Monday, January 16, 2017

Creative Ink Festival


Three years ago, the amazing Sandra Wikham had an idea.  Sandra likely had the idea a lot longer then three years ago, but I found out about it three years ago so that is where I come in.  Sandra wanted to create an event where creative people (of all types) could work on their projects in an encouraging environment, with "enforced" quite time and built in breaks to chat with other people. Thus Creative Ink Club was created.

Penguins at Sunset
Being a non-writer myself, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Creative Ink.  I though it was an amazing idea, but if I didn't write what was I going to do?  However I like to encourage my friends in their endeavours whenever possible so attend Creative Ink Club I did.

It was amazing!  Everyone who attend was so encouraging, the "enforced" quite time really made you stop and think for a while and get to work and the mingle time breaks were just the right length.  I drew a picture of penguins.  I hadn't drawn anything in a long time and it was sure nice to be encouraged to do something creative.  Other people who attended worked on screenplays, writing stories, poems, blog posts and there were even a few people just doing homework or knitting/crocheting.

This event was my first exposure to the Creative Ink Festival.  I love the fact that the Festival is open to everyone, for writers, readers and artists.  I've seen other writing festivals in the past online and always felt that as only a reader that the cost of these festivals was not worth my time or money, nor would I get much out of them.  I can honestly say that The Creative Ink Festival is for everyone, writer or not, you will get something out of the festival.

Last year I helped Sandra with a bit a volunteering at the badge pick-up booth.  I hadn't purchased tickets to the event, but figured I could help Sandra out where I could.  I should have purchased tickets, everyone who picked up their badge was so nice, and very enthusiastic to be there, the energy was just amazing and I loved every moment that I was there.  All of the panels looked like they would be very informative, interesting and fun to attend, even for a non-writer like myself.  I also had a bunch of friends who attended the entire weekend of the festival, and the stories they came back to me with about how much fun they had made me really disappointed that I didn't just get tickets myself.

This year I'm not making the same mistake as last year.  I will be going to The Creative Ink Festival, for only $80 for three days of panels, I really feel that I will be getting my money's worth.  As for the my original exposure to Creative Ink (Ink Club), well Sandra has also included an Ink Club event at the Festival.  I encourage you to check it out if you can find the time.

As for myself I'm really excited to attend the Hands on Calligraphy with Barbara Gordon panel.  Sandra has been told I'm not available to volunteer during that time.

Links:
The Creative Ink Festival
2017 Programming: Descriptions of Presentations and Panels
Sandra Wickham



Musical Heart

It happened one day, a good friend sat me down and asked if I would be one of her bridesmaids for her upcoming wedding.  Of course I said yes.  Over the next few months we talked plenty of times about wedding details, mostly all the crafting the bride herself was doing.  Making soap, decorations, centrepieces.  The things she and her soon to be husband were creating for the wedding were beautiful and unique and just like the couple they are.  During all this talk the bride and I did discuss wedding gifts.  For her, just my being there and purchasing a bridesmaid dress for the wedding was enough, she didn't want any additional gift.  For a lot of months I didn't really think about gifts, figuring we had it all sorted, then one day inspiration struck.  

A little bit of background on the musical heart.  

(I completely forgot I was writing this blog originally starting it in 2015 and rediscovered it Jan 2017 while going to write a blog about the Creative Ink Festival - more on that later)...now back to the blog

When the bride and groom first moved in together, it was during a change in my life, as I was separating from my now ex-husband.  I needed a place to live.  Turns out the groom was leaving the perfect place and it was a nice and cozy and affordable place, and I was able to move into it.  On the door of the suite, was this musical heart.  The groom loved this heart and for both the bride and groom music has been a huge part of their lives.  Personally I was never a fan of this heart being on the door and I ended up covering it up with a Penguin wall hanging I had, but I always knew it was underneath and how much it mattered to the bride and groom.

A few months earlier, before I started making this musical heart, I just started to learn cross-stitch, having only completed one project so far (with tons of mistakes).  Undertaking this new project, including creating the pattern for it, was quite the challenge.  I was so pleased how it turned out in the end, and the bride and groom loved it.