whimsical wednesday!

even though company will be arriving later today and they could have been invited to participate in whimsical wednesday with me, i could not wait.  at first light i was out to feed the animals and, soon after, i was roaming the trails, bucket in hand, poring over the leaves that carpeted the earth.

because the activity was supposed to be more of a game, i created one for myself.  at least 100 leaves had to be collected, if i touched a leaf it had to be put in the bucket.  the walking was slow and the leaf examination careful as i had to be sure before touching a leaf.  some were touched quickly for it was only an instant that i knew that particular leaf belonged in the bucket.  others took longer because those leaves were quiet and needed more time to be heard.

monday, after posting the activity for the upcoming whimsical wednesday, i was involved in my usual activity....joining the quilting group.  the group quilts for charity and all manner of quilts for all manner of persons are created.  my job is to machine sew together the layers of the small quilts for children.  as i sat at the machine i listened to the ladies complain about the leaves.  my ears perked up since leaves were on my mind......  oh, the colors were dull, not pretty this year. the leaves were falling too fast.  the leaves made a mess.  leaves from neighboring yards blow into their yards; they shouldn't have to rake leaves that don't belong to them.  the oak leaves are the worst because they fall all season long and into winter no less!   "oh, the nerve of those leaves!!!!" i thought as i listened and sewed.

there is no leaf raking on the farm.  the wind blows them about and they land where they land.  watching them blow about and come to live on the earth instead of in the trees brings great pleasure.  walking among them is like being with friends.  that is what i savored this morning as i gathered leaves.  the ones that shouted "look at me!" are vivid among the others and stand out; noticing them takes no effort.  the quiet ones are the ones that thrill me.  the colors, shading and patterns are subtle and reveal their beauty when picked up and looked at closely.  as i returned to the house, the bucket full of beautiful leaves, i thought, "the ladies don't know what they are missing!".

something had to be created with the leaves, per the dictates of the activity.  as i came into the kitchen i spied the cobalt blue bowl full of red apples on the table.  i instantly knew that would make a great home for the leaves.  the apples remained in place and the leaves positioned among them.  another game was played.  the leaves had to be placed in the bowl as they were layered in the bucket.  no picking and choosing.  this made the challenge of arranging more interesting.  one by one the leaves came out of the bucket, held and examined for shape, color and size, then placed where best suited the leaf and emerging arrangement.  when the bucket was empty and the bowl full of leaves and apples, i stepped back to admire.  ah, nice.

then i enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate!  =]

get ready.....

fall is a month along.  leaves are falling fast and furiously.  this whimsical wednesday, let's play in the leaves.  remember raking leaves into huge piles and jumping into them after a running start?  wonder why children enjoy such an activity.....  regardless of why, it is grand fun.  if you aren't inclined to rake, run and jump, collect leaves.  as many different types as you can find.  make something with them or just put them in a bowl or basket or bucket and enjoy their company for awhile.  then have a cup of hot chocolate.  with marshmallows!  share this activity with someone else or several someone elses as this activity would surely be more fun that way.

whimsical wednesday!

i had fun today!  armed with the dozen happy notes i crafted yesterday afternoon, i was about town.  all over town.  some places were destinations; others just looked like good places to leave a happy note.  happy notes were left on bulletin boards, in restrooms, on store shelves, on the restaurant table along with the tip where i lunched with a friend.  these were obviously anonymous.  i stopped by my sister's office and gave one for her to the secretary to put on her desk when she was out and since the secretary was happy to comply she got a happy note as well.  met a friend to pass a few items between us and she will have found a happy note in the bag i gave her.  the friend i had lunch with had one slipped into her purse when she was at the buffet getting dessert.  the last one was the first one i gave.  it was put in the mailbox for my very nice mail carrier to find.  when i returned home and got the mail the happy note was gone so she took it!  that made me giggle.  after leaving each happy note i wondered who would find it and if they were surprised and if it made them smile.  i wondered if the happy notes were left in place for others to find.  hopefully they brightened the day for those who encountered them.  this was much fun.  a whimsey project activity that bears repeating.

