Crossing over...

First of all, I'd like to thank Bryant for giving me the name for this blog... Here's a new challenge for all of you out there who read my blog... I'd like to name each blog entry throughout this creative process something to do with crosses... Bryant was kind enough to give me a few without me even having to ask... LOL.  If any of you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them...no matter how cheesy or cliche they sound, please still share.  And if I choose one of your suggestions to title a blog, I will send you either the project made or a picture of the project if gifting it isn't practical or possible (see the example below of a project that isn't possible to send).  Thanks!!
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Ok...so here's day two of the challenge: Use something that normally annoys/frustrates you.
So, here's a little back story... there are Boysenberries all over the sidewalks downtown.  No one bothers to clean them up, so they turn into mush from people walking over them and attract flies with the stink of rotten fruit.  This wouldn't really be a big deal for me since I don't live downtown.  However, the parking spot I use when I go visit Caleb sits under a Boysenberry tree.  I have cleaned off the spot before only to have it covered with berries again the next day.  I can't avoid walking through the berries when I get out of my car and have, on more than one occasion, been left with purple fruit stains on my feet.  Not to mention, if it's hot and I want to leave my car windows down, I will inevitably come back to a car filled with flies.  Needless to say, these berries drive me absolutely crazy.  Hence, the inspiration for today's project...

I simply took a stick and moved the berries around (between the smell and constantly having to swat flies away, it wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be...LOL).  I didn't mean for the circle to end up around the cross, it just happened naturally as I trimmed the sides off.  I like that the cross isn't perfect...it's lopsided, the lines aren't clearly defined and the bottom is considerably wider than the top.  Normally something like this would be impossible for me to accept (something about being slightly O.C.D.).  I have learned that, in art, mistakes can actually make the art more appealing and 'perfect' in its own way.
Isn't this so true of people, too?  I like to think that I've got things pretty well under control in my life (it's ok, go ahead and laugh)... but my lines aren't always clearly defined, at times in my life it seems everything is out of proportion and the 'stink' of my failures can be overwhelming.  However, with just a little rearranging and looking at things from a different perspective, my life can be seen as a work of art.  How cool is that????
So, go ahead... try looking at your life from a different angle, or move things around just a bit and see what a beautiful work of art you are. 

My cross to bear...

So, while up north visiting my sister, Rachel, I found this delightful book at Michael's. 

 The author, Noah Scalin, took 365 days out of his life and made a skull-a-day using different methods... photography, spare pieces of old wrist watches, VHS videos strategically placed, even random food items.  I have decided to take on his challenge to "make something every day and change your life!"... sort of.  I can't guarantee that I will have the time/energy/resources to actually make something EVERY day, but I will sure try. 
He suggests deciding on a 'theme'...he chose skulls...I've chosen crosses.
 
So, here's my day one: Make something out of materials already within your reach.  I happen to be sitting at a table with a catalog on it (don't worry, Mom, it's not one of your Premier catalogs...LOL).  So, here's my first cross creation...

I rolled a piece of paper the long way for the tall part and ripped x's in the right spots, so when I rolled the second piece of paper the short way, I could "easily" push it right through.  It wasn't quite as easy as I first thought, but I'm pretty happy with the result (especially considering I don't have any sort of adhesive already within my reach). 
I'm pretty excited to learn how to create art with different materials/methods.  A bit scared, but excited.  I hope you'll stick with me on this journey and I hope it inspires some of you to 'make something every day and change your life!"