Time for Change: Quarantine hobbies

Hey guys! Welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! I’m so glad you stopped by. This month, as you know, we’re talking about change—new things coming up for yours truly, both personally and professionally. Lately though, it’s all been professional… so let’s talk personal today, shall we?

I finally have my own office! My own place to work from home, and it isn’t even in my bedroom. Goals, guys. Seriously. I’ve never had my own office before. It’s crazy.

And with the new office came all sorts of new things I’m doing. Really. All sorts of things. As of a few weeks ago, I’ve begun jewelry making. Mostly chain mail, though I’ve also been dabbling with wire wrapping as well. It’s a difficult thing, when you can’t go to the store and get supplies. Sheesh. It’ll be nice when we can all get out again, eh?

Anyway, I like doing things with my hands. Sometimes I think better, clear my brain better, when I’m doing something like that. So chain weaving really fit the bill. I should’ve posted some pictures on Instagram by now, so feel free to head over there and check it out! If I haven't posted anything there yet... I'm sorry. It's been on my list of things to do. Really.

I’m also learning to sew… though I’d say that’s been more dabbling than actual learning, so far. I’ve not had time to do a whole lot, partially because weaving chain takes a lot of time and once I get going I just can’t stop. But I am learning to sew, and I’m planning on making my own custom belly dance costumes (with matching jewelry, more than likely).

I’ve done a little bit of cross-stitch too, since the quarantine started. Not a lot, but I did a little one for my best friend, and she absolutely loved it. I’ll try to remember to put that on Insta, too.

I’m still painting, still dabbling in learning to draw, still dancing at every available opportunity…

And really, that’s what I wanted to say, today. During all this, during the chaos that has been this quarantine, art has been the one constant, hasn’t it? Art is the one thing almost everyone turned to, because art is the one thing we know we can fall back to, a place of safety and comfort, of simple joy and fun. And I’ve really been embracing that, in a time when I know I could easily have been panicking. But I didn’t want to panic. I’m not a panic person. I’m a doer. Who couldn’t do much, work-wise, and needed something else to do.

Art, it is!

I’ve started a new story, one many of you have been hounding me to write (no, I won’t tell you what it is yet), and so far I love it. I’ve really been throwing myself at my art, and I’m loving every minute of it.

To the point that I'm even offering commemorative pendants, chain woven by yours truly, to some of those who help with the crowdfund of Cayau: People Among Us. 

My moral today? Don’t let go of creativity. Embrace it. Hone it. Learn something from it. Because there’s a lot to learn from the arts, if you give it a try.

[love]

{Rani Divine}