Maybe you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the daily onslaught of news regarding the pandemic. Maybe you’ve stopped listening or watching the news. And maybe you decided to take this time and put it to good use, doing projects around your home that you never seem to have the time for or the inclination to do after a long day. This is now and this is the perfect time to tackle those projects.
Last week, admittedly; I was feeling the struggle a bit, a lack of energy (and I never seem to lack that), the overwhelmed feelings of despair and hope and the constant barrage of bad news on death, dying, financial gloom and doom - it did seem like that R.E.M song; “it’s the end of the world as we know it”. Basically and maybe, like you I was just a little down in the dumps because the world is baselining and maybe we as individuals are all feeling the same way - we are baselining but how do we resuscitate?
Stay home. Ok, for the most part many of us are doing that.
A few weeks back I sent out an email regarding things to do while in quarantine, things to occupy your time, new things to try and a spin on some favorite things that we do for self care.
Now that you’ve been home for a few weeks, what have you done? I’ll tell you what I’ve been up to and it’s been fun, it feels like I am doing things I haven’t done in years. Instead of feeling sorry, I’ve decided to take this time and look at it like an unimaginable gift, an opportunity to get to know me again, before the soap, lotions, scrubs, perfumes, body spray, candles, and the list goes on. Revisiting the old me, I took a little trip down memory lane but I didn’t get caught up in the old photos and souvenirs, I went through recipes of things I loved to cook or bake. I looked at photos of things I use to paint, my paintings, and the many rooms that I hand painted and embellished from nurseries to restaurants. All of this made me realize you can learn and grow everyday even during a pandemic. Reinvent yourself. That’s what my dad used to say to us growing up, “adapt, improvise and overcome.” (He was a USMC Staff Sgt.) Now those words really hit a chord as we all are trying to resurrect ourselves to a new and very unnatural normal.
Life is about reinvention. Last week I decided to paint a piece of furniture that I inherited. In all due fairness to the furniture, I hated it but had this odd attachment to it. Every time I walked by it in my dining room it reminded me of moments I really didn’t want to think about anymore. It was a cherry wood server that was purchased in the 1980s. The top was scratched and looked like an unloved child, somewhat dirty, disheveled and scared. No lie, for 3 years I tried to clean it up, wash it, and love it but the love was lost a long time ago. Then I thought, what if I paint it, give it a new look, change the draw pulls. I asked my mom her thoughts and she being old school said, “Don’t paint it, it’s a beautiful piece of furniture.” Maybe in 1985 it was, I thought but in my world of 2020 it just seemed so dated. A few weeks back I found a paint company that specializes in furniture chalk paint. I ordered a few different products and tried the paint out small projects, I was kind of hooked. This past Sunday I said enough to the cherry wood server and while my mother cringed on the first paint stroke I felt a sudden rush of HOORAY, I took the step and started to paint it. It was a project that kept me occupied most of the day but the one beautiful thing that happened, I went back into my world of paint, I was focused on one thing, my mind wasn’t racing through my typical 7000 ideas, things that I need to do and projects in my head - just one thing to think about - just one old love - painting. The music was good, the paint was great, the tv wasn’t on, I wasn’t looking at my phone every 3 seconds, it was just me, the cherry server and the paint…showtime!
After posting the before and afters of this and a few other projects that I have completed over the past few weeks I realized that the interactions of YOU made me realize this is a fun way we can all get through this, we can all relate to something and we can all share our endeavors together while still practicing social distancing.
The IDEA - I’d love to start a chain of what I am calling “The Quarantine One Love Projects”. Each week I will be posting on my social media outlets (Instagram and Facebook) something that I used to do, or that I love to make and ask just want one thing from you - share the post so that we can really gain some momentum and get lots of folks to participate/interact and for YOU to post your projects. Many have already sent me their finished projects, let’s post them so everyone can see the creativity that creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment, it happens through inspiration. Let’s inspire!
What will this accomplish?
A few things - you’ll be inspired, you’ll think of ideas on how to create the same look, learn a new recipe or just enjoy looking at projects created by this amazing group of people. It will keep your mind off of the ugly and focused on creating something better in your world, or at least it will get the wheels turning and the seeds planted.
It can be anything from a pretty orchid growing in your window to a beautiful sunset photo, maybe a cute scarf you knitted, a recipe you’re trying out for the first time! This is your project!
In the meantime, stay safe, be kind and always stay humble.
XO - Caroline
Take a gander at some of the projects I’ve completed during my personal Quarantine love projects.