Those that know me well know that art has always been a huge part of me.
I studied art through high school and college, apprenticed for a designer, and painted, lettered, sketched, took pictures. A. LOT.
and then I had children…
With so many little fingers around there wasn’t space or time for the art I once did.
So I adapted.
Having my first child thrust me into the desire to scrapbook every moment of his life, but then I blinked and had 3 children and not one completed scrapbook. I played with rubber stamping. Stamps took over my craft space. When our basement flooded while I was pregnant with baby #4 (happy birthday Mikaela!!) I temporarily lost my craft space and grew a desire to craft in a way that was a little more portable. We had just started to cloth diaper so I was venturing into wool covers and had my mom teach me knitting basics. I knit A LOT. I wanted more yarn in more colors so I grabbed some undyed yarn and dug out my old dyes. CreativLEI Made was born. Knitting and dyeing soon led to spinning my own yarn too. SO. MUCH. FUN. When I began homeschooling I lost the time I used to have to dye. I still knit and I still spin though.
After losing Miranda knitting is just… different.
I should be knitting longies and sweaters for my little peanut. But she’s not here. The layette I knitted for her has been packed away. I’ve worked on some knitting for myself, mostly shawls and a little bit of spinning.
But it just isn’t the same right now.
I found an offering for an online lettering class from Joanne Sharpe (Whimspirations). It was very reasonable priced and I have nearly all the supplies in my stash already, so I signed up.
I had a blast rummaging through my stash and putting my supplies into a nice portable workcase so that I can work on my homework whenever and wherever I get a few minutes.
I love journaling and the idea of doing it a little more artistically tickles me.
We’re two lessons in so far and I’m having so much fun! It’s been a great creative outlet.
It isn’t too late for you to join in!
Be sure to say hi if your in the class with me! Can’t wait to see you there.
We’re homeschooling artists, too. Unconventional methods used to scare me, until I learned to judge less and love more. My creative wells had dried, but my daughter, 10-year-old-artist with ingenious talent provided the muse to revitalize my tired spirit. Corny? Perhaps, to some, but our experience is somewhat brighter. The confines of a traditional classroom presented many challenges, but so does the homeschool environment, at times. Still, the academics are accredited, and my 4th grader earns her grades in a freestyle fashion that’s comfortable for her. . . all while our inner artists emerge and grow. I tweak the lesson plan quite a bit. How do you separate home, school, work, and your personal space?
This year I am actually using a “do-the-next-box” type of curriculum (Charlotte Mason style) and it is actually the gentle structure of it that is freeing me so much! I never knew I liked this sort of thing. 🙂 We are blessed to have a dedicated space in our home that is our school area, but currently we’re doing most of our work on the dining room table. Each child has all their supplies in a bin and they just bring them to the table for work and put them away afterwards. I want our home to encourage education but not scream “this is a school”. I also have a craft area in the home office but my various projects pepper much of our home since I work on things at all different times and places. It’s our home and it definitely reflects us.
I’m so glad that God uses art to lead us into healing.
And I understand what you mean about the knitting. I’ve been loom knitting since my Eve died, and the repetitive nature brings up a lot of hard feelings. But that’s okay — this is grief.