January 2013 Creative Dare

I had to think for a while before I decided what I would like to use as my "word to live by" so to speak for 2013.  I thought about how I wanted to experience life, and decided on the word LUXURIATE!  Indulging my senses so that life is truly all it can be rather than wishing for time to go by.  I am fully aware that this can be interpreted as being selfish, but it's not how I see it.  

God has blessed me beyond measure in this life ... I have three beautiful children who deserve my attention, as well as a husband who goes above and beyond in his efforts to make my life as wonderful as possible.  

My aim this year is to cherish every moment with them, listen to their sweet voices as they tell me their stories, breathe in the yummy smell of clean kid as we cuddle after a bath, enjoy their anticipation as we get to a good place in a story.  There is so much to embrace when it comes to the people we love.  

I created a canvas with the word on it so that it is before me, reminding myself to take in each experience this year and see the truth of myself in it.  I will not apologize for crying while watching a sad movie, or laughing when my 7 year old tells a silly joke - I enjoy them and to pretend otherwise is to deny who I am.  

Tracy Weinzapfel  made a canvas with her word of the year at the first of January and challenged us to do the same.  Mine has been finished for weeks, but I finally remembered to take some photos so that I could share.    

It is so freeing to paint with no idea of what the end result is going to be.  Adding a bit of this and a little of that is so fun.  My daughter gave me a good giggle when I figured I was finished.  She is my biggest fan, and when she was checking out the canvas after I was done she looked at the modelling paste on the corner and looked horrified.   I asked her what was wrong, and she  told me that someone had scraped off parts of some of the diamonds.  When I told her that it was that way because of how I had put it on the surface she just nodded with lifted eyebrows like she was humouring me!   

Thanks for looking, and I hope you have a great 2013.
~ Esther