Monday, October 3, 2011

Mistakes. Give 'em a Chance:).

My daughter Niamh is very artsy. Sometimes we sit together and just color for an hour. She told me today that, when we move (which we are trying to do), she wants to hang all her artwork on her bedroom walls. It's a funny thing-- I use to do the same thing. Had this little section next to my bed where I had tiny doodled faces thumb-tacked into the paneling. Probably had 50 of them on torn out pieces of paper...different expressions that I liked. They made me feel happy to look at:).

One thing I've tried to teach her lately is that mistakes will happen on paper. Even the best artist will color outside of a line...smudge some ink...try something that really doesn't 'work' on the paper in front of them. I imagine that some of the most famous pieces of art have some of these imperfections deep within their layers. I always tell her, right when she goes into huffing and puffing mode;), that she should learn to incorporate it. Make something beautiful out of it. A mistake should never ruin a whole piece before you at least try to give it a chance! Every once in a while, those mistakes turn into the most beautiful parts of the project. Something you never saw coming.

I actually like imperfections.

It's why a snaggle tooth can make a smile uniquely beautiful. Why a scar becomes a story that makes you tear up. Why a testimony can touch thousands of lives-- even be the catalyst to saving thousands of lives. The imperfections become the different layers that build the beauty into your life. Into your art. Into your craft.

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I am a terribly imperfect person. Just a mess sometimes.

My purse is an abyss.

My desk often needs to be dug out.

I've drank four cups of soda tonight. And a huge glass of chocolate milk.

I've made terrible decisions. I've made decisions that still don't make sense.

I drive too fast. I've crashed twice just inside of our own yard.

I know more about ESPN than I do about cooking.

I have four baskets of laundry that just seem to rotate from basket to dirty clothes back to basket. Never actually make it into closets or drawers.

I can't talk about finances and not get snippy.

I can be terribly awkward in conversations. And just in general.

And I am always late. To and for everything. All. The. Time.

And this is just the beginning...:)....

In all my short comings and problems...bad decisions and mistakes...I know there is so much beauty in my life. In my surroundings. I am thankful for where I am right now. And for the choices and decisions that led me here:. Even if I'm not sure why I made some of them:). Sometimes the very thing I thought was a mistake or an imperfection in my day turns out much later in life to be something truly good indeed.

So, I urge you lovely crafters, to give your mistakes a chance. When your copics bleed outside the lines, see where it takes you:). I can't tell you how inspiring all of your beautiful creations are-- and I'm not talking about just the ones with my stamps. I often check out posts that have no trace of my artwork. I just love to see your craftiness. Your own artistic talent!

This is a lovely world of very creative women. I've met so many beautiful people through my shops, stamps, and blog(s). And you are all over the planet:). 12 hours ahead, 2 or 3 hours behind...and everywhere in between. Thank you for your support...and please know that I always comment on your blogs and emails from the bottom of my heart. Even if it takes me a few days. Or a week. (Told ya, I'm a really late person:). I mean every word I say.

I feel like the world of crafting/blogging that I entered a little over a year ago went from this...

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To this:).

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So thank you sweet girls!...And let's all keep encouraging and building each other up. I imagine that we are all more similar than we think. All have schedules. Some of us (may be most of us?) have messy craft areas:). And for sure, we all have little imperfections. Share a kind word with a new blogger:). Leave a meaningful comment on a favorite blog. Email your fellow crafter. Just to say hi:). And let's all remember that part of the beauty in everything we do and make lies in the imperfections.

24 comments:

  1. Oh what a wonderful post! Very beautifully written :) LOVE your images and your blog . .all very inspirational!
    Sammi
    xx

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  2. awww krista this is a lovely post to pop in with a cuppa and read, especially when i have a sore throat which i am making better with chocolate.... the hot tea will melt all calories....... and my craft desk is terribly messy..always!!! :)
    huge hugs Lou xxx

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  3. Krista I so envy your ability to write such meaningful posts...mine are just short and to the point....I am gonna try and work on that!
    Hugs
    Jane

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  4. After reading this post I can safely say your talent goes way beyond producing your gorgeous images and your daughter is a lucky girl to have a Mum like you;0 I only came across your blog last week for the first but I find you so fascinating!! Love and hugs from Ireland
    pinky

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  5. What a wonderful post Krista. You are such a beautiful person inside and out, and so inspiring. THANK you for this post! I struggle at times with being a perfectionist.. and I know it affects myself and my kids in a negative way. I don't mean to.. I just have an urge to have everything done just right.. and its like an itch that isn't scratched if things are not done right.
    Of course I have my moments where I lack.. sometimes I am the same exact way about the laundry.. Oh how I despise laundry! lol And yeah sometimes my desk gets cluttered after a project and I dont clean it. Its my organized chaos. lol Which is why I call myself a lazy perfectionist. haha

    Anyways, I loved this post, because I dont think I have ever thought about mistakes the way you wrote about them. It gave me a new perspective. Thank you for that. :)

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  6. Always visit your blog for the beautiful cards and images and today I just got a "little" bit more. I must admit, it sort of feels like it came at the right time (busy at work, not feeling to well, etc..) and it really was inspiring!

