Some writers sit down to a blank page and just start writing. If find that I need to do some composing in my head before I’m able to sit. Often, I’m doing this in bed in the morning before I get up — or right before I drift off at night. The shower is also a prime thinking time. This morning in the shower, I start composing a post that was going to be a little bit of a whine about hands. (I got a blast of steam on my thumb last night and it HURTS). I was also going to whine about the fact that I haven’t yet figured out how to draw hands, which is why in my drawing for yesterday (in my photo album or on my other blog, see the links to the right…) the girl’s hands are tucked behind her back.
But then I started thinking about the fact that it has been almost exactly a year since I fell on the sidewalk at school after dropping my children off. I was hurrying, and even though I had boots on, they didn’t have a lot of traction (who makes BOOTS with no traction?? oh wait — who BUYS boots with no traction?? Oh yeah, that was me…). The sidewalk is on an incline and I slipped, and landed flat on my back. Wow.
It took me weeks to get over it. Looking back on the experience, I realized what an opportunity it turned out to be for me. It was during the time that I was sitting around doing a whole lot of nothing because my back was so sore that I signed up for, and starting reading the QuiltArt e-mail list. It was also during that time that I discovered some books about creativity and it was that time that ultimately started me on the artistic journey that I’m taking right now.
Today is supposed to be my reveal day for my January 12x12x12 journal quilt project. It’s not ready, yet, though. Maybe tonight, but I’m not sure. I got clobbered with some other stuff that had to be done today (which I’m not actually complaining about, because it was good stuff, it was just unexpected…). The reason it is not done, though, is because the project is transforming itself on me. My theme is supposed to be the Alphabet, but I’ve had a few ideas occur to me that might make me rethink my plans for the year. The piece that I’m working on right now is going well, but it’s not turning out like I had planned.
When I was thinking about this in the shower this morning, and thinking about the fact that I wasn’t going to meet my intended deadline. I was thinking things like "The trouble is…" or "my problem is…". The truth of the matter is that I don’t have troubles or a problem — I have an opportunity to learn some things and if it goes in a different direction, then by golly, I can’t wait to see where it leads me!
So, I’d better get back to work, and maybe you’ll hear from me again later. With pictures!
