My Life is a Kaleidoscope

"The kaleidoscope was invented in 1816 by Sir David Brewster when he was conducting experiments on light polarization and was patented by him in 1817. His initial design was a tube with pairs of mirrors at one end, pairs of translucent disks at the other, and beads between the two. Initially intended as a science tool, the kaleidoscope was quickly copied as a toy."  Wikipedia

I like Kaleidoscopes and was truly fascinated by them as a child. The magic that came from them was so fun for me and very interesting. It is so easy to create beauty with one. I remember as a child owning a few and purchased them for our children to play with. As a child I even took one apart to see what was inside and I was disappointed in what I found. How could two mirrors and scrubby, small tiny bits of glass make such beautiful designs?  Turn it one way a little and you get one image...turn it a little more and another image...different from the first which you can never recapture....some you like and some you don't but each having their own beauty.

I've decided my life is like a kaleidoscope. A few simple rustic inside parts have allowed me to find beauty every way I turn - I am truly lucky. Daily, monthly, yearly, and lifetime decisions all turn us....turn this way and find beauty...turn a little more and find a different beauty. Each decision builds on what was and the future builds upon them all.  I have made many decisions all of which are the culmination of me now. I can't go back to a point in time and say "I should have turned the other way" as I would have to lose the beauty I have now.  That is why we cannot live our lives thinking "I should have...."  One can turn back on a kaleidoscope but the image is not what it was. Life would be the same.

I saw This on scrapbook.com and knew I had to try that technique. Dolores is multi talented and I follow her blog also. Dolores' instructions were blogged Here. 


First I want to show you the finished projects and the wallet picture each started out with. These are so fascinating and pretty to me.

I'm going to try and show you via pictures how I created my small kaleidoscope projects. Hope it is not too confusing.

Each kaleidoscope takes 8 photos of the same size. You want to print 4 of the print you choose and then in some kind of photo editing program flip the photo so you have a mirror image and then print four of the flipped ones.  I used wallets for my experimenting and the finished projects are roughly 5x5". If you use 4x6" sizes you will end up with an almost 12x12" finished project.  

You can choose to cut any shape of triangle you wish, just make sure there is at least one 45 deg. angle - (each triangle shape will make a different project).  I used a 45 deg. plastic tool to cut my pictures. I chose to use a Right Triangle and an Isosceles Triangle. You use 8 triangles in each project.

I was recovering from surgery when tackled this project and could not sit straight up. This did affect how my accurate cuts were but with some fine trimming I was able to make them look ok.

For me it was easiest to trim the two cut sides of the triangle shape using my finger Xacto tool and then finished off the 45 deg. angle point with my fine tipped scissors. The 45 deg. point will always be the inside (center) of your kaleidoscope. 

This is the back of a photo. You can see I made

the long cuts using my xacto blade and then I was set to cut the tip

with my small fine tipped scissors.

For the Yellow flower kaleidoscope I cut the pictures in a vertical orientation using an Isosceles triangle:

After you choose where you want to cut your triangle on the four regular pictures cut the triangles from the flipped ones in the same location.

When placing pictures alternate between a regular one and a flipped one.

The Isosceles triangle makes a finished octagon shape.

The two Orange flower and two pink flowered kaleidoscopes were created with both the Isosceles and Right triangles, having the photos in a horizontal orientation:

...trying to decide where to cut using a Right Triangle

Same with the Isosceles triangle...

Included this photo so you can see the photos are mirror images 

of each other

After cutting them out I glued them onto a piece of cardstock

alternating them - 45 deg. angle is the center.

The one on the left is made with Isosceles Triangles and the

one on the right is from the Right Triangles.

The one on the left is from the Right Triangles and

the one on the right is from the Isosceles Triangles.

These were fun to do and I am now working on a Scrapbook layout featuring them.  

Have a good Sunday and enjoy your kaleidoscope life....turn and find beauty today. I will.

Wanna Color anyone?

Did you like to color as a child.....still yearn to wile away the day coloring? 

Going Buggy is having a fabulous giveaway:

Here

Check it out.

