Simplifying and Returning
It’s been a bit of time since I sent out one of these letters. All is well in my dilettante world so it hasn’t been anything in particular that has kept me away. If truth be told I have been in a bit of a slump. Not creatively. I am happy to say that I have been making lots of things and I’ll share some in a bit. No, my slump has been about sharing and how to even do that.
I’m going to go on a bit about that so you may like a cozy beverage and a cozy spot before continuing. You can go ahead and get yourself cozy I’ll wait.
Alright then, I too am cozy at the moment. Curled up on my bed crossed legged writing with my laptop in my lap. I have always loved writing this way. Back in high school (well before laptops) I would sit with my electric typewriter on my lap writing an essay that was due the next day. It was a lot heavier than my current set up but I still would love to find that old electric typewriter. I’m convinced it’s still in my attic somewhere.
So coziness and laptops aside I have been trying to figure out what I want to share and how. I love watching other creatives’ videos (I’ll share some of my favorites later) and it always makes me want to start sharing my own again.
Only, how?
And what?
This musing usually takes me a good few weeks until I finally decide to dust off the camera that lives above my desk and film my current project.
Only, the battery is dead. So I plug it in. Memory card full. How is it full? I haven’t recorded anything? Put in a new memory card, film, feel so good about myself.
The entire video was blurry.
That was about 2 months ago.
I love technology.
I love creativity.
The two together however always seem to trip me up. We will not discuss my Cricut. Or my Silouhette. Or my longing desire to turn my art into kiss-cut sticker sheets only to be foiled each time by a cutting machine.
Other times I have managed to actually film and get to the editing process only to spend the whole time thinking, “What is going on with my hair?”
And then I start to wonder about what I should share. I do so many different things you know? How can I compartmentalize everything so that people who like to journal aren’t put off by posts about sewing teddy bears (more on that later). Or what about my journey to publish my cozy mystery in 2026? Just because someone likes watching me make over my dollhouse doesn’t mean they want to hear about my cozy mystery.
So I thought and I mused and I pondered and I created and I have now decided to get over myself and just start sharing. I mean, lets face it, we are creatives all of us. I know for a fact that most of us have lots of hobbies and interests so I am going to just start sharing again and see where the yellow brick road takes me.
Now there is a chance that you are reading this and thinking, “I have no idea who this is or how I got on her newsletter.” If that’s you-well thank you so much for reading a newsletter from a complete stranger. Welcome! My name is Michele and I have been writing under The Dreaming Dilettante for now about 20 years maybe? I am a writer, an artist and an inspirer (I had to look that last one up-turns out it is totally a word so I am going to roll with it despite the red squiggles under it).
I am also a homeschooling mom to 3 pretty awesome kids and pet mom to two senior beagles, one senior cat who is the biggest love in the world and a house rabbit named Frank who is in love with my beagles. We haven’t had the heart to tell him they are hunting dogs and thankfully they are too busy napping and snatching treats to pay him any mind.
I have a ton of hobbies and I love to learn new things. I am always taking classes. Currently I am working on my PhD in Theocentric Psychology from The University of Metaphysics and I am also working on becoming a certified Yoga Teacher. I am studying French, I play the flute and am currently learning guitar. For Valentine’s Day my husband bought me an electric guitar I had my eye on and I am pretty excited about.
I love to sew things. Things like bags, baskets, and especially plushies. In the last two weeks or so I have made this cute bear my 7 year-old named “Honey” and this frog named “Flo” (find out where Flo’s name came from down below) That same daughter fell in love with Flo who now belongs to her.
(I totally kept Honey for myself).
I am also taking part in the 100 days of stitching challenge and working on my first ever stitch book and absolutely loving how it’s coming out. I’ll share more in another post about my plans for this little book.
I am also in the process of editing my first ever cozy mystery which I am planning to self-publish later this year.
When I sat down to do my planning this year I really spent time praying, meditating and asking God to show me what I should be focusing on. I really tried to get clear and not seek what I should be focusing on for money, or career but in general what my creative focus should be. The answer was really clear and specific (I am so grateful for that!).
Writing, my PhD and my Yoga Teacher Training Certification.
It felt so clear and concise and I have been really doing my best to make those my focus. Before I invest time or money I am asking if it falls into those categories. It’s made my career focus much clearer and most beautifully it returned my creativity back to me. Instead of my trying to figure out how to market my creativity or turn it into a product, it’s now something I can use to restore me, challenge me and simply enjoy.
It’s also feeling like this level of grounding is inspiring me to just share what I am doing. Who cares if the lighting isn’t great or I say “um” a few times too many. I don’t care about that when I am watching my favorite creatives. When I sit down to watch them I am resting, having some creative time (or tea time) with a like-minded person and delighting in watching them make something.
Sounds like something the world can use more of right?
So, here I am, writing, (yay focus #1) and sharing some light (which feels perfectly in alignment with my Yoga Teacher Training and my PhD work so #2 and #3 check!)
I hope my letters inspire you but also I want them to feel like a safe little space for you to rest in. I’ll stick to sharing things that brighten your day, delight or maybe offer you some reassurance that it’s ok to just watch people be creative when maybe you just can’t.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be expanding things here, showing up more and I hope you will stick around. I cannot wait to see what you make.
Until next time…
-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante
I share more to my subscribers on Substack about Flo, what’s been inspiring me, what I’m reading along with links to all the patterns I used. You can check that out here.
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