Creativity Looks Like Tulips: And an old wooden bench

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Not quite 10 years ago we had a very large pine tree removed from our backyard. I do hate taking down trees, however necessary, and I had asked the owner of the tree removal company if he could make us some logs we could use as seats around our fire pit. I liked the idea of giving the tree purpose and keeping it with us in a sense.

He took things a step further and had a friend who owned a lumber mill make us several, very large planks of wood. He was very excited about how we could use these to make a picnic table or something similar. It was a very kind idea and something I imagine wouldn’t have been inexpensive had we decided to do it on our own.

There was one problem however.

They were huge.

And heavy.

My husband is very handy however he doubted any of his tools would be able to cut the boards, assuming we could lift them anywhere to begin with.

So, we covered the boards up with a tarp and put them over near our compost piles until we thought about a project we could use them for.

And time rolled by.

This past weekend we had gorgeous weather. It was nice but not too hot and we spent it out in the garden. We swept the patio and set-up the pond, I weeded beds and picked a few spring bouquets and relished being outside again.

I am forever rearranging things. Moving this chair to that room, that picture to this table. I love sprucing things up just a bit here and there. A few years ago our poor front porch was in need of repair and I was very excited to re-do the decor once the hard work was done.

I purchased a very sweet little loveseat and two chairs. It looked adorable and I was very happy with it.

This past weekend however, I decided to move the little loveseat to our patio. Our patio in the backyard is one of my favorite places to sit and journal or enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. The loveseat looked adorable on the front porch but it wasn’t being used so, off to the patio we carted it.

Later that night I was trying to figure out to do with the empty space on my porch. I was browsing Pinterest and I found one photo that had a rustic wooden bench (picture #12 in the link below) and another photo that had a bench filled with plants (picture #20 in the link). You can see the inspiration photos here.

I really loved the idea of a rustic bench with plants and asked my husband if he thought he could make me something like that. It was a lazy rainy Sunday but in the afternoon the skies cleared and we were able to make our way back outside-and back to the stack of pine boards.

The years had significantly changed the wood. It was light and surprisingly in fantastic shape! I explained my idea and we quite literally knocked this wooden bench together in around 20 minutes. Well, he knocked I held the planks and offered ideas.

And just like that, I have a new bench on the porch that looks amazing and brings a smile to my face whenever I come home. I have used it to take some photos of my bouquets and with a few coats of some sealer I am pretty confident it will be a lovely display on our porch for years to come.

Sometimes I forget that my creativity is first and foremost for me. Whether it’s decorating, arranging bouquets, writing or making art it starts with filling a need for expression. A need to create what doesn’t yet exist. It doesn’t have to be about content or productivity, not at first, not ever.

It can simply be about experiencing the joy of moving from idea, to concept to existence. And adding a few tulips on top for good measure.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

*If you are a fan of cozy mysteries and would like to be kept up to date with Book #1 in the Cassie and Polly Mystery Series you can click here. I promise no spamming or anything like that. It’s free and of course you can unsubscribe at any time. I am just getting that substack going but your support means the world!

This week I am offering a sneak peak at what subscribers of my Substack receive as part of my Letters for Creatives. You can see the extra content I include each week below. In addition to the content below you receive a mailed zine sent to you each month that’s great for collection, collage and general whimsy. Thank you so much for being here and supporting my work!

What’s Inspiring Me

I have been truly enjoying Samuel Meads reels over on Instagram. He has such a lovely and positive approach to making art and watching him make some of his pieces has inspired me to get my materials out on my desk so I can pick them up more easily when I feel the inspiration. You can follow him on Instagram here.

What’s I’m Making

Bouquets! I have been cutting the beautiful tulips from my garden and making some really lovely bouquets. I am dabbling with selling my flowers this year and have had two orders already. I cannot wait until I can get out there and plant the summer flowers!

What’s I’m Reading

Here’s what I finished this week:

“The Book of Knowing and Worth” by Paul Selig (Affiliate Link)

This is a re-listen for me. As I mentioned my spiritual journey has been full on lately and this book has been sending me off to sleep at night. I really enjoy the peaceful narration and the channeled text is very enlightening.

