a name and a hobby

I think I like this new name. Naturally Molly. I think it fits. Not cheezy. Not a play on words. Just me, naturally. And all I can think about right now is how beautiful nature is as I see my japanese maple, heuchera coral bells, and brand-new ribes glowing in the evening sun just outside my open door. Yes, I think this name is the one.

Also, I googled the name to be sure nothing ridiculous had the same name. Success. The search did, however, pull up some pretty entertaining sentences:

"...naturally Molly addressed her concerns to Bill Gates..."
"Naturally, Molly put playdough in her mouth..."
"Naturally, Molly is intrigued"
"naturally Molly must use a razor-sharp blade to slice off her hands..."
"Naturally, Molly wants to do the the one thing that pervades and defines her very existence -- watch the Elmo show on TV."

Like I said. It's perfect. (At least until I get bored of it...)

On to my new hobby. For my birthday, my sister gave me a book on printing by Lotta Jansdotter. This inspired me to carve stencils out of index cards, cardstock, and any other paper I could get my hands on. Primitive, simple, and so fun. All I need is paper, an exacto knife, a sponge, and some paint. I haven't posted any of my creations yet, but I will eventually. Perhaps I'll even start a side blog for my creative endeavors. Unfortunately, it would only be updated every couple months or so. I'll think about it.

Today I bought my first linoleum block, because stencil is limited--everything has to be connected or the stencil won't hold its shape. Try it sometime. You have to be creative. I can't wait to get started on my first block print.

While I was searching for tutorials and inspiration, I came across Geninne's Art Blog. I think her work is simple and beautiful. Thought I'd share it with all of you.

Sometimes I like to pretend I'm an artist. Can't wait to carve into my linoleum block.