The Creative Process and The Princess and the Garden (Part III)

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Flight to Arras, 1942

Let's begin with a sneak peak of something which seemed to hop into Ess's bedroom last night.

It is so good to be creating again, but then again do I ever stop.  I am certainly a creative person and am not satisfied unless I am creating something.  I will put many other things on hold, such as cleaning and tidying up, to ensure that this part of me, the very central core of who I am, is being attended to.  You see I am made in the image of my Creator.  God is the ultimate creator, thus being made in His image means that I must create also.  If I do not, certain frustration ensues.

I have been assigned a little reflective project this week by Our Creative Community.  It is a challenge to write about The Creative Process.

I find that my creativity is ignited by the everyday tasks which I have been assigned to do.  Usually the results of my creativity serve to nourish my family, as this is currently my primary role.  So any and every simple task will be seen in a creative light including the preparation of meals, play with my children and also their education. You have seen the fruits of my creativity in the abundance of healthy recipes which I create in order to meet our families particular dietary needs.  You see this in the writing of stories for my daughters to read and illustrate.  You see this in my sewing and crafting in order to make things for them which need to be used such as The Art Smock (which sadly is no longer, we think it was tossed in the bin at school).  I also create in order to delight and surprise them, to make them feel special and worth spending time and energy on.

You see I am a bit of a rebel at heart and while I am not one to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, I always seem to swim against the flow.  I will not be bound by what others are doing, or what has gone before me.  When I can see other ways to do things which meet my goals in the way I am raising my family I will change everything to creatively meet needs.  I will resist eating takeaway food because I know it is not as healthy for my family or our hip pocket.  This requires me to be creative with the items of food I have stored in my frig and pantry.  I will resist purchasing that toy that everyone else has because I know I will have much more joy in making one for my girls than spending the time, effort and money going out to purchase something that someone else has created.  I know Ess appreciates the things I make for her more than other toys as every morning she wakes and comes out of her room with a collection of her "essentials" which include: the blanket I knitted her, the doll I made her for Christmas (see in my header pic), the muff and one mitten set I am in the middle of completing for her.  The fact I make them for her shows her how much I value her, value creating for her and value teaching her skills about creating which will go with her for life.

I struggle to create when the everyday tasks I need to complete seem insurmountable and tiresome.  Yet when I turn my thoughts to see those same tasks differently my creativity resurfaces and a spark returns.  I find new inspiration from chatting with friends, communing with God, particular inspirational blogs and simple everyday life.

The joy of my creativity is certainly in the giving and watching the recipient receive.  Their gratitude is absolutely enough for me.  It is also a joy when others see what I do and are inspired to do something similar.  It is wonderful when the values I espouse are shared with others and we unite to achieve a common goal.  Blogs are a great way to share.

I consider myself very very fortunate to be living a very creative life.  It is constant, it is always,  it is all around.  I am thankful that this is where God has me at the moment, in a place where I can creatively be me.

I'll finish in the garden with my princess for the next section of the story ~ The Princess and the Garden.  (Firstly read Part I and Part II)...“Let’s busy ourselves with the bees”, the energetic fairies decided. “We’ll find them on the garlic chives and on the basil flowers as well”, the little girl declared.  As they all buzzed and flew around with the bees the girl recognised another familiar sight.  It was a very dainty and delicate sparkly bright fairy in each.  “Oh, I’ve found Grace the Garlic Fairy and Basilica the Basil Fairy.  I know you’d love to play as well.”  They all buzzed and twirled, flew and danced, and enjoyed the afternoon together.

When evening came, the fairies knew they had been in the company of a most sincere Princess - a princess with whom the Gardener would love to share her garden, her blossoms, her herbs and all her plants. They raced to the garden and found the Gardener there.  She sat outside in the cool of the evening under the shade of a Jacaranda tree. She was waiting expectantly and was delighted to see her fairies return.  She rose to greet them and immediately knew that the news they would share would fill her heart with joy.

“We’ve found her!” they exclaimed.  The one to come and join you here is beautiful, she’s bright, she’s kind.  She is fun and she is pretty.  But more than that she loves the garden, she knows the plants therein and she recognised each of us one by one as she drew close to play.  Not a thing passed by unnoticed.  We know she is a true Princess. 

“Oh, please bring her here,” the Gardener cried.  She knew her heart’s longing would be fulfilled...