Muse 2: Evicting Perfectionism/Sweet Sixteen

MUSE #2

So, this post is about procrastination and balancing your time. Therefore, I am not putting it off and it is in two parts.

Part 1: Evicting the Perfectionist
My younger daughter turned 16 in the Spring. She went to an event right around that time with her sister and friends and some photos were taken on a patio with container gardens of flowers. She is happy and smiling and in a sunny place, and she looks so natural. I thought it captured who she is at this time of her life. I created a Sweet Sixteen scrapbook layout page around one of those photos in early summer. And put it on an easel on my work space because I liked how it was progressing. But it needed something, and I couldn't decide what it was. And then, after a few weeks, I moved the easel off my work space. I added a few silk and paper flowers, but didn't actually adhere them. It still needed something. I took it off the easel, slid it into a paper tower where it wouldn't get ruined but could remind me it was there and remind me to feel bad about not finishing it. There was still depth missing, an element to bring it together and make it cohesive. I wanted it to be exactly right for her, make it something that could be displayed by itself not just in a scrapbook. It needed another splash of color or sparkle but I was afraid of adding more bright and bling and taking it too far. It's easy to add, but removing is a far greater hassle and only sometimes works out. I felt like my Muse had spoken and then got distracted by a butterfly and never came back to complete the mission.

Really, though, my Muse had been roughly shoved aside by my Perfectionist. And now it is January and my daughter will be seventeen in a few short months. So maybe I should complete this page and show her it's important to me and stop feeling guilty, which helps no one?

One thing I learned in my brief sojourn into art school was to "step awaaaaaaay from the art". When you have your face in the project, so close there is ink or pastel on your nose, and you are tweaking and adding and touching up and muttering under your breath about the play of light and triads and rudimentary blending, then you have become too involved. Or at least I have. You can't see the forest for the trees, as they say. Stepping away, getting a cup of tea, coming back and looking at it from across the room - the changes that need to be made become glaringly obvious.  Or when something needs to be left alone because it is done, that becomes incredibly apparent.

I have used this idea in other areas of my life too. It can be applied, literally or metaphorically, to anything that is stressing you out. An argument, a moral dilemma, a scrapbook page that has been sitting on your work space for several months, a project you want to complete.

In this case I had physically stepped away but I had not mentally stepped away. I let what started as a fun and pleasant project turn into a nagging regret. Like I don't have enough of those that I have to make more. And the Perfectionist wasn't going to just let me get away with finishing it and being happy with it as is. Noooooo, she was going to make sure I remained immobilized every time I looked at the thing. The control-freak, Perfectionist, has a motto -"If you can't do it exactly right, don't do anything and let it sit as clutter until you can." But, since perfection is an unattainable state, I can't. You see the vicious cycle, right?*

Obviously, when gathering my projects for this 52 Muses challenge, this particular Muse needed to tempted back and encouraged sit down and finish with me. Perfectionist was shown the door. (And in more ways than one. This week was supposed to be a different project because it "should" been be done next. But this layout was more important and I told Perfectionist to shut up.)

Part II: The project

Here is the before:

I loved the paper when I bought it, and the "Be Yourself" emblem at the top made me think of my daughters. An ivory bookkeeping type paper with  gray flourish detail
from Authentique Paper. I layered a botanical print vellum over the right side, and it all started out well. Next, I added some details that really made it pop:

The "be yourself" plaque was printed on
the page. I cut a duplicate from a second page of the
same paper and used a foam square to lift it above
the image and give it dimension, and inked the edge. The journaling is
computer printed on card stock and the border punch is the same one used
around the photo mat, different paper.

A Prima Julie Nutting Paper Doll stamp was the
original embellishment that inspired the theme of tulle and bling.
I cut her out by hand, colored the stamp, added liquid glitter by Stickles,
ribbon, a tulle overlay on the skirt,
a silk flower and a jeweled embellishment. Then I layered
her over kraft paper embossed with a Sizzix flourish and
some more glitter, and inked it to resemble vintage paper or leather.

