Today the quote is"Everything is better when you decide you don't care" and to fit in with Wendy's theme (On, In or By the Sea) at Art Journal Journey I have a scene set in an aquarium at the seaside not far from where Eloise lives. It is a huge aquarium and has lots of attractions including the longest coral reef in the UK and an aquarium tunnel with the ocean above and around you. Below is a photograph from such an aquarium.
"Eloise was feeling upset. She had fallen out with her bestie and now her bestie had told a whole load of lies about her to some of the other girls that they went around with. Eloise found herself shunned by some of the girls and had spent some sleepless nights crying into her pillow. She didn't want her mum to find out as mum would probably say something to the girls when she saw them so she had had a miserable few nights and lonely days.
It would happen when it was the school half term, the days seemed longer, but on the other hand if she had been at school they could have made her life a complete misery. To poor Eloise there seemed no escape from this misery she felt she was going through. Then one night she had a dream and her fairy godmother told her that the only way to get out of the doldrums was to show you don't care.
So next day saw Eloise dressing in her favourite polka dot dress that went perfectly with her new magenta boots she had saved up for. Part of the 'cure' was to dress up, kind of 'power dress for girls'. She told mum she was out for the day, dashing through the door when mum asked who she was going with, she didn't want to tell a lie not even a white one to her mum.
A visit to the seaside and a walk along the promenade always left one feeling good and so the first thing she did was walk down the prom. The breeze was light and in no time at all she felt better than she had all week. As she walked on she remembered that there was a huge aquarium not far away and so she quickened her steps and made her way there.
It was a little expensive to go in but Eloise thought it well worth the money and she hadn't been down town with the girls in ages so her spending money had accumulated nicely. Once in she was transported to another world. She walked under the huge tunnel, marvelling at how she felt she was walking on the bottom of the ocean. The huge walls were just glass, it must be very strong thought Eloise, to hold all that water. She stood there and watched the hundreds of fish swimming about quite happily.
"It must be wonderful to be a fish" she thought, "swimming around for miles and miles without a care in the world, meeting lots of different fish and exploring the coral reefs. Darting here and there in the holes made by the rocks and things." It was then she realised that what her fairy godmother had said to her in her dream last night was happening.
"Everything is better when you decide you don't care" she said to the little seahorse that was passing by, "and I don't care anymore. There are a lot more fish in the sea than Leanne and she is not going to make me miss any more sleep." And with that Eloise carried on enjoying the aquarium but this time with a spring in her step. It had been worth every penny visiting the seaside that day."
Sorry I got a bit carried away with the story this week but it was good to take my mind off the shingles pain which is still dreadful. Just remember to get the vaccine when you are eligible, believe me it will be worth it. Luckily the background was already done in my square journal so I just had to add the figures. Wish you could see and touch the background, no idea how I did it but it is lovely and textural.
