Purple. Pink. Blue.

 Something else that shakes the dust away: painting.

Now, I am far from a painter. I've gone to a few "Canvas & Cocktails" events and been surprised that I could paint anything that actually looks like anything--an Iris that mostly looks like an Iris, an abstract Peony that mostly looks like an abstract Peony--but I have 0 real technique and very little vision, painting on canvas.

I've found that what I mostly like is the action of painting itself; the brush strokes, choosing colors and watching something that was a blank slate come alive in a matter of minutes. It's soothing, and satisfying, so I decided to take up painting objects rather than canvas. They were smaller, less intimidating.

These guys haven't gotten painted yet, but this is mostly what I've been using: wood pieces.

It is such a thrill and departure from my day to day at work where very little is left up to me, to be able to paint this one gold, and that one purple, and then go back to gold just because it feels good to me. No system of checks and balances, or supervision, or signatures needed. Just me there at my dining room table, painting and singing to myself.

It is so necessary.

Taking the next step of making little earrings and things has been an equally satisfying and autonomous process. I never really considered myself a crafty person before but here I am, making something I can actually wear! Real and true earrings!

This weekend I finally got around to finishing off some new things: bracelets, a necklace.

I thought I was going to make a few more necklaces this week with these guys:

 ...but it looks like the silver chain I have won't really work for them. That means I get to spend some time wandering in Joann Fabrics or Michael's in the next few days, looking very seriously at different kinds of wire and string, seemingly carefully weighing out all the options but really just picking what feels good to me in the moment.