I’m so full of ideas, there are not enough hours in the day!

Today is the kids’ last day of school, and I’m looking forward to the break in routine of driving them to school every morning. But I’m not sure how this will impact my time for creating art. I’m sure this thought has passed through your mind at one point or another, but it is so true for me right now: there are not enough hours in the day!

Being creative, I never run out of ideas. Because I am on maternity leave, I have a good 9 hours a day that I am normally commuting and working, so I feel like I have so much extra time. But with taking the kids to school, picking them up, making lunches and meals, housework, and–of course!–taking care of a baby, washing his diapers, cleaning, etc. it doesn’t leave tons of time. I can sometimes carve out about one hour during that school day period to do something. I’ve been hiking and taking pictures tons, which I find life-giving and calming.

That being said, I have still found time to make some things over the past few months, and dream up new ideas. I have been struggling for years to get over the hurdle of feeling I can sell my art. I prefer to either keep my artwork or give it away. But I am starting to research and prepare to sell some things on etsy. I am working through all that preliminary research on what my shop will be like, and the big question – the name. How to price things so that I’m not just running an sweatshop. I’m not expecting to be able to support the family through this or anything, but it would be nice to have a venue for selling.

Also, I want to write. I’ve always wanted to write another novel or write and illustrate children’s books. I am getting to the point where I really want to do it, but am finding I can’t escape to that writing place – you know, where you are in that zone and can focus on getting into your characters, etc. Maybe because…..there aren’t enough hours in the day.

I just wanted to add an update here because this is my creative place and wanted to capture what it is like to be four months post partum with three kids and to be so full of ideas!! I’ll post a few things I’ve worked on this spring soon.