Staying Creative in Your 60's

If you have some empty time or even if you don't creative endeavors will keep the mind healthy and can be a de-stressor. So, where are these creative activities and, more importantly, what are creative things to try?

1. Arts and Crafts! This is stuff you can do at home, with friends or take a class. Art is part of my soul so this is something I do all the time.

    Crafts --> 

It's Halloween time! Lots of spooky things we can create. The dollar stores are great places to pick up some skeleton hands or other creepy parts to remake into something else. These are things you put together with hot glue, spider webs, and plastic table clothes. The witch's head was a milk jug, painted green with details done in paint & sharpie. 

    Or get a head start on Christmas crafts. It's coming up fast. Painted wine glasses make great gifts! 

    Furniture Painting --> 

Okay, this one might be a little much 
for beginners but it's fun! Pick up an old chair from the side of the road or at a garage sale. Put a base of spray paint on it and then paint a quick pick on it. Get real creative or just paint some hearts or flowers on it.

    Painting on Canvas--> My favorite is acrylic paint on canvas. It's
easy and forgiving. You an pick up paint and brushes at Walmart or Michaels. There will definitely be more variety to pick from at Michaels but you can get almost the same thing at Walmart for less. A good way to get started without spending a lot of money. Then just put the brush to canvas and get creative. 

    Now, don't tell me you can't paint. Look up Jackson Pollock who hangs in the Metropolitan Museum. Van Gogh sold only one painting during his life. Anyone can paint. Just do it. 

       Hint; there are painting classes on YouTube, step by step instructions in books from the library, or you might find a class at your local recreation department. Art is about fun, not work. Go paint up some fun. 

    

   

Rock Painting--> You can find rocks to paint anywhere. The ones by rivers are better, smoother but you can also buy rocks at craft stores or online. Just use acrylic paint and get creative. 

Get Sketchy--> Pick up a sketch book at your local department
store or check out those dollar store bargains. Grab a pencil or pen and just start doodling. There are online videos for this too if you want to take it farther. I keep a sketch book by my chair and doodle while watching TV. 

2. Write  

    Ever think of writing a book? Hey, I've written books & shorts. 

(check out my Amazon shorts page) It takes a lot of work, time and yes, there is a bit of a learning curve. 

    So forget about that last sentence and just start. Don't think about getting published, just get your story down on computer, paper or however you like to get creative. 

    You can write a novella, full book, or just short stories. Don't think about where it will go, just think about your story. 

    What is a story? Could be fiction. Just make something up. Let your mind wander and think; what if....this happened? 

    Not into fiction? You could write your life story. Don't think if it will be interesting or not. Write it for you, write it for your kids. I always liked hearing stories from grandma and aunts of what their lives were like before I met them. 

3. Find Classes

    You can find classes on almost everything at most recreation departments. Local colleges also offer some simple beginner classes in almost every subject. Art, writing, dance, etc. 

     Look at your local craft stores. Michaels has classes and so do some of our local shops that help local artists sell their creations. Painting wine glasses, knitting, painting, and other crafty things. Some are free for seniors, too!  

Now stay creative! 

    

Are New Years Resolutions a Good Idea?

 Let's face it if we were going to resolve to do something to improve our life why is January the best time? 

It's after the holidays when, truthfully, I just want to relax and veg for a while. The last few months have been a stressful time. Wouldn't it be better to just let January pass by and rest and think about all that other stuff maybe in February? 

Oh, I've tried. Every January for over ... well at least 45 ish years.. I've thought what should my resolution be this year? Usually it came back to losing weight. Yet, whatever it was seemed to kind of be in the negative column. How come our resolutions aren't in the positive column? 

So here's some positive New Year's Resolutions (I'll pick mine in February :) 

1. Draw more pictures. It doesn't matter if you're a professional or never picked up a pencil to doodle - just draw more pictures. Art is therapy and we could all use a little of that right now. 

2. Play some music. Did you take lessons as a kid? Or ever wanted to? Do it. Pick up a guitar from a thrift shop or see what other instruments they have there and give it a go. 

3. Perfect one cooking skill. Ever want to bake from scratch? Make a tart or roll some sushi. 

4. Take a painting class. They're all over the place now days. Google paint and sip and see what you can find. Then go paint it. You might surprise yourself. 

5. Plan a trip to some place you've never been. Okay, you might have to wait a few months till travel is safe again, but go explore some place. Do the planning now so you can be ready later. 

6. Make something for someone with your own hands. Sew or knit or ...back to #1, draw something and gift a gift for no reason. 

7. Read one book classic book a month. Any library can tell you what the classics are; Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Nightingale, Anne of Green Gables. The list is long so there are plenty to choose from. 

8 Make one day a week your Pamper me day. Give yourself a pedicure, soak in a tub full of bubbles, or cuddle up with your significant other and watch a movie. 

