hands at work.

There’s a certain kind of comfort in doing something hands-on. Crafting. Cooking. Gardening. And so, I decided to dedicate this month to hands-on activities.

It started off with a trip to the craft store. And, after purchasing several canvas boards, acrylic paint, a stencil, and a small paint roller (handiest discovery yet), along with three wooden words (believe, create, dream), I set up my craft corner and got to work. Yes, I actually set up a craft area for the afternoon.

First, I placed the stencil onto the canvases, and used the small paint roller to paint a robin’s egg blue onto two of the canvases, and a light yellow on the third. I haven’t had much luck with stencils in the past, but this one seemed to work out pretty well. I think the trick is… keep it simple. Instead of trying to stencil a whole wall of a bedroom.

Next, I painted the wooden words, and, because I just can’t leave anything alone, I decided to give the words an antique-look and lightly sponged paint around the edges of the wooden words.

I super-glued the words onto the canvases and... there you have it. Three wall hangings made from scratch.

I don’t paint a lot, but when I do, I find I enjoy it. A lot. There’s a concentration required yet it’s relaxed. It’s one of the few times when my mind is clear and still, and when the moment is full of only composed breathing. Of a quiet smile that reveals happiness in the hands-on.