A lace punch border layered with
a pleated tulle edge frames the photo.
The tulle echoes the skirt on the Paper Doll.

And there I stopped. I think it was June. When I moved the layout for the umpteenth time last week I said, "this is going to get ruined it you don't put it away and then it will all end in tears". I thought about my 52 Muses and added it to the priority list - if I put it away who knows if it would ever get done? The only way to truly fix a problem like this is to take action, which is easier said then done, I know.

I gathered some items and colors I had been considering and put together a "palette". I stepped awaaaaaayyyy and thought about what I wanted to accomplish. I am all for stream of consciousness scrapbooking and play-as-you-go when I am inspired or need inspiration. But when you are really stuck, sometimes a little outline helps you get better un-stuck.

Next, I laid out the flowers and when I was happy with the placement, I took a cell phone pic of them to refer to when I adhered them. I scooped them up and started on the layer that would go below them. This was the detail that had eluded me.

A crafting instructor friend, Liz Vellali, had posted the results of Paper Doll tag class she had hosted and the punches she used for a detail - a half circle from a We R Memory Keepers Mini 8 Punch. It was an easy and elegant way to add dimension and texture to a small project. I already had the embossed kraft paper behind the doll, but a punched semi circle would give another layer of depth that I was looking for behind the flowers. I chose to pick up the green in the ribbon, which would blend with the flowers and still show up between them.

The finished layout of semi-circle and flowers,
before adhering. I ran the flowers through a Xyron X, layered and adhered them.
I added clear Stickles to the centers to match the bling elsewhere but not compete with it. I also added clear Stickles the flourish behind the emblem, to balance the glitter on the page - most of it was on the lower half.

The finished product!
I admit I am pretty happy with it, and it's DONE! It took me so long I am going to frame it for a while - why stick it away after looking at it with guilt for so long?
Now I can look at it with pride!

Below I have added a couple of detail photos. My wish for you is that this inspires you to go find a project you enjoyed and like but now lurks in the back of your mind, unfinished. Take it out into the light and do SOMETHING with it. Take 5, 15, 60 minutes to work on it. You will thank yourself.

Finished flowers, detail

Finished emblem, detail

*I would like to credit Marla Cilley, the Flylady, with first articulating the perfectionism/immobilizing theory in a way I never could. Most people think of perfectionism as constant action, but sometimes it stops you in your tracks.

Muse 1: Getting Started/Digging Out Wreath

MUSE #1

Fact: I am not a professional nor experienced wreath maker.

However, I had an idea for a cute little wreath for my door that would be a good post-Christmas and pre-Spring theme. Connecticut, as part of New England, has less snowfall than Maine and above. But we do spend a fair amount of time digging out, especially the last two years. Which led to my inspiration.

I gathered a few supplies and put them aside for a future project. And there they sat until today. So, to get this wreath out of a paper bag and into reality I put it all out on the table and then thought about how to proceed.

First, I called my Mother-In-Law, because, Fact: She is a professional and experienced wreath maker. She gave me a few tips including how to repair a crack in the Styrofoam circle of the wreath base. (Which is what happens when you leave a project untouched in a shopping bag for a month). She suggested I add glue to toothpicks and use them to connect the two sides together. 

Good as new! And now on to the steps...

Step #1: (Also a professional tip from MIL) Wrap twine or floral wire around the Styrofoam circle and tie of off each end. If, when the circle is covered, it breaks in the decorating process the twine keeps the circle from falling apart into pieces. Now I don't want to say that is a possibility with me or anything, (roll eyes here), but precaution is always advised when doing something new or fragile. And think of the frustration that is saved when a wreath is already covered in ribbon or fabric and then breaks apart mid-process. This saves you from having to start over from scratch or toss the whole thing!

Step #2: Cover the circle with fleece. I used a roll of "snow village" poly fleece similar to batting. I laid the circle down on the back of the fleece and, using pinking shears, cut a large square as if I was going to gift wrap it. Then I cut a "+" in the middle. I folded the four corners inside the circle over the foam and adhered with hot glue. Then I folded the outside corners in over the circle and adhered again with hot glue. I worked my around, tucking points of fleece over onto dabs hot glue. Then I trimmed the extra. I was not looking to make a tight fit, I wanted some play in it to look like snow drifting.