2010 southern illinois harvestfest

once again the whimsey project went to the mall!

a conceptual, found object scavenger hunt created by the whimsey project was included in the 2010 southern illinois harvestfest and hosted by times square mall.  people of all ages were invited to participate in the free scavenger hunt during regular mall hours for the duration (october 8th through 17th) of the harvestfest.

participants were instructed to seek out contained, fall related items placed in the public spaces of the mall then to write their discoveries on the available game cards.  completed game cards could be placed in the available gift bag for a chance to win a prize.

keegan neikes of sesser, illinois, won a ten dollar gift card to the mall's subway sandwich shop.  he will be able to take his mom and dad out for a treat!  (keegan's mom, tera, related that the three of them really enjoyed the scavenger hunt and thought it was a neat idea!    .....thank you, tera!)

and many thanks to bethany benjamin and the crew at times square mall for welcoming the whimsey project's harvestfest scavenger hunt.

below are photographs of my grandchildren completing the scavenger hunt.  we had fun playing too!

get ready.....

people love getting happy surprises.  doesn't matter what form, these surprises are grand.  this whimsical wednesday we will leave happy surprises for others in the form of notes.  leave them for family, friends, strangers.  put them anywhere someone else will discover them and be surprised and well, happy!

whimsical wednesday!

after a very long and very busy day, the thought of a long soak in a bubble bath sounded so inviting.  it was lovely.  lots of bubbles in the hot bath took away the wear of the day.  add the giggles that are rubber duckies and it was the perfect ending to a hectic day.  there is an impressive collection of rubber duckies arrayed along the rim of the tub in the guest bath; courtesy of the grandchildren.  the duckies are all sizes and dressed in various themed outfits or are just yellow.  they bobbed among the bubbles and me.  they reminded me of the genuine flock that resides on the lake just outside the front door.  the antics of both real and pretend makes me smile.

get ready.....

life was too hectic monday to post the activity for this week's whimsical wednesday.  today will be very busy as well.  that's why this week's activity is perfect.  on whimsical wednesday we will enjoy a bubble bath.  and play with rubber duckies if these inhabit the rim of your tub.  if you don't have a rubber duckie or two consider stopping at a store and pick up a few to float amount the bubbles with you.

whimsical wednesday!

it was a beautiful fall day.  perfect for walking the trails in the meadow to cut flowers.  there is a daisy like flower that blooms this time of year that i really love.  it's yellow and happy.  flower gathering had a recipient in mind.  my daughter was arriving via amtrak at noon and the flowers were for her.  the flowers and i made our way to the station.  when the train pulled in and she suddenly appeared i was standing there, happy yellow flowers in hand.  she grinned as soon as she saw me and her bouquet and said, "look at you!".  with a hug she took her flowers and our visit began.

get ready.....

the meadow is beautiful this time of year.  the fall flowers are vivid, plentiful and offers the last splashes of color before winter appears.  this week, pick flowers (if possible) and give them to anyone....a family member, a friend, mate or significant other, a stranger.  everyone loves flowers.  wednesday will find me in the meadow.  where will you find flowers to give?

whimsical wednesday!

photographs have been on my mind all week because i didn't know quite how to approach today's whimsical wednesday activity.  this morning i rummaged in the photographs and art supplies for frame decorating or album making ideas.  what i wanted to do with the photographs came to me immediately as i looked through a stack.  my sweet 18 year old zero doggie died in may and the 13 year old mutton doggie has a terminal illness and will soon be gone.  photographic focus, therefore, was looking for photographs of the dogs.  several photographs of both dogs appeared in the many photographs looked at.  each touched my heart and brought a happy and sad smile.  these photographs were set aside for another time.  a time to create an album for each doggie in tribute as both doggies are (and were) very, very special companions.  this would have been enough to fulfill the spirit of whimsical wednesday's activity, however, i wished to be involved still.  looking through the supplies i found the almost finished homemade photo albums that i began last year.  they have remained incomplete because illness sidelined the project when first undertaken and then everything else got priority.  today was the perfect opportunity to complete this project.  what was left to do was the finishing touches and that is the fun part!  each album was given the consideration needed to use just the right materials to make each one unique.  these are now arrayed on the table so they may be admired throughout the remainder of the day.  none are intended for me as they will be gifts.  they will be enjoyed today before being shared.  then others will be able to spend time with their photographs; whimsical wednesday or otherwise.

get ready.....

