Imagination during Creation

A blank piece of paper is what I'm starting with. A blank piece of paper and a mental image. A memory, actually. A memory so vivid that shifting the image out of my mind and on to this paper is not only going to be so effortless but also comforting. I just know that tonight I'm going back in time.

But wait, I need so much more than just this large white piece of paper sitting in front of me. I think I want to use colored paper. Green, blue and mint are perfect. I may also need crafting tools. Scissors are a must. A miniature stapler, maybe. Paint is also essential, in case I run out of colored paper. It doesn't look like I have enough so I guess I'll just have to improvise and paint over the white paper, no one will tell the difference. It may even make it look better,I hope. I for sure need plenty of glue. I got two bottles of one Liter glue beside me. I'm not running out. Finally, I know Im gonna end up using these post it notes. I make animals with these all the time, it would be shameful to not use them. In fact, I think that's what I'll start with. Turtles.

Post it notes are perfectly squared and there's just no need to cut imperfect squares out of large papers. Folding these is almost second nature for me, it takes no time before I watch as my small hands start to form six small turtles. Each is different from the last but two of each are the same color. Orange, yellow and pink, all fluorescent. I look at them and immediately see the ones I saw when my face was rounder and my body was smaller. They are slowly making their way somewhere. But where? I reach out to hold the small paper turtle in my hand and instead feel the coarse bottom of a green baby turtle. At first hidden in its shell but as I stroke its hard exterior it starts to poke its endangered head out. I put the paper turtle on top of a paint can. I take out the paint brush and start painting black and white spots on it. I like the idea so I do the same to the rest but with yellow spots and another with green and so on. They are perfect. But they need a home. A place to live, like the one the green baby turtle had in my memory.

I take the green colored paper. I realize I have both dark and light green and I want to use both. I start cutting it into strips and then cutting the strips in half. I then roll them up in a spiral like shape. I now have many spirals in front of me and start sticking them on the bottom left of the page. I make sure they are all bunched together. The light and dark green compliment each other perfectly. I take three of the turtles and use the glue to stick them on top of the green spirals. I run my hands through the green paper sticking out and covering part of the white paper. I suddenly feel the sodden grass through my fingers. I reach down and grab the muddy blades of green and squeeze it in my hands. I look down and watch as the grass tickles my ankles as I start to run around the plains smiling from cheek to cheek ogling at the turtles. The smell of the fresh grass starts to creep into my nose and I start to roll around it. My face starts to turn green and mucky from the ground. I wipe the mud from my face and I giggle. I look up towards where the turtles are going.

I take the blue colored paper. I have two shades of blue paper but I don't have enough so I take some white paper and start painting it using both light blue and blue paint. I let it dry. I decide I want to make a small circular fan usually used to make flowers but for today it would be a Sun. I paint it yellow and I also let it dry. The painted paper is now dry and like the green colored paper I cut it into strips. Once again I roll the strips into spirals and I stick each of them close together, one by one, onto the bottom right corner of the white paper. The blue and green spirals start to meet up. I take the last three turtles and stick two of them in between the spirals and one of them on top. I decided to glue the circular fan on the top left corner of the large white piece of paper which has now been engulfed with green and blue spirals. This time I run my hands through the blue spirals and I'm immediately submerged in a river. I float for a while until I see a large hardshell swimming out of the corner of my eye. It spots me and dives down. I dive as well and start following it from underwater. I swim as fast as I can but the reptile is too fast for me. I run out of breath and I swim up to gasp for air. I feel the heat of the sun shining on my face. It feels warm. I get out of the river and look up at the sky.

I look at what I've created until now. I'm almost done. I take the mint colored paper and for the last time I cut it in strips and roll it into spirals. I stick it on the top right of what once used to be a white blank page. I start to feel the breeze of the misty air flowing through my wet hair. A few drops of rain water fall on my face but it quickly stops while I look up at the sun. It's brighter than ever as its rays come down through the clouds. I close my eyes and come back. I look down. The blank piece of paper I had started with was taken over completely by the green, blue and mint spirals and six turtles. Some on the green heading towards the water and others already swimming through the blue. I admire my work and I´m satisfied. It's exactly how I remember it…