Taking Time to be Creative

 Finding My Way Through Structure. Writing, Watercolour, and Creative Rhythm

Over the past while, I spent time working through a 40 day Instagram challenge and also a personal watercolour journal project. I gave me a bit of a seasonal framework—something to guide focus, creativity, and daily reflection.

What surprised me most was how much I benefited from having structure.

The instagram challenge gave me a simple daily prompt. The watercolour journal gave me 40 small, approachable painting ideas and tutorials. Nothing complicated. Nothing overwhelming. Just a gentle direction to follow.

And that made all the difference.

Instead of trying to decide what to create each day, I could focus on how I wanted to create in the moment. That small shift removed a lot of pressure and decision fatigue. It allowed me to simply begin.

Some days the process felt effortless. Other days it took more intention to sit down and follow through. But either way, I kept going. Not perfectly, but steadily.

What I noticed most was how calming it became.

The repetition of small creative actions helped quiet my thinking. It made space for reflection without forcing it. I found myself more in the moment paying attention to colour, texture, light, and the small choices I was making in each piece.

There was also a quiet sense of accomplishment in completing something with so many small steps. Forty paintings was intimidating in one way but it doesn’t sound like that great an ask on paper. Experiencing it day by day gave it weight. It became a record of attention and persistence, not just finished artwork.

I also realized something important for myself right now: structure can be supportive, not restrictive.

It can reduce overwhelm. It can make creativity more accessible. It can turn “I don’t know where to start” into “I just begin here.”

As I move forward rebuilding routines and energy, I’m holding onto that lesson. I don’t need everything to be spontaneous or perfectly inspired. Sometimes having a gentle framework is what makes creativity—and life—feel possible.

This experience also feels connected to something bigger I’m exploring again: how small, consistent practices can support wellbeing, focus, and emotional grounding.

Not through pressure. Not through perfection.

But through simple, repeatable moments of choosing to give my attention.

For now, I’m grateful I followed through. I’m grateful I kept it simple. And I’m grateful I gave myself permission to just work within a structure instead of constantly trying to create one from scratch.

It turns out that sometimes the easiest path is the one that already has a few guideposts along the way.

Happy Thoughts Journal

Have you ever kept a diary?

I kept one when I was young, like so many other kids. It was filled with notes about where I was going and an inordinate number of entries that included excuses about why I failed to practice piano that day.😊   I have also kept a lot of scrapbooks and photo albums and art journals. I love photography, and I try to put labels by my images to explain what the pictures are about.  

Loving my journals

At one point, I discovered something called Smash Book journals. The idea behind those was to gather up bits of memorabilia, glue them down on the decorative pages of the book, make notations, and add the odd accessory. It was great for me because I had all sorts of things, like cards that I saved because I feel good about them and they did not need to be in any kind of chronological order. Most of the items didn't have to have an explanation unless I felt like adding a special note. When I pick up one of my journals, it is just so much fun to look at. Occasionally the memories contained are bittersweet, but they are also empowering, joyful and full of happy thoughts. You don't need to have a specific journal brand, but you should find some kind of book that is sturdy, and easy to carry and use. It can even be a binder with cardstock pages in it. It should also make you happy just to look at it.  I picked up my current notebook at Dollarama. It is very pink. I find the cover words to be rather encouraging, and I find it handy to clip a pen inside the spiral binding.

I like to add quotes, pictures and cut-outs on bulletin boards and into binders and to the covers of my notebooks. Usually, they are meaningful, and they can be very grounding to me, but sometimes they are just for being cute. I tend to change some things around with the seasons. Right now, I have a lot of pics that include flowers and lakes and not too many snowmen!  I thought my inside cover choice of the sweet picture of the birds' nest and quote to be very appropriate and encouraging during our "Sheltering in Place." He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge. Psalm 91:4

Create Your Own Ideas notebook

... and in His wings, you will find refuge.

