Simply Hue

Illustrations by Andrea Cook

This week’s theme: Creativity - The Dream and The Journey

Good morning ladies! Did you enjoy learning more about Shadra Strickland yesterday? I've had the opportunity to talk to her over the phone, and she's such a warm good-natured person. Please take advantage of her experience and talent throughout this week. She's really looking forward to offering you feedback on your projects. :)

So let's get started! In planning Tuesday's and Thursday's lessons I had a bit of a dilemma (similar to the timeless chicken versus egg question). I knew I wanted to encourage each of you to have BIG dreams when it comes to your creativity but also to remind you that they don’t come instantly and that road to creative fulfillment can be long and sometimes rocky. Finally, I decided that DREAMS need to come first and then the journey to reach them.

WALLFLOWER DREAMS

Most of us can remember the carefree days of childhood when we dreamed of being a famous movie star, a prolific author, or a runway model. But as we get older and our lives become more complicated, we tend to put those dreams on the back burner and fall into routines that make our lives more manageable. I did this for years. With three young children, a large home, and various part-time and full-time jobs, it seemed impossible to pursue my dreams and it was easier to just lay them aside for tomorrow. It took some serious health issues to slow me down and to cause me to look deeper. During the beautiful and often chaotic years when my children were growing up, there were many times that I felt that tug in my heart to pull out my art supplies and create, but too often I ignored that inner voice as more immediate responsibilities demanded my attention.

When I was hit with some scary neurological symptoms in 2002, it was no longer possible for me to hold a 9-5 job. The "blessing in disguise" was the extra time I had on my hands. Having always loved interior design, art, and color I began Simply Hue and shortly after that started taking photos to post on my blog. In my dreams I’d pictured living a creative life and doing something big with my art, but I had no idea when I first picked up my camera, that I’d discovered a deep passion and that a dream that had been pushed way back in the recesses of my mind, had been fullfilled.


GOT DREAMS?

If you live in the States, you’ve heard the fun and catchy slogan “Got Milk?” that the Dairy companies use to sell their product. So, concerning dreams, do you have a few? In my opinion, having a dream or a vision for the future is what keeps life interesting and exciting. Dreams give us purpose and something to strive towards. When I was little I often dreamed of becoming a famous artist, an actress, or children’s book author. I’m a visionary and although I didn’t strive to attain my dreams for many years, I always knew that I wanted to make something special of my life and to use my gifts and talents.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you have a few dreams tucked away ... ones you haven’t considered for years? Or have your hopes for the future been growing even stronger lately, but have yet to bloom? As adults, most of us have aspirations for the future, but these aspirations are never so real as they were for us when we were young.

This is a good time to take out your notebook and pen and take a few minutes to look back. Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself:

1. What types of creative activities did you spend hours doing as a child (did you draw, paint, build dollhouses, make paper dolls, bead jewelry?

2. What did you always dream of doing or becoming when you grew up (did you want to write books, poetry, become an actress or a painter)?

3. What positive things did friends or family say about you (did they tell you that you drew well, that you were creative, that you wrote amazing stories)?

Looking back at how we spent our time when we were young, reminds us of who we truly are before life’s responsibilities and challenges got to us.


GO FOR THEM!

I'm a true believer that, from my own experience and from being in contact with other creative women, that with diligence and passion, our dreams can become a reality. It may not happen overnight (in fact, it rarely does), but by actively pursuing your dreams, one tiny step at time, it's highly probable that you'll see them come to fruition. Once I became interested in photography and saw the positive attention my photos were receiving, I began to dream of having them featured in magazines or even sold in stores. As these dreams became stronger I began contacting publishers, websites, and magazines. I worked diligently to get my photos in front of the right people, and I’m so thankful to have seen some success from my efforts.

Your creative dreams may be simply to create consistently, to use your work to help out a specific charity, to give your creations as gifts, or to open your own online shop. Whatever your dreams may be, I think it's vital to keep them at the forefront of your mind and to take even small steps to make them come true. :)

O.k., time to pull out that notebook and ask yourself these questions:

1. When I look deep down in my heart, what dreams have I tucked away?

2. Where do I see myself five, ten, and even 20 years from now (creatively speaking)?

3. What small steps can I take to get there?

In conclusion, I want to encourage you to have a clear vision for your future and to take those necessary steps to make your vision a reality. It’s great to have a wishing pot overflowing with dreams, but if you don’t pull those golden coins out and use them, they are simply tokens with very little value. Read books that inspire you in your creative journey (have you read this one?), watch training videos (Brittni from Paper-n-Stitch has a ton), take classes/workshops (here are some great photography classes), or join a group of creative people with like interests (here's a site you might enjoy). It's time to cash in the contents of that wishing pot for something of great value ..... FULFILLED DREAMS. :)


Today's DISCUSSION PROMPT IS:

I'm feel the happiest when I'm ...........


THEME WORD FOR TODAY: Daydream

Definition of the word DAYDREAM via Dictionary.com:

daydream (ˈdeɪˌdriːm)

— noun
1. a pleasant dreamlike fantasy indulged in while awake; idle reverie
2. a pleasant scheme or wish that is unlikely to be fulfilled; pipe dream
— verb
3. ( intr ) to have daydreams; indulge in idle fantasy

TO DO:

Write about, draw, design, or photograph your perspective of the word DAYDREAM! Look at this fun example. :)

* If you'd like, post it in our Flickr Group for the rest of us to see and comment on!