(EP. 7 – AFFIRMATION ART)

It’s the first week of November! Yesterday was Halloween, today marks 24 days until Thanksgiving, and we’re only 54 days away from Christmas! With so much going on, I can only imagine how busy everyone must be. So instead of bogging your mind down with the next DIY holiday-related art piece, (which, let’s be honest, will most likely take up space or not even stick around until the next time we use it,) this episode is something that can and probably will be displayed proudly all year long!

And not only is it something that works for any time or season, it’s also something to keep around for both good and bad days! Affirmation art – aka a piece of art that helps practice positive thinking and self-empowerment. I’ve bought plenty of these before from craft and home decor stores. But there’s always something special behind a piece we personally make! And like I said, affirmations are always good. On good days to help encourage and motivate you to keep going. On bad days to help you weather the storm and remind yourself of the power you hold.

Another important thing I wanted to point out in this episode is that artwork and creation doesn’t always go as planned. I may show you my final pieces on here, and yes, lots of times, things go as hoped or even better. But, there’s also plenty of times things don’t go as planned, and I wanted to share those experiences with you as well. We’re all human. All we can do is try, learn, and improve. And in terms of which episode to share a not-so-great experiment with you, I couldn’t think of a better one than this. I know I especially had a hard time with this project. But knowing I would be creating something that makes me feel better in the long run inspired me to keep pushing.

Related: Episode 6

Where To Start

First things first is to think of or find your favorite affirmation. One of my favorites has always been a quote from Maya Angelou – “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” For me, it reminds me to let go of the constriction of being on a ‘timeline’. That it doesn’t matter how much I accomplish by a certain age, just how much I feel I’ve accomplished. Have I had moments that make me feel truly proud? Where I’ve overcome obstacles I never thought I would? Yes! And that is something that not only speaks to me, but that I need to practice remembering from time to time. A piece of artwork that displays it? Perfect!

Next Up

The next thing to do is decide on DIY or as-is. Like I said, I’ve bought plenty of pieces of art with affirmations. They are great to have with or without those added steps of DIY because of the benefit it will bring to your life regardless! But it can be fun and more memorable (depending on who you are) to take the DIY route. Just decide your medium, size, and budget. From there, it can be as simple as shopping around for pre-mades or finding the supplies to make your own. *I’ll also point out that everything up to this was still going as planned, and I decided to buy the supplies and take the DIY route for this project. I got some wood, stencils, and paint, and got to work.

The Touchy Part

This is the stage where things started to go awry, but I still didn’t know how much I would have to ‘fix’, or that I’d be starting over. And more than once too. Even with all the planning I had put into it, my first version came out misspelled, blotchy, and didn’t have enough space to fit the affirmation. So I painted the whole thing white and started over. My second version wasn’t blotchy because I decided to do pencil for the stencil first and fill them in with paint. What it also wasn’t, was spaced out correctly, again. So I painted it white again, and started over. Again. The third time though, that’s where things really started to come together! What else can you expect with DIY projects?

Finished Product

When I say that it took me over a day and a half to complete this project, I am by no means exaggerating. From mishaps and uh-ohs, to start-overs and finally laying that last brush stroke down, I can’t even begin to tell you how tedious it was. But I can tell you how much fun I had and how happy I was when it was finally finished! I got to use my colors, my imagination, and my passion to create something I love to look at every day! And it should go without saying that this applies to Little Ones too! Art is a great tool for children to have! It inspires, motivates, and helps them with positive thinking. Positive thinking about themselves and their abilities, and self-empowerment for what they can accomplish!

So what are you waiting for to create your own masterpiece? Share your ideas in the comments below! And as always, thank you so very much for being a part of ETM’s community! I encourage you to join discussions, interact with Mommas and others alike, and be unapologetically yourself! Until next time, I hope I’m able to help make your life as simple as could be. (:

With all my love, Brandolyn – Earth To Momma