You know that I LOVE to get my calm on with curliecue doodles, right? And, you know that I wasn't really FEELING watercolor painting a few months ago, right? So...a few weeks back, I bought myself a few micron pens. The reason being is that I was looking up information on doodling as mediation on google.

Because, yes, I LOVE reading as much as I can on this topic, because, yes!!, that's EXACTLY what doodling and doodle painting IS for me...mediation.

I came across this youtube video. Now, first, I've tried some Zentangling. And yes, I could see it being very relaxing, but the more I did it, the more I liked my own doodling instead. I'm also not a big fan of using black. I like color! :)

So when I watched this woman's video on doodling for mediation, I got sucked in, because she's doodling her own thing. I started to really LOVE what she was doing, even though she was using a black pen and, in the end, just watching the video was really, really meditative.

After I watched, I immediately thought, "I gotta try that!!"

I asked my mom about micron pens, because she's the artist expert in my life, especially when it comes to materials and such. I'm SO simple when it comes to using materials and I'm not a fan of having TONS of materials in my house, but I thought, "Hey, why not try a fun black pen, that way I can watercolor it, like the woman in the video did."

What I LOVED most in the youtube video was that she traced over her outline a bunch of times. Something I do A LOT because when I do that, it brings me to even calmer state.

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh! So nice. I trace and trace all day long...SO relaxing to me!!

I ended up ordering a few different sizes of the micron pens and a moleskin watercolor notebook. I LOVE all things moleskin. Don't you? :)

When I received the pens, I wasn't sure about them, because they were very fine. I'm not a fan of fine. I like thicker, marker like, pens.

As I started playing with the pens, I did what I always do, a curliecue doodle.

Then I pulled out my new Koi watercolor paints. I ended up finding these from a google search, watched some videos on them and I thought, "OK! I'm gonna try these and see if I like them."

What intrigued me the most about these watercolors was the vibrancy of the color and that they came in a neat little travel case.

The verdict...I LOVE them!! The brush is awesome and the color is AMAZING!! The water goes inside the brush, so you squeeze out just the amount of water you need as you put your brush to the color. SO fun!!

Once I started mixing and playing around with it, I fell in LOVE because it FELT so CALMING to me!! The reason WHY I play, creatively, like this!!

The brush really helps. It's perfect for doing long swirls and curls and I don't have to keep adding water and color every two seconds to the page, like I talked about in my last post on watercolors.

I've always LOVED the way watercolors look, but I love to be able to spend time just swirling and twirling with the color for a bit. And these Koi watercolors let me do just that!!

The end result...wow!! LOVE!! Just looking at it makes me FEEL calm. :):)

Another day, I played again. This was during the day, on a weekend, and D took C to the store and Luca was napping. I thought I'd only get time to do the outline, in which, I'd paint later.

Well...it was during this curliecue doodle outline where I really started to FEEL the calming benefits. I wasn't done with the outline when D and C got home and I just kept going, even though I could hear them in the background.

Usually, when I doodle, I have to have complete quiet surrounding me to reap the calming, nourishing benefits. So as C and D were being loud and goofy within ear shot, I really wasn't bothered, because I was SO focused on my curliecue doodle outline.

As I kept going, and no one had come into the room to bother me just yet, ha!, I began to paint. It wasn't until the very end, when C came in and found me.

I had a few brush strokes to go and she was constantly asking me to let her have a turn at painting, and yeah, the question, "Mommy, can I paint with YOUR paints now?" being asked over and over and OVER again can make this mama crazy, but I was OK, because I was already nourished to the max with calm with this doodle.

That is, until she started pressing hard on my brush and mixing my colors together. That was where we ended it. Gotta keep my calm on, especially when these are Mommy's special painting supplies...one's that are hidden from little hands. ;)

But, man, it was FUN and oh-so CALMING!! And, I knew, I'd be back for more.

I'm still not a fan of the micron pen just yet. I need to see if there's any that have a thicker point, but for now, I started to use a sharpie. And, I think I'm gonna keep using the sharpie, too. I really do LOVE using it!

I sat down on the couch a few night later, after C had her bath and she was content playing and having her snack before bed and Luca was down for the night.

I put on my headsets and listened to some calming music; the Holiday soundtrack...one of my favorite movies, have you seen it? Oh I LOVE it so!! I could watch it every day!...and the calm started to EASILY fill me.

Yes, from just doing this!!! There's just something about curls, swirls and circles...they do some awesome CALMING things to me!!

Amazing, AMAZING, stuff and SO, SO incredible!! Life changer and the reason why I share this stuff and became a Creatively Fit Coach!! :)

When it was time for C's bedtime, I stopped, and I pretty much knew that would be the end for me because once I come out of her room I'm mush and I'm ready for bed. Well, once she was fast asleep, I did 3 more!! I couldn't stop!! It was AMAZING!!

And I couldn't believe that I wasn't bothered by the music, even though it's calming music, either. WOW!

Then, two nights ago, I did two more!! But this time in my comfy bed, with the lights out, just me, my night light, my lap desk, my watercolor notebook and my sharpie. Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!! SO nice!

I easily fell asleep and I had the most amazing deep sleep ever! Ah, those doodling benefits. Priceless!! They calm my mind and give me better sleep! OH YEAH! :)

Even though I haven't painted them yet, it's just SO calming (and EASY!!) to do just the outline at night. But now, once more mama me time opens up, they're ready for some watercoloring. I CAN'T WAIT!!

Wanna get your calm on in a EASY, FUN and CREATIVE way like this?

Here's what'll happen when you do!

You'll go from feeling...

❀ stressed
❀ tired
❀ exhausted
❀ moody
❀ frustrated
❀ stuck
❀ your monkey mind will NEVER calm

to feeling...

❀ more at ease
❀ uplifted and happy
❀ refreshed, like you just walked out of a day at the spa
❀ naturally energized
❀ calm
❀ more positive
❀ giddy like a kid again

So, yeah, if you wanna BE more of the calm, happy and present mama you're meant to BE to your kids, your family and yourself, you gotta try this. Because the only way you can BE a happy mama and NOT miss moments that mean most to your beautiful, mama heart, is to get your calm on!

Use mine as a guide. And, remember, as you continue on your doodle path, the more YOU will connect with your inner, creative sparks and before you know it YOU'll be connecting with colors and shapes that only FEEL GOOD and CALMing to YOU. Promise! Because that's been my EXACT doodle path.

You'll know if it FEELS GOOD by the way your body feels and what your thoughts are saying...open, at ease, slower breathing, flowing and "YEAH, this is FUN! I'm LOVING this!!"

So keep doodling that calm and please, PLEASE, lemme know how it goes for ya!! I'd LOVE to hear!! :)