Delirium translates into colourful recycling and two sneak peeks

Delirium:

I've had about three hours sleep in total in the last three nights and not a lot more than that each night in the week preceding. It's not good for the brain, not to mention the body, which is looking more droopy and haggard by the hour. Delirium has set in. Stupid brain. Everyone knows sleeping on an upset or dilemma is a good idea but my brain is just not buying it. Everyone also knows that sleep deprivation is a form of torture but apparently my mind thinks it knows better. Or maybe it knows it full well? 

Either way, I have come to accept that when there's something on my mind it takes me into reclusive mode but doesn't necessarily like to sleep on it. Although, sometimes it does go the other way and wants to sleep every hour of the day and night, which is a different kind of challenge.  But it's one extreme or the other and I'm not really sure which is worse. This time it's taking the little or no sleep route.

So, what does one do with all those extra waking hours?  I used to be an eight-hour-a-night-or-simply-cannot-function type of a girl but I've learnt not to fight the insomnia now and in these times I watch a lot of movies on dvd, surf the net, even manage to read a bit - not that I remember much of anything afterwards. It's just about distraction. Hoping that I'll fool my head into following where my body longs to go. Normally I'm not up for much that's vaguely creative or even constructive - although I have been known to clean the house at 3am when all else is failing to distract, and that's somewhat constructive I suppose. But, I digress....

The past two nights I've left my bed - after staring into the dark for long enough to be convinced that sleep is not an option - and have been trying to do something creative to help force me through the cycle.

I'm very much a dabbler when it comes to these things.  I've always enjoyed writing but never did art at school past primary level and, although I've always loved colour and texture and collage, only truly entertained the idea that I might be visually creative when I hit my 30s. Now I'm often frustrated that I can't draw or paint as well as I would like to and that what I see in my head seldom translates onto the page or canvas, so I tend to avoid the frustration by avoiding the craft. 

What do you mean Michelangelo/Da Vinci/Picasso practiced and practiced to get that good?!? I'd prefer to plug myself into a progamme downloader like they used in The Matrix and just acquire the skills - preferably during a nap please.

Sneak Peek Number 1:

Aaaannyway, practiced or not, I do enjoy paper & mixed media art 'cause I can get away with not having to draw or paint much. Although I've not done anything for some time I've recently been persuaded to revisit the idea of making mini books. I did make a little concertina book for a friend once, which was quite fun and she seemed to like it, but this time I wanted to try and make a loose-leaf book using only bits and pieces I have lying around at home. And although I live in a small apartment, I have lots of stuff that qualifies as 'bits and pieces' tucked away.  

I'm a hoarder (although I prefer the title Collector of Eclectic Treasures and Materials) and am always hanging on to all sorts, thinking that I'll find a use for them one day. And in fairness, I often do, even if it is 10 years down the line.  

I also cannot resist stationery and have a collection of stationery supplies that would stock a small shop - although I am much better about this than I used to be and try to recycle a lot more, which dramatically reduces the necessity (or excuse) to buy stuff. I don't scrapbook but I like all the pretty papers and goodies that scrapbooking and craft stores make available and I've given in to the temptation of some of those too. I've also never really mastered the rubber stamp but that hasn't stopped me buying a couple over the years, just in case I one day win the Matrix style Ph.D. in Rubber-Stamping download in a blog giveaway or something. Doesn't harm to be prepared. Just one of this and two of that, but it all adds up now to a sizeable stash.

My plan then is to try and use at least some of the things that are just lying around in one of many Ikea boxes, unappreciated by anyone but the sad part of me that loves to know that when exactly the right project for the sticker of a cute snail that I bought 8 years ago, and have carried to four new homes in the interim comes up (yes, really), I will be able to produce it!

You notice that with delirium comes waffle too?

So, what was the point I was trying to make about 4 paragraphs ago?  Oh yes, recycling, making things, mini-book experiment... Well, I think despite lack of sleep or perhaps because of it, this weekend I've made one I quite like and hope the recipient will quite like too.  My beloved sister, who is often the guinea pig for my little projects and always manages to seem pleased to receive them, is the inspiration for this first mini-book, made 'specially for her, by me, with love. She does sometimes pop over to this blog so I'll not give it all away but here's a peek...

