Since I’ve started this blog, I’ve been told more times than I can count “I wish I could do that” or “I’m just not that creative.” I was lucky that growing up, my creative outlets were encouraged just as much as my education. Every new hobby I found was supported as much as the last, and I spent most of my childhood in my dad’s woodshop.
Most people aren’t as lucky as I have been. I remember struggling at sketching or painting and my dad commenting on my progress while giving me tips to help me get better. All of the support and love I was given shows now when I see a project or a new craft I want to work on. The reason I seem like I know what I’m doing and seem crafty is because I was taught from a young age how to break down projects into small manageable pieces. It’s because I was taught never to give up on something when I didn’t succeed right away. It’s because I was taught that I can have my own way of doing something and still be just as beautiful as someone else’s version.
Like I said, I’ve been lucky and wouldn’t trade my creative experiences for anything. I wish I could share my experiences with everyone so they could see crafting how I do: a release. I’ve seen way too many people give up on projects and hobbies when they aren’t good at them right away, and then compare their work with someone like me who has been creating our whole lives. Of course with years of practice, it will look like I’m a natural at knitting or paper crafts. It can look like I can create something out of nothing easily… but that’s with a good 20+ years of creative experience under my belt.
This is why I enjoy posting projects that don’t look picture perfect or didn’t turn out how I imagined. I want all of you to know that no one in the crafting community is a natural, super talented, or perfect. We are all just doing our best and using projects as an outlet for love. And I hope next time you compare your art to someone else’s, you remember that no one is perfect and there’s probably a lot of time and experience behind the work you’re seeing. 😊 As always, if you take any fun pictures or videos, tag me on Instagram @SmileMakePeopleWonder and use the hashtag #DandelionSmiles. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out on the next exciting idea.
Dandelion Smiles 