Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree…Fa la la la la la la la la!

Yes, I do randomly break out in song during the holidays. So what? It doesn’t matter if I’m home alone, or shopping with hundreds of others at the mall. When the mood hits, I just let it go! And, yes, sometimes I do merge Christmas carols. I’ve always attempted to be creative and do my own thing, so why not combine Oh Come All Ye Faithful and Joy to the World? And, maybe Rudolph really does ride in a one horse open sleigh? And, who doesn’t think that seeing Mommy kissing Santa Claus didn’t lead to Grandma getting run over by a reindeer? If you ask me, those two suspicious events are definitely linked.

Albert Einstein said, “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” I wholeheartedly agree with him, which is exactly why I am spending this morning writing about creativity; I AM hereby “passing it on” to you. Being a co-owner of The Second Knob Gifts & Antiques allows me to frequently use creative expression. Just drive by our shop one evening and look at our window displays, which I often spend days planning and then sometimes hours constructing. Come inside our shop and you will see much, much more.

Dictionary.com says creative means resulting from originality of thought. Yes, this sums up creativity. I possess original thoughts, therefore I am creative. (Years from now, when folks are tweeting and facebooking this quote, you will think to yourself, “Ah yes, that was one of Shana Karn’s quotes.” Many of you might also add, “Boy was she creative.” We’ll see.) I am most creative when I’m looking at the antiques. Unlike my Dad, who looks at them and finds their history “neat,” I look at them and find their possibilities endless. I love the idea of re-purposing. An old wooden bucket? Fill it with inexpensive slippers and leave it at the front door…add a sign that welcomes friends to remove their shoes and slip into something more comfortable. An old fishing net? Hang it from the wall in the kitchen at your cottage or lodge-themed home and use it as a fruit basket. Last year, I bought five hand towels in warm, fall colors and arranged them in an antique wooden paint pail. I put this display out at an antique sale and it was the first piece sold! My creative genius (said tongue-in-cheek) doesn’t start and stop with re-purposing antiques. I recently used an oversized, [new] barn star as a magnet display and, since, have sold a few for just that purpose!

Of course, another outlet for my creativity is candid photography. Whether I am shooting kids, families, weddings or senior pictures I find myself always waiting for the “a-ha” shots; those specific moments when I snap a picture and the light is “just right” or the subject’s smile is the real deal. I love shooting outdoors, off the beaten path. It’s me, my camera and a subject (or subjects). It is my passion for photography that has sparked my most recent creative venture—shooting a series of unique, local scenes to be offered as postcards, notecards and greeting cards at our shop in the coming year. I would love to hear your thoughts on what we might include in our series! If you live in any area close to Dryden, Cortland, or Ithaca, please feel free to stop at the shop and discuss your “creative” idea for local shots, be it your favorite quiet place or other unique setting with me or e-mail me your suggestions, (thesecondknob@gmail.com). I can’t wait to hear from you!

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