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This is a fantastic thread! Many thanks to all who took the time to put their thoughts and suggestions into it! Just recently, I've been telling myself " I must stop the housework at 10:00 in order to get into the craft room and finish ...." it works!
I am not sad about the paper. I am sad about what I feel is limited vision. It happens a lot-say in the gallery-where I see people do things with things I have but never saw it in that way.
It would be different if I did "see" it and did not want to do it bc it is not my style.
I was hoping over time it would get better. It has a smidge. I am hoping that as I ramp up my making...it will develop more over time.
I don't begrudge people-don't get me wrong and I know that will always happen to some extent as we have different voices to use Beth's example. If I don't like a style even if I saw the potential, I would never see the whole potential, b/c my mind would just move on. People who thrive in that style will pump it up and make it wonderful.
This is actually something I really love about the gallery. I learn constantly and expand my thinking. The tie back here is the part where CreativeSea is talking about blogs, etc.
This is a point I don't agree on-at least for me. I get ideas of my own, and can feel motivated from, the gallery and some blogs. It also is so fun to me I often start my day with it, or when I am low, I look at it because it can make me smile. I love the back stories on cards...I wish like heck I lived close to Susieaustralia b/c I would LOVE to hear her thinking process live. That's true of a lot of people here for me. The gallery I suppose is like a still frame crop for me for lack of a better phrase.
I do see the point. Esp for beginners who have "I will never be able to do that!" wail in their heads. Been there, done that. To them I say you can and will. Just give yourself TIME to learn. Or if you are spending a ton of time online and not actually making. So it might makes sense for some people to have a time limit. Creative is trying to get us to MAKE. Cant make while you are online. ;)
I think I’ll print this out and hang it on my wall... some of the best life advice I’ve heard, all summed up beautifully. This entire thread has been full of amazing craft advice (and reality checks), but this quote alone will help me remember why it matters in the bigger scope of life.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us! God bless you!!!
[QUOTE=wavejumper;21901940]Like others I am going to give you a BIG thank you for taking the time to do this. Been interesting reading.
Love the quote. And agree with the idea that one has to schedule this. Seriously. Like you do going to the gym or whatever. It is great the kids have 49 activities but you count too and you wont ever get this time back.
1 hour a day is not going to cause any implosions generally speaking.
I am going to look at this from a different angle for a moment.
For the married/coupled people...I think we all know the "whatever happened?" feeling that your lives have become humdrum. You feel this constant sense of mild fatigue (if not severe), like you are just going through the motions. You may know joy, but how much of that comes from the kids and NOT something you are doing?
Well-IMHO (I am not a therapist but am older)-part of that is you have changed. When you are dating you are doing other things. You belonged to book reading clubs and bowling teams or whatever. That stuff colors who you are. If you give it all up to be in the marriage or a parent...you are not bringing to the table what you used to. This goes for BOTH men and women. All your talk of the day is now kid stuff, the broken DW, work, etc. NOT the fun stuff that used to re-charge your batteries. People are happy if they get a date night once every couple weeks. You have NO time to yourself...or with your friends w/o the spouse. That time is valuable and important.
So I am saying even if you can't talk to the spouse about a DP you love...you can be happy from playing with it at the dinner table. You can show the cards you have made. Having fun lightens the soul and how you interact with people. Helps to deal with the mundane PITAs like the DW broke.
I always supported and pushed my DH to get out there with his friends to play golf. (The only thing I like about golf is driving the cart LOL) It gave him time away from the apt, away from me, time with old school friends-esp MALE ones. He came home happy every time.
Tying it back in here....see making time for yourself as IMPORTANT b/c it is. It is SO easy to get swept up and drown in the mundane crap.
Having said that...I have to practice it myself. I have to figure out one hour that I can CONSISTENTLY show up to my craft desk. For me that will be key to building the habit. If I do it at all different times it is way too easy to not to do it at all because I suddenly remembered I need milk at the store. “
__________________ Hugs & blessings, ~Chrissy
Jeremiah 29:11 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni | Proud FanClub member since 2017
My Gallery | My Blog "The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
I am not sad about the paper. I am sad about what I feel is limited vision. It happens a lot-say in the gallery-where I see people do things with things I have but never saw it in that way.
