Why I Craft

I was recently interviewed by Mr. Steve Burwick of the Elizabethton Star on topics such as crafts, the young married life, nursing school and more. I was forced to answer questions I had previously never articulated. For instance… Why did I start this blog? What are my goals for the blog? What are my goals in life? How do I manage to fit crafting and cooking into my busy schedule? How do crafts tie into my nursing goals?

Since the interview, I have been pondering these questions and thought perhaps you, my readers, would enjoy hearing the intent behind my creative endeavors.

Flowers: My mother would say I was a born “artist.” Ever since I was a toddler, I have had a fascination with nature. Mom tells me we used to go on walks where toddler me would stop at each little plant or flower we passed and gently inspect every last detail of it. I was captivated by this simple beauty.

Photography: Moving on to my junior high days, all I wanted was a “real” camera (a Pentax 35). I’m sure I drove my parents insane asking for one over and over but I was so enamored by life. There are so many beautiful aspects of life that we never stop to appreciate or perhaps we simply never slow down enough to notice. A camera makes you slow down. A camera makes you stop and take notice and keep a record of the beautiful moments that fill our days.

Painting: The painting has been a more purposeful learning experience. I started out drawing with charcoals and pastel chalks and simply loved working with vibrant colors and learning how to blend them together just right to make something beautiful. I finally decided in high school to take an art class in order to learn some of the finer points of perspective and that is where I fell in love with painting.

Sewing: Sewing started much later for me. Jack’s mom, my sweet mother-in-law, is one of the craftiest people I know. The year we became engaged, she bought both me and my sister-in-law sewing machines. Up until then I had slowly been learning the craft of making baby blankets and using her sewing machine constantly. When I finally had my very own machine, there was no stopping me. I worked furiously to learn the basics of sewing and have since learned new techniques as I go. There is a lot to know about sewing, I fear I may never know it all, but I suppose that just keeps me plugging away at the task.

Cooking: I have always loved cooking and anyone who knows me, knows I love to eat. In the past, this food obsession has usually played out with baking, mostly because of my insatiable sweet tooth. My mom was the baker in our family, my dad the cook. I have learned many valuable lessons from watching and helping them throughout the years. While I do love the actual eating part of cooking/baking, the beauty of food is an aspect we often overlook. Half the items I bake or cook don’t have an ingenious taste to them, but they look fantastic. I love incorporating as many colors as possible into the food I make. Chef Curtis Stone says that color equals health (unless we are talking cookies and food coloring).

So how does all of this fit into my life now? Jack and I will be married 3 years next month and our lives are just as busy today as they were on that wonderful day three years ago back in Oregon. Actually, our lives are probably more chaotic now than ever. Between work, school, homework, broken down cars, friends, bills, we are moving 24/7, not to mention trying to fit in time to spend with one another. So why add crafts and cooking to these crazy days? Simple. It is who I am.

It seems from those beginning walks with mom, I didn’t have a chance and I am grateful for it. Aside from Jack, crafting gets me through the day. I get excited every time I get to craft or cook. By no means am I an expert. I don’t claim to be the next Martha Stewart, I am far from her level of expertise. I learn new things every single time I pick up a needle, paintbrush, or mixing spoon. To me, creating new things, whether through food or projects, is relaxing. Creativity is a release from this crazy life we lead.

As an aspiring pediatric oncology nurse, I know this will continue to be a large part of my life. The stresses of a busy life will dwindle but the role of a pediatric oncology nurse holds many daily challenges in itself that will, at times, try my sanity. I know, as petty as it may sound, these creative endeavors will help get me through those rough days.

So, this is why I blog. This is why I paint and sew and cook. It is all for me, my sanity, my enjoyment. Is it selfish? No. It is realistic. I believe every person needs to find that one thing that keeps them engaged, gets them excited, pushes them forward, and challenges them daily. While I blog for me, I share my experiences in the hopes of inspiring others. It doesn’t have to inspire you to cook or sew, but I do hope it inspires you to be creative and find your own niche.

Thanks for bearing with me for this break from my usual posts to share with you the passion behind this blog. Thank you for your continued support. I hope you continue to enjoy the posts to come!

Honoring Alma Rose

This isn't one of my typical postings but I figured it fit the "arts" category of this blog because of the musical interest. I wrote this article for Milligan and our local paper to announce a conference session being given by my violin professor, Dr. Kellie Brown. I thought this story was pretty neat and definitely worth sharing. Enjoy.

***

Dr. Kellie Brown, chair of the Milligan College music department, will present her research on orchestras in concentration camps at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, March 17.

Brown’s session is titled “Alma Rosé and the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz: Lessons for Our Students on Tolerance and the Triumph of the Human Spirit.” Her research focuses on Alma Rosé, a woman whose music brought a glimpse of beauty and hope to hundreds of Auschwitz prisoners and even saved the lives of some of the musicians.

“The study of those who have gone before us and made their indelible mark on history, especially if it was through great personal sacrifice, is a worthy pursuit,” said Brown. “I think any time that type of subject can be part of an ensemble's curriculum where students can learn more than just the notes, it is beneficial.”

Alma Rosé was the niece of the composer Gustav Mahler and the daughter of renowned violinist Arnold Rosé who founded the Rosé String Quartet. Alma was a successful violinist with a charmed life, but all that changed in 1938 when the Nazis took control of Austria, her homeland. Alma’s Jewish heritage made her a Nazi target, and she was eventually arrested and sent to Auschwitz in July 1943.

Despite all of the horrors associated with Auschwitz, Alma soon discovered the camp’s orchestra. Her fame and her family’s reputation made Alma the ideal candidate to conduct the women’s orchestra, which was, at the time, a mere rag-tag of women prisoners. Alma’s arrival ignited the orchestra’s success and respect, and it quickly grew to 50 members. Not only did orchestra members find hope through the music, but their value among the SS guards gave Alma the leverage to insist members were treated with decency. In this way, Alma was able to save these women’s lives through music.