Here’s what I am (still) reading:

“A Fire at the Exhibition: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 10” by T.E. Kinsey (Affiliate Link)

As you know I am a huge fan of the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries. I listen to them all on Audible and really love the performance. This one is no exception

“Can’t Spell Treason without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne (Affiliate Link)

This is a re-listen for me. As I mentioned my spiritual journey has been full on lately and this book has been sending me off to sleep at night. I really enjoy the peaceful narration and the channeled text is very enlightening.

“A World Made New: Book Three the Manifestation Trilogy” by Paul Selig (Affiliate Link) I have listened to a lot of Paul’s channeled texts over the years and I really enjoy the audio books because he reads them himself so it feels really authentic. I realized as I am writing this that I hadn’t actually read the first two books in the series which makes sense as I wasn’t following along with this one as I usually do. So I am going to be hopping off this one and heading over to book #1 but it’s still a great listen!

Planning a Creative Recharge

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Simple, Gentle and Customizable Ways to Jump Start Your Creativity

As creatives, taking time to refill our own creative well can be anything from a bit of a challenge to a complete balancing act.

Speaking from my own experience, I can easily slip into consuming the creative expression of others cough “scrolling” to the point where I have firmly convinced myself I do not have a creative bone in my body.

As someone who loves many different mediums and can move from writing to sewing to painting to gardening to drawing in Procreate to hand embroidery I love that when I don’t feel interested in one creative project there are lots of others to choose from.

When I am in a creative rut however it can be easy to fall into overwhelm (ugh I have so much stuff in my creative space) or fall into watching other people being creative and realize it’s been quite a while since I exercised my own creative muscles. It’s really a bit of a balancing act, being really honest with myself and paying attention to whether I am recharging my creativity or just blindly consuming.

This past week has been a bit full on for me and I feel like I could use some time focusing just on little ‘ole me and maybe recharging my own creative well.

Which leads me to the theme of this week’s Letters: Planning a Creative Recharge.

I don’t know about you but one of my favorite things when I’m planning something is the research. I love getting inspired, making a page in my notebook, taking loads of notes and pretty much not actually doing any of those things.

I think the planning stage for things is fun. It’s a way to be inspired, to step into that realm of possibility where nothing has been made and yet anything is possible.

Recharging creatively of course looks different for everyone. We are all in different life stages, require different things and enjoy different things. I am hoping that my suggestions here are less to-do list and more of a spring board speaking from my creative spirit to yours and sparking ideas of your own.

I am also going to try and include ideas that work no matter where you live. A walk around a museum is lovely if you have one nearby but I am going to try and offer ideas that you can do where you are with what you already have. Here we go!

  1. Creative Space Reset: Alright this one might be less exciting since I am basically suggesting we clean but hear me out! So often I get into a creative rut and as someone who completely forgets I own something if it’s not in my direct eye line, going through and cleaning up my space can truly inspire me. I find just picking up a medium will spark an idea and before I know it, I have a clean (ish) space and lots of new ideas. Or I’m sitting in the middle of a pile of stuff making art-really a win either way.
  2. Creative Picnic: I wanted to include something that can be done even if you don’t have a full day to take or maybe if you have little ones that are in need of attending to. Take your creating to a blanket in a park or your backyard. Bad weather? Set up a picnic inside on the floor and grab your favorite medium. Enjoy some snacks and have a creative play.
  3. Glue Book: Sometimes I want to make something but I am at a loss for ideas. That’s when cutting and gluing can be so much fun. Grab a sketchbook, a magazine or some junk mail, a pair of scissors and a glue stick. Start cutting and gluing. If you really don’t know what to make just try and fill a page with images. Cut squares the same size and fill a page. Cut circles and space them evenly on the page. Fill a page with one color or play paper dolls and cut out a person and change up their outfit, hair, add a hat. This is another great one to do if you have little ones with you too.
  4. Make a Bed Bag: There is something I love about creating while sitting on my bed listening to music. I think it brings me back to my teen and pre-teen years where I would spend time adding to my New Kids on the Block scrapbook with images found in Teen Beat Magazine. Still there is something so not serious about sitting on your bed making something. You could really go old school and grab some embroidery floss and make yourself some friendship bracelets. String on some beads or maybe open up that embroidery kit you bought last year. Sketch, color whatever you want! Fill a canvas bag with some things you have been meaning to try out or are your favorite supplies and have a play. Finishing off with a nap earns you extra bonus points.
  5. Fill a Notebook: This one is a challenge and creative expression all in one. Plus it’s flexible enough to be done along with any of the tips above. Grab a small, cheap notebook. Spiral bound, lined whatever you have. Those mini composition notebooks would be great too and fill it! You can grab a sketchbook that only has a few pages in it and then just add stuff! Draw, color, watercolor each page with a different color. Use crayons and fill each page with rainbows. Doodle. Glue. Set a challenge for yourself to fill the notebook without worrying about what you make. In the end you can use the pages for collage or you can create over them but the only thing more exciting than starting a new sketchbook is finishing one.