Step #3: Add sparkle. In this case, I wrapped silver star garland around the fleece covered circle. I twisted off the first end then wrapped it around the circle until I felt like I had enough on the background. I wanted it only as an embellishment in the background.

<----- This is what happens when the garland gets away from you.

Then I got it under control ----->

Step #4: Make the shovel. Take an empty toilet paper roll and cut about 1/4 off the roll. Flatten slightly. From the scrap, cut a small rectangle with another rectangle cut from the center. Paint both sides of the 2/3 of the roll and the rectangle with silver paint - I used Viva Decor Chrome. Let dry. 


Then cut an approximately 10" x 12" piece of brown card stock. (This technique not shown.) Run it through and wood grain embosser folder and machine like the Big Kick and ink it brown on the edges and to highlight the pattern. Add adhesive with a Xyron machine or tape runner, lay a piece of balsa wood, thin strip of card board or shish kebab bamboo skewer on one side for support. Fold the brown card stock in half lengthwise on the long edge, adhering it over the support. Hot glue the toilet roll curve to the bottom horizontally and the rectangle to the top as a handle. 

Step #5: Lay out the parts. I used plastic, glittered snowflake ornaments I found on sale post-holiday and moved them around to try and find the best arrangement. I glued the shovel first, since I wanted dimension with the snowflakes. Using pins and hot glue, I fixed the ornaments where I wanted them to go. 

Step#6: I added a twist of garland to the top center, after determining how I wanted it to hang. I wanted the wreath to hang so that the shovel was at a bit of an angle, like it is leaning on a wall between snowfalls. 

And the completed wreath on the inside of my front door.

52 Muses

There is a t-shirt I see on crafter friends that says "Queen of Unfinished Projects". I prided myself on NOT having a claim on that throne. I started and completed most craft projects in a timely manner and sent out hand made birthday cards at the beginning of each month on a fairly regular basis.


Then I started a craft business.

A major portion of this business was handcrafted cards and gifts, something family and friends had encouraged me to do. Online, at fairs and in local shops I displayed cards and mixed media artwork. Friends' expectations got higher and they started telling me, "I better get some amazing cards now! (Wink, wink but no, really, I mean it!)" Instead nobody got any cards! Between orders, inventory and life, and not being able to bring myself to buy a store bought card, I opted out of giving them any. I started designing custom artwork for birthdays and other events and they still sit on the drawing board or halfway begun. Paid orders? Completed and shipped on deadline. Birthday gift for my husband? Not so much.

Last year I challenged myself to doing charitable acts and surpassed my goal. While I did the acts of charity for others, I got more out of it than I put in it as far as learning, accomplishing and feeling good about what I was doing. I also had the added honor of inspiring others to do a little more in their community.

And this personal challenge has some parallels. On the surface, it looks like I am just cleaning up my to-do pile. But I am hoping I can make my family, friends and myself happy by finishing these projects and bringing them to life and into their lives. And in the process bring myself some happiness, peace and learn some life balance in the craft studio.

Why 52 Muses? Mythology tells us there were nine Muses, sister Greek goddesses who were the deities of song, poetry, arts and sciences. Muse can also be a guiding genius or to turn something over in the mind.

This truly describes my design process in it's first stage. I can be watching TV, eating dinner with my family, driving, doing housework. Each step, materials, deletions and additions, how something will work, rip it apart and start over - it is all forming in my mind's eye. Eventually, in theory, that project becomes a physical stack of paper, fabric or other materials on my craft table and then gets formed into something close to what I envisioned. Or it takes a different tangent altogether but retains an essence of the original thought. 

And there's where I have been getting stuck, getting from the mental drawing board to the actual drawing board. This challenge is to help me get unstuck. Time, organization, whatever the stumbling block, I will have to pinpoint it and resolve it on a deadline.

And I hope you would cheer me along, join me or watch to see if I have any Pinterest Fails. Please follow the blog. I look forward to seeing you!