it's a beautiful fall day!  cooler, sunny and bright.  being outside is so glorious.  that is the setting for wonderful moments.  we capture moments on photographs.  aren't photographs amazing creations?  we can look at one and feel in response.  for this whimsical wednesday, let's revisit our photographs.  dig them out.  look at them.  savor them.  share them if possible.  talk about them.  it would be grand if you could create something special for  one or a special few and put them in a new album that you have purchased or made yourself.  or get a frame or decorate a frame for those favorite few.  put these somewhere around the house where you can enjoy them even if just for awhile before putting them away again.

whimsical wednesday!

when announcing this wednesday's activity i knew i wanted to make a huge pot of vegetable beef soup.  there's a touch of fall in the air and soup felt just right.  my mother makes a grand pot of vegetable beef soup and that's the memory i tapped into for what i cooked.  there was always the dilemma.....eat the portion of beef allotted in the soup or have it on bread with ketchup!  decisions, decisions! choices, choices!!  growing up i finally got wise about this dilemma and enjoyed half of the beef in the soup and the other half on bread with ketchup.  oh, how wonderful it was to have figured out how to have it both ways.  mom's soup is still my favorite and i try to make mine taste just like hers.

because soup is much tastier when it's simmered for a long time i began the pot of soup on monday.  it was early, obviously, but i couldn't bear to have half-ready soup to enjoy on whimsical wednesday.  as it simmered and i savored and anticipated, i invited friends to enjoy soup with me for lunch.  they enjoyed it just as much as i did.  we had soup and talked and had a very pleasant few hours sharing together.  they each took home a container to enjoy later.  after all,  when making soup it's always much tastier when there's a large batch simmering in a huge pot!  mutton doggie enjoyed it as well because she was allowed to lick the bowls when we were finished.   a neighbor just had surgery so homemade vegetable beef soup was packaged for that household as well.  there's plenty left for me to have later and to put in the freezer for another time.   this was a grand whimsical wednesday because i shared with others based on a warm memory of my mother that i could actually physically experience.  for me, food is a genuine form of love.

get ready.....

this whimsical wednesday, let's bake or cook; something from scratch, not from a box or frozen.  something that evokes a special memory or tradition.  it doesn't matter if it's cookies, soup or cinnamon toast.  make it and share it.  savor the doing, the enjoying, the remembering.  share your experience with us.

whimsical wednesday!

listening can be hard work.  we are so used to being bombarded by sound that we tune most of it out.  we miss a great deal of the world because of this factor.  my listening today consisted of several intense sessions.  in between the nothing but listening i found i was more attuned to the sounds around me than i was otherwise.  throughout the day i listened (notice i didn't say "heard"?) to the sounds of different birds.  they were calling or answering or just singing.  dogs barked in the distance.  one's plaintive cry brought tears to my eyes.  i could only hope he was eased very soon.  the kitty laid on me and i listened to her breathe and purr and the sound of my hand stroking her fur.  i giggled when i listened to the sound of her snoring which sounded like higher pitched zzzzs.  with my eyes closed i knew what the dog was up to.  the sound of her nails on the various flooring in the house.  the crunch of her food as she ate.  the lapping of water from the water bowl when she got a drink.  the coming and going of vehicles on the blacktop beyond the country road that leads to the farm.  i wondered what the drivers were doing; where they were going and what they set out to accomplish for the day.  and, if they were coming north away from town, had they accomplished their missions.  the ducks quacked in all their vocalizations; a familiar sound i never tire of.  the rustle of leaves on the trees as the wind picked up throughout the day caused me to hope that rain was coming.  listening colors the world as a child colors in the spaces of a picture in a coloring book.  my world was brighter today because i listened.

get ready.....

i am just returned from a hectic trip.  in fact, since beginning the whimsey project in july, life has been very hectic.  for this whimsical wednesday let's be quiet and still.  if you can manage an hour of calm, sit somewhere comfortable and inviting, and listen to all the various sounds that surround you.  it'll be amazing just how much there is to hear.

whimsical wednesday!

