Last week I spent a joyful afternoon making a Christmas wreath in the kitchen of the brilliant Annie Jenkins.
It was both wonderfully organised and completely free - the best kind of supervised creative play. The time flew past, and we all left with a completely different wreath - no two the same size, shape, or mix of colours, each brilliantly festive.
What a gift.
It’s the second year I’ve done this workshop so I knew what to expect. I could also appreciate - even more - the combination of elements that helped unlock our individual creativity (and keep the gremlins at bay).
A relaxed environment| We sat in a working kitchen, with greenery hauled in from the garden and spread out over a large table, the radio on in the background, mugs of tea. There was dirt and the odd bug.
A knowledgeable and supportive guide | We knew we were in safe hands. She showed us what to do, and we listened, watched and learned. She was both with us, and left us to it.
A steady, step by step process | We took it in manageable chunks. Only the materials for the current stage were out on the table and we worked with what there was. More focus, less overwhelm.
A focus embracing the messiness along the way | There was no room for our inner perfectionists! When we judged our work in progress we were redirected - follow the process, don’t try to edit as you create, play.
A personalised finishing touch | At the end Annie cast her eye over each one and requested permission to add a final flourish - in this case the sparkly red and gold bow. It was the last detail that we couldn’t see ourselves.
So often, we can talk ourselves out of being creative. We can tell ourselves we don’t have the skills or the ability, or look at someone else’s finished product and think we can’t measure up.
So, it’s a gift to let ourselves play. And to recognise that we don’t need to do it all on our own. We can seek out supportive places, along with the people and processes that bring out the best in us.
That way we can relax and enjoy the process, and focus less on creating a work of art and more about playing. We can let it be messy, take it step by step and see what unfolds.
Can you give yourself the gift of supervised play?
Or find the right places, people or process to set you up for success?
Wishing you a week of playful creativity,