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  7. Krista, This is such a beautiful post..It really puts a new perspective on mistakes.. Not just with art but with life in general.. Gives me a whole new out look.. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us..
    Hugs, Linda

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  8. Love this post. How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't make any !!!
    Annette
    xx

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  9. What a great post Krista - thanks for sharing and inspiring! Jo x

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  10. Well Krista I feel so much better after reading this wonderful post...you are such an inspiring and sweet lady. Thanks for cheering me up when I have had such a rubbish day...
    Biggest huggles
    Emma
    xxx

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  11. I just wandered in here from a friend's site and I was laughing so hard at your list of imperfections because it sounded like you were talking about ME!! Good on ya for celebrating imperfections because if we don't, we can end up beating ourselves up for things that are sometimes just part of our personality and out of our control!! Love your blog!!

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  12. what a sweet post Krista, sending you a big hug x

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  13. So much truth in this post. It is only when we've seen the shadows that we can really appreciate the brightness of the sunshine. It is the mistakes that help us to grow & to learn. Thank you for all your encouragement & for teaching me to look at things quite differently. When things are hard I know that He knows. He also makes everything beautiful in its time (Ecc 3:11).
    With much love & thanks
    Paula (PEP)

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  14. OMG, thank you Krista for this. You don't know what timing this post has on me. I just made my own post earlier today about making mistakes, but never thought about me being imperfect. I'ts OK, right? THANK YOU. For being who you are, and thanks you for this post. It made my day.

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  15. Such a fabulous post Krista with so much truth in it. The girls enjoy colouring with me, and Ellie certainly has got the "mustn't go out of the lines" rule from watching me discard so many images for doing exactly that. Beth on the other hand, being that fab free spirit she is, really doesn't care, and her artwork always shows the enjoyment and pleasure she has got from it, even when it looks, well, like a dogs dinner!!!

    Thank you for remind me, all of us, the being imperfect once in a while is VERY good for the soul.
    Hugs
    Cathy xx

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  16. Wow, reading your post was like reading my own list of imperfections! Maybe it's those who manage perfection constantly who are the minority (I hope!). I discovered your artwork after tracing it from one of Lori's beautiful creations, and cannot get enough of them, so thank you for the wonderful inspiration.

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  17. I love your posts. You make me feel like it's... I don't know, just OK to be me, whoever that is. LOL Thanks for being you. :) xo

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  18. You truly are an inspiration. I needed this today. xxD

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  19. I like you!!! :o) Nuff Said! Hugs -LORi

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  20. Krista, I agree with you completely! My motto for art is: "It's just my interpretation of something...NOT a mistake!" (at least I TRY to keep that as my motto...hahaha)

    You seem to be a beautiful person inside and out, glad to have met you through this wonderful world of blogging!

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  21. I just came across your blog today as I was searching for your fabulous artwork and came across this post. Absolutely amazing post and you are so right sometimes from imperfection/mistakes we find the most beautiful things and we need to learn to just let it go :) I'm a follower & now an even bigger fan of yours!

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  22. Made my heart sing reading this post! So true, so true, some of life's mistakes and unintended paths really are our greatest triumphs! Thanks for sharing what was in your heart and for your beautiful images. They are truly, truly stunning! Mwah x

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  23. i love this entry. i think i can relate to about half of these (including crashing in the yard!!) but i think you are so wildly famous is because you aren't perfect, and people can relate to you :) it's refreshing to read about someone who's REAL! so thankful for you!
    becca

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  24. what an amazing post having just read this i immediately thought of myself and my own imperfections and frustration not being perfect or good enough and yet your so right its what we do with what we have or have done that really matters we only have one life and one go at it and why spend it with doubt fear anger frustration when you can have openneess, love understanding and more than that happiness and joy. I only found card making and blogging in April and its made me a happier calmer person more able to deal with the stresses around me and its reading posts like yours that remind me how lucky I am to get to share the experiences thoughts and lives of others to get a better persepctiv eof teh world and sometimes me .thankyou. x

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