A Little Something Every Day

Last year, instead of making New Year's resolutions I knew I wouldn't keep, I resolved to do something creative every day. I'm going to try it again this year. For years now, I noticed that I feel calmer, happier and just plain better when I'm creating something. When life gets stressful, it's even more important to do things that make yourself feel good. I'd done cross stitch, needlework and other crafts before I began to quilt and even then the link between feeling good and making things was evident.

Who wouldn't feel good about making these for a soon-to-be-born baby girl?? Right after this is when it got a lot harder to find time to be creative, LOL. The "baby" is now 17 and I can't bear to throw away her onesies I cross stitched . . . . Must have something to do with the upcoming empty-nest I'm facing.

But it gets away from you sometimes, doesn't it? I often try to remember after I finish writing a book and I'm drained and don't think I have any more good ideas in me that it takes a little self-nurturing for awhile to get going again. And I know from experience that when I stop creating,  it's even harder to be creative when I get back to it.

In order to be creative, you have to create.

Does that make sense? The key for me I've learned is that, in order to be creative,  I always  need to be making something, if not every day, then pretty often. I know all of you are thinking: "Hah! Wonder how long she can keep THAT up??"

This year my "Daily" Creative Challenge won't always be a quilt or necessarily quilting-related or maybe not even Daily.  Some days I know I won't have time for much. Today for instance, I have a headache, so there's nothing crafty going on. Some days I just plan to write something creative on the blog (Well, some people  think it's creative . . .). Some days I'll try to get creative with my camera (my family loves when I do that - "Hide, she's coming!"). Or make myself a pair of earrings or a necklace . . .

 . . . or a card out of my lovely scrapbooking paper. And get back to Dear Jane. Or those cross stitch projects I promised myself I'd do this year.  I also enjoy being creative when I cook, especially if I don't have all the ingredients called for in a recipe, LOL. A little of this, a little of that and . . . voila!

No meat in the freezer, so last night it was a Vegetable Stew. Still yum.

To me, all of these count as creative efforts and can really get the juices flowing. Before you know it, I'm looking through my fabric and getting inspired again.

For years, I never thought I was creative and used to wish that I could be as creative as some people. What I did was just play, it wasn't creativity. A musical friend opened my eyes when he told me "Of course you're creative. You admire creative people and love creative things so much - you're just scared to try." I paid attention to that and started looking for small ways to be creative myself and tried not to think or worry so much about failing at what I tried to create. Pretty soon it began to work; he was right. The more I tried to be creative, the better I got at it.

I now think creativity is something that can nurtured and developed in everyone. So if you don't think you're even a bit creative, I'll just bet you are. It seems to me that sometimes what you focus on grows. And that can be good or bad. Try changing your mental attitude to be more positive and constructive, as my husband tells me when I doubt myself. Sounds easy and cliched, and it takes practice, but it works.

I've also learned that if I don't set aside the time and commit to making a little something almost every day, I lose some of that creative urge.  So, if you delay because you think you don't have enough time, try for just 10 or 15 minutes. It's amazing how much you can get into something in a short period of time. If I make even just one little block every day, I'll have a quilt in no time at all! Lately, when I have a few minutes, I've been making a few more little nine-patch blocks from my 1 1/4" scraps for this huge quilt with small pieces that I'm going to create someday . . .  . The little blocks finish at 2 1/4".

I love making small, simple quilts because there's such an immediate satisfaction when you actually finish a project quickly.

Even simple squares can be cute.

If you're a beginning quilter, try not to be overly critical of yourself and try not to worry too much about what others may think. Not everything you create will be perfect and that's okay. It's the process and the practice that are important. Not every quilt I make is fantastic (oh no!). Sometimes I fail at color or technique. But, believe me - it's a process and a journey and you just have to keep at it. Make a little something every day.