I thought I’d give you all an update on the art pact I made with my friend Michelle. Last night I realized why doing this was such a good idea. I had a long day of working, and was really feeling tired and stressed. There was about an hour before Castle (one of my favorite shows) came on, and I really planned on just sitting like a bum in front of the TV watching whatever until it came on.

I mentioned casually to my husband that I “really don’t have time to work on craft junk.” He reminded me that I had an hour and I loved crafting and why didn’t I just work on what I could. For some reason, I needed the push of having that half-completed picture sitting there to remind me that I had made a promise to my friend. It’s like a “working out” pact, in a way. I used to have a deal with one of my friends that we would meet at the gym three times a week. I would get up, not feel like going, and then picture her disappointment as she waited for me to get there and realized I’d stayed at home. I just couldn’t disappoint her. So I always went.

The same is true with the art pact. It helped me get into the craft room and work on the painting. As you can see, in an hour, I was able to add the flower pot. I’ve still got the flowers and leaves and finishing touches, but you can tell where I’m going with the painting a little bit better now. It might not look like a big deal yet, but there is a lot of detail I can’t capture with the camera.

The really great part about all this is that after I finished painting, I felt so much better. I wasn’t as tired and burned out. I had some renewed energy and my brain felt a bit clearer. Sometimes sitting at a computer all day trying to write and promote can leave you feeling like you’re living in a haze. But I realized once again how important it is to let the other parts of your creative personality come through.