(I am republishing this piece from two years ago, March ’20, because the theme to this creative challenge is still pertinent to us today. In all of these posts I am reminded that we need to continue to value our creative contributions.)
As I explained thoroughly in this post, A Creativity Challenge for March 2020, I’ve hosted month long creative challenges before, but it’s been a while. And this time, I was asked to provide some prompts for the writers and poets to use. But mostly, I just encouraged people to join in with whatever they were creating that day.
And this is what I posted today to reinforce my intentions for this challenge:
“I urge you, remind you to honor yourself as one of those things of beauty each day of this month of March. Recognize your gifts to yourself through your creativity. Honor them, as small as they may be. These are so necessary and these steps are what #OurCreativeMarch is all about. This is what creative community is here for. This is what we’re here for.
Day 1 was the prompt list post. I encouraged everyone to create in whatever medium made them happy. And to use the prompts as they wished or felt inspired.
Day 2 – #OurCreativeMarch
I used the prompt, tissue, for today. I put that one in the list perhaps because it would get me to do something fun. And I did.
I’ve done this before and having grabbed some fallen branches on my walk, I decided to recreate spring branches with tissue paper. Will replace snow branch on mantel as it looks like we won’t be getting snow after all.
Day 3 #OurCreativeMarch — Stillness–
In the place where there’s no distraction, no anxious ball bouncing around my head. The cool quiet stillness of thoughts flowing towards creative destinations. This thought for that place and that thought for the future. Mindful meditative delicious unproductivity.
Day 4 #OurCreativeMarch — Artful–
I am enjoying the heck out of having a reason to dream up creative projects. I’ve heard some of you are too.
My shelves are artfully refrancoised (aka shuzzed) !
I change up my dining room corner cabinet shelves seasonally. The red and white of winter is gone and replaced with happy greens and blues.
And, as always, Thanks to you for your visit.
Day 5 #OurCreativeMarch — OPEN–
I take a walk and I’m open
To the cold breeze burning my face
To the love songs of birds in the trees
To whatever the muse might be offering me
to see, to be, to make, to believe today.
Tantalizing tidbits, clues to the muse
Lie everywhere within, without
I’m open to the grab and go
Of my creativity here, then,
Whenever is all I have. . .
Day 6 and 7 of the #OurCreativeMarch
I spent all day creating a mermaid party motif in my house. Gosh I hate crepe paper streamers. I spent the other half of my day cooking crustless quiche, German potato salad, and chicken noodle soup for my son who has a sneezy cold today. Plus all of the laundry. My body is exhausted from all the creating but I am pleased Fiona will have her birthday party at home. It’s not clean but it’s too distracting to notice. Tomorrow morning, I’ll make the homemade chocolate cake too. 
I’m pleased to announce my piece on Self-bullying has been published on the Attract Readers blog. Jean and @utewieczorekking asked for submissions for their International Women’s Day themed blog post round-up. You can find mine and other bloggers’ thoughts on womanhood at https://www.attractreaders.com/self-bullying/ .
The collage is one I made more than 20 years ago in a themed series of collages about the objectification of women. Ironically, I am in the middle of watching the Handmaid’s Tale series. Brilliant and I was most certainly influenced by Margaret Atwood’s book when I made these collages.
The repression of women is horrifying. The fact that we do it to ourselves is even more so.
Day 9 of the #OurCreativeMarch … Lick
The lovely languorous licking
Of a little lion in the light.
Lime green eyes flashing open and close
Leaving liquid lick marks on fur
Pleasure lessons
Day 10 of #OurCreativeMarch “It’s a memory kind of sky” -REM-
To see the beauty in each day right in front of you even for one fleeting moment, is to live.
I urge you, remind you, to honor yourself as one of those things of beauty each day of this month of March. Recognize your gifts to yourself through your creativity. Honor them, as small as they may be. These are so necessary and these gestures are what #OurCreativeMarch is all about. This is what creative community is here for. This is what we’re here for.
Day 11 of #OurCreativeMarch … Silence
On my walk to the gym, I took pictures that reflected silence to me. And after editing them, thought perhaps there was a movie app I could use. And there was. And I did. Created in a whole new way today. Hey! And then it wouldn’t upload! Facebook was fine but not IG. No. Booooo! Technology, grumble grumble. So here’s a picture of Fiona in the woods instead.
Day 11 of #OurCreativeMarch
The suffragettes are rolling their eyes.
We’ve again forgotten how powerful we are.
Why does “Women’s work” sounds like something to be ashamed of?
Why do we take ourselves so for granted?
Didn’t we roar in the 70’s, our numbers too large to ignore?
Instead, we deny ourselves, belittle our efforts, bully our bodies and minds with not enoughs.
Our every day actions so necessary to the workings of the world.
The clean cared for fed children, our living proof of our unsung efforts.
We are invisible to ourselves.
We will matter when we say we do.
Day 12 of #OurCreativeMarch
Creating family. I birthed them but I also am showing up to bond them. Today we shopped for my mother-in-law to take care of her. Now we’re hanging out together in the back yard with a breeze and music. It’s our unplanned virus vacation and we’re kicking it off with togetherness. Friday pizza and movie night.
Day 13 of #OurCreativeMarch
First day of our forced staycation and the weather was lovely. I have cooked a crustless quiche, breakfast potatoes, psole soup, chocolate cupcakes, and there’s tandoori chicken in the oven.
Outside, I swept off the porch, cut some daffodils, and gazed fondly at last year’s corner garden project. The plates still look great and there are pebbles where there used to be weeds.
Creating home and happiness today. Oh and clean clothes too.
(Apparently there wasn’t a 14th day but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t create.)
There was a birthday party in the middle of all of this and that counted for a major amount of creating. I decorated lots, made a pin the tail on the mermaid, and some food including the cake.
Crediting ourselves for the efforts we make to create a life worth living, that’s what I am getting at with this challenge. And beyond March comes the 100-day challenge in April, 2020 .
To see the beauty in each day right in front of you even for one fleeting moment, is to live. .
I urge you, remind you to honor yourself as one of those things of beauty each day of this month of March. Recognize your gifts to yourself through your creativity. Honor them, as small as they may be. These are so necessary and these gestures are what #OurCreativeMarch is all about. This is what creative community is here for. This is what we’re here for.
And If you enjoyed what you read, subscribe, via the subscription box in the sidebar, to my thrice weekly posts via your emailbox. And visit me on Instagram to see my daily pictures, friend me or like my page on Facebook. Or come find me on Twitter or Pinterest too. I am always practicing Intentional Intouchness so chat at me please. I live for conversations.
And, as always, Thanks to you for your visit.
