I've never been particularly crafty. I once tried to sew shorts, one leg ended up longer than the other. Then there was my watermelon pillow, it looked like someone had taken "bites" out of it. There was the doll I made for my mother that she threw away because she mistook it for trash. Nobody ever wants to be on my team when we play Pictionary.
It never really bothered me before. Okay, so I didn't have an ounce of craftiness in me, that's what Hobby Lobby is for, right? But then I got married and started having kids. And my friends got married and started having kids. Suddenly I realized how crafty my friends are - I didn't even know Whitney crocheted until she made a blanket for my son! Shouldn't surprise me really, she always was the "artsy" one.
Then my Mom started in, "look at these cute curtains you can sew for your baby's room," "those pants are really too long on your son, why don't you hem them up?" "You bought this sign when you could have made it using the Cricut..." Then my friends started getting together for "scrapbook nights" and "craft nights." It was just getting worst. I mean, going over to my friends houses and seeing their cute decor or reading about there latest project on their blogs was one thing, but now it were infiltrating my social life!
And so I started having an identity crisis. I was avoiding the craft nights, crying over the picture that my husband hung too high on the wall, stressing over how blank my walls look because I don't have an eye for placement of pictures, and worrying that my bookshelf didn't look "balanced" because all it had on it was books.
I just always thought that I would magically become crafty, talented and clean when my children entered this world, but the truth is, I'm still same old me. My house has a slight disorganized feel to it with stacks of books, magazines, and papers that get dropped wherever I was reading it last. There's always clothes on the floor, toys scattered throughout the hall, and some new cooking project spread on kitchen countertops. I've embraced my bookshelves that only have books on it (I love my books) and my blank walls. I go to craft night to socialize and then drop by Hobby Lobby to buy a professionally made and really cute wreath to hang on my door.
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You know what you need to do, go to those crafty nights and recruit one of your lovely talented friends to come and hang your pictures with you. Chances are, they'd love to (honestly, I'd come down and do it myself but I'm a little too far north right now :P).
ReplyDeleteAs for your own craftiness, need I highlight your latest cooking project spread around you kitchen? We all have our own kinda of creative outlets, my dear, and one of yours is definitely your kitchen.
Don't worry, I have a bookshelf full of books and it's my favorite too :) Oh, and I so thought my house would magically stay clean too once I grew up. Unfortunately, not so much. In fact, I'm pretty sure any talent I work on defiantly makes my house messier :P
I have an idea. Go to Hobby Lobby and look at what designs and styles you like, then RIP THEM OFF! I'm serious. By getting into the mechanics of *making* crafts you are flexing your brain into what it takes. Then soon afterward, you can make a small adjustment here and a additional detail there. It's how I started with my Dacky cartoons. I re-wrote Garfield comics with my own characters, then branched out from there.
ReplyDeleteCarlin is right. That is how we decorate our bedroom. We look in BH&G magazines and see a room we like.Then copy it. All the top design shows on HGTV say to do that. find a designer you like then copy their style. If I remember correctly you use to decorate your college apt. really unique. Your problem is you now have kids that take up your time. when they are in bed, think about what you like and start making a notebook.(you work better out of notebooks) work on one room at a time. Like Whit says" ask someone to hang your pics up" Your dad has a good eye for that. Personally I thought Carlin did a nice job in your other house. Start with pictures. cut them out, put them in your notebook, start buying the items on sale and then put your room together.
ReplyDeleteBaby steps Aub. Your Craftiness is in there..it just needs to be found again!
It was so much fun getting caught up on this blog!! I've certainly missed it.
ReplyDeleteEveryone's right! You DO have creative outlets--cooking sounds like one! I always think about cooking fun foods...and that usually is where it ends. I'm never, ever as crafty, cute, put together. etc. etc as the girl next to me. I (and you!) need to stop comparing ourselves to the cute, crafty girl next to us and either 1) improve on what we can do or 2) pick something fun and learn to do it. I also agree with Whit, invite someone over and ask them to help hang pics or give you ideas on how to spruce up your home. I know I for one, if asked by someone, would feel it was a compliment, and would love to grow our friendship through that outlet. Also, when you are at craft night, or something of the like, ask them for ideas or tutorials on their particular crafts. That is how I've learned a lot of what I can do. Good luck, and don't be so hard on yourself--there is so much you can do that others can't!! :)
So, everything I thought to say...everyone else did. Everyone has different ways to use their talents. I will say, though, that I am amazed at what can happen with just doing. Trying things here and there, I have found a couple of things I can do. I am SO a copier...I look at everyone's stuff, then go from there. I always get "help" to decorate...I'm waiting until nov. until fam comes out to decorate...seriously..
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