Journal entry about Charity event hosted by my college TR Class

Journal entry about my first and last month of college.

I have recently had a few people tell me how hard it is to stay positive through the stresses of the past few months.  They see so much negativity. The isolation and restrictions have been going on for so long that I see people giving in to a sense of hopelessness and feelings of depressions. At first, people believed, "I can do this for a month- it will be like a vacation!". Time is going by, and now our communities are pushing hard to reopen and people want to get their jobs back and their income secure, and even get haircuts and all the other signs that life is normal. We need our friends and family, and it is so difficult to always be at arm's length from the people you care about. It is hard to keep distracted.

One of my friends said she feels like she is just going through the motions. She is just barely getting through the day. Another friend was just about in tears telling me that something good happened to her that day and said she was going to hold onto the memory. We need to make a point of being aware of those good things. We need to try and find some balance.  One popular approach is gratitude journals, where each day you write down something you are grateful for. The internet is full of lists with prompt questions to help you come up with ideas. The idea is that as you make an effort to identify those positive aspects and events in your life, you will start to notice them more frequently and perhaps find a sense of optimism and enthusiasm.

If you like the idea of a gratitude journal, memory keeping, photo-albums, scrapbooking, dream boards/vision boards, diary or my version of happy thought journals, you should just go with it. Online options, such as creating blog posts or Pinterest boards, count too! 

Maybe you want to just focus on a particular topic that brings you joy. How about a gardening journal., a birdwatching notebook, places you want to travel to, favourite books notebook. You could create your own cookbook with pictures of your yummy creations!

When we become overwhelmed, it can be hard to focus on the details of our lives, or perhaps we concentrate predominantly on certain aspects of our life, and those might be the sad and negative things that are happening around us. When we constantly watch sad news and are surrounded by so many other people who are also struggling, this sense of despair is reinforced. If we only look at the negative, we start to have trouble problem solving and moving forward in a healthy way. So my question is, how do we each manage to find optimism in a time such as this?  How do we find a realistic balance between the sad and happy things we experience in life?

I suggested to the friend who shared her good experience that she take the time to write it down and then see how many more good memories she could add to it. I sure hope that she will experience lots of positive experiences to remember and add to her list.  I hope you do too. 

I sure would love to hear how you like to collect and/or share your memories.

Why Do We Celebrate?

I want to wish everyone in Canada and the USA

 a very happy and safe holiday celebration this week! 

I am going to the lake for two days of relaxing and then for Canada Day, this Wednesday, I will be at work from noon to 8 pm. We are having a little Canada Day party in the afternoon. Providing programs and celebrations at a personal care home is extremely challenging right now during this time of quarantine, social distancing, and so many other changes and worries. We are trying to gather people in very small groups, and then we try and position people with some distance between them.

Previously our Canada Day Parties at the personal care home have been huge outdoor events for residents and families complete with a hired musician, food, and decorations and lots of FUN. We always had a huge turnout. This year - What to do? We are setting up the patio and decorating in Red and White, but we are handling it like a mini “come and go” open house style event for the residents so that we only have a few people gathered at a time. It is a significant change and challenges our creativity.

This year our usual ways of celebrating have been so overwhelmingly disrupted.  We all want our social contacts to return to what it was before the pandemic, but in the meantime, we still want to share our lives with each other in some way. 

What I am impressed with is how resilient people have been. We are, indeed, finding new ways to celebrate and mark special events. My niece’s husband secretly contacted her Facebook friends and arranged for everyone to drive past and honk. He even surprised her by decorated their front yard.  She was thrilled with this new version of a birthday celebration.  I was pleased to discover that I could attend live-streamed service from my local church this past Easter from my own home.

We are communicating with others and having events on Skype, Zoom or Facetime. People from all over the world are participating in activities in new ways. Some times these changes have been very positive.

I love celebrations!

