The Gifts of Imperfection – Preparation

As well as the book, the course calls for water colour paints, journal that has appropriate pages to do water colour paintings on and markers.  I later discover if you are a “scrap booker” and/or “stamper” you will be more in line for the art projects.  Oh....and they called for double sided tape. 

 I fold single sided over...I don’t seem to have a problem. 

Decide I am staying with my binder journal that I start each year at a retreat in September.

 

There is a pattern emerging here as I type this.  Seems I am a “Make Doer”.  Another "make doer" decision- my paper for painting will be the same as I use to make my ‘vision pages” ....think downsized version of vision board.

My sister warned me....it won’t work....it will go wavy.  She was correct.  It doesn’t matter. Ahhhh...how freeing is that statement.

Buying water colours......actually USING water colours....oh boy.  I cannot paint.....well I can, but it looks like kindergarten level.  (losing a bit of ground here)

Now if one is going to spend the time creating ....doesn’t it make sense to end up with a project you like?

Nevertheless....(practicing open mindedness and I am sticking with this definition)  off I go to purchase water colours....I am thinking dollar store....somehow I end up a Michael’s and there the dilemma begins. 

I just walk through the doors and the smells....... enticing butterfly and glitter papers....walls of jewels and beads.......clever artistic stickers....... such potential.......I FEEL EMPOWERED.

I have to search long and hard for the water colour paint boxes.  Alas they are on the bottom self -barely noticeable. 

I spot the $7.00 paint box....then right beside it.....the $47.00 paint box.  Not much selection.

Now I kid you not....I spent 10 minutes crouched down contemplating which one to buy!!!!!!    

You know where I got hung up?  Not the fact that it included 14 different size brushes......the colours were so much richer and vibrant. The yellow looked so pale in the $7.00 paint box.

So finally I have a conversation with myself.....Shirley....for God’s sake..... what are your painting abilities?

Okay I tell myself........but if I show any promise....I am coming back to buy the better set.

 

FOOTNOTE:

Listening To Oprah

Oprah shared an embarrassing moment when she first started her career.  It came about in part because she was trying to be Barbara Walters. 

What stuck for me was her realization –

“I can be a better me than anyone else”.

Yeah......I like that.  Feels good.