How are you all doing? (A rhetorical question since I can’t get my comments section to work! (still trying). I hope you’re safe, healthy and staying active creatively or otherwise. If you really feel like leaving me a comment I’d love to hear from you. You can use my email, Facebook or Instagram accounts to reach out. I never mind getting a message from any of you.

My paper creativity was non-existent this past week. All I did was draw. I don’t think that my brain could do more than that. I’ve been working on my iPad with Procreate making the simple illustrations you see here. If you’d like to keep track of them I’ve been posting them on my Instagram feed. They’ve been a fun way to take a snippet of a moment in time — that’s why I’ve been labeling them with the hashtag #whereiamnow — and now I want all of these patterns on fabric. I really want that red chair — me! the person that loves neutrals at home. Go figure!
Having said all that, I’m going to start on a new paper project this week and if I can I’ll be posting live videos (or recorded — not sure yet) of the entire process. For now, I’ll be posting the videos on Instagram feed or my stories. What I’d really like to do is get my YouTube account up to 1000 subscribers, at a minimum, because that’s the threshold needed to reach in order to be able to do live videos. I only need 200 more subscribers. If you wouldn’t mind helping me spread the word I would greatly appreciate it.

I know I’ll feel completely awkward and whatnot with the video recording part of things but what the heck. Why not? It wouldn’t be the first time I’d be in front of the camera but it’s still a challenge.
However, all these fun recording ideas must be put on hold while my house gets put back together. Starting tomorrow (if it stops raining!) we will hopefully get a new roof, fix all the sheetrock damage and get back to a semblance of normalcy around here. Our study flooring will have to remain cement because we can live with that for now. We’re really trying to avoid having people in the house right now. What terrible, terrible timing for all this. Ahhhhhh!

So… all of this to say that even if things are strange, worrisome and certainly not normal I’m going to lean into my creativity as a refuge. But I’m also listening to my mind and body and not really forcing myself either. If I need to draw, I draw. If I want to cut some paper I do that. If I suddenly get the urge to make rice pudding then I do that too (like I did this week – easy — yum!). I hope you’re all doing the same.

I think we need to be just as kind to ourselves — give ourselves a break. This situation is new for all of us there is no way of predicting how we react and deal with the rollercoaster of feelings. If you’re in a bad moment try to find what will work for you at that moment in time — that one thing may change from time to time. It turns out that sometimes all I need is a quick bike ride around the block (practicing social distancing of course).
One last thing — I’m going to be offering a 30% discount on all my files this month (code in the top bar). I hope that working on some of my projects gives you a bit of fun distraction while we all wait for things to get better.
Stay healthy and be safe!
XO – Patricia
