Capturing Thanksgiving Memories on the Go*

What's on your workdesk today? Could it be a recipe for baking a turkey or making some other delectable dish for tomorrow's Thanksgiving holiday meal? Do you remember the first time you set out to bake a turkey, all on your own? Do you stuff your turkey... or bake the stuffing separately? What's your favorite part of the turkey?

Do you have a favorite dish that has always been served on Thanksgiving? Was it passed down from one generation to another? Do you have the original, handwritten recipe?

What other memories and traditions are unique to your family, you? Will you be making new traditions this year?  How will you record the events of this Thanksgiving? Have you carved out some me time for yourself? I hope so...

If you are the principal cook, here are some ideas for stealing me time and documenting as you attend to the tasks of the day:

1. Take about 15 minutes today (or very early  tomorrow (Thanksgiving ) morning, especially if you're going to be home) and pull out your art (or SMASH) journal. Prep a page spread or two, some tags and/or plain 3 x 5 index cards.  
2. During the day, as you're waiting for the timer to go off, use the tags or index cards to make notes about things that a) you remember and/or b) are happening. Keep them in your apron pocket ---psst: aprons are great tools for keeping your art tools close at hand...
3. Or, using your favorite writing tool, put those thoughts directly on your art journal page. 
4. Periodically,  give yourself a zen moment: grab a couple Zentangle cards and make a Zentangle too!
5. Remember your phone camera and Instagram or Twitter - they are all quick and easy ways to document an idea, thought, happening.
6. Encourage your guests to jot down on a tag or index card a sentence or two about their favorite Thanksgiving dish or memory. All ages can play, too...and you can use your phone camera to capture their photos to add to your journal spread later.

Later, when the last football score has been made and the last load of dishes washed, fix yourself a drink, prop your feet up, pull out your notecards and tags and/or journal, review your photo snapshots and savor the day and the memories made and recalled.  Some you will add to your journal and others, no doubt, will find a home in other places.

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for following this blog.

Cheers~

Honoré

* These ideas will work for other holidays, too! And a reminder: This Saturday, November 24, is Small Business Saturday. Head on over to the Queen's Ink and see what's new and in store for the rest of 2012!

i heart Dina ...

Last weekend, fortunately before Hurricane Sandy made and left its mark, guest artist Dina Wakley was in town, here at The Queen's Ink! I attended, along with about 29 others, her Saturday workshops: Intro to Art Journaling and Affirmations Journal. Both workshops were fantastic, the latter building on the first.

Dina has a wonderful sense of humor and easily establishes rapport - you feel like you've known her all your life. I heart the way that she constantly challenged and reassured us that we could and would step out of our comfort zones. We did! I think her artist's apron sent the best subliminal message: messy is not just good, it's great. And there is within each of us a muse eager to get out and make art.

I heart the snippets of her life she shared, especially stories of her sons

I heart the tips she shared:

• get and use a color wheel so you can avoid making brown when mixing paints, especially complementary colors... 
• journal - write - in different directions: horizontal; on an angle; vertical; outside of silhouettes; inside silhouettes...
• use tags as mini canvasses - they are inexpensive and can be used in a variety of ways: whole; cut in half or in strips or in shapes; or to "mop up" wet paint...
• use palette knives for spreading paints - they have a little more flexibility and are easier to clean than a brush; another good tool: old credit or gift cards and hotel room keys...
• keep a project box to keep bits -n-pieces of tags, pages made and not used, etc for future projects. And the best part is the box has a lid, it organizes the stuff neatly and serendipity just awaits as one ruffles through the contents.  No telling what one might find...and my favorite
• don't think -just DO!

Dina promised to return in 2013 so watch for an announcement. And she has a new book coming in January...I wish it were tomorrow! I am really looking forward to getting my copy. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit her blog, try some of her online classes and check out her Creative Jumpstart Vimeo video:



Creative Jumpstart -- Dina Wakley from Dina Wakley on Vimeo.


If you attended the workshop, would love for you to share your experience in the Comments.

Cheers~

Honoré