Creativity 101

I listened to a podcast recently and it talked about being creative.  I think it was Brene Brown on Oprah's podcast.  She said not tapping into your creativity, allowing that expression of yourself to be seen, can manifest itself as frustration in the body and mind.

Creativity comes in many ways ... writing, painting, singing, drawing, cooking, etc.  Creating something using your imagination.

I'm not crafty.  I've said this many times.  Not crafty shouldn't be the same as not creative though (thank goodness she mentioned cooking because that checks the box for me LOL).  In the name of creativity and connection, I signed up for a flower arranging class with a friend.

We started with the instructor saying this will be an individual expression of our self.  Ut oh - I thought it was more a copy thing - but she took it right to the woo woo side of flower arranging.  Of course, I took this as a message DIRECTLY from the Universe to ME after hearing that podcast and deciding to be more creative.  I took a couple of breaths (subtly, I'm not trying to be that weird person) and set an intention to allow this to be an expression of me.

All this build up to say ... I NAILED it!!  OMG, it's so pretty!!!  I don't make pretty things so this is incredible to me that I did this myself.  I sent the picture to all my crafty friends to say "can you believe I did this?"  They were shocked because they know me!!

All the arrangements were totally different - using the same flower options.  You know how I know it's ME?  I love it the best.  I wouldn't change a thing.  Now, if you are a creative person, this seems basic and a little silly, but for those of us who are challenged in the area, it's a big deal.  A number of peeps in class got stuck, needed help, couldn't make it come together.  I got in my zone and created - I feel like an artist ... hahaha not really, but it was super fun and I'm super happy with how it turned out.

Here's some tips ...
(1) Flowers never higher than 1.5 times the vessel size.
(2) Change water every 2 days.
(3) Take hard outer petals off roses and they will open better.
(4) Soak hydrangea blooms in water for 30 minutes before arranging - they take in most of the water through the petals, not the stems.
(5) Keep the numbers odd.
(6) Nothing but stems in the water - trim off leaves, etc.

I was looking at another camera - oops.
Work in progress ...

Am I right?!?!  FABULOUS!!

Then the day took a not-great-eating turn.  I honestly don't know what happened.  Well, cheese happened.  The boys were in charge of the food and I got lost in eating it.  Dang.  I need to "review" what happened and why I fell face first in CRAP.  A quick fall-off-my-bike and I'm right back at healthy this morning -- that's the good news.  A mistake is not a mistake if we learn.  BUT what if I keep making the same mistake WITHOUT learning??  That's something I need to fix.  Sundays are turning out to be the hardest day for me.  I'm going to be extra focused next Sunday and end this trend.

I did practically no reading these last few days.  My social calendar was full and bedtime was late or I wanted to get extra sleep.  I need to hammer through more of World Without End before I start anything else.  It's a good book, but so so so long!  I'm extending my no-other-books for this week too.

We'll get our foster doggies this week.  Probably tomorrow or Wednesday.  I've got to get on my game to handle 4 dogs!

This week is pretty chill (until the dogs come).  Boxing, yoga/meditation, massage - hitting the self-care hard.  Happy Monday.  Later gators.