Choose Wisely

I haven't been art journaling much lately. To much going on - in my head -- my heart -- my life -- my work. The funny thing is, if I spent more time creating in my journal I think i would have a clearer picture of what I should be doing.

It's amazing to me how much painting, working with collage and creating paper crafts improves my mood and helps me clear my mind to see the big picture. Since I got home from Chicago last month I've been running around like some crazy chicken doing things that I said I would never do. The time spent doing these things has taken away from art journaling, making art, drawing, blogging..., cooking, gardening, family time. All the fun things I enjoy I put on the back burner for things that I don't enjoy but have become infatuated with because I was told it would get me to where I needed to be. Really? I mean -- REALLY? 

Friday I put my foot down and started "unplugging" more than I have in recent weeks. Yesterday everyone in the house was busy -- and I sat down in my studio and started painting. Loose. with lots of color. It felt good. I don't really like it, but it still doesn't take away from how great it felt to paint for me. JUST me.  Not to get noticed, not using a particular product -- nothing.in.mind.but.art.

It's easy (and how quick it happens) to forget how great it feels to finish something -- even if it's not something I like as a whole. I can always find bits and pieces here and here that I like. Like the image above -- at the very top left -- I love the way the center of that flower came out.

And in the image above -- the red daisy like flower looks pretty. I think I'm going to make the center yellow so it makes me happier.

There's nothing I like about the image above, ha ha, or much below either.

I do love the way the Mason Jar with the stems came out. It does look better in person, more like a vintage canning jar -- and they do make me happy.

 Choosing these areas that I like -- the ones that jump out at me and say "hey -- here I am and I am beautiful" is often an instant thing that happens with me. Kinda like choosing to spend time that isn't really productive but someone told you it would be good -- so you did it anyway. Just to see, because you wanted to be.more.

when really you were already enough.

So today -- and tomorrow and even next week, month and year -- I am going to remind myself to choose what I do with my time more wisely. Thanks for the reality check Catherine! 

Thanks for stopping by -- hope you choose to unplug and create art today instead of spending your time on things that aren't really important, in the long run.  But before you do, take a minute and let me know what you're going to do with all that found time!