get out there // create

to create.  

i love this verb.  it is a beautiful, beautiful thing.  it is about going back to those times in your life when you proudly painted the sky with purple polka dots and when pigs could be any shade in your box of crayolas except pink, of course.  this verb sums up the times when you felt limitless and free...when you were praised for being random and for drawing outside of the cartoon shape in your coloring book.  this amazingly powerful word is about the times when you relished in giving up control, and when you let your accidents turn into on purposes. 

do you remember that far back?  wasn't it magical?  let's go there again, together, shall we?  

to create is to live.  i mean, really live.  because in creating, you will inevitable fail.  something will go awry and you will spill paint on the corner of your white canvas.  been there.  not fun.  oh well.  but why is failure such a bad thing?  why does it have such a weighty connotation that summons guilt within one's heart and mind?  it shouldn't, no sirree.  failure makes things better.  it makes us better.  it helps us learn and grow, and helps you and i make better versions of everything, most importantly, ourselves. 

in honor of creating and in cultivating an artsy spark in my wee one, i have started to put together a few little things in stella's imagination box.  well, there is no said beautiful box as of yet.  we are using a plastic container that once held my nail polish from the dollar store, but i envision a box full of colors and strings and paper and stickers and paints and chalk and more.  this box will also contain freedom {but for heaven's sake will not be limited to it's boundary}.  yes, freedom.  and hope.  and heaps of encouragement, too.  this box will build self-esteem and never turn down a game of tic-tac-toe.  it will produce many smiles and masterpieces for our little in home art gallery that we are making this summer.  it will be a place were everything is anything and anything is possible, for this is my heartfelt ambition.

for baby girl's birthday i got her this jumbo sized crazy crayon from tar-jay.  it was a sporadic last minute gift as i was quickly making my way to the checkout lane that has ended up teaching me, no, reminding me of things i have not embraced very well as of late.  the best $3.99 i've spent in a long time.  this crayon is part of todd oldham's kid made modern collection that is all about providing the kiddos and adults classic crafts with a modern twist.  not only are their products aesthetically pleasing, they really allow the artist to break the barrier of control and practice letting their creativity run wild.

i am somewhat of a perfectionist, did you know this?  i dig the whole balanced look and whatnot, so "letting go" when using this multicolored confetti crayon was hard for me...at first.  after writing out stella's name and doodling with her on our floor, i looked at the piece of paper and noticed that there was more blue on the paper on parts of her name than i had desired.  and, there was no balance to my creation.  none at all.  zilch.  this was disheartening as i thought this big cool crayon would be a neato, not uncontrollable!  grrr.  but after giving it some time and a load of laundry, it hit me.  that todd oldham dude is wicked brilliant!  

this crayon pushed me in an artistic direction that i would not have normally gone, and so what if it made me uncomfortable.  so what if it was not balanced and there was too much blue.  you know,  i am so glad it made me wince initially because it reminded me of some very important lessons that i have let fall to the wayside since "growing up" and conforming to, well, certain parameters in life.  

it reminded me that creating is not just about the product, it is also about the process, as are many other important things in this short life of ours.  it reminded me that perfect doesn't exist and that it mistakes are beautiful, too.  and finally, it reminded me that creating is living.  and i will always savor moments when i live to create because that's what it's all about.  creating a family.  creating a home.  and creating happiness with lots and lots of love.      

so.  i hope you, too, get out there and create! 

your soul will thank you, greatly. 

and pick up this fantastic crayon!  perhaps you will have a buddha moment with yours like i did.  ;)