Hello crafters, friends, family and otherwise curious pals! I hope you are all enjoying the cooler, crisp air we've been feeling in my slice of the world. I don't know about you but I am so ready for fall!! Don't get me wrong, I love summer!! I really do! But after all the 90+ days the last few months I'm looking forward to cuddling up in front of my Cricut and my Mac and finding my happy place.
Here we are, in the middle of a Pandemic, trying to navigate this very new, very strange world we are all living in, approaching the cooler weather and trying to figure out how we are going to thrive in such a challenging life. One of the things that has helped me keep on trucking and not let fear, stress, worry and doubt take over, is crafting. I still work my regular job. I still have routines to maintain. I still stress and worry. But I also know that I can't give in to these things. And while the pressure is mounting with all the craziness in the world, I find myself struggling to stay motivated.
Back in April I got this crazy idea that I was going to start crafting more, share those crafts and all that inspiration with the world and try to figure out how to make that crafting adventure into something much more in a years time, or less. That was the goal. I was diving in head first with no regrets. I still have no regrets. But I'm kind of in a funk and not sure what to do about it.
They say we are our own worst critic, and I know you've heard me say that a dozen times in my live videos, blog posts and on my Facebook Craft Page. Well today, I woke up and felt the weight of the crafting world upon my shoulders. Maybe it's compounded by other things, like the pandemic, online schooling challenges for my 7 year old, guilt about not being able to be there with him as he navigates that brand new world, worrying about my stressed out husband, wanting more than anything to get out of our current living situation and move out to a more country atmosphere, dwelling on my 21+ year career that I fear is holding me back more than helping me, and so many other worrisome thoughts. Or maybe it's because I haven't taken a big enough leap. Whatever the culprit, I'm all up in it today, folks.
I went back through all of my blog posts about the crafts I've done, all the way back to April when I decided to dive right in. I even re-read my first few posts from many years ago. Maybe I thought I'd be somewhere else at this point, 5 months later. I don't know. But I can't help but feel like I'm wasting my time lately. I love to craft. I will always love to craft. And part of me STILL wishes I could craft all day every day because I love it so much. But reality is biting hard today. I love every single crafty thing I've created. I can look at them and remember the feeling I had while I was crafting it. And for me, that's where 1/2 of my love of crafts lies, in the making. Not necessarily in the results. I went into this thinking I could teach other people something, inspire people, open hearts and minds. And in the meantime I'd be creating not just cute little crafts but pieces of my heart that I could share with others who were looking for some crafty inspiration. When I looked back at the crafts I've done in the last 5 months, I smiled at every single photo and relived the moments as I read my entries about how I made them. I LOVE crafting, guys!! So why do I feel like my crafts have been so mediocre? People who love me and encourage me regularly tell me how cute they are and how I should sell them. And ultimately, that's what I want to do. But the goal for this particular juncture in crafty time was to hone my craft, figure out what direction I wanted to go, what I'm really good at and take THAT to the bank. I look at my crafts with my uber critical eyeball and find every single flaw, every mistake, every embarrassing moment I encountered while making it and hammer my crafty hopes and dreams right into the ground. Why do I do that to myself??
I think I need to drink less coffee, if I'm being honest.
I'm going to work really hard this week to get out of this funk and draw up some plans. I've not yet found my niche and by no means is this me giving up. I'm going to spend the next couple months coming up with some ideas and I will undoubtedly call on my crafty pals for some encouragement, ideas, support and critique. So buckle up, crafty capers! This girls on a mission!! I'm going to draft some ideas for Sambo's Crafts as well as researching how to get an Etsy page started. I don't know if Etsy is the way I want to go. In fact, I have no idea what I'm doing, if you haven't figured that out yet. What I do know is that I need to figure out where my passion really lies and THAT is going to take a LOT more adventure!!
Garage sale season is upon us as well so I'll be looking for things I can use, like old windows, glass bottles, and other useful crafty materials. If you're the adventurous type, watch for posts about dates to go sale-ing and maybe we can go together! I'll be inquiring about your crafty adventures more too! As always, please comment, like, and share my blog posts and my Facebook Craft Group page, Sambo's Crafts with your crafty pals as well! I'm so, so grateful for all of your kind words, encouragement and support!!!
The crazy universe and chaotic world we live in will not stop my crafting adventures! But I can't promise they won't catapult me right into some shenanigans!! Thank you for being you and for supporting me!! I really need to get out of this funk!!!
