Artists blocks. Writing blocks. Ugh. Been there, done that. Sometimes it’s hard to know whether to push through them and create anyway, or to just rest and wait the blocks out.

Today, I pushed through one. If you read my recent post on suddenly losing my momma, you may understand. Losing someone and still creating, have somewhat been colliding for me.

I was IN my art space when I got the calls about mom being in the hospital. I was at my art table when she told me she had a stroke. My gosh, going back to that seat after all this has been nonexistent. Not going to sit there.

So, what did I do? I moved my table. I cleared the walls and rearranged all of it to a different spot in the room, cleaned it up, and organized everything. Then, I walked past it a billion times, getting used to it, I suppose.

Today, I sat down there.

Art is a really cool thing, you know? When it’s a passion and that’s just something we do/ what we do, there’s kind of an empty spot when it’s missing.

Creating stuff is my thing. I love it. And, I want to do it again. I don’t want to just walk past my table.

So, I sat down. After I started, things flowed a bit. Like the ‘starting’, moved the block over just enough that creativity had some room to squeeze back in.

Here’s what I made today:

Here’s how I made it, in case you might need to squeeze past an artist block, too. It’s a pretty simple project and you could adapt it to whatever you choose.

*Choose a canvas. Mine is a 12×12.

*Pick out scrapbook paper you like.

*Fold it in half without creasing it if possible and draw half of a heart.

*Cut the half of a heart out, which when opened, makes a whole heart.

*Decoupage the heart onto the canvas. I brush the decoupage glue onto the canvas first, then on the back of the heart. Lay the heart on the canvas, then add another layer of glue over the heart. Tip: bring the glue all the way to the edge of the canvas so there isn’t a glue line around the heart.

*After the heart is set, use a craft glue and write out a word. I chose Loved. Use loose beads to fill in the letters.

The glue letters can get a little messy, but you could take a dry paint brush and spread that glue out across the heart.

*Choose your embellishments if you want some. I added a artificial flower to mine.

Getting back into the swing of things, after loss especially can feel pretty tricky. If felt weird to start, but then natural to finish it. Maybe I’ll do it again tomorrow.

Thanks for reading. Hope you create something you love today. Whether it’s a post, a salad, a piece of art, or a cake, squeezing past the blocks can feel impossible at times. Maybe it is or maybe it isn’t.

Jessica