When you’re in the thick of life as we know it, it’s so easy to get caught up in the daily tasks of life and forget the little things that you do to make your heart sing a little.
This is especially true for those who solo parent often (or solo parent often), and also for those who homeschool and are truly with their children every waking hour of the day.
This week, my girls wanted to paint some salt dough crafts they had made with my friend a few weeks ago. I really don’t love getting the paint stuff out for them; it’s messy and the clean up is annoying and there is inevitably paint found in places there shouldn’t be paint. But they’ve been asking for a while so I gave in and got out the paint, and brushes, and painting smocks, and shower curtain-turned-craft- tablecloth. And while they were painting, and the boy was content to be Lego-ing alone in the playroom, I figured I’d grab one of the dollar store canvases I keep in stock and paint too.
Boy, I’d forgotten how much I enjoy painting!
Almost 20 years ago, while working as a nanny, I was introduced to The Clay Ground in Kentville Nova Scotia, a “paint your pottery” artisan shop.
It was so fun to paint with the kids and I soon found that I really enjoyed doing it alone too. It gave me something to focus on, something to do with my hands, and something to get my creativity out.
I had never really thought of myself as creative before, but it was so much fun to get the pieces I’d painted after they were glazed and fired, and I felt so accomplished. I started painting personalized pieces for all of my gifts; birthdays, births, Christmases, anniversaries…
If you celebrated it, you were getting a painted piece of pottery from me.
Sadly, where we live now, there is nothing like that cozy quiet pottery paint shop where you can spend an afternoon sipping coffee and being in your own head while you paint.
At the last place we lived, there were a few shops nearby, but not only did you pay for the piece but you also paid by the hour.
That took the creativity and relaxation out of it for me; part of the enjoyment is taking your time and doing your best work!
I do paint my windows for Holidays, and that’s always fun for me, but having had such small kids for so long, I don’t get to do much of any other painting… Until this week when the girls wanted to paint and I decided to sit down and join them. The girls kept occupied for two hours painting salt dough cookie cutter crafts and some blank canvases, and I figured I’d get a little Christmas spirit going.
I do paint my windows for Holidays, and that’s always fun for me, but having had such small kids for so long, I don’t get to do much of any other painting…
Until this week when the girls wanted to paint and I decided to sit down and join them.
Which got me thinking, does everyone have something they can do to escape the every day and just enjoy *being*?
Some people crochet or knit.
Some paint.
Some sew.
Some people work out (kinda wish that was something I enjoyed!)
What do you do?
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