It would be different if I did "see" it and did not want to do it bc it is not my style.
I was hoping over time it would get better. It has a smidge. I am hoping that as I ramp up my making...it will develop more over time.
I don't begrudge people-don't get me wrong and I know that will always happen to some extent as we have different voices to use Beth's example. If I don't like a style even if I saw the potential, I would never see the whole potential, b/c my mind would just move on. People who thrive in that style will pump it up and make it wonderful.
This is actually something I really love about the gallery. I learn constantly and expand my thinking. The tie back here is the part where CreativeSea is talking about blogs, etc.
This is a point I don't agree on-at least for me. I get ideas of my own, and can feel motivated from, the gallery and some blogs. It also is so fun to me I often start my day with it, or when I am low, I look at it because it can make me smile. I love the back stories on cards...I wish like heck I lived close to Susieaustralia b/c I would LOVE to hear her thinking process live. That's true of a lot of people here for me. The gallery I suppose is like a still frame crop for me for lack of a better phrase.
I do see the point. Esp for beginners who have "I will never be able to do that!" wail in their heads. Been there, done that. To them I say you can and will. Just give yourself TIME to learn. Or if you are spending a ton of time online and not actually making. So it might makes sense for some people to have a time limit. Creative is trying to get us to MAKE. Cant make while you are online. ;)
Totally agree with all of your points here (and sorry I misunderstood the reason for your sadness). Several of the points that you have made throughout this thread remind me of three books: Steal Like an Artistby Austin Kleon, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. All three reinforce the idea that creating repetitively - making it a habit - is vital.
It is also noteworthy that all of the great artistic "masters" through the ages started out copying others until they found their own voice and had mastered the skillsto execute their own vision. While we aren't exactly aspiring to be "masters" in the classical sense, we still strive to improve our art and execute our vision, and taking inspiration and lessons from others and practicing, practicing is the only way to accomplish that...
Back to the original topic (apologies for wandering): I have taken some of Elle's ideas to heart and started building my creative habit. I have also stolen an idea from Lydia (Understand Blue) and started an art journal calendar (hers is linked, not mine). I am finding that having a focus and setting aside a definite period of time are both contributing greatly to my mindset and ability to actually create every day. I've only managed one card and three calendar squares so far, but that is significant improvement over months past. Thanks again - to Elle for her posts and to everyone else who has contributed/expanded on them!
I am making 2020 my no-spend year and I won't even be shopping for adhesive refills. I bought a few refills right after Christmas with a giftcard, and I'm going to see how long they will last. I think I overestimate how much I actually use and I buy too many back-ups. That's something I would like to avoid in the future, so I'm excited to see how no spending will go this year.
@wavejumper:
Some time ago, I noticed this niggling sense of disappointment when I would see other peoples' creative projects. It had absolutely nothing to do with the other person and their unique talent and vision. I was disappointed at myself, because I had thought of the same or similar idea, but I did nothing with it.
After some reflection, I realized that I was disappointed because I was spending more time buying and organizing supplies than I was using anything I bought. I have a notebook full of ideas, sketches concepts and things I want to do - some are general and others for specific supplies. But it was sitting untouched because I felt overwhelmed.
One of the big reasons why I started setting yearly crafty goals like making a card every day or using my stash is because I wanted to take control and make my crafty space into a something that I enjoy. I didn't want negative feelings like disappointment, guilt or overwhelming stress. I want my time to be fun, fulfilling and challenging in a positive way.
I realized very early on that the best way to make this happen is to build a habit around what I want to achieve. If I'm feeling guilty about not using my old stamps, then I need to make a habit of shopping my stash instead of placing an online crafty order. If I'm feeling disappointed because I didn't think of an idea for a stamp set, then I need to make a habit of using a stamp set several times in different ways. If I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, then I need to narrow them down and tackle one at a time.
We all have different ways of thinking and feeling, so my personal experience might not be universal. But I do think building consistency (showing up and crafting) and combining it with challenge (trying different approaches/tips/tricks) are a great way to get started until you find whatever works best for you. So, I definitely recommend and encourage everyone to give it a try.
