Maybe what we need is not another tool to be more efficient with our time, but an experience to live slower in the time we have.
The "Secret" to Slowing Down Time
It's that time of year when all of nature changes to gold, cinnamon, eggplant purple, dark umber, and every shade of orange.
I love fall.
These days are golden in so many ways.
Even though life is crazy and the world feels like it is falling apart, we can create a cozy corner in our hearts and homes away from the madness of the world.
I know that is hard.
Many of us are simply trying to take care of obligations and responsibilities. Trying to survive and help our loved ones do the same.
There is little time for luxuries like hobbies or rest or taking in all the beauty the autumn season has.
And if we do get a few minutes, a multitude of distractions wash over us like a flood.
The days just fill.
The moments disappear.
Did you exhale a bit of a sigh when you realized September is already gone?
I did.
There was a deep desire to get it back. To slow time down.
Slowing down time is not possible- I wish it was- but there was a way to slow ourselves down, for just a little bit.
What if we could slow ourselves down in this gorgeous season of autumn with a simple creative practice?
A small, autumn-inspired painting.
No, not a tool to be more efficient, but an experience to sink deeper into the season.
And you can do it whenever you want to, wherever you are.
My Favorite Watercolor
Project Every Autumn
One of the things I love the most is returning to an annual project, the Thankful Home watercolor + ink painting project.
Each year I change up the style of the home, the colors, the theme. This year, I wanted a sense of "golden."
That's what this project is about:
- Celebrating the golden gifts of home and life right here in front of us.
- Delighting in the simple golden moments in our everyday life.
- Reveling in the beauty of the trees and foliage and flowers of autumn.
- Breaking from the busyness and distractions to sink deep into what matters most.
As we paint leaves and pumpkins and the twiggy wreath on the door, we think about the gifts in our lives, right here and now.
Gifts like...a cup of hot coffee on a brisk morning, finding pumpkins, catching up with a friend, making the first batch of pumpkin muffins (or my favorite – a pumpkin strudel!), hunting apples in the apple orchard.
Once you start collecting gifts, it's easier to see them everywhere.
The unexpected encouraging text from a friend. Lighting a fall candle. Pulling out our favorite scarves, the one your mom or best friend made for you. Cozying up in a chair and reading on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of an autumn storm.
And walking.
Isn't it divine to take a walk among the trees in the fall?
It's like something out of a Tolkien book. Golden. A taste of the eternal. A glimpse of heaven, perhaps. Trees in the fall exploit such longing in me. What is that?
How long has it been since you longed to percolate in the beauty and golden days of autumn?
Join me in this beautiful 90 minute online watercolor workshop and enjoy percolating in the golden moments of autumn.
It's fun. It's easy.
And it is full of autumn goodness.
Plus. It's free.
My gift to you. No strings attached.
You'll create a beautiful autumn experience and become more aware of the gifts of the season all around.
I want you to experience the fun and freedom of pulling out the pencil, paints, and creating a gorgeous watercolor.
"I'm a striver. A hamster on a wheel. Someone who likes to get things done. But it's a funny thing. As the years go by, I don't just want to get things done. I want to get the right things done. And to figure out what is the best thing to do, it's important to let my mind and heart calm down and rest.
That's why I love the annual Thankful Home project. It's become a practice of sorts, a rhythm."
That's why I love the annual Thankful Home project. It's become a practice of sorts, a rhythm."
- Melissa
I can hear some of the resistance now, so here are a few
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I want to, but I don't know how to paint with watercolors.
I'll walk you step by step through painting with watercolors. Not only do we paint together (every bit of it), but I show you the tips and tricks I've learned including the way I combine colors.
The most important thing is that you want to do it! The rest is guidance and a bit of practice.
It's been ages since I've used watercolors. Do I have to go buy new supplies?
You may not need to buy new supplies. Watercolor is quite economical. If it has dried, just add water to it and it's good as new again!
Other mediums – such as acrylic – dry out and have to be thrown away. But not watercolor. Sometimes I have to cut off pieces of paint to put in my palette, but it's as good as new with water.
Paintbrushes – if the bristles are sticking out every which way, yes, you might need a new paintbrush (or two!). I recommend three sizes of round tip brushes: a two, a four, and a six.
Do I have to do this all at once?
No! This workshop is broken up into five sections. One sketching session, three painting, and one "add the details," session.
We have to give the watercolors time to dry in between the layers so they don't merge into one. That provides a great way to move in and out of painting, especially if you have increments to paint in.
I want to but I don't have time.
Life is full. I get that.
This is the season where activities, obligations, and responsibilities go into high gear. There is so much to do. But in these very seasons, it is imperative that we come away and quiet our hearts and minds.
Who was the well known man who said, when he knew his day was full, he spent more time in the morning praying, not less.
This is not one of the paint and pray courses and painting is not the same as prayer (of course) but there is a principle at work here. Be still. Come away and rest. Look at the gifts right in front of you. Recline in the goodness of God.
There is goodness to be had, to be found. There is delight IF we slow down and see it.
That's why I love the annual Thankful Home project. It's become a practice of sorts, a rhythm.
Before the "most wonderful season of all" starts – and let's be honest, the busiest season! – getting away and resting may be the best thing we do to prepare.
Can I do this with others?
Absolutely! This is a free course. You can share it with as many people as you'd like. Put it up on the tv and everyone can get together and paint. Might be a fun autumn activity to do with friends, children, and so forth.
One More Gift from Me to You
There's a fun bonus with this course: a downloadable sticker sheet with pictures of fall and with favorite Bible verses and a few Tolkien quotes!
If you haven't printed your own stickers before, I'll show you how.
I love using these autumn stickers on snail mail, my paper planner, journals and notes.
© The Creative Season | 2025 DESIGN BY Carrie Vajko | PRIVACY POLICY