It’s been a long while. But that’s the beauty of it to me – no pressure, just returning whenever I feel like it. No judgement.
Today was the first day of this winter we had snow coming down, not just in the mountains but also the hills where I live and the lowlands with their cities. I love it!
It’s been a long while. But that’s the beauty of it to me – no pressure, just returning whenever I feel like it. No judgement.
Today was the first day of this winter we had snow coming down, not just in the mountains but also the hills where I live and the lowlands with their cities. I love it!
This weekend we got a first taste of the approaching fall – it rained incessantly for two days straight. What better to do than spending some time on the sofa, drinking tea, reading or watching a good movie.
When I’m lounging on the sofa I’m seldom alone these days as Elvis’ favorite spot to cuddle up is on a throw on the couch.
But I didn’t spend all my weekend hours inside. I also got myself out into the rain for a run twice. On Sunday for a 90min run which Nike Running Global Head Coach Bennett made bearable by saying the right things at the right time.
While out on the long run I saw a field mouse crossing the road in the torrential rain and once on the other side it had troubles getting onto the sidewalk so I helped it up and into the wide field away from the gushing waters pouring down the sidewalk. It quickly snuck underneath some clovers and seemed content enough.
Though the weather was quite awful to be outside in without a good umbrella, I still enjoyed the run and the feeling of badassery I carried throughout it and into the rest of the day.
Saw these guys while out running the other day. No, it’s not a kangaroo and a wolf, that’s just my artistic talent failing me. They were two gorgeous young foxes racing across the field towards the forest.
I love copying drawings and sketches as a kind of slowing down method. Copying pictures keeps me from having to think too much. It allows me to simply go ahead and let my hands do what I see. This was tonight’s doodle of a beachy landscape. The colors could be improved by using aquarelle colors but I opted for my trusty ol’ Copic markers instead.
When time and creative passion hit, things start happening.
I love to do 1 minute doodles – I start off doodling for 1 minute and then have to finish from there. It is quite remarkable how basic you can start off and still get a decent result with an little detail work like shadowing and extra inking.
The reason I like these explosive exercises is that it takes the pressure away to satisfy my perfectionism.
As a matter of fact I know that I will never be able to draw as perfectly as I would wish to so perfectionism only stifles my creativity and I absolutely need to overcome it in order to enjoy the process of creation.
The 1 minute method is how I learn to let go and improve by only focusing on the big picture for one minute. This also improves my ability to quickly sketch on the go instead of mindlessly snapping photos.
My mom is a highly talented seamstress – way more so than I’m a doodler. So no wonder she patched together two versions of a face mask made from fabric remnants in just a couple of hours (if even that).
I love the fact that the fabric sports little dragon flies 🙂
I have a zen doodle book at home that I copy designs out of. Sometimes I create my own designs but I have to admit that the process of creating art as a copyist comes much more easily to me and has a heightened effect of relaxation for me.
I guess I still carry that child’s reflex of learning by copying in me. That’s how I learned back then and still do nowadays. So my credo is: Don’t give up what’s working well and brings you fun!
On my solo run today I noticed that animals keep a “natural social distance”, though that might have different reasons.
About a week ago I had to go to the doctor’s office for an annual checkup. While I was sitting in the waiting room a tiny fluffy black kitty hopped in the window, quickly gazed at me and offered me a little meow before plopping itself down on the chair next to me and starting to clean itself vigorously. I watched it for a while then shrugged and continued my reading. I was under the impression that this happened regularly and since I love a cat’s company I was in waiting room heaven.
When the doctor came to welcome me she greeted me,’looked at the cat, back at me and asked me quite dazzled whether the cat would be ok in the waiting room and I once again shrugged, telling her she probably ought to know better. A puzzled expression crossed her face and she asked me “So this is not your cat?” And I’m just like “Nope, I only bring my cats to the doctor when it’s a vet.”
Next thing I know is the doc calling for the assistant who looks at me a tad outraged and I immediately knew she too was thinking this was my cat. And there it was, she asked me and I once again declined patiently.
Both the assistant and doctor look a little helpless at this point and so the assistant tries to shake the cat off the chair which immediately makes me step in, cradle her in my arms and setting her outside the window. I’ve hardly ever seen windows being closed any faster.
The doctor and the assistant were quite obviously uncomfortable but to me it was one of my best visit to the doctor’s. If it were up to me I would only visit doctor’s with waiting room kitties, I’ve positively never been sooo relaxed in a doctor’s office ever!
Have a great start into this new week!
