Since I’m not out exploring this magnificent world of ours, I’m at home exploring my own creativity. In between the house projects, I’ve had a couple colorful creative projects going on. I know I’m not talented in the arts, but that’s never stopped me…I simply love the ideas that come with making things. And, it’s truly the idea first & foremost. The thinking of it, planning, colors, textures, designs…all that goes in to making something. The process part doesn’t always rock my boat, I usually take the ‘go fast, go hard & get to the finish line” approach, but, most of the time, I’m happy-enough with the finished product.
What’s has been stifling my creativity mostly over the past 8 or 9 years, are two facts: 1) I don’t need more stuff & 2) I don’t want to spend money to make stuff I don’t need. But these two projects happen to fit within those self-inflicted parameters & that makes me happy!
If you read about my trip to Asheville, NC in September, you know I wanted to a buy a Kantha quilt while I was there. After multiple trips to ‘visit’ & talk myself out of the quilt—which I did—I came up with the idea of making my own version of a Kantha quilt using as much of the fabric I already have…some of which is 20 year old batik pieces I’ve been saving. Kantha quilts are made in India using old sari’s & a unique type of stitch. They are colorful & thin…typically not much batting is used. The day after I got home from Asheville, I started cutting & sewing…very randomly. I used bright colors for the front & dark colors for the back. I used all 6-strands of embroidery floss (which made it stinking hard) to quilt the rows. The thin batting & floss were my only purchases. It’s definitely not perfect, but quirky & funky & I love it! While I didn’t need a quilt for the house, I wanted to have one for camping. It will be bright & light & the perfect size for my car camping trips! Project 1…done!
The second project I finished is only slightly bizarre. When our kids were little, we had a basketball goal in the driveway which was great. They used it alot & 15 years ago I loved it. But over the years the backboard fell apart (but not before I painted it as an unsuccessful “Sticks” look alike, which it did not look anything like, but no matter, I liked it!) & we finally took it down & got rid of it (yay!). But sadly, the black pole, cemented into the ground, was unmovable. Not really, but Danny’s decision to keep it was unmovable. (He pulled the ‘Claire card’…maybe one day she’d play ball??) As most spouses do, I choose my battles wisely. So, everytime I’d pull into the driveway, there was a tall black pole just sticking up out of the ground…no purpose, no color, no point. Grrr…
So, with a ladder, paint, brushes & some doodles, I went to work. Now when I pull into the driveway, I smile & look up at my version of a totem pole!
My creations are always kind of off kilter, slightly whacky, but always add some bit of color to my life & are a good outlet for all the sparkles & fairy dust that continuously floats in my head when I’m home. But even when I’m looking at other’s artwork & creations, my tastes still lean to the weird, strange & unrefined. Art, music & nature…what would I do without them?
I’ll end with a quote from my very favorite book on creativity:
“Your own reasons to make art are reason enough. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart”.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert