Fun Activities List...

I am not even sure how to start this particular entry.  Last year, Random Cathy and I did Painting With a Twist - where you go and paint a picture using acrylic paints.  In the beginning, I felt that my painting was not as pretty as the others.  I loved the moon, the poppies, and the dark blue background, but at first, I was not too sure.

As I stood away from the painting and looked at it, the more I started to fall in love with it.  What made me really fall in love with it was that I made it.  I remembered how I tried to take such care with the colors to get them just right.  I also have this picture in my head of this beautiful night scene.  The sky is a beautiful midnight blue with a full moon beaming down over a river or lake.  The trees and ground surrounding the water is a lush green.  For me, that is my serene place and I do not know if it even truly exists.  However, my painting takes me back to that place.

I did go back to Painting With a Twist to try my hand on a more complicated painting.  Quite honestly, it looks like the 5 year old in me made it.  Basically, it looks like a mess.  I was really disappointed and believe me, I tried to see the beauty in it, but it just does not work.  Upon reflection, I realize where the problem stems.  The first class, I never felt rushed to do the painting.  I was relaxed and took my time.  With the second painting, the teacher rushed through this process and I felt very behind.  Also, my strokes did not follow with hers and it just made the painting worse.

However, it brought me back to this thought:  I created something beautiful on my own.  Why not try to see if you can learn to be better - do something fun.  That was one of the big reasons I love the first painting so much - I created it.  Sure, it is a copy from what someone put together, but the fact is, I made it and I love its imperfections.  It takes me to that serene place that I really enjoyed.  

So, with that in mind, I signed up for a drawing and painting course with Michael's.  I think it may take me back to my 8th grade days when I had art class.  Maybe there is some creativity inside of me that I need to cultivate.  However, this is not about "working", but enjoying the creativity.  It may never be perfect, but find the beauty in what is imperfect.

I was also thinking of other things I really would love to try.  I need to sit down and put all of this down in a notebook and work on the list.  Try something and see if I like it, then maybe do it again or more.  Look for ways to be more organized, maybe not as minimalist as others, but learn how to downsize to make life easier.  Other areas for just creativity.

Perhaps, I will find what makes me happy and keep my mind off of those things that tend to bring me down.