Can You (Finally) Give Yourself Permission?

I hope you had a wicked Halloween. I was so excited to see my pattern, Moonlight Jive, featured on the Make It in Design blog’s Spooky Showcase of Pattern last week.

---

Can you give yourself permission?

Whether you are a painter, a dancer, a writer–your spirit soars when you lose yourself in the creative flow. You are a maker.

And yet, for some reason, your creativity is relegated to the bottom of the heap.

You have your reasons (I don’t have the time, I don’t have the money)–and they may all be good ones.

Can you give yourself permission anyway?

Can you find the time (even if it’s only in ten minute increments) to draw, to write a sentence or two?

Can you decide today (finally!) that your creativity is a priority?

Don’t miss your calling because the floors needed to be cleaned and the laundry put away (there will ALWAYS be something).

We only get one shot at this. 

It’s time to listen to the whispers of your soul.

---

It was so much fun to finally share my news about Kindred Art Collective last week. Thank YOU so much for your support! If you missed the artist introductions, head on over to the Kindred blog. And if you’d like to get news straight to your inbox, please sign up for our monthly Kindred newsletter.

Unfettered Joy

January’s Bootcamp assignment was to create a journal with an Edwardian brooch theme. For more jewel themed eye candy, the public gallery is now live–check it out!

***

There are days, as I wash baby poop off my hands, or help my not-quite-four-year-old regain control after a body thrashing tantrum, when I long to be working more, parenting less. Enmeshed in day-to-day drudgery, I empty and load the dishwasher, again. I pick up their toys for the 10th time that day, and fold another load of laundry. I want to escape.

And then, ever-so-gently, I remind myself that I am on borrowed time.

I watch my one year old as he squeals with delight–he has discovered how to walk across the room pushing a stool. Noticing me, he rewards me with an ear-to-ear, heart melting grin.

Less than an hour later, my daughter does a spontaneous happy dance because I tell her she can wear her dress-up clothes to the grocery store.

How incredibly lucky am I to bear witness to such unfettered joy?

I hug them both, breathing them in and reminding myself how quickly they are changing. How little time, like this, we really have. I count my blessings. And my heart fills with gratitude, that in this moment, the work that I am doing is right here.

And it is the most important work of all.