In my last post, I mentioned the vast resource of inspiration out in art and craft blog-world, but today I guess I like to talk a bit about the yang to that yin. The other side of inspiration....the soul crushing feeling that everything has already been done, and probably done much better than I could ever hope to do it. Well, it has been done and it probably was better. But that is not a good enough reason to stop making stuff. Stop making it, if that is what you want to do....but keep on cranking it out if it makes you feel good. There is little good to be gained by comparing yourself to someone else, so try to resist that irresistible urge.
Another great blogger, Bitter Betty said this much better than I can (Whoops, there goes that comparison thing again!)
Here is an excerpt, just in case the link doesn't take you to the right place.
Bitter Betty writes:
"Everyone else's blog was prettier.
Everyone else was actually
worried that some one would bother to steal their ideas... imitate
their style.. I wasn't worried about that. I was worried that I
averaged 1 or 2 comments per post and one of these was usually from my
sister or best friend. I felt like a big faker. My husband confirmed my
suspicions. ( "Who do you think is reading this stuff? There are like a
million blogs out there already!") I had to quit looking at "stats" and
Technoneurati, because it was such fuel for my fire.
Oh, High School Insecurity.. How I hold thee close to my bosom. Now at this ripe old age I have finally found a way to pull you out and hold you up to the light, to see all the chinks in the armor of my vast experience... And here you are, just as fun as I remembered.
In my critical self assessment, I find that what frustrates me most is: I apparently suffer from a serious Crisis of Style. What I love on others blogs I couldn't begin to imitate. I am not that Clear in my Vision most of the time. I don't have a STYLE. I like stuff ornate, I like it simple, I like it cute, I like it weird, modern, retro, vintage, whatever... and I never resist the urge to do something new. Everything that I do that does come off as if I have a style is, in fact, a fluke. Why? because I am a Craft Spazz. A highly dedicated, semi-skilled, Craft Spazz.
Oh well. What am I going to do? Not make whatever I want, whenever I want? Turn my back on my favorite public outlet for all the crazy stuff I make? Or accept it?
Hello, My name is Bethany and I am a dilettante crafter.
With an inferiority complex.
I am just going to be okay with that. Out here performing and witnessing Public Acts of Craft on the Internets, one must have teflon heart with a core of steel. But you can always make a wicked recycled, hand-felted, embroidered cozy for it."
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