This past Sunday I reveled in several hours of guilt-free, low-pressure creative fun with people I love dearly. Sounds good, doesn't it?
And just so you know, being a creativity coach doesn't guarantee that this is a regular thing for me. While I do my best to weave creativity into my life on a regular basis and help others to do the same, this was different, deeper, dedicated creative time and wow, did it feel great!
Here's how it came to be:
First, I gave my mom a gift certificate for an All-Girl Creative Oasis Play Day for her birthday. My sister-in-law and daughter were invited too since they're awesome, creative-loving gals.
Next, we set a date and we put it on our calendars. Seems like
a simple step, but it’s huge. Putting creativity on our calendar transforms dedicated creative time from a “wouldn’t that be nice” thought to a “this is gonna happen”
event. (My e-booklet Creative Oasis Dates– Make Time to Pursue YourCreative Passion in Five Easy Steps walks you through the process.)
After we gathered around the table and took out our supplies, we found an acoustic guitar station on Pandora and relaxed into our time together.
Sometimes we chatted…sometimes we just listened to the music while we dabbled with our various projects. We all agreed it was a peaceful, fulfilling and fun way to spend the afternoon.
I started off with some doodling using a kit I recently purchased. You can see the results in the time-lapse video up top. (You can find this fun-filled kit by Stephanie Corfee in my amazon associate store by clicking here.)
It was a great low-pressure way to enjoy some
pure creative process and not worry about the end result. Doodling is one of my
favorite dive right in Instant Oasis moments ever and this how-to book
has lots of great ideas to try. I love it!
My sister-in-law, Shannon, brought a package of adorable, tiny little canvases – talk about Kaizen! They feel so small and doable - not intimidating in the least. I had a blast using
watercolor and markers to create my teeny-tiny masterpiece
below.
Shannon created a pinterest inspired project that was super cool! Though I didn't get a shot of the final piece, here's one in progress. (Can you see a glimpse of the painting for R.S.V.P. by Tori Pendergrass peeking through?)
My mom brought some knitting and also a cute little sprite
from her fairy garden that needed her paint freshened up. Too cute,
right?
Does some relaxing creative time like this sound good to
you? Why not take out your calendar right now and choose a date? Can you think
of some friends or family members who might like to join you? What if you
forward this post to them right now with an invitation to set up your own
Creative Oasis Date?
As always, I’d love to hear all about it if you do. Please
post your comments below and let me know how it goes.
Until next time, here’s to putting our Creative Oasis time
on the calendar a little more often and enjoying life more than ever!
Jill
P.S. – If you'd like to have Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite-sized bonbons of creative inspiration) delivered each week please sign up here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html
You'll also receive a free copy of "Permission to Be Creative 101" – my e-booklet that will help you take the first small steps to make the time and space for creative fulfillment – your Creative Oasis – in your busy life!