only one card was created today but it took a long time because it's quite a card.  last night i began thinking of what materials to use and what the card should look like.  the finished product turned out better than imagined.  the card is tall and narrow as i used a wine bottle bag for the card itself.  it's brown like a paper bag and has purple grape clusters all over it.  a great foundation.  the front was plastered with stickers of all varieties on the grapes.  inside a pocket was created from the bottle of the bag and the greeting part of the card was put on a mini card that can be removed to turn over and read (the front of the mini card is of a pine tree with gold pinecones).  more stickers decorate the top and bottom across both sides of the card.  and the fronts of other cards, one christmas and one valentine's day, were added.  these had friendship messages.  more stickers on the cards and stickers on the pocket. stickers, stickers, stickers.....ducks, smiley faces in all shapes, sizes and colors, kitty cats, flags, flowers, bunnies, some of the united states, hearts.  oh, this card is magnificent!  it's large too so it had to be put in a large manila envelope to be mailed.  it's been mailed to a special friend.  a friend with alzheimer's disease.  this card will offer much to look at and touch.  i hope it is enjoyed as much as i enjoyed making it.

get ready.....

let's create this whimsical wednesday.  create and share.  make a homemade card.  use very simple materials like a piece of paper for the printer or lined notebook paper used for schoolwork or construction paper or old wrapping paper, whatever is available at home.  decorate with crayons, markers, pictures cut out of any catalogue (i enjoy using seed/nursery catalogues because the pictures are of flowers).  send the card in whatever envelope you have handy to someone you'd like to enjoy the pleasure of finding real mail in the real mailbox.  if you are in a very creative, generous mood, make and send more than one.  enjoy!

WORK! an installation......

the whimsey project went to the mall!  as a labor day tribute, an interactive art installation entitled WORK! was created.  the installation, employing the principles of found object art, was an interpretation of the work condition.  viewers were invited to be participants by either journaling about work experiences or, if too young to work now, what jobs might be wanted as well as posting business cards in the installation.  if participants did not have business cards, provisions were available for business cards to be created to post.  the following photographs are of the installation.

whimsical wednesday

today's whimsical wednesday was grand.  there were several errands to tend to so the first stop was the dollar store in order to secure balloons.  five red heart shaped balloons were selected.  they were tethered to red ribbons.  they bounced about me as i carried them to the car.  it makes me giggle to put balloons in the car.  they seem to have a life of their own!  the first stop after getting balloons was to an office.  in i went, carrying the first red heart shaped balloon.  after conducting my business i thanked the person behind the desk and said, "here, this is for you!" and handed her the balloon that i carried in but paid absolutely no attention to as if carrying balloons was something quite routine.  she had noticed it but said nothing until she took it with a smile and said, "why, thank you!".  out the door i went.  there were at least three more such encounters to enjoy.  the second and third balloons were given at the same place.  i stopped at my sister's workplace so that i could surprise her with a balloon.  she was happy, happy.  she asked what the occasion was and i told her it was balloon day and here was her balloon.  "national balloon day?" she asked.  "if you want it to be, yes." i responded.  giggle....  she caught on.  her secretary was so happy about my sister getting a balloon that i gave her one as well.   a big grin and a me too and a thank you was my reward.  time to move on as there was still many stops to make.  next came the mall.  as i was walking in a mother with a wee girl was walking out.  this wee one was so cute that i knew she was the one to get the balloon i had in my hand.  i asked her, "would you like my red balloon?"  to which she replied, "oh yes!  i would!"  "then please ask your mother if it's ok if i give it to you."  she looked up at her mother with that look of please that children offer parents when something is hoped for.  mom said yes!  she grinned and i grinned and the mother grinned as i tied the balloon on the wee one's wrist.  i looked back as i walked away and saw the two of them grinning at one another and so happy to have a red balloon.  the grocery store was the final stop of the day.  there was one balloon remaining.  should i keep this one for myself or give it away?  as i parked another vehicle pulled in next to me and the dude driving, i noticed, was smiling and seemed to be enjoying his day.  it struck me that this guy would really like a balloon.  he was already well on his way into the store and i neither wanted to wait for him to return or chase him through the store, therefore, i tied the balloon to the side mirror on the driver's door.  he would have the surprise when he returned.  by the time i was finished shopping and returned to my car his was gone so i could only imagine his reaction to receiving a red heart shaped balloon.  hopefully he was as happy as everyone else that received a balloon on this whimsical wednesday. 

get ready.....

on whimsical wednesday, share.  get a balloon for you and one for a friend.  or get several and give them all away (but it would be nice to have one too so keep one).  if there's a dollar store in your area, shop there first.  if the store carries helium filled balloons they are, obviously, only a dollar a piece.  that's a bargain!  lots of whismey for your buck!  hold on to your balloons!