Out On A Whim Wednesday: Papercut Yei Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Garbage In, Garbage Out

On my recent trip to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, I purchased two books that jumped out at me in the museum gift shop.  The first I told you about yesterday (still LOVING that book every single minute!!!!).  The second book I bought I devoured on the plane ride home from Houston.  It is called Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon.  For anyone who does anything creative, personally or professionally (ie all of us), I totally recommend this wonderful little book!  One of the chapters in the book is entitled Garbage In, Garbage Out.  Kleon reflects back on how his mom used to say this to him and it would drive him nuts!  Now, however, the phrase really sticks...and it does for me too!  As he says, you are only going to be as good as the stuff you surround yourself with.  Think about that.  I started thinking about all the "stuff" that gets consumed by my mind when I watch inane tv or web surf on popular news websites.  If what I'm taking in is garbage, it is no wonder that there is no fodder for my creative self to draw from!  So I'm trying to be more conscious of what I let in (mind you, I'm trying...I am not succeeding as much as I would like yet, but I am making progress :).  Instead of turning on the tv the other day, I turned the pages of an art book and took in the images on the pages.  Instead of having Law & Order reruns playing in the background in the craft room, I turned the tv to a jazz music station and let the music inspire me in the background.  Maybe it's time to stop analyzing what is coming out of your creative process and ask yourself instead, "What am I putting into it?"
Today's Out On A Whim card is a continued exploration of papercutting in the craft room.  Michael is infatuated with Native American art - particularly older pieces - and he reads and researches about the topic constantly.  There is always an American Indian Art magazine somewhere nearby.  I was flipping through one the other day and was stuck by the Yei figures woven into some of the Native American weavings.  The image combined with my recent exploration of papercutting and I decided to create a card for him using a Yei-like image and my card stock :)  As a first attempt, I was pretty pleased with the outcome...and he is already inquiring if I can make a whole set for him :)  Hobby knife, here I come :)