I'm finally doing it! I can't blame the server, my dishes, my vacation (How about that spring break, Austin?), or the eyelash I somehow got out of my eye! Or did I? Doesn't everyone start a blog critiquing themselves for not having done one sooner? I'll get it out of the way and do what I may.
I must confess. I did need a vacation! And the blog waited. We welcomed an old friend, who just happens to be a lovely art therapist friend from graduate school (School of the Art Institute of Chicago alums in 1994-6 ). We enjoyed lovely dinners at home, hiked the green belt, the botanical gardens, canoed Lady Bird Lake and had a lovely Thursday on South Congress for SXSCongress. The weather pleasantly surprised me as I anticipated the rains that finally came on Friday as I drove my friend to the airport. She missed the carpets of bluebonnets that I saw today, but saw a handful of them as they first emerged. She smelled the peach irises (yes, they smell like a peach) and caught a meteor in the backyard, but missed the largest showing of peach irises I have yet been blessed with in my backyard. We all know 70 degrees won't stick around for too long. Doesn't that sound like more fun than writing a blog?
There are limits to what we can absorb. When nature calls, and I don't mean the WC, I find my life is generally more pleasant when I give in to that hike, or (hopefully soon for my garden's sake) the gardening. Perhaps I am letting go of negative electronic garbage I happen to be carrying around. Resetting my tolerance clock for dealing with the world.
My tolerance rates for media seem to fluctuate with how much I need to do it. If I really need to do it, I will do it, but I'm not necessarily happy about it. Not until the numbing seduction kicks in. If I don't need to do it, (and I'm left to my own devices) I can find myself losing time in the i-you-know-whats. So, I do what I can. We have our rules. No tv. Movies occasionally. You'd be surprised how much media can take up art making time! The only thing I miss from tv is Jim Spencer's weather reports, to be honest.
Is there an answer to media overload? Something that's fun, easy, never wrong, endlessly creative? Felting. Handwork. Using your hands in coordinated movements that your brain more or less controls. Wet felting a purse? How is that therapeutic? By Jove, that's the million dollar question. It's meditation creation combined with a workout. That's right. And your hands will be really clean! And you'll have a purse for your ipad, so you can make it comfy and convenient when you need to talk yourself out of getting online or media-fried, as we say down in these parts. Or fill it with flowers from your hike. It's a challenge and a skill--making something from natural, beautifully dyed wools (that no animal died for). You'll even feel like you're on the farm when you close your eyes and smell. (It's actually pleasant. :))
I had plans to spruce up my first felted bad with buttons. I'll get to it at some point. It's a nice feeling to own and use something I made with my own hands. Loving all the little imperfections in my bag mirrors loving all my little imperfections. It's quirky and fun and will fall apart at some point--just like me. But each time I work with felt, I get a little better, which makes the process rewarding. Failed experiments one day will be used in a new, unimaginable way later. Or not. But the process is worthwhile regardless.
This week, we have a lot of events! Deann is starting her new Women's group (the wait list grows!), on Wednesday 11:30-1pm, we have a free community talk/lunchtime $20 ceu's for therapists (which I'll be hosting on EFT & Art making), on Friday, we'll be participating for the first time with the East End 4th Fridays by hosting our Open Studio. I'll be making wet felted purses this coming Saturday, March 28th from 10 am- 1:30pm. There's still room because I've been goofing off, as you can see, and haven't been marketing. It looks like a good forecast, but you'll have plenty of day left after to enjoy it. Join me!
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