Everyone is NOT an Artist...

When I crossed the wicked threshhold that took me to the land of "Over Forty"...I accepted some hard and fast truths about myself. There was something about such a monumental birthday that called for unbridled honesty.

A few of these hard realities were pretty obvious (I'm never going to look like Claudia Schiffer) but others were a little harder to accept (I am just too darn old to audition for American Idol). Bit by bit I have taken inventory of my life as I looked around at where I thought I would be versus where I ended up. My life did not take the path I expected, but I wouldn't change most of it for anything.

Wait...this is supposed to be a crafting post, right? Ok...so here's how crafting stuff fits into all of this:

I spent years trying and failing at attempting to be artistic. Rumor has it that there is an artist inside of everyone - WRONG!!! Not me! Everyone is not an artist...but it does not mean that there is not room for creativity.

Try as I might, it just is not in me...period. That said, bit by bit, I started to find success in crafting...creating things that were functional, and often even fun, but perhaps not so original or inspired as to be considered true works of art. The final part of this realization came even more recently: I am not so great at coming up with original ideas, but I can take inspiration from others and make things that are decidedly my own.

Along the way I have found a little niche or two that work for me...and they even work pretty well most of the time. To make this even more fun, I have been able to craft with my daughter...giving us something to bond over and share.

(my crafting partner)

All that said, there are a few other things I have realized along the way:

1)  When browsing the wares of other artisans and crafters, saying, "I could make that" is dismissive and demeaning to their efforts. Beyond that, if you aren't going to do it, do not say it and support their efforts if it is something you cannot live without.

2)  There are two types of artisans/crafters in the world:

        a) those who engage in their efforts for their own enjoyment and have a "stash" or more crafted items than they will ever be able to use; and,
       b) those who ponder making something wondering who will buy such a finished product.

3)   I decidedly fall into the latter category as is seen by my Etsy shop: Harmony Bath and Body - Home of Scentsitivities Shop. As a result of this, I have also found that it is kind to my friends and family to switch up the crafting on a pretty regular basis...otherwise they wind up with more of this-and-that than they will ever be able to use.

4)  I am not a seamstress, but I can, and do, sew. I sew great straight lines...clothing is something I tried to make and was able to sew, but did not enjoy it. I do not like the precision of following patterns just so any more than I prefer baking to cooking for the same reason.

(note...lots of straight lines)

(you thought I was kidding?)

 

5)  I am not exactly suffering from ADHD, but if I cannot complete a project in one day, the chances are very high that I will not complete the project in a timely fashion, if ever.

(Todays project...not washed yet- but all in a day!)

My intent with this blog is to work through the process of crafting one project at a time with a little bit of my day-to-day chaos thrown in for good measure. I may include the occasional tutorial, but if I am able to ease the struggles of others like me by providing some "been there, done there" tips along the way....hopefully it will make the journey fun for us all.

Away we go...

Heather