I took a class in watercolor painting. Our teacher took us outside and had us pick up sticks from the ground. When we got back inside, we used those sticks as paintbrushes! The lesson we were given is that a good artist does not make excuses for his or her tools. Even though I do not paint today, I took that lesson well beyond the classroom. If I am working on something and don't have a specific tool at hand to get the job done, I make do with what I have. I once even used an extension ladder as a hammer. True story.
