vacation

Sometimes I think I lose sight of me.


Today I am in the car (rented minivan if you must know) with the rare commodity of time on my hands. 19 hours from Winter Park, Colorado to home in Wisconsin. An early morning stop at Barnes & Noble in Denver equipped me with four things: the autumn 2008 issue of "Artful Blogging," the August edition of "cards : the hottest trend in card making," a top spiral journal/sketchpad, (unopened...will be used for an artsy prayer journal/verse list) and a book mark called "hold that thought" which is a clear plastic holder of neon flag post it notes.


Blissful hours later I have savored all of "cards" and it is happily highlighted and post-it-noted. I have read some favorite Psalms, and some of Isaiah (my current read), I have written pages of notes for a women's retreat I'm speaking at in September, I've caught up on sending a few emails via my Blackberry (amazing to send email at 70 mph)(no, I'm not driving!!) And now "artful blogging" is half savored and festively flagged.


As I get inspired I realize the joy I have in creativity. And the sad fact that creativity can be pushed so quickly off my to do list.


In reading a lot about mixed media art I'm close to salivating. The art blog photos are bringing my creative juices to the forefront, and greeting cards might be an attainable medium. (Small intimate hellos to cherished friends). I think of the row of old hymnbooks I have...what lovely backgounds those pages would make. And I have literally thousands of my father's hand written sermons. (He was an ordained minister for over 50 years). My mom's journal dated 1942 is on my dresser...and two redwork quilts are downstairs. (My great grandmother would trace product logos and then embroider them in red floss. Although the quilts have holes, certainly I can salvage some of her handwork.)


If I could find some more minutes for creativity, I'm thinking it would help me to sweat the small stuff a little less. It brings joy, true joy, just to read and savor...how much more to actually create?


Daylight hours are fading. I'm writing this blog as an email to myself...from somewhere east of Omaha...at 70 mph at 7:10 pm. Time to get back to reading "artful blogging" and writing in my moleskine as inspiration hits.


I need more of this.
Roadtrip anyone?