Monday, January 5, 2009

Priming the Pump through Play !

So my beautiful Russian grandmother, Bubbie as we called her, used to say "Vhen you don know vhat to do, do nothink ." I have always kind of liked that advice. When you are really unsure of what to do and you choose to wait it out, give it up to God, release and basically do "Nothink", I think you are doing what the Universe wants you to do. Just be, and the answer will come.

It is harder than it sounds to do "Nothink" though ! Especially for a control freak extraordinaire like myself !!! So I have come up with a new twist on Bubbie's quote. Here is mine : "When you don't know what to do, just PLAY until the answer comes." Not as cute with the whole Eastern European accent thing but it works for me ! Playing is my "doing Nothink" !


This morning I headed back into the studio, back into the Monday morning routine. I am very very lucky that I didn't have to head to a job I hate but I wasn't so happy about the fact that I was alone in the studio. My people play mates were all gone back to work ! I felt kind of deflated and not sure where to begin.


But it didn't take me long to remember by other playmates !!!

I dove in and had a Paint-Fest this morning ! I love doing this periodically. I chose a couple of colors and a variety of kinds of paint, get a huge pile of papers of all kinds ready and just start slapping paint around - with brushes, brayers, old credit cards, using stamps, stencils, sponges and any other tools that come to mind. I also keep my heat gun handy to dry some papers quickly so I can add layers and layers to them. I keep a big plastic table cloth on the floor and throw the papers on there to dry.

Here's a little sample of my play :

I pulled out a fun tool that I haven't used in a while and that I just love ! It is what I used to make the great black lines and "fake" handwriting on the pages above. It is a fine metal applicator tip used for writing on fabric and the nozzle head that screws right on to a bottle of acrylic craft paint. I have a spare bottle that I fill with black craft paint thinned with acrylic medium (you could use a little water too !) to make it flow well. I have had mine forever and I love the line detail you can get with it. Just be sure to rinse out the tips after you are done so that it doesn't get blocked with dry paint.

I found a similar little kit with bottles and tips for $9.00 at Dick Blicks if you want to use your Xmas money on a cool tool !

So after Paint Play, I had some great backgrounds for future use in journals, or in collages or whatever.

Here is the page I did today, inspired by the "Trust" cards I bought from Jen Lemen, that I am so loving everyday ! Today's card read "You can be kind to yourself." You bet I can !!!!

The background was done with a credit card dragging the paint down the page and a mask cut out in navy blue applied with a sponge.

I wrote out ways I can be kind to myself, like letting go of the perfectionist, and taking time to play !

Anyone who has every tried pumping water from an old fashioned water pump knows that you have to add water slowly into the pump, priming it to get the flow going. That's what my play time or my do "Nothink" time was about today, I think. Get that pump primed and we will be flowing before you know it !

9 comments:

Genie Sea said...

I adore this! The colors, the textures, the whole feeling of this piece is joyous! :)

Anonymous said...

Your grandmother was a very wise woman...even Seinfeld built a carrier around doing nothink... :)

Beautiful play today!

Olivia said...

What FUN, Kim! Thank you for sharing the details with us so that we could vicariously be a part of your day. I worked (too) hard all day, and it was nice to find this. Love, O

Karin Bartimole said...

love the results of your 'nothink' play! Glad you found your flow in the studio, with your old friends :) your analogy to priming the pump is perfect.
xo♥ox
Karin

Anonymous said...

great journal page kim!!! i love your color palette and textures, and of course the affirmation is perfect!!! i think we all can use a good reminder to be gentle and kind with ourselves!!! thank YOU!!!

peace and love

Commuter's Journal said...

Sounds like your bubbe knew something about being still and letting your inner voice speak. I suspect that her "nothink" is very much somethink -- a very wise woman!

Love the playing you're doing here. Those backgrounds look very tasty. I love doing that, too, and have become even more of a recycling maven because of it.

I needed refreshing after the holidays and found a lot of inspiration at Rodrigivitz Style (check out her use of TtVs) and Dispatch From LA (she's got videos of the evolution of her journals). Great stuff!

-- JeriAnn

Melissa said...

I was feeling this yesterday....

It's "funny" cause I was looking forward to some alone time to create and create, but the moment it came I felt flat, alone, what's the point. I've felt that way before (almost every time hubby and T are off and with me all week) and I survived. So I knew I'd survive this time too. I just did my thing and made it to today. And today I feel a similar way. UGH. Where's the lush-us-ness, the potential I felt for 2009? I'm sure it's hiding around here somewhere. I'd better go do some 'nothink' and some 'play.'

Adore the pages you made. That's a cool tool. I gotta get me one!

~Bubbie Power As Always~
Melissa

Seth said...

Such wonderful, joyful colors on these pages. And your "trick" for writing is such a great idea.

arlene said...

How gorgeous!! I want to come and play with you!! Your colours and your lines are inspiring me on this grey, grey day.
I love it when you share your techniques and tools Kim. I haven't done any art with my journaling in a long time, and I'm teaching another class this month. I better get inspired quick. Thanks for the help! Keep sharing the process AND the product, please.
love and hugs,
arlene