3 Easy Ways to Creative Play Inspired by Mother Nature

As the temps continue to cool down a bit here in Dallas, I find myself drawn more and more to the outdoors. And, while I enjoy my walks and runs in the lovely fall weather, I'm once again inspired by the innate creative brilliance of Mother Nature.

In the same way flowers beautifully bloom 

(without asking anyone's permission), 

swans glide gracefully across the lake 

(without wondering if they're doing it well enough) 

and leaves seasonally change into their autumn colors 

(without second-guessing their choice of hue) ~ 

I invite you to embrace your own creative spirit with that same inherent knowing and ease.  

Here are three quick Creative Oasis prompts using nature's inspiration to help you do just that:

#1 Color Yourself Creative ~ Step outside and take a look around. After scanning your surroundings choose a color in your immediate view that appeals to you. 

Next, set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and create a color page in your journal or on a blank sheet of paper.  Creating a Color Page is as easy as filling every inch of space with the color of your choice using any creative supplies you like: collage, crayons, pastels, paints, markers or all of the above. 

I love Color Pages because they offer a super low pressure way to play with creative materials. It allows us to put the emphasis on the joy of using our creative supplies rather than worrying about the final outcome. There's no right or wrong way, so you get to dive in and play!

Here's an example from my Creative Oasis Journal. As you can see, even the "rules" of creating a color page are very loose, thus the splashes of gold and other colors on my primarily blue page.

#2 Shoot the Moon ~ or the sun, or the clouds or that spiderweb on your front porch. These days it's easier than ever to take photos with our phones and iThingies. 

Once you snap a shot of some bit of nature that catches your fancy you might choose to add a quote  or play with manipulating the image using a creative app. (Click here for a list of the top 32 photo apps via Creative Bloq.)  

I used the app "Photo Studio" to create the above image combining a quick pic of my Japanese Woodblock calendar and a simple haiku I wrote. It was fun, creatively satisfying and took about 5 minutes to do it all.

#3 Wok Out ~ Take a stroll through the produce section of your grocery store (or better yet, outside at a local farmer's market) and choose a variety of veggies solely on the basis of their color and shape. If you're feeling adventurous include at least one veggie or herb that you've never tried before.

Throw together a colorful stir-fry for dinner enjoying each step...choosing which shape to chop each vegetable...deciding on a sauce...even picking which plate or bowl you'll use to serve up your bright, delicious, nutritious, creative concoction. If you like, it might even be fun to create a special name for your dish as well!

Here's to taking cues from nature and looking for easy ways to add a dash of creative joy to our days!

Until next time, all the best from my nature fueled Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Double Rainbow Creative Connection

Earlier this week my daughter and I wanted to take some fun outdoor head shots in the wooded area behind our condo in the Colorado mountains. By the time we'd chosen outfits, put on make-up, fixed our hair and headed out, it started to rain.

Our creative plans foiled, we went back inside to wait out the storm, I'll admit, more than a little disgruntled. We were losing precious "golden hour" light and grumpy about having our mother/daughter photo shoot put on hold by Mother Nature.

Soon enough the rain let up and I suggested we bypass the muddy woods and take some shots by the gorgeous flowers at the front of the property. We never made it to the flowers.

Upon stepping foot outside we were stopped in our tracks by the truly glorious, choir-of-angels-singing-hallelujah sight of an amazingly vibrant and wide-arching double rainbow.

We were delighted by the brilliant prismatic display. Mother Nature instantly forgiven, we snapped dozens of photos of the rainbows and each other before heading back in, creative itches well scratched.

I love the metaphor of the rainbow. The natural example of sunshine (or happy times) and rain (or dark times) coming together to create something so beautiful and hopeful.

"When it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. 

Without the rain, there would be now rainbow." 

~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

After looking up rainbow quotes I had fun coming up with one of my own. As you can see above, I combined it with one of my photographs and Creative Oasis Mantra #3 was born – my double rainbow creative connection! 

How might you shine your creative light into the storms of life this week? 

* Stuck waiting in a long line or traffic jam?

What if you transform a frustrating moment into a pleasant pause?

* Dealing with a troubling health issue?

What if you create a quick collage in response to the way you're feeling?

* Have a spat with your partner?

What if you write an apology in haiku form? 

I'd love to hear ways you choose to use creativity to shine a little light onto any dark days  you may have in the coming week. Please feel free to share in the comments section below if you'd like.

Until next time, all the best from my rainbow inspired Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post and would like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this in my Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Mother Nature Makes a Good Point

Mother Nature gave me a wink and a nod last week when my friend took me to the beautiful Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls. As we hiked lush trails that wove in and out of moss-covered trees and flowing waterfalls I snapped photo after photo while soaking up nature's powerful inspiration with delight. Talk about Creative Oasis Moments!

Since the name of the workshop I'd come to Art and Soul Portland to teach was entitled, "So In The Flow" (Maintaining your creative moment even after the retreat) the serendipity of having the opportunity to spend time trekking alongside these falls was not lost on me.

I hope the above image and haiku serve as a nice reminder that the free feeling of being in the creative flow is as natural as a waterfall - not to mention as energizing and refreshing!

Here are three simple ways we might take a page from Mother Nature's book:

#1 – Water flows downhill. It doesn't fight gravity. It literally goes with the flow. When we remember that the struggle is optional and we can choose to try things the easy way rather than the hard way, we open ourselves up to enjoying our creative pursuits more easily and frequently.

This may be as simple as remembering to ask ourselves, "How can I make this easier?" or "How might I make this more fun?"

What's one creative project you might try this with today?

#2 – Running water is an extremely powerful force. It can move heavy tree limbs, boulders and people down a mountainside with great force. Our creativity gives us super powers of our own.  When we embrace our creative flow we have the awesome ability to turn bad days into good days…wash away negative thoughts from our inner critic…and add positive energy and joy to the people in our lives.

What if being in the creative flow was your super power? How might that look? How might that feel?

#3 – Simply taking a moment to drink in the beauty of a waterfall feels like a sacred creative act.  Giving ourselves the opportunity to just enjoy the creative output of others is an important and delightful part of the creative process that we sometimes forget about. We become so focused on producing…doing…making…checking things off our list that we forget the importance of filling our own well.

Why not read an inspiring article or gaze at the lovely images in a coffee table book…watch a good movie or listen to a new style of music…take a walk in nature or enjoy a stimulating TED Talk video?

What's one way you might enjoy creative exposure this week?

Until next time I'll leave you with a few seconds of the lovely sound and image of a waterfall and the the wish that you'll give yourself permission to try at least one of the suggestions from above to dive into your own Creative Oasis flow very soon!

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

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!