Last week, a woman scheduled a tour of Purple Crayon. "Jane" said she had missed the Grand Opening, and it had taken her until now to contact me. She was determined not to let "life" get in the way again and had resolved to finally start "playing" in 2018. She signed up for my FREE Vision Board workshop at the end of the month and said she was considering taking Linda Lowery's Creating Children's Picture Books workshop as well. As she shared ideas she had once had for her own children's books, she became giddy with excitement. It was a joy to experience!
I know that you also have creative energy that's longing to be released. We all do; it's part of being human—as is our fear of setting it free. What's your excuse? Not enough time? Not enough money? Telling yourself you don't have "the gift"? It's all hogwash. You CAN make the time if you really want to. You CAN find plenty of free or inexpensive ways to play (including at Purple Crayon!). And EVERYONE has "the gift," though yours may look different from someone else's.
If your life isn't as satisfying as you'd like it to be, I can almost guarantee it's because you're not spending enough time creating. I started Purple Crayon because I want to help—and, beginning this month, I’m offering several opportunities that won’t cost you a dime. In fact, once you unblock your creativity, you’ll likely feel wealthier than you’ve ever felt before!
Vision Board Workshop. First, as you already know, I’m offering a FREE workshop, Visualize Your Way to a More Satisfying Life, on January 27th. If you’re interested in attending, please send your name and phone number (so I can inform you of any last-minute changes) to me at pam@purplecrayonavl.com.
Online Workshops. Second, I’ve recorded a series of FREE online workshops that you can access from the Purple Crayon website. I’ve calling the series "Playing with Pam," and the first set of recordings is on how to make a t-shirt quilt. If folks seem to like these mini-workshops, I’ll record others in the future.
Facebook Page. Third, I've committed to posting more regularly on the Purple Crayon Facebook page. This is a stretch for me, as I'm not a regular Facebook user, but I think it may be a good way to share what Purple Crayon and our members are up to, as well as give you ideas for projects you can make on your own. Please feel free to contribute to the exchange, and, if you enjoy what you see, "Like" the page so I know it's worth my effort to keep updated.
Artist’s Way Group. Finally, (and this one’s the scariest for me because it will be live!), some of you may be familiar with Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, originally published in 1992. This international bestseller has “inspired millions to overcome the limiting beliefs and fears that can inhibit the creative process.” While not exactly a “creative cluster” (Julia’s term for an Artist’s Way group), I’m going to share my journey through the process in hopes that you’ll start your own journey at home. (And, yes, it will be FREE, too!)
I’ll be broadcasting live on Purple Crayon’s Facebook page every Sunday night at 8:00 PM EST, starting this Sunday night, January 7th. (If you miss the first—or any—broadcast, you can watch it later, at your convenience.) We’ll see how it goes. I may find that the process isn’t working for me, in which case, I reserve the right to cancel future broadcasts—just as you’ll have the right to “cancel” your attendance. Or I may choose to change the day or time if I end up being too tired in the evenings, or viewers request it.
The point is, I’m going to do it. And that’s what I want you to do in 2018: Create more! Just give it a shot. You can always go back to hiding your creativity if it’s too hard. I suspect, however, that, once you get started, you won’t be able to stop!