Artsy-Fartsy-itis

Ya know... honestly, I wish I was more creative.  And when the spark does happen (rare that it is) I wish I would actually write the idea down.  Everyone thinks I'm creative and a few actually show some jealousy at times toward my creativity.  But the truth is... I'm not.  (I can take a base idea and run with it, adding, tweaking, etc. but coming up with something new?  Meh, not lately)  Or, at least, I don't think so... not anymore.  I may have been in my younger years, but now?  Not so much.  Not after surfing the web (more precisely, Pinterest.com) for ideas. 

Wow, can I get totally distracted by that website.  I just love it and can get so lost in it.  The amazing things that people have and find on the web are overwhelming.  Especially when I go through and find a ton of really cool, fun and interesting crafty and artsy-fartsy ideas. 

Then I get a bit depressed.  When was the last time I came up with a cool craft?  When did I become so unimaginative, so unproductive? 

I've come to one conclusion...

Technology.

As much as I love it, use it, come to rely on it and refuse to ever give up completely, I believe that the technology that we, or at least, I, use is somewhat a major factor in my lack of creativity. 

I used to read a lot and lately, I'm lucky to get a page or two read in a month.  Of course, the other determining factor lately is a little one-year-old who runs the house.  But this Disease of Lacocreativity (lack-of-creativity, for those who didn't get it) happened years before I had kids.

So, what to do?

Well, I could always look up crafty ideas on the web to spark my creativity.... oh... wait... no, that doesn't exactly work, now does it?  That's like an alcoholic taking a drink to get up the nerve to quit drinking.  Not quite the most ideal solution.

Any ideas?

Well, this is something I believe that I will need to ponder on more.  (although I'm open to suggestions.  It's not like I'm going to give up the computer!)  Maybe it's time to get a new book to read more and break out the paint and brushes again... now where did I put those...?

The Language of Flowers

1.) What type of flowers would be in a bouquet that best describes you? (inspired by Persipacity and the article Talking the language of Flowers)

(Writing Prompt from Mama Kat)

 

A bouquet of wildflowers, my favorite.  It’s a mix of everything… every emotion, every thought and care in the world.  Everything from worry and anxiety to love and tenderness and everything in between.  I have just as many emotions as there are flowers in that bouquet.  I also have just as many interests.  It all depends on the Mood of the Moment as to which one’s aroma I choose to enjoy (or dread) in my life right then and there.

From iFlorist.com:

Absinth/Wormwood: Separation and Torment of Love

Almond Blossom: Hope and Watchfulness

Aloe: Wisdom and Integrity

Azalea: Fragile and Ephemeral Passion

Carnation, Yellow: Disdain and Rejection

Chestnut: Independence and Injustice

Cinnamon: Love and Beauty

Clematis: Artifice and Ingenuity

Convolvulus: Humble Perseverance

Daisy: Gentleness, Innocence, Loyal love (one of my favorite flowers)

Forget-me-not: Faithful Love, Memories (could this be used for forgetfulness?)

Gladiolus: Strength Of Character, I am really sincere

Heliotrope: Devotion, Eternal Love

Hibiscus: Delicate Beauty

Honeysuckle: Sweetness Of Disposition (one of my favorite scents)

Hyacinth: Games & Sports

Iris: Faith, Wisdom, Valor, Your Friendship means so much to me

Ivy: Friendship, Wedded love, Fidelity, Friendship, Affection

Jasmine, Yellow: Timidity and Modesty (my other favorite scent)

Jonquil: Violent Sympathy and Desire, Love me, Affection returned

Larkspur: Open Heart

Lilac, Mauve: "Do You Still Love Me"

Lily-Of-The-Valley: Purity and Humility, Sweetness

Lotus: Mystery and Truth

Petunia: Anger and Resentment

Poppy: Imagination, Dreaminess, Eternal sleep

Queen Anne's Lace: Fantasy

Zinnia: Thoughts of Absent Friends

And those are just the highlights of “Me” there are so many more, deeper, parts (issues?) of me as well.  But those would make a good bouquet, although a rather large one.

Is there a flower for Distraction?  I’d have to add that one in too! 

Photo of the Day

Today's photo choice is:


Bye Bye Balloon

One of my son's balloons from his first birthday flew away.  I was so surprised, when I went through all of the pictures from the party, that I actually had captured the balloon.

My 2 Cents on (New) Motherhood

5.) Advice to new mothers.

