A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

art

Traveling Notebook: Looking for some creative fun

A few years ago, I attempted to do a traveling notebook. The goal of it was for it to travel and eventually make its way back to me.

Always with an ulterior motive, I wanted something to blog about.

Unfortunately, during that time, I was unemployed. The interest was rather low and I lost interest trying to figure the best way to organize it. But the idea has always remained with me. It’s something I still would love to do.

So I figured what the heck, how about we revisit this?

traveling_notebook

The idea behind this is simple. We have a list of people who agree to get involved. I’ll try and set up a list of how things can get to one another as close as possible. So, for example, I’d send to Pennsylvania, not to somebody in California. But we’d try and get it going so it wanders around before coming home.

I’m going to open this to more than just bloggers, though. I am offering this, first, to people I have dealt with online and a few I know in the real world. Whether through Flickr, geocaching, blogging, letterboxing, disc golf, softball or something else, I want to see what I can come up with. I want different people to be involved and see as this book makes its way around. The only thing is this … I’d like to try and keep it to people who I’ve had interaction (even just a tad) with in the past and such, even if just through blogging or something else. This way, I kind of have a feel for those involved. I won’t rule anybody out, so if you are interested, post a note in the comments section!

I’ll have to cap it at some level, though. I’d love to get like 20 or so people to make this something that could last a bit as it traveled.

Once we get all the interested parties, I’ll divide it up geographically and then get going on it – the book will start its journey.

Each person, depending on how many sign up, would get a certain amount of pages. Right now I am looking at a spiral-bound sketch pad with 100 pages. But each person will get a number of pages to do whatever they want.

What does that mean?

Write a story. Make your pages scrapbook-like. Put in a photo or three. Do a couple of  drawings. Put your favorite recipe in there. Maybe a label from a beer bottle. Or a wine bottle. And a story or two to go along with it. Maybe you’ll write about a day in the life of _____ .

That’s going to be the best part of this book — people can do whatever they want. Maybe a concert ticket. Or a speeding ticket. Let’s just try to keep it as flat as possible!

Please, though, keep it clean. Let’s not put anything in there that could offend somebody else.

You also don’t have to necessarily use up your allotted pages. That’s up to you.

The one thing I ask is that you at least put your name (first only is OK) and where you’re from and a little something on at least one or two pages. After all, what’s the point of getting involved with this if you aren’t willing to do something?

For now, I am going to limit this to the United States/Canada to save on shipping and to be able to have tracking. I would request that when you send it out, please send it with confirmation so we can track it. And, please, when you send it, e-mail me to let me know the number. If you are Canadian, my plan would be to group all of the Canada spots together and not have it going back and forth between the US/Canada. Basically, one time up, then one time back down.

There are but just a few rules for us to follow:

  • Please don’t share/blog the pages. The reason I am doing this is partially a blog project, so I’d like to blog about the whole thing once it’s done. I plan on scanning/photographing each page and having it available for all to see.
  • Please agree to be able to send this out within seven days of getting it. I realize things come up, but if people keep it too long it can become long and tedious for others. If there is a delay (vacation, illness, family etc.), please just let me know.
  • Please use delivery confirmation when sending this and make sure the package is secure and sealed. I will be putting the notebook in a heavy duty ziplock for inside the package, and this might need to be changed (as well as the mailer) at times.

A couple of other notes for you to all know.

I will be attaching a Geocaching.com travel bug. If you are not a geocacher, then this won’t matter. But if you are, please feel free to discover this.

I am also planning on making a letterbox stamp to put with this. If you like stamps, feel free to stamp something with it. Please keep this with the package. I will also make this available to log on Atlas Quest. If you are a Letterboxer, stamp your personal one in the book when you do your pages!

When this is done, my plan (as long as we have enough people) is to have a pathtag made. Everybody who participates will get one. For those who don’t know, these are small little “coins” that cachers use as signature items, or as trading items. The best is you can put a keychain on it for that purpose. Please, though, log it when you get it as it will be neat to see. I will only make these once we see how many people are involved and once the book successfully makes it back to me.

I would love to see this start and end within a year. That might not be possible, but I am hoping. An occasional photo of it on Instagram or in the Facebook Group I am setting up with be fantastic, too.  I am posting this now so I can share with friends and such to see if we can start this soon after the start of the year.

If you are interested, let me know. You can comment here or e-mail me or call or text, depending on how you know me. I’ll put you on the list and keep you up to date.

The day it launches, I’ll do a post on my blog. I’ll then send it out. If you are a blogger, I’d like to make sure everybody is linked up so others can check out your blog and such, too.

I look forward to seeing if this will take off and if it will do well!

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Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Paint Nite brings out the inner artist in a fun and creative way

I’ve never considered myself much of an artist, per say.

Though I am an avid photographer and writer, I always found it hard to say I was an artist with those mediums. When I think of an artist – I think traditional, such as a painter or sculptor or somebody along that line of work.

My finished product!

My finished product!

