Taking it slow.
This month I seem to be taking it slower than usual. Not that I am not working, or master-minding all sorts of trouble, but I am really trying to focus most of my day time energy on taking things slow. Leaving the crafting and dollmaking freak-outs for the dark hours. It helps to concentrate efforts the fact that both my children are learning at home, and since their father is attending school at the moment, well the majority of the heavy lifting lies on me. Luckily for me, I have two girls who are never quiet, with questions always at the tip of their lips, with projects and craft ideas squirming to get out of their hands as soon as they wake up. It also helps that one is just starting to learn to read, and the other one is an avid reader. And, that they both love to be read to. So part of taking it slow means I get to sit, by the window in our small living room, reading books, all sorts of books. Can you sense my excitement? Can you really tell what this means for me?.
I get to read (with the onerous excuse of "having to read to the children") all kinds of books I have never even heard of...and some others quite known by name but that I never got to read when I was younger. We have actually read an amazing amount of material so far, mostly fairy tales and folk tales from all over the place: russian, african, polish, ukrainian, mexican, native american, german, chinese, etc. Our local library sees our faces at least twice a week, and they are starting to know us by name. Both girls are not afraid to walk to a desk, ask for this or that, place books and DVDs on hold, and make the librarian go and fetch for them all sorts of books; they really like graphic novels, Scooby-Doo and anything made by Studio Ghibli.
Reading all sorts of new authors (to me), and getting to see beautiful illustrations, just makes my brain explode on a daily basis. My hands crave some wool, some fabric, please give me a needle! I really want to make a doll that does just that, that has that feeling, that climbs that mountain. The brain explosions are palliated by the fact that since the snow is now gone we get to spend time outside, and it is outside where I let my heart wander and my brain settles and I really start seeing the dolls come to me. I start seeing their story, and feeling their presence, and when I get back home I know exactly who is who, and who is going to wear what, and who is going to have this or that. I really feel that without the constant inspiration that my children and the books I am reading to them bring into my creative sphere, my dollmaking life would be very bland.
But I drew the line. We got the Harry Potter saga in audio books. And hearing it with an english accent is ten times better in my opinion (than reading it out loud with my very strong mexican accent!). Every time we drive somewhere, I pop the CD in and we all giggle along the way. The girls are now looking forward to go to the grocery store or the post office, as they know we get to listen to one more chapter. And at least I get to be read to, even if it's just for a little bit.
