My Chalk Art

Quite some time ago, I realized that I don't possess any tangible talents. What is a tangible talent? It can be many things, but typically something that can be measured and shared with great admiration to follow. For example, singing, sewing, painting, playing the piano, photography, interior design, organization skills, public speaking, mathematics, etc. All things that are very impressive... in my opinion (can you tell I've been watching The Good Wife?) 

It is clear that I do not possess any of these qualities and I have finally come to terms with that. It's okay that I'm not Mozart, Katy Perry or Chris Burkard. I'm me. And I happen to be ridiculously good at chalk art. 

I've always enjoyed doodling, but I think it really comes down to being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If I didn't grow up a Mormon, I wouldn't have spent countless hours in church listening and doodling to keep myself attentive and awake. My talent would have either been born elsewhere or not at all. As a child, my brother and I would often try to copy one another's doodles. In high school, I would draw people at the pulpit. In college, I spent nearly every sacrament meeting drawing my roommates and myself while sitting in the MARB. And now as a mom, I'm finding joy in putting my mediocre doodling skills into cultivating a talent. 

It started with simple doodles, but then Clarissa and Evie started asking for more complicated driveway art, which turned into me googling chalk art at night and coming up with games to draw out of chalk. I'm obviously not a real artist, but we have so much fun outside being creative.

We celebrate holidays.

Anna wanted in on the action, but didn't quite know how to commit.

Nailed it!

Trifecta of chalk art girls.

Anna thinks that rolling around in chalk is how you play with it now.

Get it, girl!

Chalk hangover.

The aftermath.

Cute and chalky.

We also draw a TON of animals. The girls have moved away from basic farm/safari animals. UNICORN! RAINBOW DOG! WHALE! PRINCESS DRAGON! PEPPA PIG! HELLO KITTY!

I love it. They often tell me what they animals should look like or wear or eat.

And its true. We have a lot of doggone fun.

I saw something on Pinterest where they did an action version of hopscotch.

The girls told me what they wanted.

And then waited impatiently until I finished.

The latest is songs and nursery rhymes that we know. They love to act out the songs and jump from picture to picture. Its amazing what they help me come up with.

Our neighbors love it too. We have lots of walkers and so many people stop to watch, admire and even play on our chalk art. One mom even asked me if I would come decorate her driveway for her son's birthday! 

Don't google chalk art right now or you will realize that I'm actually a terrible sub-par doodler. But its something that we've enjoyed earlier this summer. Its been so hot here, that we can't do much chalk art these days! The cement is scorching! But hopefully when it cools down, we'll be back at it, creating stuff that keeps us entertained and makes people smile.

Here's to talents that aren't really talents!