In fact, in high school, I wasn’t much of anything when it came to art class. Sure, I did OK and got decent grades, but I wasn’t the next Picasso or anything.

Maybe times have changed?

A year or so ago, I came across a website called Paint Nite. Have any of you heard about it? If not, let me tell you – it’s fantastic. The idea is simple – people get together in a bar-type atmosphere, have some tunes and paint.

Simple, right?

The idea is to drink creatively. In other words, have a few cordials and create some artwork. It had been something I had wanted to try for a while, but never had a chance. It’s affordable (website is $45, but there are often deals and you can get it much cheaper on Groupon) and it’s a good way to try something different.

Tools of the day.

Tools of the day.

I recently signed up for a class with a friend who is an art teacher. It was a good way to check this out, as well as give me a reason to finally go do this and blog about it. The one I picked out was good because the art was supposed to be pretty easy. Turns out it was.

There were about 20 people for this one. From reading and looking at other events, I think they are often much bigger. This was a perfect size for a first-time person, though. The instructor, Toni, was excellent. She was fun and made sure people were enjoying themselves. There was music playing throughout and a waitress made sure you could get a refill or two, if you so desired.

As part of your experience, Paint Nite supplies the following:

  • Smock
  • Paint brushes
  • Paint
  • 16×20 canvas (which you obviously get to take home at the end)

So basically, you come, grab a drink and paint.

Hard at work.

Hard at work.

As noted, the painting we did the day I was there was pretty easy. The only thing I would have liked was if it was a little more social. It seemed like people were in their groups and kept a little to themselves. I wonder if the group was bigger or if the painting was a little different, if that would have made it more social.

It was nice a few times when there were breaks to go around and check out the other paintings. Some people had some amazing work. Mine was rather simple, which I was OK with. The painting was about being unique and the instructor offered a free class if you did it in another language.

I dug deep and remembered my French days and did it in that (if I remember right, unique is the same in English/French) and earned myself a free Paint Night class, so that’s cool. I also filled out a survey online and received a code for like 40 percent off or something for a class.

Paint.

Paint.

What I truly found out was how relaxing painting can be. I’ve seriously thought about buying a few canvases and some paint and brushes and just seeing what I can do. I know I’m never going to be the next Picasso or anything, but it’s a way to relax, be creative and maybe have some things to put on my walls – or to give to somebody else. I’ll have to see what kind of investment I’d be looking into. Or, maybe I’ll just stick to Paint Nite events.

On another note, take a peek at the Paint Nite website and see if there are any events in your area. It’s heavily on the female side, so if you’re a single guy, it might be worth grabbing a couple of friends and checking it out. At the event I was at, I was one of two males there – and the other wasn’t painting. What’s the worst thing that happens? You go, have a hoot and a few drinks and socialize some.

It’s an affordable and fun evening and well worth doing. I’d encourage anybody to try it as it gives you something outside the normal zone for fun. The best part is when looking at events, you can see what you’ll be painting and what they rate it (from easy to hard) so you can decide if it’s something you can handle or not.

Paint Nite was a heap of fun and I look forward to doing it again sometime in the future.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Day Zero Project: Completed No. 41

Street art from NYC.

A Day Zero Project goal of P.J.’s has been completed!

Goal completed: Buy a piece of art from a street vendor.

Date completed: December 2011.

Number: 41  (remember, these goals will not all be done in order. It’s a random list where the numbers actually are).

Description:  As a fan of art, I wanted to buy some local art from a street vendor.

Why I wanted to do it: To expand my street art collection. I have a lot of cool pieces of art and most were bought on the street during my travels.

How I did it: I always peek at vendors for local art when traveling, whether it be a day trip to New York City or an extended trip elsewhere. I am usually quite successful in finding some sort of street art that I really love (with the exception of finding something in Dublin in 2010, unfortunately).

Some of my favorite art has been purchased from the actual artist, mainly in my travels to Montreal. But I’ve also been successful in finding some really nice stuff in my trips to New York City and other spots. The art in NYC is usually not all original — it might be reproductions or what have you, but it’s some beautiful stuff. I do prefer originals, but the right piece of art is something I enjoy getting.

See above.

This piece was picked up this past December while on a day trip to NYC. This art really was something that was a piece that I wanted to add to my collection. The colors. The symbol. Everything. It is New York City. And, of course, it’s a time captured that we’ll never see again. So it’s a great piece in that regard.

The best part was the price. I got this — and two others — for $5. Seriously. They were $1.99 or three for $5. Unreal. Loved that price! And now it’s a permanent addition to my art collection.

About P.J.’s Day Zero Project: Day Zero is a project where people come up with 101 things to do over 1001 days. I started the project on Oct. 10, 2010 with an anticipated finish date of July 8, 2013. Goals will not be revealed until they are completed. A private list is at the Day Zero website  and the list will be made public upon completion of the project. It’s my thoughts that if things are kept private, should I not do them, change or find a way around it, I’d only be cheating myself.