End of a Crazy Week

What a week! Spring break is not what it used to be - no break for us. We had the boys for longer days, and one with an ear infection - not fun. Still, we had the kind of conversation and time you can't have on shorter days. Tonight we will have them again for an extended evening, and I want to set us up for success.

Agenda: 

1. Read "The Book of Doing and Being"
2. Creative imagining for Dragonfly Studio
3. Studio brainstorm
4. Projects for the week

1. Read "The Book of Doing and Being":

I'm reading from this book by Barnet Bain (2015), subtitled "Rediscovering Creativity in Life, Love, and Work". This is a book of creative perspective, to help jiggle me out of the straight line way I usually think into something new: Use the exercises with consistency in order to stay focused on my destination. Practice will ground me and allow my ambitions to take root and grow.

Chapter 5 is Creativity in Balance, about assessing your life wheel: The 7 areas of creative life - Spirit, career, money, love, family, health, and relaxation. After scoring each area with the level of satisfaction and proportion of attention, from 1-10, and also listing what I value most in each area, and finally, my desires and goals in each area, I am supposed to choose the area most in need of attention and care.

I have to say it's my Art Teacher role. My studio space makes me sad, and any thought of art classes makes me anxious. It's not that I want to go back to what I used to do, but I do want to feed that part of my soul in some new way.

I already did a creative imaging for "Grandma Earth Teacher" which was an opening, so today I want to narrow it down to first steps - imaging what I can do this spring in my studio space.

2. Creative imagining for Dragonfly Studio:

My theme this year is Creative Perspective: To keep a positive and broad perspective; shift my perspective to help myself find equanimity, and also expand my perspective (think outside the box), having the courage to take experimental risks and express myself honestly with words and art.

Beginner's mind is dropping expectations and preconceived ideas, seeing things with an open mind, fresh eyes, curiosity and wonder. Today I'll enjoy a beginners's mind meditation for my studio, using the Creative Imagining practice.

1. Hold in my mind an image of my studio space as I'd like it to be: Open, clean, light and inviting; always ready to use when a need arises, with easy access to supplies and ideas. Let's call it Dragonfly Studio again. 
2. This studio smells like wood smoke and sage; feels like a warm bath; tastes like coffee; and sounds like happy children.
3. My confident self says, "Dragonfly Studio is the place to be on a lazy afternoon - won't you join me?". 
4. My abundant self says, "DS is overflowing. with opportunity for creative expression". 
5. My higher self says, "DS is an expression of my inner Light". 
6. My child self says, "DS is captivating and fun" .
7. My analytical self says, "DS needs lots of attention in order to thrive".
8. My feeling self says, "DS is calling me for love".

3. Studio brainstorm:

Today I am brainstorming some goals for Grandma Earth Teacher and Dragonfly Studio for April: First steps for healing my space and my Light, 

possible projects, and a possible spring class or workshop or retreat. Ideas:

1. Clearing: I need to clear out the studio so I can access my supplies and so I know what and where my tools are. The top priority is to have space to move around in. Start by boxing up anything I'm not sure I need and move it into the house temporarily. Put the easel away and set up a small table or me to work on signs.
2. Cleaning: Take the studio one section at a time, strip it clean, and repaint. Start with the door area and a clean rug. 
3. Grandsons: Set up painting and construction spaces for visiting every day (big motor, process oriented). This week I will focus on bird and nest projects: Making nests with mud and straw, building bird sculptures from wood and feathers, painting a bird, and drawing birds.
4. Unicorn projects: Sign-making still calls me: Start with a "Native Plants" sign for Meeting, then a "Love this Earth" sign for my front yard.
5. Community projects: I want to invite the Earth Action group to my house for a party, maybe in May. Start by making a sample Earth poster with lettering and bling, and then send an invitation. 

4. Projects for the week:

Each week I plan the projects I will work on in the next week - one or two kid projects, one or two home projects, and one or two Unicorn projects (those that feed ME). This next week I will:

• Th: Make stepping stones! 
• F:  Box up the studio + Finish appliqué and hang
• S: Set up for sign making + Start a "Free Native Plants" sign
• Sun: Vacuum the studio rug + Egg tree, pockets
• M: Hang new appliqué + nest sample, bird sculpture sample
• T: Nests with mud and straw, building bird sculptures from wood and feathers, painting a bird, and
• W: Suncatchers
• Th: Sew Earth coat sleeves for Easter + drawing birds.
• F: Earth coat sleeves for Easter + Dye eggs

Doing the smallest thing is a great way to make courageous creative work less frightening; also finding the "minimum effective dose", the amount of work that keeps me challenged and joyful, and if I keep at it will get me to the finish line on time.