9. Have a night out with the girls or guys once a month. Plan it and make it more than beer and pretzels. Make it a special event with something interesting. 

10. Volunteer. Find your favorite charity and volunteer. Animal shelter, Red Cross, Homeless Shelter, Meals on Wheels. There's always something, someone, somewhere who needs help. Find some time and do something. 

So do that New Year's resolution now or later but make it something that will help your soul grow and blossom. 2021 is here so let's make it beautiful. 

Got a great idea for a resolution? Post it below & share the wisdom! 

Life After 60?

Yes, life after sixty. Just think of the quote; You're never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.

I had a dream at age 5. When people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up I'd always reply; An artist. I knew it then, in my heart, that I was an artist.

Giraffe rock painted for a friend

My mother disagreed.

Let's remember my mother grew up during the depression. She saw the worse of it and although her father always had a job times were lean and the man she married wasn't so lucky. My father came from a family of 12 children. Only 6 survived to adulthood. He quit school in the 6th grade to work to help support the family yet he was one of the smartest people I've ever known. I think it bothered him that he lacked even a grammar school education, but I know that had he been given opportunities, he would have gone far. He was kind and fair. His family was tough as nails, they had to be to survive with 12 kids and little money during those times.

Anyway, my mother said, "Artist don't make any money, pick something else."
Always the good little girl I believed my mother and wandered most of my life looking for that something else. I've worked retail, as a dental assistant, bartender, office manager, more retail, waitress, election clerk, sales manager, marketing director, human resource director, etc. I just floated from job to job as the opportunity arose and never really felt fully satisfied. Some were more interesting than others, some challenging (I loved the challenging jobs) and some were frustratingly boring. None touched my passion. Marketing came close, but the place where I worked was micro managed so it had limitations.

I wrote some books. Got a few more almost done. Yes, writing is in my heart, too, but I guess it's just another kind of art. A few books up on Amazon and really should get the others up soon. Working on that!
I wrote for the confession mags before they went under. Loved those stories.

Now at age 61? My kids moved 900 miles away. Let's face it, New Jersey is a hard state to start out in. They got out and I'm glad they did. Both bought their own homes and built a life. I missed them terribly. It was decision time.

My husband and I started investigating our options. If we moved down to be closer to them what could we do? How about our own business?

So here we are in Florida. No, not to retire. We are starting our own business and yes, it involves art. (More on this later.)  Right now we're in a kind of limbo doing the prep work for our new biz while living with my youngest daughter. I miss having my own home. Hey! This is the first time in over 30 years I didn't have my own house to take care of. But things here are going good. We're crazy busy getting this off the ground and since we're starting from the bottom up it's going to take months to get from leases & lawyers through the build-out process to the Grand Opening.

For a while I felt a little panicked. What have we done? Sold our home, left everything we ever knew and now we're ... homeless?  Then I go back and think;

You're never to old to set a new goal or dream a new dream. 

Family Tree painted for a friend. 

Life Choices vs Your Bliss

This card came from
Affirminators inspiration cards
found on Amazon.

I think there are certain times of your life when you look back and think about choices. Some are good, some make you wonder...what the heck was I thinking?

I remember my mother once asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I answered with total confidence; an artist. I was  probably in grammar school, maybe third or fourth grade. Her response? Artists don't make any money, pick something else.

There was a moment of confusion. How could I be anything other than what I wanted to be? Was it possible to just "pick something else?" I remember thinking, "but that's what I am."

So, I picked other things but never with enough gusto to fall in love with them. It was like a life on idle. March through it and come out on the other side realizing I'm bored, empty inside, and (as a dental assistant) a little grossed out by the blood and teeth stuff. I've drifted from job to job just trying to find that missing bliss and wondering what the heck was wrong with me.

My brother is a journalist. Newspapers were always his passion. I remember when we were younger there was always a newspaper spread out in front of him. He'd read every word and eventually went to college for journalism and is now an editor for a major newspaper. He found his bliss. He knew his bliss from an early age and, most importantly, it was an acceptable bliss. It made money. It supported a family.

I envy those who find their bliss early in life. A friend, a 1st grade teacher, once told me she never worked a day in her life, because she loved her job so much. Another acceptable bliss.

Don't get me wrong, I don't blame my mother. She grew up during the great depression and knew what poverty could do to a family, to a neighborhood, to a nation. She only wanted me to be able to get a viable job. The label of "starving artist" was all she knew.

Fast forward to 2016. Imagine what I could do with an art degree today? There are so many opportunities for graphic artists. So many ways to sell art in this digital age. The possibilities are endless, but are any of them with my grasp? Building an art career at my age is intimidating, but can I do enough to be happy? Self supporting? Would my type of art be sell-able?
So many questions... Between regular 9 to 5 job and other life stuff, how much time is there to create art that would be good enough to sell?

So, did you find your bliss?