I'm pretty sure that I am!
Not because I've "wanted to"... but this Stay At Home, Coronavirus/Covid-19 thing is driving us all a tad stir crazy. (Can anyone relate? LOL!)
It was a great way to exercise their creative minds, kill some time, and keep them from driving each other (and me!) completely batty.
As a fun little side bonus, it's also helped us to stay connected with friends and family!
Follow me on Instagram, as I've posted my little Idaho Potato Family to my Instagram account @cherishedchildren
** Here's How- Set your kitchen timer for 30 minutes and see what you and the kiddos can come up with from the kitchen to represent each member of your family.
Helpful Hint: I also raided my junk drawer, and my daughter's Barbie box for a little inspiration. Elijah's "Mickey Mouse" hat is an old sock from The Sock Monster's leftover pile ;)
If you decide to play- please hashtag #MyCherishedFamily so I can see what y'all have come up with!
Who ever thought a "long weekend" could get old?!
This long "extended weekend" that I've always dreamt about has become a little more like Groundhog Day (the movie!).
Or maybe even more like the mini-feature from Disney's Once Upon a Christmas- "Donald Duck's Stuck On Christmas". We've become like Huey, Dewey and Louie, who once found the holiday a blast, but quickly become bored with it as the day happens over, and over, and OVER again!
It's super confusing, as each day seems to draaaaaggg by, and yet the weeks seem to be flying?!
Could it be that it's because bills are due again soon?! Ugh.
Each day as I write in my bullet journal (bujo), I write the date, along with the DAY of the week.
If it weren't for that and my iWatch, I'm pretty sure I might not even know what day of the week it was. Sigh.
On a positive note, I also make a list of the things I'm grateful for, making sure to write a highlight of each day.
Daily gratitude, counting my blessings, and making sure that I have a clue what I did for the day has helped keep me slightly more productive.
A surprising byproduct of owning a small local business that is closed right now, is that I've found myself with something I'm not sure that I ever thought I'd reclaim- spare time!!
As a full time professional photographer, photography is now my career, not really a hobby.
After 20 years of owning my own photography studio, it was pretty rare to pick up my camera just for the fun of it.
With the exception of travel photography, fashion and design, and digitally painting and compositing pictures for competition, my art business did not allow for as much fun stuff as I would have hoped.
As a born artist and entrepreneur, I knew from a VERY young age, that I was supposed to create art.
Even as a child, I was peddling my wares!
My mom found these earrings that I made somewhere in her stuff when she was moving up here to Idaho a few years ago and gave them to me. It was my first attempt at "branding" some of my creations!
She said I was probably not much older than 10 or so when I made them. LOL! Can't believe she kept them for all these years!!
Stained glass, pottery, writing, painting, cooking, jewelry... there's not much I didn't try. Creative projecting was my middle name!
My first child was born just before I turned 20. I opened my first downtown studio location when I was 21, and well... the rest is history.
Life just got busier and busier. Spare time?!
I quite literally was NEVER BORED. I didn't even know what the word boredom meant!
Each day was so jam packed full of "stuff" that I had little downtime to relish in.
Exploring the world through vacations was the one time I was able to truly unplug, unwind, and spend quality time with my kiddos.
Work hard to PLAY hard, that was my life's motto.
Making more, so that I could go further- like LITERALLY further! I haven't been EVERYWHERE (yet!) but it's on my list.
Counting my wins-
Traveling for fun, at least once per quarter, has been a goal (that I've actually accomplished) for over 5 years now.
Growing up in Southern California, I've ALWAYS been a HUGE Disney Fan... like I mean H-U-G-E!!
I've held annual passes to both Disneyland and Disney World (I had both in 2015!) and have been fortunate enough to even go on 7 Disney cruises.
When I bought into Disney Vacation Club (DVC) a couple of years ago, it just fueled my passion even that much more. I've officially stayed at every DVC property, with the exception of Aulani, Hilton Head, and now, the new Riviera (although I actually got to ride the sky tram there and walk through the property!) If any of you have any questions about Disney vacations, or just like to talk Disney, I'm your gal!
Missing Disney because I'm "grounded", makes me appreciate the vacation photos that we've taken through the years even more!
If you've been pursuing old travel photos and reminiscing the past like I have, what a better time to create a vacation story book?
White Glove Guided Photo Finishing Service can help with that!
We help you sort through your favorite pics and create a custom designed, printed memory album. This book creates something tangible that you can touch, hold and feel again! Eliminating the pain of digging through files on your phone or computer!
Printed photos and professionally created memory books are one of the best ways to keepsake your favorite moments!
So... No business, no travel, and no fun??
Actually that's not true at all! Well, maybe the no travel part, but The 8th Street Studio is accepting appointments!
Cherished Images and CsiPhotoDesign are actively accepting appointments, fulfilling orders, and going through archives for clients. We are doing whatever we can to keep the ship a float! Granted, it's not near to the volume that it needs to be at, but we do still have a business, and God willing... it will stay that way!
And the "no fun" part... well... that's just not true either!
Actually we've had loads of fun! Probably just like many of you, I've spent more quality time with my family ("forced" or otherwise) than I have in a long time.
We've sang karaoke, rode bikes, taken drives, had TONS of spa time in the hot tub, cooked meals, baked cookies... so along with all the bickering that comes along with bored kiddos, there have been many of highlights as well.
I have literally watched springtime in Boise unveil itself like never before! Right before my eyes! Because I'm actually watching (uh... paying attention is probably closer to the truth.)
And that long "extended weekend" thing, that has indeed lost a bit of it's charm, has made me grow as both an artist, and a person!
I completed a colored pencil drawing on wood, that I would have NEVER even attempted before, due to lack of time.
I've watched YouTube tutorials (even though I mostly hate watching videos) on drawing, painting, sketching, and the like... that I would never have done before. I even purchased a set of TomBow pens to further my hand lettering and art skills that I have mostly neglected in the past.
Not to mention that I FINALLY "mostly" set up my home office to allow me to do as much as possible from my "happy place" (my 23 year old daughters reclaimed bedroom) where I do yoga, mediate, write in my journal, draw in my sketchbook, read.... what ever floats my boat on any given day. As an introverted artist, it's SO NICE to actually have a place to unwind in!
So, as much "wha-whaing" (ok, whining) as I've done about Staying At Home to "slow the spread"... there's been many blessings that have come out of it, that I would have never seen, or had (made?) time for before.
Here's to family time, creative thinking, and brighter tomorrows-
With Love and Virtual Hugs-
Kelly
Kelly Zimmerman, artist, photographer, small business owner- Cherished Images Fine Art Portrait Photography at The 8th Street Studio - Boise, Idaho
