oliveloaf design

creative mojo by stacy

Voluntary Simplicity May 20, 2013

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I heard a marvelously inspiring piece on NPR this weekend

about Voluntary Simplicity

what life can be about – a less complicated existence animated by inner joy.

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it resonated with me as I clearly have been aspiring

or evolving into this lifestyle – without having a name for it

becoming less encumbered by possessions & consumerism, time for other people and oneself,

caring about the environment,

getting back to nature…

{see/hear more at http://www.humanmedia.org}

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{a little harvest from le gardens}

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“We’re really led away from what we’re here for,

which is to learn how to live sociably with others and soulfully with ourselves.

And consumerism is relatively shallow and life is deep.”

~Duane Elgin, author of Voluntary Simplicity

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{still life with wild daisies}

Wild Daisies by OliveLoaf Design

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{a walk in the woods}

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{homemade strawberry pie/vegan}

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handmade gifts {from up-cycled materials}

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crafting art {from re-purposed resources}

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observing the wonders of nature

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“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating;

to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter…

to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring

these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”  ~John Burroughs

 

abandoned music April 29, 2013

hello friends.  i received a note from a fan asking

“when are you going to show us more of your awesome craftworks!?”

{sigh} well, i have been working on several commission orders

so i can’t show those until they arrive at their intended destinations.

 i have several art pieces in the works for some upcoming shows & whatnots

{i will share some tidbits of those soonly}

spring has sprung! so i am in full-on gardening mode.

meanwhile ~ i continue to collect inspirational images to share with you…

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mr. d and i happened upon a dilapidated & deserted shop.

in the front was a forgotten player piano.

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Abandoned Music

 

cheekwood April 13, 2013

it was a little early in the season to visit cheekwood botanical gardens in nashville, tennessee

but there were still magical sights to behold…

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{bamboo forest}

bamboo forest by OliveLoaf Design

{japanese garden}

{crawling lady hare by sophie ryder}

{steeple dance by frank morbillo}

SteepleDanceFrankMorbillo by OliveLoaf Design

{untitled(in a dream) by jenny holzer}

InADreamJennyHolzer by OliveLoaf Design

{reflecting at the water garden}

{stately view}

{be unique}

Be Unique by OliveLoaf Design

 

shine on February 21, 2013

some sunshiney pictoral inspirationals…

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“yeah we all shine on ~ like the moon & the stars & the sun.”

~ john lennon

BlueMoonFence by OliveLoaf Design

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early rising wild daffodils.

Early Risers by OliveLoaf Design

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contemplating the morning.

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a tree of buzzards sunning themselves.

{they need love too}

Buzzard Tree by OliveLoaf Design

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outdoor art at hidden hill {artists unknown}…

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Outdoor Mandalas 3 by OliveLoaf Design

 

clever title January 28, 2013

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hello! a little of this & that today…

i’ve been getting inquiries about the forest findings that i often sell {& sell out of!}

in the other etsy shop barren river emporium

so ~ whenever it’s not raining and ice-storming {no snow in south central kentucky, yet}

 i’ve been gathering gum tree seed pods & these are excellent specimens…

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Gum Pods by OliveLoaf Design

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and collecting more crinoid fossils that jewelry designers love to use in their wares…

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but i pause to capture a lovely scene.

the clouds parted and colors rained down. a beautiful & fleeting sundown…

January Sunset by OliveLoaf Design

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and for brunch the next day…

you must make this! vegan eggs benedict from vegnews.com

even if you aren’t a vegan it.is.to.die.for! & nothing has to die for it! win-win

i posted this pic on their site {i know – geek}

{the actual chef who made it for his restaurant in toronto gave me props! far out…}

recipe here

vegan eggs benedict by OliveLoaf Design

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art in school matters November 8, 2012

“…the arts incarnate the creativity of a free people.”

~John F. Kennedy

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{by barbara rucci of art bar}

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from art bar

…an article in the Boston Globe about the importance of teaching art in school in this era of standardized tests

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“Art for Our Sake: School arts classes matter more than ever – but not for the reasons you think”

By Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland

“There is a very good reason to teach arts in schools,

and it’s not the one that arts supporters tend to fall back on…[that] art makes you smarter.

In a recent study of several art classes in Boston-area schools,

we found that arts programs teach a specific set of thinking skills

rarely addressed elsewhere in the curriculum –

and that far from being irrelevant in a test-driven education system,

arts education is becoming even more important as standardized tests…

exert a narrowing influence over what schools teach.

We need the arts because in addition to introducing students to aesthetic appreciation,

they teach other modes of thinking [and skills] we value.

Such skills include…reflection, self-criticism, [persistence], [expression] and the willingness

to experiment and learn from mistakes. All are important to numerous careers,

but are widely ignored by today’s standardized tests…

which reveal little about a student’s intellectual depth or desire to learn,

and are poor predictors of eventual success and satisfaction in life.

Those who have learned the lessons of the arts…how to see new patterns, how to learn from mistakes,

and how to envision solutions – are the ones likely to come up with

the novel answers needed most for the future.”

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“Pass this around to EVERYONE!

And give your child’s art teacher a big hug when you see him or her

to let them know how much you appreciate them.”

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{{HUG!}}

AFTA Logo

Be part of the movement to guarantee healthy arts funding and arts education in America.

Join the Arts Action Fund

Read their initial post-election analysis on the Arts Action Fund blog.

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PeaceLoveRescue October 31, 2012

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OliveLoaf Design was proud to donate an up-cycled & handmade doo~dad

to the National Mill Dog Rescue’s Ruff Life! Wine Tasting Auction this past fall.

{rescue dogs are near & dear to my }

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since NMDR‘s beginning in 2007, they have rescued, rehabilitated

and re-homed more than 6,600 puppy mill dogs.

the auction event raised $15,000 and will help change the lives of even more puppy mill survivors!

for more information about NMDR, please visit their website at www.milldogrescue.org

if you can’t adopt – foster.

if you can’t foster – sponsor.

if you can’t sponsor – volunteer.

if you can’t volunteer – donate.

BELIEVE you can make a difference.

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fall: a color study October 24, 2012

a day in the life of fall

in south central kentucky {october 23, 2010}

a color study…

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Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird

I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

~George Eliot

 

feathers & arrows October 19, 2012

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obsession::feathers & arrows

{i’ve always had a mild obsession with them – but lately…}

i’ve been compiling artwork, making sketches, gathering findings & snapping pictures.

here’s a couple cool pics…

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a wild turkey feather found in western colorado

& i call these “spirit stones” as they were collected from

the john denver memorial sanctuary in aspen…

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wild feather//spirit stones

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a kitschy roadside attraction somewhere near cortez, colorado…

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arrows//roadside

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chef hats & lucky 13 August 7, 2012

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i have a friend & a friend’s kid in chef school

so i thought i would make paper mache chef hats for little gifties.

they were going to be brooches ~ then i decided to make them into magnets

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i’m thinking about offering them in le shoppe

as brooches with a pin-back or magnets…

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totally customizable with names & choice of flowers.

what do you think?

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in other crafty news…

in the newly continuing series {only this is the first submission}

“things i saw on pinterest & thought i’d give it a try”

i spotted this super clever idea for those boring number birthday candles

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and whipped a set up for miss m’s 13th birthday…so cute!

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