Supporting ICAF with 2010 Creativity Portal Calendar Donations November-30-2009
Nurturing Creativity, Empathy in Children Globally
I've chosen the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) as the recipient charity to receive 100% of the donations Creativity Portal receives from generous arts- and creativity-supporting donors from the 2010 calendar download page now through December 31, 2011.
My professional connection with ICAF executive director Ashfaq Ishaq began in 2003 when he contributed two noteworthy articles for publication to the Creativity Portal, Fostering Creativity in Children Through Arts and Creativity + Children = Peace.
At that time I was also subscribed to ICAF's ChildArt magazine, which I credit to influencing me greatly to becoming more in touch with my inner creative child (feels wonderful!) and focused on developing a collection of kid-friendly projects, e-playbooks, and playshops that I've enjoyed facilitating at Womanspace in Rockford, Illinois, since 2007.
My decision to support ICAF with the 2010 calendar has also renewed my resolve to be an active proponent for nurturing creativity and empathy in children worldwide through connection and collaboration through Creativity Portal and beyond.
Well, okay, The Black Eyed Peas also have something to do with it — their song "One Tribe" from E.N.D. is currently looping on my MP3 playlist. "We're all one people...let's catch amnesia...forget about all that evil...connecting and uniting...let love and peace lead you..." I'm going through a growth stage where I've evidently gained some clarity about my purpose in the world.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Chris Dunmire's Inspiring Free Printable 2010 Calendar
November-28-2009
Free to Download and Print Now!
I've been creating my free printable calendars each year since 2003, but unfortunately skipped 2009. This month, freshly inspired (even after dry-heaving in bed with the flu yesterday) and with plenty of photos from Arizona, my yard, and my good friend Pam's yard, I've finally got my 2010 printable calendar primed for download for anyone in the world who wants it, and with a whole month to spare!
I must say, this year's design has to be my best ever, and I only say this because it's totally pulled together into a 7 x 9.75" format in full, glorious color with my own photos, something I've never done before. (The 2008 calendar did have photos, but I experimented with a sepia/duotone color scheme.) So celebrate this proud moment with me — ta da! My official 2010 inspirational calendar is available for free download/print at:
www.creativity-portal.com/calendar
Directly above is a preview of the November page. I took the photo of the purple flower used in the design back in 2004 when I was watching spring happen for the first time in my life after reading Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now. Isn't it pretty? Things in nature make beautiful design elements with their colors, textures, complements, and contrasts.
For the curious, this year I'm trying out a donation button on the calendar's download page with a charitable arts twist for anyone who wishes to donate (not required, but appreciated). People sometimes ask for such things, so I'm just being proactive here... and well, I think supporting the arts is a good thing! :-)
Please feel free to share the link to the calendar download page with anyone who might enjoy such free calendar-y things.
Inspiredly yours with a touch of the flu still bugging me. •
Irene Anderson's Popcorn Art Showcase November-17-2009
Kernels of Inspiration, Poppin' Ideas
I am so excited and grateful when perfect strangers feel courageously inspired to share their creative things after happening upon the great wide portal to creative possibilities.
Recently, I was contacted by the daughter of 69-year-old Irene Anderson, Crystal, who's mother has taken to the unique form of popcorn art, creating starchy snackerpieces and painted proofs that possibilities in creative expression can occur anywhere. Yes, popcorn art!
Years ago, after being inspired myself by the popcorn art done by Harry Kalenberg featured in the Ripley's Believe it Or Not museum, intermixed with cloud gazing (lazing on your back in the green grass on a warm, sunny day contemplating imaginative nouns in the shapes of poofy white clouds), I produced a special Be Creative! Popcorn Art Project, begging the question: What do YOU see in the popped kernel? The invitation for photo submissions still stands.
Crystal was kind and generous to send me so many photos of her mother's popcorn art (taken recently at a gallery showing at the Washing County Library in Virginia), with permission to share them with the creative community, that I felt obliged to establish an entire virtual gallery of artful imaginations you just have to see to believe. The angel above is only one example of what Irene has done; others include fish and coral, birds, fox in bushes, elephant, old woman, and others. Amazing! •
'How to Make a Dollar Bill Origami Money Plant' Instructions for Amazon Kindle November-16-2009
Now Available for Kindle Users!