Brown’s interest in this topic was a long time in the making. Sparked by a novel about a Jewish violinist living in WWII Germany, Brown quickly became interested in the lives of famous musicians during the Holocaust. After watching the movie, “Playing for Time,” which tells the story of the women’s orchestra in Auschwitz, Brown began her research on the life of Alma Rosé.

Brown’s lecture will provide the historical details about Alma Rosé and the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz. She will discuss the importance of incorporating this topic into the orchestra curriculum. In November 2009, Brown’s article, “Remembering Alma Rosé and the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz,” was published in American String Teacher.

Brown serves as director of the strings program and conductor of the Milligan College Orchestra. She is a frequent clinician and performer, and serves as the assistant conductor of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra and assistant concertmaster for the Symphony of the Mountains.

In addition, she has written numerous compositions, arrangements and articles. In 2005 her first book, “An Annotated Bibliography of Musical Fiction,” was published by Edwin Mellen Press. Brown has studied at Furman University, East Tennessee State University and Appalachian State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in music education, a master’s degree in violin performance, and a doctoral degree in higher education administration, with an emphasis in music administration.

The ASTA National Conference is held yearly to benefit string teachers, students and performers. The conference provides opportunities to learn the latest teaching techniques and gain important information that will benefit students. The ASTA conference is the premier place to enhance skills and knowledge through sessions on pedagogy, string literature, college curriculum and more. Other topics on which Brown has presented in the past include “Incorporating the Elective Student in the College String Curriculum” and “Technology for the String Teacher.”

For more information, contact the Milligan College music department at 423.461.8723 or music@milligan.edu.

Sweet Success

I thought I would start off my blog with an article I wrote for Milligan College on a recent graduate, Autumn Pruitt, opening her own bakery. Check out her website (www.blissbakery.com) to see some mouthwatering treats!

The article and its beautiful layout (courtesy of Art Brown) can be seen at here.

Sweet Success
by Tiffany Weinbender

When it comes to successfully beating the current economic climate, 23-year-old Autumn (Hardy ’09) Pruitt, seems to have found the recipe for success. When Pruitt arrived at Milligan as a freshman, her love of baking was nothing more than an enjoyable pastime. Now, equipped with a business degree and a liberal arts education, Pruitt has turned her passion into a reality.

Pruitt and her husband, Luke, recently purchased the former Bickford Bakery in Omaha, Nebraska. On May 1, 2010, with a new name and a bright future ahead, Bliss Old Market Bakery opened its doors releasing the smell of fresh pastries into the Eastern Nebraska air. Since the grand opening, Pruitt has been baking relentlessly to facilitate the high demand for her tasty sweets.

As a Christian institution that offers a liberal arts education, Milligan was the natural choice for Pruitt, who graduated in the spring of 2009 with a double major in humanities and business with an emphasis in management. Pruitt applied every aspect of her Milligan education to turn her business into a reality. She even used her senior humanities project as an opportunity to develop the business plan for Bliss Old Market Bakery. The project served as the capstone of both her humanities and business majors.

“So much of the confidence I had in approaching the business plan for the bakery can be attributed to the painstaking process of writing one as a student with the guidance of my project advisers: Dr. Heather Hoover, Dr. Phil Kenneson and Dr. David Campbell,” said Pruitt. “I felt like I had the tested tools to tackle the process here in Omaha after going through a similar process in the classroom.”

Pruitt credits much of her success to the format of the business program and the way each class builds on those before. “My humanities 490 project was extremely helpful, but I wouldn’t have been prepared for that project, or my new endeavor, had I not had the less glamorous classes like accounting, business law, corporate finance and marketing, among others.”

Pruitt’s dream of opening her own bakery and coffeehouse began at the age of 19, although her love of baking goes back much further. In fact, she can’t remember a time when she didn’t love baking with her family. Pruitt acquired her baking expertise from her mother and began adding to her recipe collection weekly after graduating high school. Pruitt continues to experiment with ingredients and add her own personal recipes to the bakery’s recipe box.

As for the current economic climate, Pruitt believes that despite the downturn, this is a great time in her life to fully pour herself into her dream. Although Pruitt did not expect to open her business this soon, she felt the opportunity was simply too good to pass. She completed extensive market research on Omaha’s growing industry and more specifically the culture and climate of the downtown area, not least of which was obtaining a job in the bakery long before any talk of buying it. In doing so, she was able to learn about the equipment, recipes and tricks of the trade before committing to the process. It only took one day for her to realize that she didn’t just like the idea of owning a bakery but fell head over heels for it.

Pruitt is well aware of the hardships that come to small business owners, but she remains confident that her education, skills and enthusiasm will make this venture a success.

“The life of an entrepreneur sounds glamorous sometimes, but unless you are really passionate about the industry and have had a chance to wrap your mind around the immense amount of time it will require, you will not be satisfied. That being said, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your dream realized and to have the opportunity to nurture its growth” said Pruitt.

Pruitt is an ideal example of how a liberal arts college like Milligan equips individuals to successfully reach their personal and professional goals. The college’s emphasis on applying faith to every facet of the world has impacted the way Pruitt runs her business.

“Milligan has reinforced the fact that you don’t need a religious title to be a servant leader or to minister. I treat people with respect. I provide my employee with a steady income and a healthy work environment. I listen to customers’ problems and we have become a part of each others’ daily lives. I try to live life with integrity and good character and to take a genuine interest in others,” said Pruitt. “Selling delicious baked goods is a good way to come in contact with my neighbors and develop a relationship with people I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to meet.”