Combating Covid - Create a vision board

 

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board is a visualization tool which refers to a board of any sort used to build a collage of words and pictures that represent your goals and dreams.  https://www.jackcanfield.com/blog/how-to-create-an-empowering-vision-book/ 

My dearest friend and I have been working on creating vision boards, as part of our war on quarantine fatigue.  Making a trip to the grocery store to buy magazines, asking neighbors for some, dreaming and pondering about just what we wanted to include... all were amazingly effective in lifting our spirits and giving us some things to get excited about again.   I must admit, I'm not quite optimistic enough to include travel on mine yet, but one certainly could.

Mine includes finding a specific action to help save the planet, craft projects I want to create, remodeling and refining my studio into a welcoming haven, creating a reading and prayer oasis in the corner of my bedroom, plans for renovating the front and back yards next spring, getting healthy, etc.  Those are just mine.... for now....  I can always add layers to it.

We put them on white poster board.  But of course, I couldn't just leave mine plain.  For the background, I sprayed red wine from a spray bottle over leaves to make a soft, subtle purply-gray design.  Because I could.

If you are skirting mild depression because you don't have anything to look forward to during these very strange times, I encourage you to try making your own vision board.  There are lots of articles on the internet to help with ideas.  It's amazing how much better I feel. (And just to explain, the word Peacock on my board is for the next art basket that has been begging to be woven for the last two years...I really need to get it done!)

First Things First - Learning to Zoom

 To survive during Covid19, the first thing that so very many of us needed to learn was how to Zoom. Determining if I need an account, setting up meetings, sending our invitations, what level of security do I really need, how long can I actually function effectively at one time, how much recovery time do I need between meetings, and one of my biggies:  when to say no to 'just' another meeting.

And then of course there is a whole new level of meeting etiquette to master.  It simply doesn't work to try and talk over someone or interrupt.  Please oh please mute yourself if you are in a larger group, or you have some noise, no matter how small, in your background.  It's amazing what these microphones pick up, isn't it??  The buttons are there for a reason to stop your video if you (or your child, cat, dog, husband) will be distracting.

Sharing screens, using breakout rooms, utilizing chat rooms, learning to raise your hand may be easier to use for some. The older we get, the more challenging some of these things are.  Hey, we remember having to use rotary phones and actually write and mail a letter.

It's a whole new world of communicating, but for some of us that truly need to stay at home, it's essential for our sanity.  Without Zoom (or WhatsApp or Facetime) I'd be totally cut off from the world. No, it's not the same as going out for tea with friends, but we do try to Zoom an occasional tea party together, where we dress up a bit, put on some jewelry (maybe even some perfume), and chat.  Craft meetings, organizations, friends, family....yes, I know, some of your are working from home as well.  But I can't really address that latter one - I am retired, after all.   So virtual meetings aren't just for the working folks.  Retired artists need it, too!

Recipe for Recentering

 Preparation: Gather a move, resettling, and remodeling, a pandemic, political unrest, isolation, financial volatility, limited contact with friends and family.

Mix: A new neighborhood, learning to communicate via  Zoom, wearing masks and social distancing.

Bake (process, evaluate): For seven months.

Result:  A need to reevaluate, recenter, learn how to replenish emotional reserves.

Frosting/garnish: New crafts, mediums, creativity, and ideas.

When someone asks what I've been doing during these unusual times. I simply say: lace.  It's been a wonderful, homey, pleasing and relaxing way to learn and develop as an artist, as well as provide connections with other lace-makers.  While I'm getting back to basket weaving now, and taking on a few other artistic avenues, my lace-making will definitely continue.

My hope is that my posts will inspire you to try something different, find your calming center, or simply entertain.  So for today, right here and right now, I'll share some lace.  I started two Zoom meetings, one for tatting, one for crochet.  Chatting, learning new techniques, challenging each other, inspiring one another....you get the idea.