The prize for July’s Creative Artworks contest was a 3-D hand-painted tote bag with felt flowers on it. It was a smaller version of this one –
The winner’s name was Wendy Lee and I mailed her the bag the day after the contest ended. On August 4th I received an email from her that made my spirits SOAR, and I’m STILL smiling!
She said,
“Dear Linda:
I just received my prize: your BEAUTIFULLY painted tote bag!
I think that it shows how talented you are..
My husband said that the bag is “too pretty to use”.
I just wanted to thank you..
Sincerely,
Wendy Lee”
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About eleven years ago now, my friend Debbye gave me the gift of art. She was dying of recurrent breast cancer and was doing watercolors. She got mad at me when I sighed, saying, “I wish I could paint like that. I’ve always wanted to.” Her face got red and she almost yelled at me –
“What the hell are you waiting for? You have the time. You can get the supplies. Who cares if your work never makes it off of your own refrigerator door? JUST DO IT!”
“What the hell are you waiting for? You have the time. You can get the supplies. Who cares if your work never makes it off of your own refrigerator door? JUST DO IT!”
I took her challenge and have enjoyed the trying ever since. I love going up to my art room, or out to the shop with my husband, and trying to create something. My head spins occasionally as I get the bug to try something. Right now my dreams are full of possible button designs or trying to cut out designs in a gourd. As happened a couple of days ago, something will grab my attention the minute I go into my art room and I spend a couple of hours – the cares and problems dropping away while I concentrate on playing with paint, glitter, buttons, tiles, pieces of glass, etc.
Trying to create is such FUN. When you can quit worrying about how it will turn out and get lost in the joy of trying to create something, it just doesn’t get any better. To have someone like what you created makes your heart sing. I’m so glad the tote found a happy home.
THANK YOU, Wendy Lee, for making me walk 3 inches off the ground all week!
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