Crafting the Time to Make Your Own Art

Time to Make Art

I LOVE crafting for the holiday seasons. I gladly put my hand up for school parties, fundraisers, and occasionally wake myself up in the wee hours thinking about what I need to make next. Most, if not all of the above examples include deadlines.

I also teach at local bead shop, and so I have deadlines there, too: get this sample done, get my next project in, etc.

Then there is my free-lance craft product review blogging. Write an article about such-and-such, crank out 3 projects, get the pictures uploaded, hit that DEADLINE!

Ok…so where am I going with this? Well, fellow crafter, I want to remind you- and myself- that sometimes it’s OK to play with materials, and make something JUST FOR YOURSELF. To tell your own story. To give you pleasure.

No deadlines.

The diffiuculty is, of course, finding or making the time…to push deadlines away and just enjoy the moment to make your own art that comes from your soul.

While it’s easier said than done, I’m taking the small opportunities to “craft” time for my own art. Here are a few ideas:

• Make a playdate for the kids- bribe other mommies as necessary to take YOURS for the chance to reciprocate
• Skip one night of television. It’s not that good, really, is it?
• Call in “sick.” Is this unethical? Well, maybe. But a mental health day is in order now and then.
• Find a friend, set a date. If you are lucky enough to have a crafty/arty friend, call him/her up and set up a date. Plan a potluck. Share materials.
• Ignore the housework for an afternoon. Those dust bunnies won’t take over if you miss ONE cleaning… OR..
• Ignore the cooking. There are so many good slow-cooker recipes out there! Or order take-out. Or assign your family the cooking duties….
• Get up an hour early. Maybe that quiet time will let you enjoy your process without the distractions of the day.
• Make a portable kit of paper, an excellent pen, pencil (or watercolor pencils! I love those!) just to encourage doodling or drawing or designing when you are on hold or on a conference call…

OK, enough ideas for now. Personally, I have to finish up at least 8 more Luminarias before night-fall (Halloween) tomorrow night, but Sunday morning is ALL MINE….don’t look for me. I’ll be squirreled away, making some art of my own.

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About Jenny

Chief Craft Test Dummy, Craft Evangelist, Founder, Editor, bottle-washer, trouble-maker, and creative whirlwind.

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