<\/p>\n
For the past two years I have acquired an interest in crafting and being more creative. Gasp! My interest in crafting started two years ago when my stepmother taught me how to make mesh wreaths. She is an avid crafter and usually can talk me into jumping on the craft bandwagon. In this particular venture I spent a lot of time looking at mesh wreath tutorials and patterns on the Internet until Alice finally said \u201cJust make the damn wreath. That\u2019s the problem with you analytical types. You spend way too much time figuring out the perfect way to do something instead of actually doing it. Just make the damn wreath\u201d.<\/p>\n
I AM very analytical and some might say “anal” person. Being creative does not fit in with my overall nature.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been interested in crafting in the past. Let’s see – there was scrapbooking, decoupaged glass plates, soy teacup candles, fire starters…I spend a lot of money buying craft supplies and then my interest is short lived. I get really excited to make something beautiful. I start and then I give up. Why? Because my project often does not turn out to be PERFECT! Or it doesn’t look like the one in the picture. And if I can\u2019t do something PERFECTLY then I automatically assume that I am not GOOD at it. And I don\u2019t want to WASTE valuable time at something I am not GOOD at. And there are so many productive activities that I SHOULD be doing. Ok, so this a lot of material for therapy!<\/p>\n
The difference this time around is that my interest in creative projects has lasted a lot longer than in the past. I have time to craft now and I am finding it to be fun and relaxing. I have noticed that my mind seems clearer now and that there is actually room in there for more creative ideas. I can think. Think about a lot of things with more clarity. The biggest change is that somewhere along this process I have learned that making \u201cart\u201d doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be PERFECT to be fun and beautiful. The most important lesson is the \u201cfun and relaxing\u201d part. Aha!<\/p>\n
What I\u2019ve learned from being creative:<\/strong><\/p>\n Just make the damn wreath!<\/strong> I have gotten lost and spent many hours looking at ideas on Pinterest. I have boards filled with projects I want to try. But nothing is going to happen if I don\u2019t just jump in and \u201cmake the damn wreath\u201d. Now that I have ideas collected I need to just pick one and make it. Then pick another one and make it. Kind of like \u201cputting one foot in front of the other and soon you\u2019ll be walking out the door\u201d. Just do it.<\/p>\n Hmmm. Metaphors for life?<\/p>\n\n
\n