creative fuel

... just a day after i dove into my endeavor to dream up a profitable artistic pursuit, a little piece of hope was delivered straight into my hands by way of the United States Postal Service. a check, from my boyfriend, for $331, as reimbursement for an airplane ticket i bought to visit him - which seriously encroached on my monthly budget for rent/utilities/loans etc. - i had a minor meltdown on the phone one day, and apparently he won a $331 credit towards his rent, which he doesn't need, so he decided to share it with me, based on the understanding that it would be used to invest in the materials i need to get my creative endeavors up and running.

so, now i have this money, that i didn't anticipate having, and i'm not sure what to do with it. $331 is a lot of money to me. money that i could use to buy anything... clothes, food, art supplies... i could put it towards my rent, pay some bills, start buying christmas presents... and i'm not sure how to budget that money. but i figure, i should invest about $150 in the materials i need to get things going.

speaking of getting going - i am feeling so inspired lately. now that i'm thinking creatively and artistically, i'm soaking in vibrant colors from all around me, and feeling such intense artistic urges... i want to create!

last night stephen and i saw the newest wes anderson film, the darjeeling limited, and i felt so inspired by every scene! owen wilson, jason schwartzman and adrien brody (yum) play these three brothers journeying across india on a train called the Darjeeling Limited... every vignette is soaked with rich color, beautiful natural light and evocative shapes and textures - from the architecture of the spiritual landmarks they visit to the indian drinks they're served on the train, the exotic patterns of the wallpapered compartments on the train... everything is so detailed and such a visual delight. i was so inspired by the mandalas and the rich orange hues and the bright turquoises and the antiquated crackle of painted surfaces... i want to incorporate some of those designs in my collages.

which brings me to my next point. i have a few specific projects in mind to begin this journey with:

- scrapbook/guestbook for paige's bridal shower (saturday)
- large pink canvas in the living room
- recipe book for kirsten (christmas) - moleskine notebook either covered with a collage or printed on the inside pages
- styrofoam wreath and cone stuck with beaded pins - - turquoise beads for a door wreath, green for the cone shapes (christmas tree)
- i could create 81/2 X 11 collages, then scan them as pdfs or jpegs and upload them to my blurb book like scrapbook pages (except flat)
- wastebaskets
- magnets
- tea canisters
- frames
- light switchpads
- ornaments
- vases
- cd jewel cases
- framed glass squares (like natalie's)
- cards, envelopes, gift tags