First, I need to give you a little back story.  I have a couple of pretty significant issues that have influenced my course of action this week.

Issue #1: Sometimes I’m a copy cat.  Every once in a great while, I see something that gets under my skin.  I may not act on it the first time I see it, or the second or the third. Inevitably, however, if it’s lodges in just the right way, I will engage in full on mimicry.  (It’s the sincerest form of flattery you know.)

Issue #2:  Hi, my name is Amy and I’m a compulsive hobbyist.  It’s been two days since I picked up a new hobby.  And here’s the rub.  I don’t need anything new in my life right now.  The sewing machine is still out (and I think it’s staring at me) from my sewing “do over”.  I have a constant stream of crochet projects in progress with skeins of yarn taunting me from every nook and cranny of my house.  I haven’t blogged about it, but I have beading projects in process (that are staring at me accusingly from their totes) in an adjacent room. I’ll stop there lest I begin to look ridiculous.

Okay, now that you’re familiar with my issues, I can tell you about my latest misadventure…

The Seed is Planted  

Blair, who blogs at WiseCraft, began blogging about her sketchbook project a few months ago. She’s exploring the use of  water colors. I admire her for her efforts and tenacity, and have looked forward to seeing her progress.

As a pertinent side bar,  I’ve had a great interest in painting for a couple of years now.  It just doesn’t strike me as a class you’d want to take online. I think there are certain things you’ve got to do in person.  My kids are young.  I work.  There’s just no time right now.  But the idea lingers at the back of my mind.  So again, I’ve enjoyed watching Blair progress through her journey.  She’s talented in so many areas, it seemed natural that she would do something as bold as posting daily sketches.  I could never do that.  I can’t even draw for pete’s sake.  My painting plan has always been to work in abstract so that drawing would be irrelevant.

The Seed takes Hold  

Friday, I notice that Beki at artsy-craftsy babe posted her sketchbook.  It’s adorable.  Beki is ridiculously talented. She knits, sews, quilts and hand stitches some amazing projects, and apparently, she was inspired by Blair’s sketchbook project.  She’s done the most adorable watercolor houses in this little book.  I began to feel something more than “interested”.  I began to feel,  inspired…

The Seed Sprouts

Finally, over the weekend I read a post where Blair blogged about the tools she’s using for her sketchbook project. She’s doing watercolors with an assortment of nifty devices.   I’m a sucker for implements and tools…(it might even be classified as Issue #3.)

So really, it was inevitable.  Monday, I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up a small spiral bound sketchbook and some common colored pencils.  I lingered longingly over the graphite drawing pencils and watercolor pencils of every hue…then I snapped out of it and got out of there as quickly as I could before I got sucked into other departments.

Here’s one exceptionally good thing.  By far, this little adventure had the cheapest start-up costs of any hobby to date.  Five bucks.  I can live with that.  Second good thing?  It doesn’t have to be terribly time-consuming.  I’m just pencil sketching. I can spend as much or as little time as I want.

I’m still analyzing why this feels like something I need to do.  I’ve never drawn anything I considered competent.  I’ve always admired those who have a talent for drawing.   And maybe that’s enough.  It’s a skill I admire.  I’m not going to try to do it daily.  My goal is at least one bankable sketch per week.  I think it’s going to be fun, and I’ll keep you posted!