Wanting to create something, trying to get over the distractions

I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel best when I'm being creative.

A few hours at a crop, seeing the photos and papers coming together into scrapbook pages....
A couple of hours at my art table, turning found objects into Steampunk-style jewelry or textural art...
Grabbing some paper, paints, sketching pens and brushes and heading out to do some little paintings of a leaf, a flower or even an interesting twig....

I lose myself, and all sense of time when I create.  I smile, even if I'm completely alone.  I feel energized after, as though the creating fed something that was hungry.

So here's my question...if it feels so good, and I get so much joy from it, WHY DON'T I DO MORE OF IT????

Why is it so hard for me to find/take the time to spend 3 hours creating, when I know the benefits will last for days?  Am I the only one, or do others have the same experience? If you do, what is it that's keeping us from art?

The many shades of pink....

Did you know that there are a least (at most?) 32 words which contain the work pink? Well, 31, if you leave off pink itself. Some of them I know, most I had no clue about...so here's the list, along with my personal guesses about the meaning of a few of them -- and dictionary definitions for those of you who simply must know the real meaning.

firepink - I think this is a new color dreamed up by the fashionistas on South Beach ("This season's hottest look will be firepink feathered skirts, topped with..." 

firepinks - The plural of course, always in a sentence with the most improbable combination of colors or patterns...as in "Consider mixing bold zebra stripes in aqua and orange with your firepinks"


(In reality, at least beyond my own, firepink is an alternate spelling for a wildflower that is, surprisingly, usually quite red.) 

Thank you, U.S. Forest Service for this lovely red "firepink"

pink
pinked


pinken - This is the missing brother in the classic children's bedtime poem/fairytale "Winkin, Blinkin and Nod"   After a falling out with the other brothers over the distribution of royalties for their first gig at the Garden (as in the Enchanted, not Madison), Pinkin changed his name to Pinken, and started his solo career as a singing tour guide. Unfortunately, he had incredibly bad luck in picking locations and travelers for his tours, and after the "Real Housewives of New Jersey Luxury Tour of Iraq and Afghanistan" turned out to be an epic fail in late 2009, he disappeared into obscurity, eking out a living delivering singing telegrams and waving down hungry motorists while dressed in a chicken suit.

(As an aside, after their Garden debut, brothers Winkin, Blinkin and Nod shot to the top of the nursery charts, and have graced the walls, blankets and sleepers of babies ever since. No one, however, can sing their theme song well.)

pinkened - A past tense verb used to describe a meteoric fall from imminent success by making a really dumb choice at the worst possible moment. 

pinkening  - A common slang term for shooting yourself in the foot.  Active verb. 

Image from www.elfwood.com

The real meaning?  This was disappointing...it is "to become more pink"  wow.....

After that let down, I think I will let the rest of you play.

Send me your best, most creative definition for any of the remaining terms on this list.  Post it on your blog and send a link.  Pictures count for extra points.  And just for fun, I will give a random player a surprise gift from sunny but sooo chilly right now South Florida. 

pinkens
pinker
pinkers
pinkest
pinkey
pinkeye
pinkeyes
pinkeys
pinkie
pinkies
pinking
pinkings
pinkish
pinkishness
pinkishnesses
pinkly
pinkness
pinknesses
pinko
pinkoes
pinkos
pinkroot
pinkroots
pinks
pinky

Happy Pink Saturday! 

PS...My favorite holiday movie is "Christmas in Connecticut" -- as a writer, I can soooo completely identify with the main character!

Being cold makes me want to bake

It's chilly here in Florida...50's right now, 40's during the night. It's a wonderful change from the super, super hot summer we had where I thought I would melt.

An interesting side effect of the colder weather -- I want to bake.  I want to fill the house with yummy smells and pretty pies and breads. Never mind that I eat none of the former, and little of the latter.  I still want to bake.  And someone will eat it!

So tonight, I am going to bake....maybe cookies....I think I have everything I need for luscious buttery cookies....

Flour....

Sugar.....

Vanilla....

Sea salt....

Butter....

And a pinch of baking soda....

And maybe just a hint of cinnamon....

The whole house will smell like winter, like holidays, like family.

What better medicine for stress and worry than the smell of a freshly baked cookie? What greater yet simple joy than taking one, so very hot, right from the baking sheet, and tossing it hand to hand until it's just barely cool enough to bite into....

Tonight, we are baking!