Speaking of ideas... I've seen Beth (bjeans) quote a podcast from Online Card Classes where Laura Bassen mentions how it would be nice if new stamp releases were slower because you could really push the creativity when you have more time with a single product (I'm paraphrasing here). That always stuck with me because I noticed it in my own experience. Whenever I would spend significant time with one single stamp set or one single theme/concept/etc, I would find myself going outside my comfort zone more often as time went by.
It will depend on your personal process, of course, but I think more time with one stamp definitely couldn't hurt (even if there are a thousand other stamps waiting their turn).
As a side note, I do encourage social media, blogs, etc in moderation. I have an Instagram account and I spend around 15-20 minutes daily catching up with what crafty friends are up to. I've also got a few blogs and Youtube channels I follow. Between that and the forums, it's a nice way to be connected to others. Crafting can be pretty lonely if you don't have any local groups/friends, so I think it's a good idea to see what's out there. I just plan to do it mindfully, so I don't end up spending 4 entire hours tumbling down the video-after-related-video hole (ask me how I know...).
@beth & Sue:
Purging is definitely important. I think I will need to eventually get rid of about a third of my stash so it does not look like it's bursting at the seams.
However, all of the methods I've tried thus far for sorting things out haven't really worked for me. I don't know if it's luck or some brilliant subconscious planning, but there's only about a handful of supplies I was able to pull out that don't fit or that I don't see myself using. The rest of my stash just flows together.
So, I'm going to purge after I've used more supplies. I'm finding that some things are easier to let go once I've created with them - sometimes it's just due to getting it out of my system, other times because actually working with the stamp is not as enjoyable as I thought (even if the stamp style is right up my alley).
I thought I'd mention this as another avenue for people that are having a tough time with donating/purging. Using the supplies could help you let go easier.
@Sue:
Yay! I am so thrilled for you!
I'm needing to get back into my regular crafty times, too. Winter holidays always flip my regular routine upside down. We do a lot of hosting, celebrating and everything that's associated with that (cooking, cleaning, clever gift-wrapping) for our big extended family. Being an introvert on top of it all, I am just exhausted mentally and physically for a couple of weeks after. I'm not in a mindspace to create yet, but I'm getting there. Hoping to get crafty this weekend and use that as a launching point to get back to my regular schedule.
This may be the quote I transcribed by Laura Bassen (LauraFadora) that Elle referred to). Even if not, thank you for reminding me of it, Elle!
"When I wasn't doing this for a job, I only had a small amount of stuff, since I was very frugal, and only bought what I absolutely loved. And when I had that, I'd push the creativity level with each product - not just two times, not just three, and would find - oh my gosh - you could really push the envelope when you stay at a product. I knew if I pushed, something amazing could come out, but I don't have the time to push to do a second and a third and a fourth project with one product. And I know it deserves that." Laura Bassen
I’ve not followed this premise often enough. But when I have, small changes have lead to more changes, and ideas flowed more and more. And suddenly it feels different, inside the creative zone.
My ideal challenge: make 10 cards or partial cards (can leave off sentiment) with one stamp or die or set or technique. Oh yeah, and 4 days a week in the craft room for X amount of time. X=TBD.
QUOTE=wavejumper;21902216]I am not sad about the paper. I am sad about what I feel is limited vision. It happens a lot-say in the gallery-where I see people do things with things I have but never saw it in that way.
It would be different if I did "see" it and did not want to do it bc it is not my style.
I was hoping over time it would get better. It has a smidge. I am hoping that as I ramp up my making...it will develop more over time.
I don't begrudge people-don't get me wrong and I know that will always happen to some extent as we have different voices to use Beth's example. If I don't like a style even if I saw the potential, I would never see the whole potential, b/c my mind would just move on. People who thrive in that style will pump it up and make it wonderful.
This is actually something I really love about the gallery. I learn constantly and expand my thinking. The tie back here is the part where CreativeSea is talking about blogs, etc.
This is a point I don't agree on-at least for me. I get ideas of my own, and can feel motivated from, the gallery and some blogs. It also is so fun to me I often start my day with it, or when I am low, I look at it because it can make me smile. I love the back stories on cards...I wish like heck I lived close to Susieaustralia b/c I would LOVE to hear her thinking process live. That's true of a lot of people here for me. The gallery I suppose is like a still frame crop for me for lack of a better phrase.
