I am sitting at my kitchen table. The ceiling fan is on creating a gorgeous breeze as the windows are open bringing spring indoors. Probably a few bugs as well since almost all of our windows are original to our 120 year-old house. Still, it’s my favorite time of year.
I do love fall and winter equally but for very different reasons. I love the coziness, the hunkering down that comes with the chilling off of the weather. I love snuggling up with a cozy blanket and a warm drink. I love putting the storm windows down and retreating within. I love crisp walks in the cold, red noses and watching the snow fall.
And then I love the spring. As those same storm windows go up, screens come down and windows are open. I love the first time you can step outside without a coat and when the sun shines bright enough that you remember what it’s like to be hot again.
My days are usually simple and similar. I like to keep my schedule clear and move from one moment to the next enjoying what is presented in front of me. Or at least trying to. I admit that this does prove to be a challenge when you are part of a family, especially a family with little ones. My creative, introverted self has been seeking some retreat time. Solo time in the house where I can explore with a bit more depth (i.e. time) my creativity and really to just be. This month my husband is taking the kiddos for a little vacation and I will be on my own for 2 days.
My first thought was, “What am I going to do?”
There is pressure sometimes isn’t there? Pressure to make plans or to make things extraordinary. I have been looking for a little break like this for quite literally years and now that it is coming I feel a bit unsure. My brain initially was asking about my plans-telling me I have to make the most of this time and just do everything I want to do.
I listen, get caught up in it’s thinking for a minute before smiling and reminding the mind just who I am. How I hate plans, I don’t like big deals and I much prefer living fully within the little moments.
So my plan is to make no plans but to make lots of containers.
I was really introduced to the concept of energetic containers by Andrea Schroeder. The idea that, for an example, if your workspace is clean and ready to go it’s a container waiting for you to make art. You could really take this in lots of directions. If your car is cleaned and full of gas it’s a container for a road trip. So for me, I am not setting any lofty expectations for my mini-artistic retreat (other than naming it, “Michele’s Mini-Artistic Retreat”).
When I was first dipping my toes into homeschooling I read about how you can leave interesting things around the house for kids to discover. Books, toys, etc where you aren’t telling the kids they have to read this book then use these blocks to build a house but rather you are giving them access to these things that they could do with however they feel inspired to. They may use the books to build with and the blocks become characters.
That’s what I am going to do for myself. Leave lots of goodies and spaces ready for me to play in.
I was planning on taking part in a studio clean out that is happening over at Jennibellie’s Journal Workshops but that’s not happening until June and I really want to pretty up my space for my little retreat. No worries though, I am a really messy artist and pretty sure the creative corner will need another clear out come June 🙂
I am thinking I might have some audio books ready, podcasts ready, playlists ready and my work stations prepped and ready to go. My car will be clean in case I want to go for a drive and the house will be clean with candles at the ready and probably some incense.
I am going to create containers that I can pick and choose from as I wish, moving from moment to moment. I might not make anything creative. I might not read one book or plant one flower. I might take naps and binge watch other people making art and planting flowers.
And that’s ok.
I might make amazing pieces of art, record some podcasts and write some blog posts. I might fill the garden with flowers, go for walks in the woods and take fabulous photos of what I see. I might go on my own little adventure or finish my book.
And that’s ok.
I might come up with something completely different than anything I can think of right now.
And that’s ok.
I don’t want to add pressure to myself to cram into 2 days the dreams I hold. Instead, I am hoping to listen to myself-really listen to what I need without interruption. I want to give myself the grace to experience this different way of being without rules or expectations and to just float from moment to moment.
And maybe, just maybe, bring more of that back to the everyday.
Until next time…
-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante
P.S.
I would love to hear what you would do with 2 days free to play and make art. Please comment below. I also am thinking of sharing my creative corner clean up with you so please let me know if that interests you.
Lovely post. I hope your two days fill you up. I usually have big plans and then end up doing something completely different, which might even be laying on the couch watching movies all weekend!
Thank you for stopping by and commenting Kelly1 Yes I tend to make big plans like deciding I will make art for 2 days and instead I work in the garden. Or planning to work in the garden and ending up reading or watching movies lol. Either way I think if you are doing what you can to take care of yourself it’s a good thing 🙂
Well 2 days go by incredibly fast so I think I would have to have some loosely laid plans to fit stuff in. Small increments of time devoted to first cleaning up my messy studio – because like you, I’m a messy artist. Then, get a few paintings going and go from one to the other for a few hours. Next, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t take some quiet time to reflect in my garden with a glass of iced tea in the late afternoon. It’s where I get the most inspiration and feel the happiest. It’s my sacred space with water trickling in my koi pond, the birds singing, my dog snoring at my feet and sun warming the air. Finally, a bite to eat and then resting in my chair, feet up watching my favorite paranormal shows. Just hit repeat for the next day 😉
Jaime I think you are the official event planner for my mini creative retreat! A few additions for me would be the iced tea happening while I lay in my hammock-que dog snoring underneath the hammock. And I must ask if a favorite paranormal show is “Supernatural” because if so I think we were separated at birth…. 🙂
Ooo I do have a hammock too. But it just stare at the ceiling of the deck, sometimes a good thing especially if I’m reading but I love to watch the fish and look at my flowers.
I like Supernatural – who doesn’t mind that eye candy! hah! I never watched it a lot though and I’m not sure why. I like the Dead Files and A Haunting, These woods are Haunted to name a few. I really enjoy hearing about other people’s experiences.
My hammock allows me to stare at the sky and cloud watch which is nice even if getting out of it is the most undignified experience ever lol. I love staring at the flowers too-and the birds. I love my birds!
I am not familiar with the shows you mentioned just might have to have a look 🙂