I worked on a 'craft' project yesterday and will do a some more of 'it' today.  I have lots of pictures to edit before posting though. Hubby thought I looked pretty funny laying in bed with a tray full of paper/pictures in front of me and my big camera around my neck (can't keep a dedicated crafter down huh?). I'm glad I had the camera so he couldn't snap a pic of me. 

What a difference a day makes

"24 little hours."   Who sang that song?  I can't remember. 

Renewal happened and I'm not so d-o-w-n today, thankfully.  Everyone here is talking about the weather (not politics)...  we had 69 deg. temp yesterday; so abnormal.  I was watching hubby rake leaves yesterday afternoon wishing I could be out there with him. How nice it will be to be well enough and fit enough to again do the dreaded chores. Turns out he was wishing I was out there with him also. 

Speaking of renewal......last week I did something I'd never done before. I rewired a lamp.  (she says patting herself on the back).  I purchased this lamp at an antique show at a really cheap price. The Lenox Coral color is not often found in lamps and I was excited to find it.

I bought the rewiring kit from Lowes and after enlarging the instructions on my printer (she says with a roll of the eyes) - I mean, really people.......they were probably printed in a size 2 font; so it's not age related.  The next day I took said lamp on a shopping trip for a new shade.  

When I was at Lowes I sat my lamp down on a working station (tables/computers that are used when they are consulting with clients, etc.) and had about 6 shades I kept putting on, taking off.   I narrowed it down to two but wasn't ok with either. A man with a Lowes tag on came over and watched me for a minute and said "I'd get the white one. It goes best with it."  I told him I didn't want a shade to just 'go with' the lamp but to blend and enhance it. He said "you sound like my wife. She doesn't let me pick either."  I like his wife.

I shopped at three stores and finally made my decision. It is amazing how many shades of ivory there are.  It took me longer to pick a shade than it did to rewire the lamp.

Here is is...in working order and ready for a new shade.

The florals are made by Lenox also.



Re-newing a broken item is renewal to me. I'm glad I did it.

Renewal

I'm in need of Renewal right now....I feel tired, depressed, used up, out of creativity, worthless, boring, ugly, useless, ignored, and generally

 

D

O

W

N

....and all that amongst the things I'm happy and thankful about: progress of recovery from surgery, the sunshine yesterday, phone calls from my friends, hubby's love and support and a shower! Thankfully the down times last but a short while....

This is such an unflattering photo of me but decided to share it with you because 'it' is real life right now and when I look at it I still feel Granddaughter on my chest seeking rest/renewal.  This was taken Sunday early evening when they were visiting here. I'd been up out of bed for a bit to give my back some reprieve from laying on it and to see some different scenery. 

Having a child melt into our chest from recognition and in need of comfort is such a wonderful feeling. The impression this child has left on me does not go away even when she does. She renews me each time she comes or even when I look at a photo of her or, I confess, even when I just think of her. How great it is that I have her to do that for me.

I worked at a church for 15 years and each late winter, when it was time to start planning Lent/Easter, we would talk about Renewal.....renewal from winter, renewal from our Christian misdeeds, renewal of spirit, mind and body. Christ rising from the dead is a sign of renewal; one we learn from, emulate, and use as an example in our lives.

Sometimes I find I need renewal each day; other times only each week.  I find it renewing to have a creative idea for a project and start it; when finished I am renewed. I find typing a blog post that ends up cohesive renewing. I'm often surprised what comes from my brain, thru my heart and out of my fingers to share with you. Or is it coming from the heart, thru the brain and out the fingers?  I've been told I think with my heart so maybe that's why my confusion.....it's been a compliment and an insult depending on who said it and in what context. 

In seeking pictures of things to renew me today, besides Granddaughter, I found:

My front yard last Spring

a visit to the Ocean

 touring a Painted Lady

Scrapbooking

If you are in need of renewing right now look around you and

I hope you find 'it'.  What renews you? 

Trick or Treat

Granddaughter came to Trick or Treat at our home yesterday afternoon. I'm glad as I wanted to see her and Baci in their matching Halloween costumes.

...before the wings went on....

This little ladybug needs to rest.