I used a variety of words that come to mind when I think of my sister as prompts:

• Beautiful (inside and out)
  
• Intuitive
• Loving
• Loyal
• Creative (she sews and embroiders exquisitely as well as being a wonderful photographer)
• Fun
• Sister
  
• Friend
• Mother
  
• Hearts
• Flowers (Daisies in particular)
• Pink, Green, Turquoise
  
• Far away

It just seemed to come together effortlessly as these things magically do sometimes and I bought absolutely nothing to do it. Although I will be needing a new glue stick now.

 

Recycled in this project:

• A number of tags and labels - off clothing and other purchases
  
• 3 odd buttons - those spares that come with clothes that I have to cut out because they otherwise drive me mad as bumps in my seams
  
• Rhinestones left over from a fancy-dress costume made for New Year 2007
  
• An Italian public-telephone calling card - saved since my last trip to Rome in 2003
  
• Wrapping paper from a gift received for my Birthday last year
  
• Sparkly flower confetti from the same gift
• French, Australian and British stamps
  
• Various images out of magazines and catalogues - cutting these out is something I have done since I was a child and I find is another distracting but not too mentally challenging insomnia activity 
  
• A paper serviette - loved the colourful design so couldn't bring myself to use all of them at mealtimes
  
• Plastic sleeve from a purchased card or something similar - have a pile of these!
  
• Orange sticky back paper bought for a presentation project at work that in the end did not require it all
  
• Several postcards - including one bought and written but never posted on a wonderful trip to Positano that my sister and I enjoyed together some years ago
  
• Cereal boxes cut down for cardboard 'pages' to cover & collage - great weight, not too heavy, not too flimsy
  
• Envelopes sent to me by friends - one already made out of recycled paper as seen here - recycling recycling woohoo!
  
• Bubble wrap that protected recent Etsy purchase en route to me - simply cannot throw this stuff away although I have heaps more than I'll ever need
  
• Beads from various sources - including a favourite necklace of my sister's that broke about 3 years ago
  
• A pretty teabag sachet - the tea was nice too
• Gold and coloured foils from chocolate wrappings - they still smell of chocolate - yummy!
• Old sheet music - can't remember where that came from
• A butterfly cut from a gift tag - given to me at some point since I moved to this city almost three years ago
• White card - from inside stockings purchased to wear to Tango
• Pink felt cut from what was once quite a nice little money purse owned by a friend - it had a broken zip so she was going to throw it away along with some other junk but I retrieved it from the pile because I love felt and liked the colour...
  
• Ribbon - various bits but the longest rescued from a blouse on the same pile as the felt purse and was going into the bin after being scorched by an iron
  
• A variety of plastic do-dats from heaven knows where - some I know I have shamelessly picked up on the street and one from someone's earring that I found attached to my scarf after a too-close-for-comfort rush-hour Tube ride in London
• The cute snail sticker (and others) - not strictly recycled but saved from obscurity in the box where they have all lived for years!

In truth it's hardly dented the volume of stuff (I guess maxi books would be the way to do that) but recycling is incredibly satisfying, isn't it?  And now that I've unpacked my stash...  friends and family beware - mini books all 'round this Christmas I think! Just what you've always wanted?  I've already made a start on my next one... for a very dear friend who is still waiting for the Birthday present I made her in September but then decided I didn't like so haven't yet posted.... Perhaps two mini books will make it up to her?

Don't worry E, if you read this, I wouldn't do that to you! Just the one I promise...

Sneak Peek Number 2:

Okay, so if you've made it this far through this post, you're probably a little delirious yourself.  And should be congratulated for your staying power.  

If you've just skipped straight to the end of the post (perhaps to make a comment about long-winded posts) I don't hold it against you.

Either way, I did promise two sneak peeks and the second is that this week, on Wednesday, I am going to be announcing my first ever GIVE-AWAY...  I'm very excited about this.  I love, love, LOVE the idea of give-aways. I've been waiting for an appropriate time to do one and I've decided November it is.

So, if you are willing to risk being the recipient of a delirium-induced creative recycling project (and some other goodies) check back later in the week to see what's required...

I have to be up for work in less than 5 hours now so I'm going to go to bed in the hope that my brain will surrender tonight and let me get some rest before the working week begins. Hope you have a good Monday!