I know – I should post first thing in the morning all these thoughts I have on the daily musings.  I have been very wrapped up in politics lately and those have been my first, and sometimes second and third, posts of the day.  I will try to fix that starting Monday.

If you go back to the beginning of the month, on February 2nd, Ban Breathnach discusses creative excursions but of a slightly different note.  I love this particular excursion to a home furnishings or decorative accessories store.  I have three that I go to for these particular outings but my favorite is Pier 1.  If I cannot make it to the actual local store, I could spend hours going through things on their web site. 

I like to go in, walk around.  Then, I start thinking about my house and which items here I could use.  I think about the changes I have always wanted to make to my kitchen – a tile backsplash in Tuscan colors behind my sink, painting of the one set of cupboards a gold and green.  I think about what I could do to make my living room look much less like an office and play area – more on the wall, a nice way to have candles lit all the time.  I think about how to make my bedroom, which doubles as my craft room, more of a sanctuary – throw pillows, maybe a screen to keep the craft stuff behind.

After I walk through, I go out to the car and write down the items I like.  I print pictures off at home of them with pricing information so I can purchase if I get a small windfall.

On the days of February 3rd and 4th, we are introduced to our “authentic self.”  I do understand the keeping her available for those important moments.  I think I did this earlier in my life.  Now I feel that I am at a point where I am more comfortable with myself than I have been in the past.  The light is on daily.  I do know this is hard for women.  We invest so much of ourselves in others.  As a mother, we invest ourselves in our children.  As a wife, we invest ourselves in our husband.  As a worker, we invest ourselves in our job.  We need to be able to take those pieces of us back and make ourselves whole.

I think I relate most to the discussions of being an artist.  I do create art.  It took me a long time to think of myself as an artist.  I make crafts, cards, scrapbook pages.  I do painting, molding of clay, bending of wire.  I bake and cook.  All of these things are creating art.  So I really enjoy reading February 7th & 8th.  I also love reading the 9th where SBB talks about each day being a fresh canvas.