     

So there are just a few easy ideas for you to refill your creative well. I tried to come up with some new ideas but please feel free to add your own in the comments I would love to hear how you recharge your creativity.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

*If you are a fan of cozy mysteries and would like to be kept up to date with Book #1 in the Cassie and Polly Mystery Series you can click here. I promise no spamming or anything like that. It’s free and of course you can unsubscribe at any time. I am just getting that substack going but your support means the world!

 

To read the rest of this post you can join my Substack!

 

 

Doing It My Way: An Unguided Path to Creative Play

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I am working on my book. Did I mention that here? I am currently editing my first cozy mystery called “Houseplant Homicides” * that I should be releasing later this year.

The dream of making a living as a writer has been with me since I was about 10 years old. That’s quite a few decades and yet, it hasn’t happened for me yet. Of course it’s all to do with my own lack right? All the ways I haven’t been doing things correctly:

  • I wasn’t consistent enough
  • I wasn’t disciplined enough
  • I didn’t do an outline
  • I didn’t wake up early enough each day

    This is just the tip of all the things I have been saying to myself. Of course there is the constant comparison, the fact that I’m probably not a good writer anyway because I write just like a talk in full run-on sentences like my teacher in grade school used to always correct me about. Then of course there is just the realities of life and things happening and not wanting to.

So what’s new?

Well, there has been a lot of energy happening lately-maybe you’ve felt it? The spiritual part of me has been studying and learning and growing and, if I’m being completely honest totally freaking out. Anxiety? Check. Fear? Check. Moments of complete union and peace. Check.

I mean what is even happening?

So I’ve ridden the waves of uncertainty, panic, fear and self-doubt (screaming if I am being completely honest) and somewhere in the midst of all that I realized something.

At the root of it all, was me, trying to not be me.

I was in fear because I feared what would happen if I was truly me and “they” didn’t like it.

I was in doubt because being me couldn’t be enough could it?

I was panicking because I really wanted this thing but I have to do it in a way that isn’t me-don’t I?

So I started to let some of that go. Not perfect of course, I’m sure the waves will come back for me soon enough to deepen and expand what I think I’ve learned and expose the places where I haven’t learned enough.

But, I started.

I started to let go of anything that started with “should.”

“I should be writing now not working in the garden.”

“I should finish this thing before I start that thing.”

“I should write like this.”

Instead, I started to follow the things I found exciting. Like printed materials!

I am really excited about making books, printed, hold in your hands paper books. The ideas are coming forward and it feels so fun!

Work shouldn’t be fun right? It’s serious business.

Only, I’m not serious about business. I don’t even like the word business. I want to write, I want to share what I write. Maybe that’s success enough for me.

I mean, I am the one who gets to define what success looks like for me right? Like going from 12 to 19 subscribers since the start of the year-that’s success!

Writing a book-that’s a success!

Writing this substack post-success!