Mama Kat’s Writing Prompt

Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep!  I can’t stress that enough… I don’t mean to do nothing but sleep.  You’re a new mom and you certainly have your hands full.  But I was told to “Sleep when the baby sleeps.” and I ignored it.  Boy, was that a bad call on my part.  I figured, “Yeah, right, but I’ve got tons of stuff that I want and need to do!”  Pppttthhhhh!  I’d try to do something, figuring that I’d do “whatever” for just a few minutes, then take a nap.  HA!  Just as I’d be wrapping up getting ready to lie down, WAAAAA!!!!!  There’s the baby.  Up and cranky and hungry with a full diaper.  (honestly, I’ve never seen anyone pee as much as my son!  But that’s another post. LOL)  Hours later, I’d finally get him back to sleep and finally get my 15 minutes of snooze-time before it would start all over again.



One day old

And you’ve heard about this PPD crap, right?  The Post-partum depression that some women suffer from… well, everyone gets moody, right?  You just had a baby, your hormones are all out of whack, you’re having anxiety because this is your first or because it’s just such a tiny, helpless thing, and you just feel a bit out of sorts.  Well, don’t let it get out of hand.  A few weeks of that is usually normal, but if it goes past that, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor.  Even if you feel totally stupid about it.  I was told this same piece of advice.  I didn’t listen.  Now my baby is one year old and I’m a total basket case and on meds with a full-blown case of PPD and PPA (post-partum depression and post-partum anxiety.)

So, to recap, SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS and BE TOTALLY HONEST WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, ETC. 

Yes, I’m yelling because no one yelled at me, no one checked up on me, I didn’t have any close female support, so I missed out on some really wonderful bonding time with my son because I was emotionally distant and unable as well as physically exhausted.  Please don’t let that happen to you.

I’m getting better now and I’ve bonded with my son, but I’m sorry that I let it go so long and I’m still exhausted, but I take more naps now! 

So, to the new mothers reading this, congratulations on your new Little One, be sure to take as good of care of yourself as you do for your baby.



Amazing how much he's changed in one year, isn't it?!



Hobby Hoarder

2.) If you were a hoarder, based on your personality…what would you hoard? (better yet, ask someone who knows you well, what they think you would hoard). 
(Writing prompt from Mama Kat)

“If” 

If?

IF?!

HA!  Now that’s funny… “If” I were a hoarder… Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a hoarder, not in the TV show “Hoarders” image… I’m a COLLECTOR!  A collector of EVERYTHING!  OMG this prompt is tailor made for me.  My mother was a packrat, I’m a packrat and low and behold, so is my husband.  I inherited my mother’s house (ie all of her stuff) and of course, there’s all of my stuff… then my husband and I got married and he moved in…. well, let me tell you, the amount of stuff that we have is incredible! 

And believe it or not, we’ve been purging!  You wouldn’t know it to look in our garage, or the bedroom, or the third bedroom that is supposed to be the baby’s room.  Someday it will be the baby’s room.  (currently we’re co-sleeping, but that’s just because we have yet to clean out the baby’s room.  He’s already one year old, by the way.  Of course, I’m having issues with PPD and PPA, so we’d probably still be co-sleeping, but that’s my little secret!  Shhhh, don’t tell my hubby!) 

So, what do I hoard?  Well, I used to collect coffee mugs, unicorns, key chains, sea shells, and any number of miscellaneous items.  I don’t drink coffee anymore, but still enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or herbal tea now and then.  The unicorns from my childhood have been lost in many moves, but still hold a place in my heart.  The key chains are strewn about, forgotten mostly.  I still collect sea shells, though, and probably always will.  And then there’s the Disney stuff, but that’s a whole other blog post.

It’s all the sentimental crap that clutters our house.  You know, the things that you don’t need, nor particularly really want, but you just can’t seem to get rid of because of a wonderful, nostalgic moment in time that has been reborn in your memory because you came across them again as you cleaned out an old dusty box from way back in the back corner of wherever that you haven’t seen in ages.

And then there are all the crafty, artistic, hobby stuff that fills up any gaps left.  I’m an artist and have numerous art and craft supplies.  Everything from paint brushes, sketch books and lots of sketches to stamps and stamping supplies and scrapbooking paraphernalia fills up many totes and drawers and other nooks and crannies in the house… particularly the “baby’s room.”

Oh, and the books!  Well, let’s just say I could open up my own personal library and leave it at that.

And that’s my personality… nostalgic, artistic, a little geeky and chaotic.  (probably a bit dusty sometimes as well LOL)  I’d say my main issue is that I have so many interests that I don’t have enough “House for my Hobbies!”

Now that I’m a “Mom” however, I find myself trying to purge more and more out of necessity for the baby.  He needs his room and my husband and I really need our room, for the sake of our marriage!  I long for the days of spooning with my hubby as we fall asleep. 

Yard sale anyone?!