So, in retrospect, deciding to set myself a year long challenge in the wee hours of the morning when I'm teetering on the edge of narcolepsy, and then deciding to share this rash idea there and then with the world without really thinking it through, may not be the most rational thing I've ever done.
In the harsh, somewhat grey and fuggy light of day, I may have read over my first blog entry and had a momentary wobble or three. I may even have castigated myself with the thought, "Who decides to devote themselves to a year of radical creativity and starts by setting rules?".
In the spirit of all things creative, I'm letting the fears go, (through ever so slightly gritted teeth) and have decided that it might be a good idea to get down on blog-paper what exactly I mean when I say "Embracing Creativity". Just so I have some idea of what I've actually committed myself to...
Will I spend my days getting jiggy with a big ole canvas and some oil paints? (Ooh, fun!)
Will I live, breathe and devote every waking moment to all things crafty? (Hmmmm.)
Will I pass happy times cutting, sticking, glueing, at the expense of eating, drinking, washing? (Erm. There's a distinct possibility.)
I've spent the past day or two wondering about what creativity means for me (while also having a stern talk with myself about the folly I may or may not have committed by setting myself this challenge) . And this is what I've decided. Creativity is about following your heart, putting something new into the world that wasn't there before, in a way that enhances your life and the lives of others. Doing what you do, with love, so that it creates ripples. Putting who you are, and the gifts you were given, out into the world.
So, it's my intention to spend the next year exploring different ways of enhancing my life and the lives of those around me through learning traditionally creative skills that involve art and design (making jewellery, knitting, writing. etc.) and also through the random, not so obvious ways of choosing to be creative which I think might include being open to new possibilities, trusting in life, letting go, spreading a little love, living in the moment, and putting my creativity out into the world. Gulp.
I intend to do this by learning to really flex my creative muscles in actions and spirit. I'm not clear yet about how I'm going to do this but have some starting points:
I've never been much of a knitter and fancy learning how to knit something I can wear that isn't a scarf. Oh, and that has the same number of stitches when I finish, as when I started. (How fab would it be to pull up a trouser leg, point to the holey creation poking out from my shoe and bellow from the heart, "I knitted that!"?)
I've never really liked cooking. For years I used my oven for storage. Recently for the first time in 30 years I baked some scones and cup cakes. I want to know more. How amazing would it be to waft around the kitchen with an air of actually knowing and understanding the alchemy that was involved, and stepping forth with a creation worthy of Juliette Binoche in Chocolat?
I enjoy making jewellery with silver wire, but it would be fantastic to be able to set a honking great gemstone in a ring Liberace would be proud of, or pull down my goggles, come over all Flashdance, and solder bits of metal together.
I love clothes, but can't use a sewing machine without adopting the look of someone who has been asked to appraise Einstein's Theory of Relativity for an audience of scientists. To get out the sewing machine without hyperventilating, and inadvertently finger knitting while trying to thread the spools, would be marvelous.
I love people, but have always preferred people watching, than team sports. How fantastic would it be to be part of a book club, a knitting group, or community group? Learning new skills from people who want to share, and then passing them on to others.
In all, I've dabbled in being crafty, but I've never really committed to exploring my creativity. Perhaps, over the next year, this combination of being creative in actions and spirit will be so utterly blooming powerful my life will be transformed beyond all recognition. Or perhaps I will just have had a lot of fun trying new things.
A win win situation.
In the harsh, somewhat grey and fuggy light of day, I may have read over my first blog entry and had a momentary wobble or three. I may even have castigated myself with the thought, "Who decides to devote themselves to a year of radical creativity and starts by setting rules?".
In the spirit of all things creative, I'm letting the fears go, (through ever so slightly gritted teeth) and have decided that it might be a good idea to get down on blog-paper what exactly I mean when I say "Embracing Creativity". Just so I have some idea of what I've actually committed myself to...
Will I spend my days getting jiggy with a big ole canvas and some oil paints? (Ooh, fun!)
Will I live, breathe and devote every waking moment to all things crafty? (Hmmmm.)
Will I pass happy times cutting, sticking, glueing, at the expense of eating, drinking, washing? (Erm. There's a distinct possibility.)
I've spent the past day or two wondering about what creativity means for me (while also having a stern talk with myself about the folly I may or may not have committed by setting myself this challenge) . And this is what I've decided. Creativity is about following your heart, putting something new into the world that wasn't there before, in a way that enhances your life and the lives of others. Doing what you do, with love, so that it creates ripples. Putting who you are, and the gifts you were given, out into the world.
So, it's my intention to spend the next year exploring different ways of enhancing my life and the lives of those around me through learning traditionally creative skills that involve art and design (making jewellery, knitting, writing. etc.) and also through the random, not so obvious ways of choosing to be creative which I think might include being open to new possibilities, trusting in life, letting go, spreading a little love, living in the moment, and putting my creativity out into the world. Gulp.
I intend to do this by learning to really flex my creative muscles in actions and spirit. I'm not clear yet about how I'm going to do this but have some starting points:
I've never been much of a knitter and fancy learning how to knit something I can wear that isn't a scarf. Oh, and that has the same number of stitches when I finish, as when I started. (How fab would it be to pull up a trouser leg, point to the holey creation poking out from my shoe and bellow from the heart, "I knitted that!"?)
I've never really liked cooking. For years I used my oven for storage. Recently for the first time in 30 years I baked some scones and cup cakes. I want to know more. How amazing would it be to waft around the kitchen with an air of actually knowing and understanding the alchemy that was involved, and stepping forth with a creation worthy of Juliette Binoche in Chocolat?
My recent attempt at baking scones. They were lovely.
I enjoy making jewellery with silver wire, but it would be fantastic to be able to set a honking great gemstone in a ring Liberace would be proud of, or pull down my goggles, come over all Flashdance, and solder bits of metal together.
I love clothes, but can't use a sewing machine without adopting the look of someone who has been asked to appraise Einstein's Theory of Relativity for an audience of scientists. To get out the sewing machine without hyperventilating, and inadvertently finger knitting while trying to thread the spools, would be marvelous.
I love people, but have always preferred people watching, than team sports. How fantastic would it be to be part of a book club, a knitting group, or community group? Learning new skills from people who want to share, and then passing them on to others.
In all, I've dabbled in being crafty, but I've never really committed to exploring my creativity. Perhaps, over the next year, this combination of being creative in actions and spirit will be so utterly blooming powerful my life will be transformed beyond all recognition. Or perhaps I will just have had a lot of fun trying new things.
A win win situation.
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