I'm thrilled to introduce my very first Amazon.com product offering released today through Amazon's Kindle store: My original 'Cashius monetarius' How to Make a Dollar Bill Origami Money Plant (ISBN 978-0-9843058-4-1) project instructions e-book formatted specifically for Amazon Kindle users! ...
Balancing Rock at Chiricahua National Monument
in Southern Arizona
Tombstone, Arizona, News & Views November-14-2009
Arizona Tourism Tidbits Keeping in touch with the Old West isn't a challenge for a Chicagoan with today's version of the Pony Express: The Internet. In fact, one even needn't a door-delivery subscription to The Tombstone News, I read it every Friday online.
Nor should I forget my favorite "Tombstone Arizona's History and Information Journal" the Tombstone Times, a monthly publication "with Arizona facts, stories, and tourist information." (Remember, my Artist Soul Retreat essay was published in this journal.)
Which speaking of tourism, no online surfist would be as fulfilled without checking out Tombstone's own Chamber of Commerce Web site, complete with a live Web-cam feed of famous historic Allen Street. Check it out during the daytime, it's pretty wild seeing tourists touring in real time. Funny, I keep waving to them, but they don't wave back.
This southwestern plug has been brought to you by Chicago's dreary November weather, lack of sunshine, and cold mornings. Look at this photo (below) that I took in southern Arizona last year about this time. Oh how I miss the sunny, sunny, sunshine; poofy clouds; and dinosaur-sleeping mountains of Arid-zona ("it's dry heat!"). Bleh, winter's not even here yet. I must go admonish myself with that List What You're Thankful For article.
Patagonia State Park in Southern Arizona
Soft, Rubber Stamp-Like Kitty Toes November-13-2009
Cute Things That Inspire Me
One day not so long ago I remarked to my cat that her paws looked like rubber stamps. She ignored me in favor of cleaning the nibs of her toes. Then I said, "Remember when you left a footprint in my neatly-raked Zen garden?" She stopped licking for a moment and looked at me as if it mattered. "I didn't get mad because it was such a darling impression of you." I wrote about that experience exactly one year ago. ...
Nurture Your Creativity #12: List What You're Thankful For
November-10-2009
26 Ways to Nurture Your Creative Life
Much has been written about gratitude throughout the centuries in both religious and secular contexts, and with a common theme: Gratitude is a positive attitude or emotion that benefits us greatly when it's employed. Being grateful is also a nurturing quality to our creative lives, in that it opens us up in more ways than one. ...
365 Pictures November Collaborators November-6-2009
Shout Outs: Web Sites & Blogs
Creativity Portal's 365 Pictures daily photo prompter is cycling through! Here's the wealth of creative talent this prompt pool is drawing from during the month of November, alphabetically for your convenience:
Interview with Modern-Day Muse Aha-Phrodite
November-5-2009
Paying Attention & Possibilities
Aha! No, make that Aha-Phrodite — Jill Badonsky's (themuseisin.com) creativity inspiring Modern Day Muse of paying attention and possibilities. Paying attention to what? What kinds of possibilities? If your curious mind wants to know, it's all laid out here in #2 of 10 forthcoming revealing interviews between Molly Anderson-Childers and each of The Nine Modern-Day Muses (and a Bodyguard).
If you're unfamiliar with previous discussions on Aha-Phrodite, you might want to do your homework here and read up on her profile. Meanwhile, anticipate Aha-Phrodite's revealing answer to Molly's questioning:
"Name one way that every mortal, no matter who they are or what their circumstances may be, can find inspiration and creative possibilities on the most ordinary of days." •
Free Printable! Thanksgiving Day Word Search Puzzle
November-2-2009
Sample from Season's & Holidays Word Search Puzzles
Here's your chance to try a printable word search puzzle from my new e-book collection Season's & Holidays Word Search Puzzles designed especially for classroom handouts in mind. Scroll down the page to find the sample Thanksgiving Puzzle in a printable PDF format. Teachers have my permission to print and use this puzzle for Thanksgiving themed classroom activities. If you like the puzzle, consider purchasing the whole licensed e-book for personal and classroom use all year long. Enjoy! • |