Having a publishing plan that looks nothing like something you would find in a “10 Steps to a Successful Book Launch” e-book-success!

It’s taken me longer than seems sensible to realize that I get to define this little life all for myself. Silly right?

Letting my creativity lead the way instead of studies or statistics feels like the best path for me. Allowing myself to create something in the way I want without getting caught up in the shoulds and have-to’s feels like the most authentic way to create and at the end of the day, it’s the act of creating that I love.

So here’s to doing it our way-whatever that is. Even if we are still figuring it out along the creative path. I’ll be sure to wave to you while I walk mine should ours intersect and the kettle will probably be on as well.

Much love!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

If you would like to read the subscriber supported additions you can subscribe to my Substack here.

Look What I Made!

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Being Creative with a Childlike Enthusiasm

It’s been a few weeks since my last Letter. I have been really tired and if I am honest my ideas were running a bit low. It’s so easy to get caught up in what I should be writing or sharing while simultaneously comparing myself to others. I was spiritually guided to lessen my input of what other people are creating and instead dig in to making stuff myself. When I practice this I notice how suddenly the energy returns to my body.

Simply sitting and thinking about what I would like to make starts the influx of energy into my body. What seems to stop it is when I try to think how to turn that into a Substack post or a blog post or YT video. There was this reel I saw on Instagram by Rick Rubin and he’s talking about just that. Making the most amazing thing you can as a form of worship.

My quiet time with God (or Spirit or whatever word feels truest for you-we are the ones who made up language anyway so feel free to translate my word to something you love and feel inspired by) has been “just make it, stop trying to monetize it.”

Where did I get this idea that my time is only well spent if it makes me money? Why do I think I need to be legitimized as an artist in the form of currency?

You know the best paying job I ever had-not just dollars and cents but in overall well-being-was pet sitting. I started the business about 19 years ago and it was the easiest business for me to grow and make a really wonderful living at. It required very little effort on my part as far as growing the business itself (finding customers) and all the joy went into caring for these furry kids and being outside and going for walks. I used to record my podcasts while I walked the dogs and it was just beautiful and easy.

So, why do I think I need to force money from my creativity? Why would it be any different? I love animals and my love and sincerity was evident to the pet parents when I met them. They knew their pets were safe with me and that I would love and spoil them. I didn’t have to force it. I didn’t have to change how I approached the visit I was just me, Michele, loving animals and doing my thing.

So maybe that’s the shift that needs to happen. The exhaustion I have been feeling is from the striving to prove myself in the dollars and cents world. It’s ironic because between you and me I really dislike that world. I don’t want to live there. I want to live where the creatives are-the fun ones not the ones who like to dissect art and music into this mysterious thing that takes a lifetime to master and has to look a certain way. No I am talking about the ones who are playing who are locked into that amazing creative feeling that we get when we are just doing what we love because we love it and we were made to do it.

So here’s to playing, to making something fun and exciting and sharing it just like my 7 and 11 year-olds share their work with me. They sit down and draw in their sketchbooks with whatever tools they have on hand then hold it up and go, “look what I made!” And I love that so much. I love the pride in their faces and the joy in their hearts. I want to be that again.

So here are the things I have been making. I invite you to imagine me holding them up to you going, “look what I made” with each one. Then, if you would like, please comment below and share what you are making. You can even take a “look what I made” photo of you holding it up if you want. You can link to your Substack post too so we can all come over and ooh and ahhh over it. Let’s be kids and share our work with fun and enthusiasm.

I finished the journal for my Stroudsburg trip! It was so much fun and I am planning on sharing more about the trip and some process videos so let me know if that’s something you would like to see. The journal is overflowing with chunkiness and I made it part memory part junk journal. I loved the challenge of taking a small little trip and filling an entire journal with goodies and it’s definitely something I am going to replicate. It was so much fun to be on my trip and looking for things to add to my notebook. I think an everyday journal would be fun too…..