 I even love those days when unusual celebrations occur and sometimes I try and incorporate them into my home life and into my work life at the personal care home. Just to give one random example- Did you know that today, June 29th, is the International Day of the Tropics, which is sponsored by the United Nations? It is kind of the perfect day to buy a tropical plant, have a sweet beachy drink. Click to learn a bit about the fascinating biodiversity of the tropics. Why do we set up these differnt kinds of events and what is the point of it?

 

What do we celebrate?

We celebrate or commemorate the important markers of our lives. We celebrate our birthdays and commemorate the passing of loved ones. We remember anniversaries. There are special feelings of pride and acknowledgment of your capibilites on the day you get your driver’s licence on the day you graduate from school or when you get that longed-for job or be a winner in that major sports competition.

We celebrate the community acknowledgment of Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Mother’s Day, Fathers Day and many other days with big events or family gatherings.  We sometimes do a lot of consumer purchasing to get the right décor, clothing and treats and even cards to share. 

Each culture has its unique occasions and ways that they celebrate these days.  It might be hoisting a beer stein for Oktoberfest, or it might be watching a dragon dance for Chinese New Year.  These celebrations reflect the history, culture and beliefs and geography of a place and a people. It is a way that a group defines itself and binds itself together as a group. It is a way to remember the past traditions of their people and to teach its youth to be proud of their heritage and to continue it into the future.

These special days and moments are centred around universal human experiences. We all experience loss, sadness, fear, accomplishment, and we all look for love, peace, joy, and success. When we act to notice and mark these events and moments, we find meaning in what is happening to us. The sorrowful and the joyful can be shared and let us gain validation for what has happened and our feelings about it. As a group, we can offer each other solace in difficult times, and we can provide practical support too. We can even create a force for change by acknowledging the importance of what has happened.

Back to why do we celebrate?

We have fun and excitement, and we make special memories

What is life without a little joy and laughter? Human being’s health and well being are dependent on having a bit of fun and expressing ourselves.

We bond with others and become part of a broader community.

People need a community and a sense of culture and identity. We need to have the physical support of others, but we also need to have people to share in who we are and have things in common with us. 

We discover more about our own identity and learn what is important to us.

When you celebrate a rite of passage, it can change who you are and in a very real way how you see yourself.   My granddaughter just graduated from grade 6 this past week. She was a little kid and a member of her old school. When she returns to school next term, it will be a new school. It will no longer be the elementary school where she played during recess. It will be a junior high with new expectations, and there will be new social and extracurricular groups for her. Retirement is a big change too. We often describe ourselves by our jobs and our workplace. After you celebrate your retirement, you will redefine who you are and look at new possibilities.

It reflects our growth as people and our changing lives.

Our personal journey is marked by baby showers, births, baptisms, weddings, educational completion and all those other life events. Eventually, there will come the time of our death and commemoration of who we were and of our beliefs.  

Through our lives, we define what kind of person we are, we look at our roles in our communities and families, and where we belong and where we can make a difference. Our special days and events let us mark and confirm what these events mean to us as individuals and as a society.

Lets make this Summer's celebrations fun, thoughtful and meaningful despite the challenges we are facing in our world today.

Have a wonderful Canada Day and a fantastic Fourth of July.

Make some great memories!

My Cute Rock Garden

I want to introduce my little plant friends. Curly, Larry and Moe. They don't care if I water them or not, how good the light is or if the temperature drops below freezing!  We have had very inconsistent weather around here, and last night, we had a couple little, late-planted sprouts freeze to death. It can get kind of discouraging. I thought it would be fun to share this little project today.  That real Aloe plant was safely in my bedroom window last night and just went outside to photobomb the little guys.

The pots I used were just cheap plastic mini pots that we had kicking around in my garage, but it would have been really nice with those tiny terracotta pots that are available at the dollar store. 

