Hi there,

I really hope you did yesterday's assignment. I recommend that you find a way to play with words at least once a week!

One of my most favourite and creative times of my life was when I was the Arts Area Head at a summer camp. It wasn't my favourite because I got to teach arts and crafts all day long (although that was pretty amazing), it was because once a session, the other Area Heads and I had to put on a great big skit. The tradition in this camp was to go all out, so once a session as I was the one with the supplies and supposed creativity, I had to help create wonderful sets or backdrops or vehicles or whatever we imagined out of nothing except the simple supplies from the craft building and whatever we could cobble together. We never ever let the lack of something stop our imaginations. We just had faith we'd figure out how to create whatever we came up with.

I loved it. I loved the limits of paper and masking tape and tempura paint. I loved that everyone got into the spirit and it didn't matter how perfect it was. We made a whole jungle out of paper and paint and yarn and stuffed animals. We made viking ships out of canoes and duct tape and paper and paddles. We made an F1 race happen with my friend's tiny car, ribbons and paint.

And the making was as fun as the end result.

I want you to feel that sense of FUN magical creation today.

Assignment

1. Apply the idea of creating something wonderful out of simple things to something on your list of things that you'd love to do.

There are no other rules.

(Oh, except one: you don't have to do this today. You can make a plan for another day. Just make sure it's a solid plan.)

If you love to cook - how can you make food into a fun event? Can you invite some people over for a joyful meal? Can you string curtains or lights and make menus out of paper and create silly drinks and place-cards for everyone? Can you fold napkins into elephants? (I can't, but it might be possible.) 

If you love to read, can you make an epic blanket fort in your living room and pretend to be 8 years old? Can you bring in cookies and a pile of books and just let the world go for a few hours?

My point is to go over-the-top in the gentle childish silliness and delight of a thing.

A movie-marathon could become a themed evening with costumes and a double-feature and themed snacks. (My husband made a couch-pillow-fort for my nieces to watch a movie from once. They never forgot it.) 

A painting or art-making hour could become: get some huge pieces of paper and make an enormous letter for someone that they get to put together as a puzzle once they get it in the mail.

Organize your closet could become: invite someone over and do a fashion show, or a clothes swap with cookies, or a wear the thing you never get to wear brunch.

Visiting your family could become a dinner where everyone wears memorabilia clothes (then everyone gets to tell the story of what they are wearing and why it matters to them).

A road trip could become an expedition with a special hat and sunglasses and tunes and maps and snacks and a photo scavenger hunt.

Dream bigger. Be sillier. Open wider. Let love in. Send love out.

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW GOOD OR HOW CREATIVE IT IS. If it's FUN, you did it right.

Stop thinking ordinary in your sense of what is possible. Ordinary is just not true.

Play.

I'll see you tomorrow - and don't worry, tomorrow will be a more individual assignment. I know that this one might require time to set up.

With so much love,