I didn’t technically make this cover this past week but I wanted to share. I am taking part in my own version of the 100 Days of Slow Stitch by Ann Wood Handmade and this is the cover to hold my pages. I really love how it came out and each night while I am watching TV with my teen daughter I stitch a few pages. I stumbled upon making pages as a sort of vision board for things I am working to realize this year. Below are the pages I am working on

The top right is the first page I slow stitched. I made my studio shed that I want to build in our backyard. The door actually opens to show a little kitty inside sleeping on a pile of books.

 

The middle one is my dream of owning a horse someday. I finished the page but now I am going back to add some fabric and stitches around him.

The top left one is our dream homestead. Land, a cozy house and animals. sigh.

Lastly I am attending my first Zine fest next week. I am taking my 7 year-old with me as she loves making zines and I thought it would be fun. I have an advertisement running for the event and so it seemed only fitting to give away a free zine to anyone who subscribes to my Substack at any level. For those of you lovely subscribers I will send it out to you once it’s all done but for now I have the cover to share as a sneak peak.

 

Below are some things I have been loving and finding inspiring since our last letter. Enjoy!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Subscribe here to find out what’s been inspiring me, when my creativity session will be available along with this week’s reads.

Creativity and Stillness: Thoughts on my artist weekend

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It’s been a beautiful weekend.

I am currently writing this in a hotel room on an impromptu artist retreat. The idea was sparked and realized only a few days ago and I must say it’s been an amazing time.

I want to be able to share some photos of what I have been up to but that will all come in next week’s post. This isn’t me teasing you to subscribe or come back next week just that I don’t feel I can write it all up as I would like right now. It would feel rushed and to be honest I am getting loads of creative ideas that I want to have time to sit with so hopefully it will be worth the wait!

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Today I wanted to write a bit about what I have experienced on this solo retreat and to do that properly I think a little back story is in order.

I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling Momma to 3 awesome kids. Truly, they are awesome. They are creative, smart, funny and best of all they know their own minds and I just love that.

My life is my family and has been for the past 15 years and while it’s challenging and hard and has grown me in ways I don’t think I could begin to summarize I know I am doing what I was meant to be doing during this season in my life.

Creativity, however, is my recharge. It’s where I can go and just rest, make a mess, write the words and show up exactly how I am and let it all go.

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When I was 8 I decided I was going to be a writer. 8 year-old me knew this, never doubted it and to be honest writing is the one creative pursuit I never doubted about myself. Even when people told me something wasn’t good or that I couldn’t write I just knew they were wrong and went about my day. I’m not sure I realized that about myself until just now.

Man I love writing.

The one part I did question was my legitimacy as a writer. You see somewhere between 8 year-old me and the 40 years since I came under the misguided belief that to be a writer I had to prove it. It wasn’t enough to write I had to be published. It wasn’t enough to be published I had to earn money. It wasn’t enough to earn money I had to earn a lot of money.

Crazy right? I mean who makes up these cockamamie rules?

The answer? Me! I did!

Somewhere I decided that I had to prove myself. I had to prove I was a “real” writer. I had to show them that I had done it.

I don’t know who “they” were but apparently they were important enough to have me beating myself up for not being where I believed I was supposed to be.

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Over the past maybe 2 weeks I have been on this deepening path. Deconstructing things, questioning old beliefs.

This creative weekend has really been a beautiful little balm for my creative soul. She so needed to be treated to a weekend of possibility with zero expectation. She needed to be rewarded for her strength, for showing up even though I was, to be honest, quite mean to her a lot.

In all of this, there has been a bit of a returning to myself. Reconnecting with the parts of me that had been patiently waiting for their time again. Parts that knew I needed my attention to be elsewhere but that one day I would come back and be so grateful they were still there.

If you are feeling stuck creatively. If you are questioning your legitimacy as a writer or an artist or just whether you are actually creative at all I would like to send you a virtual hug. I don’t know about you but I am so grateful I have creative outlets. Whether I am stitching something, writing something, playing something or whether I’m just thinking about those things.

Creativity is what connects me to me.

The bigger me.

Being creative connects me to The Creator and the energy and alignment that comes from that is, well, it’s truth.

