Put Whimsy In Your Work...Then It's Not Work at All

I love the word "whimsy." It means so many things to me: giddy...magical...for no reason...happy...joyful...playful...seriously beautiful...star like...a wink. That's it. I like to give my work a wink. I was watching a sci fi movie, "I Robot." I love that movie! In it, the robot who is different from the others, has developed the ability to dream. He sees Will Smith wink at someone, and asks him what it means. Will Smith says, it means trust. Later, of course, when Will Smith and the robot have to fool the mean robots, the special robot lets Will know what he's doing with a wink. Trust. I like that so much.

Putting "a wink" in your work definitely involves trust. It's that extra curly cue, splash of color, and light heartedness that you have to trust in yourself. It's good to surround yourself with things that inspire you to have more whimsy. I love teapots and little china tea sets--so I have some that make me happy. For no reason! I have a bowl of marbles I love to look at and touch. I keep adding to it with all the colors. Plus, when my nephews come over, they usually get a marble. I don't know, I just like to see boys get their brains out of the video games, and instead playing marbles on the floor. Or better yet, playing outside! We always played outside. I had my tea parties outside, and could spend hours on the swingset or watching the butterflies. That is where whimsy is born. It made me happy one morning to see my littlest nephew walking around the yard putting acorns in his pocket. He called them "squirrel peanuts." Whimsy.

So early this morning, I've been on the treadmill. That's not full of whimsy. Yet, while I'm on the treadmill I watch DVDs on a pink Hello Kitty TV. There ya go. Whimsy. I washed my face with a soap that smells like a country field of flowers. I drank my coffee in a Minnie Mouse mug, and I'm getting ready to have a very creative morning. Fueled by whimsy.

 I am stitching an angel that I'm recreating from a vintage pattern. The original pattern did not call for anything special--but I'm giving her a halo of beads. Sometimes whimsy takes a little extra time--but that's why the drama's in the details. Never doubt that it's always worth it.

I'm going to have a salad for lunch with lots of fresh tomato and basil. I'm going to eat it on a beautiful square ceramic plate I love. And when I wash up my dishes...I always squirt a few bubbles in the air from the soap bottle. Seeing me standing at the sink with bubbles flying around my head always makes someone laugh, including me. Yes, it takes a few minutes to run out to the garden--but I feel so blessed to have a garden. Yes, I could eat on a paper plate and be done with it. But the salad seems so much more enjoyable on my favorite plate.

And today, after I finish my sweet angel, I may stitch a sign that says A Wink of Whimsy--just to remind me how seriously I really need it.

As my summer vacation days run into back-to-the-office days I realize that the word "whimsy" is more powerful than the word "work." I think we have special places in our lives where whimsy is just waiting to fit in and make the whole journey more joyful, peaceful, and hopeful. Whimsy is only natural.

 

 Eat with whimsy...Write with whimsy...Dream up more whimsy...Stitch it with whimsy.