JUSTICE - Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
  • 9. MODERATION - Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
  • 10. CLEANLINESS - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths or habitation.
  • 11. TRANQUILITY - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
  • 12. CHASTITY - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or to the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
  • 13. HUMILITY - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

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