Energy begets energy

My mom always said, "Energy begets energy." The more energy you expend, the more you create, so you have even more to expend again. I think she was trying to get a lazy teenager to get up and do something but she was right. I notice that when I am creative and step outside of the usual repetitiveness of making the same things, I produce more creative thoughts and energy. I have been making lots of things lately that are pushing my creative forces and the energy is coming out in many directions. Yesterday, I sat down and banged out some new tree toppers. Their purpose is to hide the raw top of the Christmas tree and put that extra piece of jewelry on the Christmas tree to make it look really special. I use empty weaving cones. (The cones are recycled from when I use up all the wool off of a spool in a weaving project - I just can't throw anything away.) I have made many different themes in the past. Last year I made a single one with polka dots and it sold immediately. It was too late in the holiday season to make another but I catalogued the idea for this year and am making many more. The polka dots are made of recycled scraps of handmade papers from my studio, and the paper star at the top is made from pages of an old, damaged dictionary. (I made sure to use the pages that featured words like handmade, star, Christmas and other words relevant to the holiday season. I have to admit that I found my name in the dictionary, so I snuck it onto one of the double-sided stars just for fun.)

I am selling this one on Etsy to show my diversity, but the rest of them are being wrapped up for delivery to my artisans cooperative for our big holiday display and show. Then maybe I will see what it feels like to sit down and let relaxation wash over me. Or maybe not.