creative interruptions

little creative breaks for people who swear they can’t draw

A creative interruption is a short pause in your day where you make something small with your hands. Trace a leaf. Fill a circle with patterns. Color a shape you didn’t plan. Write one word in your fanciest handwriting. There’s nothing to get right and nothing to show anyone.

You don’t need art supplies, art skills or an hour. A pen, a scrap of paper and about five minutes will do.

why I make these

I’ve been making meditative art for a long time, including a mandala-inspired coloring book I self-published in 2020. Repetitive, low-pressure making gives your mind somewhere soft to land for a few minutes. It’s the same reason people doodle in the margins during meetings.

try one now

1. the five-minute leaf

Find a leaf, or a picture of one. Trace the outline, then fill the inside with lines, dots or squiggles until a five-minute timer goes off. Stop when it rings, even mid-squiggle.

2. color today

Draw a small square. Pick one color that matches how today feels and fill it in. Don’t overthink it. Date it, do it again tomorrow, and after a week you’ll have a little map of your days in color.

3. rainbow hunt

If you have a suncatcher or anything shiny in a sunny window, find where the rainbows land today. Sketch their shapes on paper, as loose as you like. They’ll be somewhere else tomorrow.

where to find more

Creative interruptions are woven all through Tiny Invitations of Wonder, my prompt journal, coming early 2027. Sign up below and I’ll let ya know when it’s ready.

Want a rainbow-maker for your own window? My handmade AB crystal suncatchers are in the shop.

Looking for more ideas? New creative interruptions go up on the blog.