I have been blessed to be able to get away for the weekend and I know that.

If you are a momma with little ones you may be reading this with one in your arms, through bleary eyes at 2 am on your phone.

I see you. Hang in there. You are doing amazing and you got a collective mamahood cheering you on as you go through the hard moments, the beautiful moments and everything in between.

If you are someone who just feels stuck, uninspired or maybe not even sure how to begin to get back your creative spark-I see you. Stuck is part of the journey. Sometimes the only thing I could do was watch other people be creative or read the writings of others. You aren’t alone. You aren’t behind. You aren’t wasting time. If this extremely long north eastern winter has reminded me of anything it’s that all things need a pause. We aren’t any different.

Maybe you are someone in the feasting stage of creativity. You are full of ideas as they flood in fast and furious and you are just trying to keep up. I am cheering you on and hope you know that the making is enough. If no one reads it, listens to it or sees it, it’s enough. You are a beautiful creative-making machine!

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If I could wish one thing for all of us, it would be to spend a bit of time today recognizing our amazing gifts. Seeing all we have been given. Resting in the things we have already done, made or dreamed. To relish in the creative expression of another and send them a little cheer for not only making something but sharing it. Our energy goes so far and even if we can’t reach out to someone and say “way to go you” offering up an energetic cheer really does make a difference.

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So that is all for me. I have some creative plans before I leave but they may not happen until I get home and that is alright with me. Thank you for being here with me on my journey and I wish you a beautiful week!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Little and Often: Moving slowly, creating intentionally

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I’ve been moving slowly and yet time has been whirling around me.

It’s been intentional, slowing down, being more deliberate, trying to stick to the creative focuses I have been given.

I always find it interesting how slowing down, not being hurried or busy seems to be revolutionary. In this journey I am learning just how necessary it is for me. There has been this uncovering the past few years where I am realizing so many of the aspects of who I truly am were never in need of correcting.

That doing things little and often provide me with true and sustainable momentum while also providing the most joy in my chosen task. For me, rushing and forcing never works. It’s not sustainable. Pushing and hustling doesn’t work for me either. In most ways it is completely counterintuitive to my own creative process.

Over the course of my creative life I have moved in rhythms that looks something like hustling and pushing followed by avoidance and then beating myself up for said avoidance.

The balance for me lately when those “you should be…” come to mind is responding with, “this is my life.” That little phrase reminds me that I get to do these things, there are no shoulds here.

I also recognize that my creativity needs space. If I don’t make regular time to be creative, then I can’t expect to make much.

Schedules and routines are lovely things I like to think about but I work much with a general list of priorities. I have been playing with a habit tracker and it has been working well. In the past I would focus far too much on what I missed, the boxes not checked, but I have been working on that and having a simplified list of my 3 creative focuses has been helping.

Last night I was lying in bed and thinking about my plans for my Substack. I don’t know about you, my fellow creative, but sometimes the ideas come fast and furious and then before I know it I am facing complete overwhelm at the realization that there are just not enough hours or enough energy. The idea of the three focuses has truly helped me clear out the clutter and find my little and often.

So, I took a breath, focused within and asked, “ok what’s my purpose? What’s my focus?”

Writing is one of my focuses so here I am, working on this week’s Letters for Creatives. While trying to keep focused with a million ideas whirling in my head.

So this weekend, while the snow falls here in the Northeast I am going to be finishing the most recent round of edits for my cozy mystery and recording a creativity session for paid subscriptions. Those are my plans. My ideas are, well, more.

I really want to do some collage. I have been thinking about it for maybe two weeks and I just need to sit down and get collaging. There is just something so therapeautic about tearing up bits of paper and brushing on some glue before sticking them down.

I want to finish my current junk journal. I have only 2 pages left and a few that need some last little bits added to them.

Slow stitching. I am really excited to finish the first page in my slow stitch journal so with any luck I can share the finished page here.

I would love to hear your thoughts about creativity. Are you best when you challenge yourself to make things happen or do you also need to do things gently? Are there any projects you are slowly chipping away at? Please let me know!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante