Finding something that gets me off my phone and out of my head.
Although my kids are home with me ALL THE TIME you would think I have no breaks. But no longer driving to and from places whether to the store to shop mindlessly because gosh darn it I deserve it or having to run to a child activity has left me at times looking at my phone thinking what to do with myself. Maybe if I were younger with no children I would finally be studying that language I’ve been meaning to master a couple of sentences in or get around to a DIY on Pinterest that will elevate not only space, but my mood. Or better yet do some British Bake Off challenges, like bread week! Yeah I have more time, but it’s in pockets. I don’t get an extended window of time that allows me to dive in and focus, it's more like I get 10 or 15 minutes here or there. If I’m lucky both kids will nap at the same time and magically wake up at the same time, but that never happens. They wake up and fall asleep on a random schedule which sums up my free time, it's staggered and sporadic.
If I spend my time doing something even if it's for 10 minutes I want it to lead to something bigger, something that makes me better at something.
So apart from magical pockets of time where my head is on straight and I can write on here, I’ve also found a quick outlet to help me get out of my head. Like what I need to order from Amazon or whether I’m failing as a parent because I’m not advocating for my kids to study in a structured manner to get through “planned” school lessons. Or the highlight of this month, that my daughter has regressed in potty training and we are back in diapers. Yay.
After that long winded introduction, what I’m talking about is drawing. Not just any drawing, I’m lazy. If you give me a pencil or pen and paper, I may draw an eye or a tree and that’s about it. Maybe a rainbow at my daughter’s insistence. I also can’t get into adult coloring books, I find them boring and lead me nowhere besides practicing how to stay within the lines or come out with a cheeky phrase in the midst of all those flowers I just filled in. If I spend my time doing something even if it's for 10 minutes I want it to lead to something bigger, something that makes me better at something. And I found it!
A closer look at my poppies. Elevated like me! Ha
Florals By Hand: How to Draw and Design Modern Floral Projects is a book that gives you daily drawing instructions on how to create different types of flowers, in different styles and how to master playing with flowers and make it your own. Very similar to attending a drawing class and not understanding why you have to cross hatch a million times until you realize it will benefit you on a project later in the semester. So this book very much takes me back to art class, don’t question the teacher or the process, she knows what she needs from you so you can get what you need from it later. I highly recommend this drawing book. The author, Alli Koch, loves what she does and you can feel that passion in her book. Not only does it display beautifully on a coffee table, but it provides a creative outlet outside of you just scrolling on your phone while you wait for your kids to wake up from their naps. Nothing is lost, and you can always go back and continue where you left off, just maybe a somewhat better version of that flower or even a better self. - D
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