Lots and lots of lovely things to do when you're stuck at home :
Today the Taoiseach announced that all schools in Ireland are to shut to stop the epidemic.
I’m waiting for my son, I already have a full schedule for him. But I also realized that these days a lot of us are stuck at home for various reasons.
So I made a list of lovely things to do inside. It's my kind of list, so you might find it a bit out of this world, but surely it will inspire you:
Shop your own house and find new uses for unused objects. Today I'm ordering feet and casters to add to old toy boxes and crates to transform them into magazine holders and bookshelves.
Organise a library shelf, just one, taking time to read pages of the books you really like.
Take care of your urban garden : water, feed, remove old leaves, and best of all, turn all the window plants, to enjoy inside the lovely side they turned to the outside light. I keep mulch and old pots to repot and when necessary, and do some clippings, too.
Completely empty your work/craft desk, clean it, and enjoy it immediately. If you don't have a desk of your own, find yourself one. Not everyone can have a room of one’s own, but most of us have room for a small desk in a corner. Hunt cheap ones at the end of the university terms, here in Dublin you can find some abandoned in the street end of June!(wash thoroughly before using)
Go through your Photo album or through Pinterest, and draw your favorite pictures. Add copyrights when necessary, and notes when appropriate. If you don’t know how to draw, learn here ( in French, but with easy to understand steps)
Download and print pages to color. I should probably make some more.
Download and print paper toys (I made tons of paper toys along the years),
Download and print pretty images to cut out and glue in your journal. If it’s for personal use, it’s ok (this make your journal non publishable though, but a journal is a very personal thing, right?)
The magazine Flow has tons of DIY ideas on their website here. There’s of course even more on Pinterest
Enjoy my famous tutorials : all are listed here
Things to watch, learn, and share:
Watch documentaries on NHK Japan:
download the app here: NHK website
or watch some on Youtube, like this one. NHK is a Japanese public broadcast service and also a very good way to watch the news with a different eye. You can also look online for international broadcasts like NPR, for example, the American public radio.Learn a new trick on You Tube (slip stitch, montage, wet on wet...)…these days I’m learning how to make decorative mending:
If you're very grownup and a bit old fashioned, make your own version of journal clippings and send them to your family, especially if you're in the same room, so you can get out of your screens and discuss it.
Take a few lessons on an App like Domestika, Skillshare, or Bluprint. Make sure you know how to use subscriptions on your device first, and look for promotions and freebies. These days I’m enjoying lessons in Spanish on illustration. Learning in another language is super fun…just be prepared to have this new skill vocabulary set in another language. A felt pen is a “rotulador” in Spanish, I like it so much I started to use the word in my other languages.
Make a new music playlist, to listen during the week while you work.
Mine is inspired from a series I watched, Black List. I noted the titles I liked while watching the series, and for most series you can find the list of music and scores by episodes online. Some series have very good music editors, like Gilmore Girls(list in link)One for cat owners. Reorganise a favorite place with the cat, letting her smell every object and explore empty shelves. Cats have kind of a 3D olfactive memory, and legendary curiosity. Work in slow movements and make sure it's not dangerous for dainty paws. My cat loves it. I got inspired by this video tuber I really enjoy following, Jun, who cooks with his cats and have an incredible relationship with them.
Explanations on this particular activity at starts at 1:20:
Reread a favorite book. You’ll be surprised to discover new details, and be comfortable revisiting it. These days I’m paying a visit to Cold Comfort Farm, from Stella Gibbons. It's like Jane Austen, with way more jokes and witticisms (better than Jane Austen with zombies).
Find and finish a craft project you started a long time ago. I have these skeins of red yarn my friend gave me a year ago almost, started 2 projects with it, now really finding my way through a shawl she inspired me.
Make a big stew or soup that will last a few days…and enjoy free time in the following evenings when you don't have to cook!
Make popcorn and cuddle with your family to watch a classic movie. Choose a cute one, like Groundhog Day, Mon Oncle, Totoro…or something fun and outrageous like Die Hard or Kung Fu Hustle.
Research stuff you like on the internet. It's a giant resource of informations and we hardly use it. These days I research artists of the nineteenth century and botanical art, and found some delightful things on Met.com , archive.org, and Gallica.fr (click each for a delightful surprise)
You should be all set, right? Enjoy your quiet time! There’s nothing to do but wait.