Settling Into My Dreams

Last time I wrote, I was dealing with the newness of everything – new job, new apartment, new town, new lifestyle. Not saying I’m all done adjusting – trust me there is still a long ways to go! But things are definitely getting more comfortable (mostly).

For one thing, it’s exciting to live in a city that surrounds me with natural beauty. Going on walks with one’s fiancé is always thrilling, but when every turn offers a view that screams to be captured on camera? All the more enticing!

Here are some that I snapped a few days ago:

Walking around this lake takes close to two hours, give or take depending on how leisurely you are taking it.

It was evening, and the water plants were gorgeous!

There is always something so beckoning about a twist in the road...

I love being close enough to see this guy frequently now!

These ducks were terrifying. I stopped to take their picture because they were all "resting" and "serene". As soon as I stopped, however, the all startled and descended as you see here. I caught this picture and ran away fast!

One of my favorite things about my new living situation is that I have a lot of time to just be me and be creative. It’s a fun time of rediscovering things that I missed doing while stressed and busy with school, but now that my evenings are quiet and I don’t have any homework to worry about, I find myself turning to creative outlets that I have long abandoned.

The first? Watercolor! Since I have Fridays off (hey, I work on Sundays so wipe that jealous look off your face. A girl has to have a day for relaxation!) I have the perfect opportunity to dive into a project while I rest. Last week I painted this following in one day:

So much detail left me with a cramped-up right hand that required some TLC afterward, but it was worth it!

Now this week I thought I’d try something different, but then resorted to watercolor again:

This one I spread out over two days (to reduce hand cramping). Not sure how I feel about it overall, but definitely some things that I am proud of.

The plus side of creating my own artwork is putting it up on “my” walls. This wall was blank, boring, and oppressive before; now it’s bright, cheerful, and inviting. I look forward to adding more over time! (*I should note that I do not draw these pictures – I use sets from Red Farm Studio, which are ready to paint! I believe you can find these at www.redfarm.com. I usually find them at a craft store back home.)

A couple of these are from a few years ago, but I wanted to fill out my collage. Maybe I'll replace them soon - or just keep taking over the wall!

Other projects that I have on the back burner involve sewing, scrapbooking, embroidery, statue painting, and – not the least, wedding planning! (that’s a whole different story…so much to think about!) I get super excited about having time to devote to these endeavors!

When I’m not being creative, I’m reading, watching Lord of the Rings commentaries, working out, or trying to figure out something in the kitchen. Of course during the week I spend my days at work, but I love my two weekend days where I can discover new ways to let my imagination roam.

What does the title to this post mean? Well, at some point I sort of forgot how to make goals for myself, how to dream. This new experience is rather a turning point for me, as I attempt to rediscover what makes me tick, what my ambitions are, what I want from life. Never one who was solely career driven, I do crave the freedom to be creative and cozy and adventurous, but that is just the beginning. I look forward to learning more about myself as this year goes on!

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." 
~Eleanor Roosevelt