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}

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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

paper wreath December 5, 2012

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i found this metal ring on a walk the other day & thought i’d whip up an easy wreath…

{you could make one out of craft wire or a wire hanger}

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make a leaf template with a piece of {repurposed} cardboard

and cut out a bunch of leaves.

i used white cardstock & a piece of white glitter paper that i had on-hand…

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hot glue the paper leaves to the metal ring

et voila! a simple & lovely paper wreath for magical holiday decorating…

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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!}}

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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surprise ball! May 16, 2012

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i was thrilled to attempt my first surprise ball

novelties, candies & what~nots wrapped up in crepe paper streamers into a ball.

as the recipient unwraps the layers of streamers

they find the little doodads & gifts.

fun & hilarity ensues!

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so ~ here’s the surprise ball booty i picked out for my friend

all laid out pretty-like

{please note: the smaller & flatter the items – the better}

although it’s probably easier to use crepe paper sheets & cut

i used crepe paper streamers & cut them in half

{cuz that’s all i could find at the time – so plan in advance!}

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here’s the surprise ball all wrapped up!  so cute!

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put a sticker of some sort on the end of the last strip so it doesn’t all unravel

before you loved one opens it! {that would be so sad}

viola! surprise ball!

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i stuck it in a box & sent it on to the birthday boy. yay!

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moss grafitti April 17, 2012

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i’ve had this picture of artist anna garforth creating her moss topography for a while

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with the intention of figuring out how to do something similar.

since living amongst wonderful woodlands~ my obsession with moss grows

& i found this make moss grafitti how-to over at apartment therapy

so i thought i’d finally give it a shot!

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i collected some fresh & wild, woodland moss…

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rinsed & removed the plant matter & junk…

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i prepared the moss mixture according to the apartment therapy how-to’s,

picked out some stone slabs that were hanging around outside

and painted on the moss…

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i didn’t get fancy & use a template like ms. garforth & apartment therapy

i just free-handed it…

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moss is so welcoming…

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i put them in a secluded spot in the woodlette in my back yard

where conditions are perfect for growing moss.

now i just have to be patient & water them occasionally

& hopefully the moss will start to grow.

my plan is to relocate them to the base of a shady tree in the front yard.  stay tuned!

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diy::wine cork stamp January 10, 2012

i had to {finally} do some thank-you notes for the christmas/birthday booty

& thought i’d try doing a homemade stamp out of a wine cork.

making stamps out of wine corks is super-duper easy!

and it’s a whole lot cheaper &  more craftacular

than buying those A$$pensive stampers at craft stores.

i love banners – so i thought i’d do a simple banner design…

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all you need:

a design idea, corks, a marker, exacto, some stamper ink {or paint} and notecards…

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draw your design and carefully cut with exacto…

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test your stamps a few times to see if you like & to try out the ink saturation…

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stamp your notecard…

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add a message if you’d like & viola!

see!? so simple & quick to make your own handmade cards

and your recipient will feel extra special just because you’re so crafty {& thrifty}!

have fun!

surprise yourself December 29, 2011

hi lovlies! wow – the holiday season is just flying by, no?

i, for one, am excited to use the new year as a jumping off point

for getting many goals & endeavors accomplished this year.

{artistically & personally}

i’ll just come right out and say this one:  i vow to be a better {and hopefully prolific} blogger.

{whew! there, i said it}

i wish you the best in achieving all of your new year goals.

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{found on pinterest ~ source unknown}

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okay…here are some busies & doings…

you may recall the sweet giraffe head i made for a friend’s new baby room.

so, i made a 1st christmas ornament for him…

{like i said – i’m sticking with the giraffe theme for little xavier}

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{paper mache & acrylic paint}

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and here’s a  project i’ve been meaning to do for quite a while.

my brother is a “deep sea” commercial diver

{see Pro Dive if you’re curious}

and he has a collection of all things vintage diver paraphernalia.

so i made this paper mache relief painting of a vintage deep sea diver under water…

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{2′ x 3′ canvas, paper mache & acrylic}

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the shoppe had a bunch of mustache orders in the last month or two

i don’t know if it had anything to do with the book or what

{but a lot of orders went to europe}

here’s a fan photo i received from one of my customers…

so fun!

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and looky here!

an iPhone app designer in the UK is making

a *ransom note generator* app out of my magazine cut-out letters!

neato!

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hey, check out my clever valentines section  in the shoppe

{i know, i know, “we just had christmas!”}

shake up that droll & unoriginal valentine gift {yawn}
with this one-of-a-kind papier mache heart trinkets {OoohAhhh!}

anyhoo ~ all items are discounted as they are left-over from last year.

have a great day!

create gratitude November 15, 2011

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“creativity is not inspired by the pressure of time ~ but by the freedom of playfulness & fun.”

deadlines kill creativity {via i am bored}

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“this is not just another day in your life…”

the art of gratitude {via rob brezsny}

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“what is most brilliant about photographs is that they capture colors.

fascinating colors and scenes that we overlook in daily life are creatively captured

by talented photographs through their cameras.”

images assured to induce an eyegasm {via thumbpress}

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gratitude {by oliveloaf design}

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“let your gratefulness overflow into blessings all around you~ then it will really be a good day.”

fall findings wreath November 5, 2011

i saw this cool autumn wreath wreath how-to over at make-hadmade.com & just had to give it a try.

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mr. d and i go wandering into the forests around le homestead quite often

& collect all kinds of souvenirs from mother nature.

so i rounded up some of these findings & few other doo-dads~

picked up a cheap vine-y, stick-wreath at a craft store & grabbed the glue gun…

i had moss & tree bark, pine-cones, twisted sticks & dried hibiscus blooms, feathers,

acorns, sweet gum seed pods, ribbons & twine.

{the bonus daughter – miss m – even found an abandoned bird nest}

et viola!

a pretty nifty seasonal wreath for your door or wherever – {but probably not meant for indoor use}

happy fall!