This morning, amazed to see that July is one-third over - can you believe that? - I jotted down a list of creative playtime activities, many of which I can do right here at home in my studio (er, uh, a repurposed second-floor bedroom).
I find that I always have a host of projects either in a gee, I'd really like to do that stage or in process. Often, I can't take the next action because there's some prep involved or I've temporarily put the project away - consequently, it's in limbo or mostly out of mind since I either can't see it or I'm not prepared to take the next action. One of the items on my list was to create a list of 15 minute project actions and set up Project/Action stations to accomplish the task/s at hand.
A Project/Action Station keeps the project front and center and ready for the next action, e.g., after I've printed photos for a scrapbook album or layout, I need to trim and insert them in a page protector or lay out on a piece of card stock. So, my project action station houses the trimmer, cardstock and an album with page protectors - plus my tools and adhesives are a mere arm's length away. Now, I can easily stick the photos in the page protector or fiddle with the placement of photos on a layout...
Another example involves browsing magazines for collage items and "faces:" Ever since I took Dina Wakley's Facing the Facts workshop last month, I can't look at a face in a magazine without studying it and wondering: Can I draw that? But of course, I tell myself and I turn the page. I think I'll serve myself better if I begin to create a resource file of interesting faces. My Project/Action Station includes a growing stack of magazine/s; a large shopping bag for recycling the spent magazines; and a colorful file folder for collecting the rapidly growing pile of faces to draw. I will keep my drawing supplies - copy paper and 4 x 6 plain index cards - and pencils at this station, too.
I always have a head-full of ideas for art journal entries but I'm often stopped cold in my tracks for getting them down on paper 'cause I haven't prepped the pages in this or that journal or on this or that loose sheet of paper. So, I decided a Project Action Station was definitely in order! This station is primarily a cart (from IKEA) to hold paints and journals; a dish drainer (also from IKEA) I've repurposed for holding the gessoed pages of paper; and other art journal supplies.
I am liking the idea of the stations and enjoying having projects ready and handy...and oh yes, I also have a timer on tap. That way, I can make the most of any 15 minutes or more I have...
What do you do to help jumpstart your creative play times?
Stay cool and have fun creating...
Cheers~
PS. Seth Apter returns Nov 2 and 3 to teach his I Witness... workshop. Read more here and hurry up and register now! This class will fill up FAST.
...and Patti leaves for CHA next week, July 20. Let her know if you have any products to look up, vendors to visit...
