I consider myself to be a fairly creative person. I've always enjoyed making things. I love crafting and painting, writing stories and songs, building, gluing and sewing. I always come out with more than I intended to buy when I go to Hobby Lobby. The thing about my creativity is that I insist that it be practical. I'm not sure why. Maybe because of the collection of strange and cumbersome (albeit fun to make!) objects I've collected and, consequently, had to throw out over the years?
That said, I have found plenty of ways to be creative since having children. I've made dress up clothes, crib bedding, curtains, wall decor and more. I even took a picture of my baby in a giant wash tub and hung it in our bathroom (free for me, since I already had the frame- $14.95 at the store for a kid I don't even know!) It's tons of fun and very practical. It hits a chord deep within me that I think God put there on purpose.
When I look at His creativity I see both beauty and practicality. I see colors on butterflies and ladybugs. I see rushing waters. I see petals on flowers. I see a child's eyes. As I observe all that He has made I can't help but notice that He made everything beautiful in its own special way. I also notice that the things He has made are all useful in one way or another. Not only that, but I see glimpses of God's character in everything He created. That's what I strive for. I want my creativity to flow from my personality into the things around me. To make things beautiful. To make what could be done in black and white full of color instead. If it can be done in canvas, let's make it out of silk- just to spice things up a bit. Let's make our own wall decor instead of buying something that 100,000 other Americans have hanging over their couches. I have so many ideas, but not enough wall space!
I admire people who can be creative just for the sake of being creative- and still find a use for what they've made. I want to give a shout-out to one such friend who has a blog that I love to visit. If you're looking for creative ideas and the courage to do that project you've been thinking of for months now, just check her out. Her work has inspired me many times to get out my sewing machine or paintbrushes. I love the passion she puts into everything she does. Through it all I can see her love for her family and her tenacity for making her house their "home". That's the kind of creativity I love- the kind that means something.
That's not to say that being creative must always be practical. Sometimes it's just fun. Sometimes it's a stress relief. What is it for you? Practical? Fun? Foreign? If you're new to this whole creativity thing, I recommend starting where you are. Start with your kids. Glue macaroni noodles to construction paper. Go online to find all kinds of crafts, coloring pages (even for moms!), nifty tips and more! Check with your local library to see what sorts of crafting seminars are going on. Our library offered a quilting class not long ago (and it was super cheap!). If you're up to it, try an art class. I plan on taking a painting class one of these days (maybe when all of my kids are in school and I have time during the day???). Go out with a friend, cameras in hand, and take pictures of anything and everything you think might look good on a post card. You can critique each other's work and encourage one another along the way.
The point is, go have fun. If you're too practical (like me), just get out of the box for an hour this weekend and try something new. Who cares if you have to throw it away? You might just like it enough to hang it in the living room!
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