Notes from the Spring Creek Arts Guild

It has been very busy here for the past three weeks! We have had at least a guest or two or sixty here on the ranch for most of that time, and work has stayed busy throughout all of it. In addition, I foolishly began a major rearrange and reorganize project right as things were getting busy, and it is still in progress.

I did manage to finish knitting a pair of socks I had started last summer and fought off the temptation to start another pair. Instead, I picked up a shawl project I started probably fifteen-ish years ago. Some really big news is that I finished the last of my circle-on-squares hand appliqué quilt blocks and have been slowly joining them together. I’ve also gathered and organized more of my embroidery supplies and again, fought off the temptation to start something new. I have a skirt project that got to 90 % finished before all the busy-ness started and has been patiently waiting for about four weeks now.

Over the weekend, I cleaned up my “piddlin’ table” and surrounds where my art supplies are stored. Just the right thing came along at just the right time—the “Inchie Challenge.” The idea is to cut a bunch of two inch squares of watercolor paper, then draw and/or paint on them inspired by each day’s word, for twelve days. This is just right for this moment because it is small, very informal, and does not require much time nor effort.

Sparks, Flames, and Busy-ness

For example, today’s word was “leaf,” so I drew a pattern that resembles the an up- close view of the veins of a leaf, then added a little paint to make it look more like a tropical plant leaf I remember seeing. It took about 10 minutes, and I worked on it while I was in a Zoom meeting.

Thewoman who leads the Inchie Challenge, Amy Maricle of Mindful Art Studio, is an art therapist. She has created programs which are aimed at using art to relieve stress and to add more creativity into life. Like most of my art pursuits, it has nothing to do with trying to become a capital-A Artist, but everything to do with trying the make the best of the life God gave me. I believe every one of us has the creative spark in us, and we do better when we give that spark some oxygen so it can become a full-fledged flame that can be channeled into something positive and productive. As is obvious, I have many, many creative outlets, perhaps too many! Each person’s creativity is unique to them. Even my grandfather, who raised 15 children on a small farm, had his creative pursuits—he built furniture and carved toys and puzzles from wood. Along with the vegetables, he grew things that were just for fun—like Tennessee Dancing Gourds.

We all can find something creative to do. Even doodling in the dirt with a stick or cooking something beautiful and delicious can fan that little spark! I promise it is well worth a few minutes a day.