Something Creative

My friend Dana has created/is creating a series of passion pursuing dares that she posts on her blog and I have decided to try them out along with her (although I'm a little slower on the uptake when it comes to completing them). I really think this is neat because I've [depressingly] discovered that other than my cute family, the gospel, and a couple choice other things I have no idea what I really am passionate about. "Ew. Marie, how could this have happened?!" I have thought to myself a lot recently. Being Chris' wife it seems near impossible for this to be the case when that man is so wonderfully passionate about so many things (for those of you who know Chris even a tiny bit you will know exactly what I'm talking about and are probably smiling to yourself about just how incredibly passionate he is). He has been expressing his concern for my lack of intense passion for some time now I just have had no idea where to even start (keeping up with the baby is a full+ time job I feel) until now.

So thanks Dana! Getting started is always the hardest part.

"First dare:  I dare you to do something creative this week.  Anything at all.  Paint it, sew it, write it, bake it--whatever.  Just get your creative juices flowing, make a big mess, and create something.  Go!"

About a month and a half ago we took a trip over to Blickenstaff's - the coolest toy store ever! Lynlee found a toy there that she absolutely loved but it was $16 and although we really really wanted to get it for her Chris and I made a [responsible] decision not to get it at that time. However, I was determined to do something for our little girl (even though she really had no idea what was going on I still hated telling her no). So I went hunting around our house and found some material, ribbons, plastic bags (for the crinkly feeling and sound on the inside), some beans in an old prescription bottle (for the rattling noise), and a bunch of other little knick knacks to attach to it for her to touch and explore. After putting it all together she wasn't too excited about it (FAIL I thought) but after completing today's creative task I pulled it out again and she LOVES it! Success!

 The two sides of the tube toy.

She hasn't let go of it all day!

The things I'm really excited about that I finished making today are these: little bean bags of every basic color. They're perfect for Lynlee to hold onto with her tiny hands and feel the different textures of the materials, she can suck on them as she pleases, and best of all, I think it'll help her learn her colors as she begins to understand more of what we say to her and teach her. She'll like playing with them (already does!) and every time I hand her one I can say "this is the color pink, do you like the bumps on the pink bean bag?" or "the blue beanbag is made out of corduroy material."

I'm excited :) Also, I really like to make things like this. I like to search the house for things we don't ever use that just take up space, imagining what they could become, and then watching it all come together. That could be considered a passion, right? I'm counting it.

You can't tell in the picture, but almost every one of them has a different texture: the white one feels like a towel, the red one is velvet, etc.