•  3 pots
• 3 rocks that can fit in each pot snugly
• 3 shades of green acrylic paint 
• white acrylic paint
• average size paintbrush
• fine tip paintbrush 
• filler for the bottom. I used white play clay from a dollar store.
• sand or small stones or aquarium gravel 
• Googly eyes
• craft glue
•  mod podge (optional)
  

I washed and dried the rocks carefully. Next, I set them up on some newspapers and gave them a coat pf green paint with the bigger brush. It was good with just one coat. I went over the rocks once they base coat dried with the white acrylic paint to create different styles of marks with the small brush. My intention was to suggest they were assorted types of cactus.  When they were fully dry. I attached their eyes and promptly started laughing at them because I thought they were so cute. In a while, I decided that they really did need a glossy finish. I was a bit sloppy and wished later that I had been more careful beside the eyes because I required some very gentle clean up on the plastic eyes.  

I tried to just balance them in the pots initially and decided they needed a little more secure of a resting spot. I added a bit of play clay in the bottom to stabilize them and raise them up a little higher in their pots. The plastic pots have a drainage hole on the bottom so I didn't try sand.  Since I have put stones around my aloe plants I thought these little guys needed a finishing topping of stones as well. I had a small bag of leftover aquarium gravel for that little finishing touch. 

This project would be appropriate for all ages and skills. You can get a lot more detailed painting each cactus if you are up for a challenge or just leave them a  solid colour for an extra easy craft.  Bigger rocks in bigger pots would be a fun accent to an outdoor garden, but you would want to seal them with something more weather resistant than craft strength mod podge.

 

I might use these as a craft program at the personal care home some time. Wouldn't they make cute centrepieces for a Western event or a Cinco De Mayo party?

Cute as can be Curly

Meet Moe

Lovely Larry

The Whole Gang.

Word Web Art During Challenging Times

When I was thinking about what to do for my first Take Good Care of Yourself Sundays post, I was really thinking about tackling a simple habit or skill. This, however, is not being a straightforward time for our world. I know that so many people around me are overwhelmed and shocked and having trouble dealing with everyday life, yet they still need to be productive at work or caring for their families and need to find clean clothes.

Sometimes just a grounding-type of task or activity can be a big help. I purposefully put on a playlist of old songs from my teenage years when I cleaned the bathroom yesterday (NOT a favourite task), and I kept moving until I was done the job. My daughter walks her dog. She feels better when walking or running, and right now, she wants Jasper's company, so the two of them are walking a lot on familiar routes. I have a friend who is knitting up a storm. The repetitive action, along with keeping her hands busy, is something that helps keep her grounded. I like to do art projects and sometimes make music, and I can get into a zone where I lose track of time and forget about all that other stuff going on out there.

What if distractions are not enough for you right now? 

I have had times when the sense of "OVERWHELMED" has been so all-encompassing that it becomes a blur that felt like it was swallowing me, It can reach a point where you lose awareness about what truly is causing the fear and anxiety. One suggestion I have when facing those more extreme responses is to label that fear, that problem, that emotion.

Do you remember doing "word webs" as a writing/ organizing/problem-solving technique when you were in school? It is very similar to brainstorming ideas with a group. You start off with a topic. It could be just one word or a concept, and you write it in the center of your page. From that, you go around the word filling in l whatever randomly comes to mind by word association. Often you can break the word into categories and then those categories into further topics.

I want to suggest a small art project that can be part of supporting your needs. Art skills are not required and materials are flexible and already in your home. 

My example above is about the word HOME.  It was originally going to be about social isolation but my main feeling once I started working on it was gratitude that we had a nice place to be safe and I was with people who I love and care about and who love me back.

Word Web Art

Get a piece of paper, or cardboard, or back of a cereal box, really anything easy to write on. It can be canvas or even a wooden board. It can be coloured if you wish. Make it a size that will be comfortable for you to work on. I really need to work on a table and don't want to physically stress myself, so I am not going to pick working a piece of poster board on the floor, but you could if you wanted to.

