I’ve decided to start a series of posts called “Creative Check-ins” as a way of keeping myself honest to my goal of having a creative life. Basically, these posts will summarize what I’m doing to nurture my creative side.

This past weekend, I finally made a solid start on a new knitted baby blanket for Project Linus. I am attempting Warm Bundle in Leisure Arts’ Tea for Two Baby Afghans. While I don’t think the pattern is particularly complex, I have a knack for complicating matters. I’ve started this pattern once or twice in the last year without success, but this weekend I finally figured it out. That said, I came up with two extra stitches on my last row, so I’m going to have to backtrack a bit to get it right. Still, I can finally see myself finishing it, so that must be some sort of progress.

I’m also delighted to report that I’ve started taking piano lessons, as of this morning. My sons’ piano teacher kindly offered to give me two lessons a month. I started playing piano as an adult just after my first son was born, but couldn’t really pursue it once my second and third sons arrived. So, I’m a complete novice. I realized today that I have so much to learn, but I love a challenge. For the next two weeks, I’ll be continuing working through Level One of Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course Lesson Book and attempting to master the second exercise of Hanon and (Everything I Do) I Do It For You in Fun with 5 Finger Pop Hits. It’s a start.

Finally, I am taking a poetry workshop with an amazing woman, Julia Connor. My assignment this week is to write an object poem where I give an object a back story and see if I can create a poem from that. I will also read Stone by Charles Simic for what it says about imagination.

And that’s exactly what I am off to do!