The Jar Project
Do you ever feel like all of the little projects you are doing are really pointless? The spray paint and thread starts to seem like a chore instead of a joy? Your motivation just goes bone dry? Well of course you do, everyone does.
I work in phases (like a child...). When I get on a photography kick, I take countless numbers of photos, countless numbers of hours editing, you know the drill. When I get on a blogging kick, I have to store up posts in the queue so I don't hit readers with 6 in a day, for 6 days straight. When I get on a painting kick, I ruin every single pair of yoga pants I own with paint splatter because I run out to paint first thing before bed and every hour thereafter. When I get baking, I run out of butter. When I get gardening, my fingernails are never clean. Are you like this?
Once in a long while, the crazy phases, the wearing myself out on a craft before I move on to the next and back again makes me tired. So I take a break. ...and while I'm taking a break, it never fails...I start thinking. I start to get inspired and the cycle begins again.
I could say I wish the roller coaster would stop and I want to get off, but the truth is, I like the ride. No matter how tired I make myself, it is better than the boredom of doing nothing.
So during this break, I noticed the amount of jars collecting in my cabinet and was inspired by THIS JAR PROJECT (and if you search, you'll find plenty of other jar projects around the country.) My project was simple...put something beautiful in a jar and send it out into the world with a message of hope, a reminder of God's presence. I don't know who will find them or what words they need to hear, but the hope is God using these silly little jars to bring strangers a little joy...a little hope.
I work in phases (like a child...). When I get on a photography kick, I take countless numbers of photos, countless numbers of hours editing, you know the drill. When I get on a blogging kick, I have to store up posts in the queue so I don't hit readers with 6 in a day, for 6 days straight. When I get on a painting kick, I ruin every single pair of yoga pants I own with paint splatter because I run out to paint first thing before bed and every hour thereafter. When I get baking, I run out of butter. When I get gardening, my fingernails are never clean. Are you like this?
Once in a long while, the crazy phases, the wearing myself out on a craft before I move on to the next and back again makes me tired. So I take a break. ...and while I'm taking a break, it never fails...I start thinking. I start to get inspired and the cycle begins again.
I could say I wish the roller coaster would stop and I want to get off, but the truth is, I like the ride. No matter how tired I make myself, it is better than the boredom of doing nothing.
So during this break, I noticed the amount of jars collecting in my cabinet and was inspired by THIS JAR PROJECT (and if you search, you'll find plenty of other jar projects around the country.) My project was simple...put something beautiful in a jar and send it out into the world with a message of hope, a reminder of God's presence. I don't know who will find them or what words they need to hear, but the hope is God using these silly little jars to bring strangers a little joy...a little hope.
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| Can you see what is in there? |
I put a few rolled flowers, a few paper flowers, a few notes and a few photos in the jars....
...and I took them along with me on a drive to Ohio to drop the babies off at their grandparent's house for their own vacation.
The jars were dropped off pretty much everywhere...with McDonald's getting the lion's share at various Pennsylvania and Ohio locations.
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| I figured moms changing poopy diapers are most in need of a bit of beauty, right?? |
More jars were dropped in libraries, in gardens and a few made the trip a few days later to DC.
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| Does anyone recognize this location in DC??? |
This little project is over, but only because I ran out of jars.
As soon as I get more recyclables, I can't wait to get going on more. :)
What do YOU do when your inspiration goes dry?
oh...and if you are visiting this blog because you found a jar, please let me know your story!!