Gather your choice of writing implements. Maybe some pens or pencils, markers, crayons, paintbrushes and paints.

Make a border shape on your paper using a pencil. Perhaps trace a bowl to make a circle. You can just draw a rough box shape or an elephant outline. grin.

Somewhere in your shape, you will write a word or phrase that strikes you as important at that moment. It can be a happy thought, sad thought, or strong emotion. Try and make that word quite big and eye-catching. It could be a bright or bold colour, block shape drawing, thicker lines, but make sure it is the dominant thing that will catch your eye. Try not to overthink your choice of word. It is whatever came to your mind. You can always repeat the project with a different word latter.

What other word does the word you wrote make you think about? Fill it in around your original word but make it a little smaller or less eye-catching. Keep going. You can look at more words that your first word suggests to you or find new words coming to mind from the other words you are adding.

Just keep filling in your shape. If your mind starts to wander, just refocus your eyes back on one of your words. You can arrange the words in rows, or they can be upside down, random locations and sizes. There is NO wrong way of doing this. It is expressing what you are feeling, thinking and remembering, and it will always be right for you at that moment.

Lastly, you can add little embellishments or doodles.  If you wish, you can erase your pencil lines or choose to go over it and make it stand out.

➤You might find that it is cathartic and that making your feelings and thoughts concrete might release anxiety or worry.

➤It might give you a sense of priorities you need to focus on.

➤You might find that it brings you a sense of clarity about your values and who you are as a person.

➤There is the possibility that your words will create a call to action in you and it might be the beginning of a plan you will want to embrace.

Wishing you a peaceful and healthy life!

There is Muffin Batter in my Fridge!

I worked this past weekend, and when I came home on Sunday night, I basically retreated to my room immediately after dinner because I was feeling completely drained and pretty stiff and sore. I had no energy left for anything. That night my daughter, Emily, made up the 6 Week Refrigerator Muffin batter, and I never even realized that she was doing it. Monday morning, I woke up to the wonderful smell of baking drifting down the hall. I was so surprised and happy that she made them for us, and it lifted my spirits. It was such a thoughtful, and yummy breakfast served along with some juice.

Years ago, when my kids were babies, I used to make a lot of basic food like yogurt, bread, ice cream and jams. One of our most useful and favourite recipes was the one for 6 Week Refrigerator Muffins. It is a pretty basic muffin recipe but made easier by using raisin bran cereal and buttermilk. The muffin batter fits in a plastic ice cream pail, and you can simply scoop out as much as you need for fresh hot muffins when you have a guest or just want a treat. I was a little suspicious back then that it wouldn't be good for 6 whole weeks, and I still can't answer that question because the stuff never lasts that long in our fridge without getting baked! 

During this period of social (physical) distancing, many of us have more time to bake and learn new skills. Still, we are finding that stress and uncertainty kind of sneak up on us, and focusing and being productive can become challenging from time to time. We want to make things fun, we want to eat healthily, but that can be hard to coordinate when shopping is challenging, and our family's daily routine is so disrupted. No one should feel bad about having off days when you just don't care if the dinner plan suddenly turns into a sandwich. Nor should they worry about trying to keep up with the elaborate activities friends are sharing on Instagram. 

(yes grin - I absolutely plan to put this pic of Jasper Dog looking lovingly at muffins on Instagram)

This batter has been a shortcut for me. It is a way of doing something one day to have something special and easy to use on another day when maybe life isn't going as planned.
It doesn't have to be my muffin recipe (though I bet you really would like it) It might be a frozen meal that someone else can pop in the microwave. Perhaps it could be forgetting about the dirty dishes and cuddling up and watching a feel-good movie with someone you love.

Just let go. Have some nice surprises ready for when you really need them and most of all, be kind to yourself.

Here ya go. The muffin recipe.