I do see the point. Esp for beginners who have "I will never be able to do that!" wail in their heads. Been there, done that. To them I say you can and will. Just give yourself TIME to learn. Or if you are spending a ton of time online and not actually making. So it might makes sense for some people to have a time limit. Creative is trying to get us to MAKE. Cant make while you are online. ;)[/QUOTE]
”I am not sad about the paper. I am sad about what I feel is limited vision”
Yes, that’s what I understood you to say. We can be so hard on ourselves, comparing and whatnot, coming up short.
But I only have my own vision, so by definition it will be limited. Expanding it by doing the work is possible - there are exercises to help ideas flow, or sticking with something like in the Bassen quote: technique, stamp set, medium, etc.
But by definition other people must create ideas that I can’t, given their brains and experiences are not mine. So if a patterned paper (or anything) doesn’t inspire me, it’s either not my cuppa or my limited vision or both. So be it.
Thinking about thinking outside the box and expanding creativity, years ago a pre-work assignment for a class (not paper crafting) was to buy a 50-page 3x5” sketchbook and with a pencil to draw 3 lines on each page. After befuddledly slogging through the first ones, it became easier and faster, with serious lines and funny lines and bold, wimpy, tiny, wiggly lines, bits of lines that peeked at other lines, and lines that created objects, until I wished there were 100 pages, standing at the kitchen counter in the middle of the night drawing lines, having been transported into an unfamiliar and expansive zone, partly a right-brain shift. The magic was in the assignment.
Because of that, sometimes when holding a die cut or looking at paper strips or stamp, I think of the lines. Because the die cut can be placed high, low, middle, cut in half, cut in fourths, multiplied, white, rainbow, sparkly... there must more than 50 ways to use it.
It also mentions divergent (expansive) thinking, which uses imagination and is right-brained, rather than convergent thinking, which draws conclusions and is logical. Both are needed but some of us {raising hand!} need help shifting over.
From that article: “Having too many choices can lead to being overwhelmed. Because you could do anything, you end up doing nothing. Research has shown that we are more satisfied with our choices when options are limited.”
It also mentions divergent (expansive) thinking, which uses imagination and is right-brained, rather than convergent thinking, which draws conclusions and is logical. Both are needed but some of us {raising hand!} need help shifting over.
From that article: “Having too many choices can lead to being overwhelmed. Because you could do anything, you end up doing nothing. Research has shown that we are more satisfied with our choices when options are limited.”
Me to a T! That's my main takeaway from this thread - limit my options by limiting my focus so I can actually MAKE something! The rest will still be there when I'm done with the whatever-it-is...
I love this thread! So much like me and yet I've learned a few things, too. I will keep checking back and as I travel thru 2020 to shop and use my stash. I will refer back for encouragement to keep moving forward. Thank you, Ladies!
from creativeseacard: I was disappointed at myself, because I had thought of the same or similar idea, but I did nothing with it.
That has happened to me often but it does not make me sad. It actually makes me feel good that someone else thought the same thing I did. It is validating to me.
Not like we cant still do the idea.
We all react differently to the same thing. There is no right or wrong.
Stay safe pigtail1. I like the idea to create quantity. I decided to try it. I had taken a mini workshop at the expo last year for a card technique. Class came with 12x12 stickers a pack of ephemera and a 6x6 book of 24 sheets double sided dp. I decided to case the card with some of the same materials. Then make a few others. Then to use up the materials or get rid of whatever was leftover. I don’t use much ephemera or stickers and most wasn’t anything I would ever buy. I modified some. I used a small portion of it and was still stuck. Finally realized on the ephemera the shapes were ok and just needed “jazzing up” I ended up with 4 6x6 shaker cards and 11 others for a total of 15 cards with only a few pieces left over that I don’t mind tossing. Using up everything related to that and adding from my own stash the cardstock and embellishments allowed me to use quite a bit from my stash and will use more to make the envelopes for them. Made me think outside the box because the design is something I consider not my style and would not of thought of purchasing. Over all turns out I actually like most of the cards. Going to try to apply this idea of using other items that are just sitting around unused.
