Monday Morning Musing #65 – A beguiling owl as a muse, a time to create

Oh the beauty of this owl – this elaborate paper owl – as delicate as a feather, as grand as an esteemed work of art. It was revealed this Friday evening for the kick-off to Kimberley’s Christmas shopping season. Stores were trimmed with pine and sparkling with decorations. We shoppers mingled, sipped on festive libations, and yes, it was a little like the Christmas Carol… it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go…

But surely the owl in the storefront of Arrow and Axe’s General Store, a dramatic, whimsical installation, is an inspiration to those who dream of creating a piece of art. Its feathery paper wings, a promise that passion can be expressed in whatever medium strikes your fancy.

When I asked how long it had taken to construct the piece, the artist’s husband told me surprisingly, “Oh, Denai worked on it for some of this week.”

A week! Of course, I expected to hear for most of the month, but such is the genius of creativity. This really struck a chord. Lately, I’ve been yearning for some crafty endeavours. Sure I’ve been busy with presentations these past months and, yes, my upcoming evening talk on India requires creativity in marrying photos with a compelling narrative, but for a while now, I’ve been musing on how to get back to creating with my hands.

I have friends who quilt, felt, paint, design jewellery, knit and candle make. Before writing became the focus of my life, I was a cross-stitcher and a scrapbooker. Of course I’m still proud of those albums, bursting with creative pride from the boys’ childhood. And it warms my heart to see them fondly leafed through once a year – if they’re lucky!

Last weekend’s Maker’s Market reminded me that I also once crafted Christmas decorations; wreaths, wood work and garlands. Still today, I get messages from friends who had purchased them and display them fondly. So there I was at the Market, deliciously perusing the multitude of crafts from local artisans. Beautifully crafted baskets, cards and wooden gift labels, knitted apparel, jewellery, stencilled signs and so much more.

So now this weekend, with all those artisanal crafts and the owl as my muse, I’ve made a promise to myself.

During this holiday season, I vow to make time to create, to design, to enjoy some good old-fashioned crafting and decorating. And who knows, I may even go so far as baking and decorating batches of Christmas cookies, much to my kid’s great surprise and delight I’m sure. For the first time in two years, we will all be under one roof this holiday season – oh what joy, what joy.

Oh yes, it’s that time of year to create, to be inspired. And you can be sure, I’ll be popping in often to say hi to my muse, that beguiling Christmas owl…