6-Week Raisin Bran Refrigerator Muffins

 Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sugar 
• 4 cups buttermilk
• 6 cups bran flake cereal 

• 5 cup all-purpose flour 
• 5 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup oil

Method:

• Beat the sugar and eggs in your very large mixing bowl 
• stir in buttermilk, cereal flour, baking soda, salt and oil and mix  
• put in a storage container with a lid and keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks

•  to bake anytime:pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees 
• put scoops of the batter into greased muffin 
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of your muffin or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. 

Notes:

It is essential to use the buttermilk, soda and sugar and oil as directed in order for it to last in your fridge.

The traditional cereal is a raisin bran style cereal, but there are now a lot of other bran flake style cereals out there with goodies like dried strawberries or almonds that I think would be a delicious option.

Spring is Challenging this Year

Spring is officially here but this year we, along with the rest of our world, are facing a great many challenges.

We are starting a period with some common challenges to those faced during winter isolation and we need to try and take care of ourselves. I live in Manitoba where our northern winters often lead to a lot more time spent indoors as well as increased isolation. Cabin fever is real. People start to stay home more because of the weather, and some of us do not respond well to the lack of light, and as a result, we stay home even more. People might even show signs of Seasonal Affective disorder and Depression or other health-related issues.


Social distancing, self-isolation and actual quarantine are necessary and are occurring all around the world right now. Fear of illness and loss and financial loss are real issues. People are concerned and afraid that they might not have the necessities of life such as milk for their kids, prescriptions and even toilet paper. How this will all evolve with time is unknown and a lot about what is ahead for us as individuals are genuinely outside our control. All this adds up to massive stress and many concerns for us personally and for our world. Things have rapidly changed.

What we need to look at now is what we CAN do. How can we address our physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellness? We need to think positively and plan actions for what we can do for our families, our communities and ourselves.

I want to use this blog to start sharing ideas for Leading A Healthy Life during challenging times. I also plan to share more simple projects and ideas suitable for individuals and families, children, people with special needs. I also want to give support to all those fantastic people, like my co-workers, who work with older adults.

I am huge on personal goal setting! I think it is more critical than ever right now, and it is also essential to set up a routine. It might be quite a flexible plan, but still, a reason to get up and do the activities that keep you and your loved ones healthy and keep your mood elevated. 

What I want you to focus on is creating two different lists. 

Get yourself out two pieces of paper and label them:

1. TODAY (no matter what time of day it is right now)
2.  THE NEXT 5 DAYS

On the today sheet

• Just make some decisions about what YOU need to do.. and check them off as you do them. Heck, give yourself stickers if you want to. Decide what is for dinner, if that is your responsibility today, and when you want to serve it. When are you taking your medications, when are you taking time to meditate or do yoga? Decide if, for today, it is okay to watch TV programs as a marathon. Decide on bedtimes. Decide what time to set your alarm clock for tomorrow. What else is on your mind?

On the 5-day sheet 

• Consider reaching needs outside your home. Do you need to order anything? Do you need to go to work? Do you need to contact people and cancel any commitments? Do you have plans to help others in your community during this crisis?

• Consider the people who live with you. Do your kids need home study supplies, do they need to practice their instruments, or perhaps want to take up a new hobby. Do you need to set up an online meeting for anyone? Do you need to review your plans for your Kids TV and online time? Do you need to set aside quiet time with a loved one just to be together? How about having a family meeting about how you might handle your meals and snacks with the current changes in living, Decide who gets to feed the cat or walk the dog and when?

• Consider your own needs. What do you need to happen in the next five days, JUST FOR YOU! It might be an exercise plan; it might be daily phone chats to keep in touch with your friends? Do you, like my youngest daughter, find baking relaxing and want to look for new challenges in your cookbooks? How about some tea time, or time for music, or relaxing in a bubble bath?

I am going to go now and work on my new hobby, watercolour painting. It helps keep me calm and happy.

Take good care of yourself!

pictures in this post courtesy of Pixabay