Beauty in Organization

We’ve all heard the terms form and function before. “Form” refers to the look or design of a product or system. Generally, we are drawn to beautiful forms, whatever that “beauty” means to us. “Function” refers to how a product or system actually works. Is it functional? Is it useful? Does it fulfill the job that you need it to fulfill. All of us have a mix of form and function in our homes. We have artwork or knick-knacks that serve no actual function, but their forms bring joy into our homes. We also have functional pieces like trash cans and laundry room storage that may not be particularly beautiful, but that absolutely play an important role in the function of our home.

After working with other crafters for years talking about organization, I have learned that when organizing their own creative space, most crafters lean heavily on function. We take leftover pieces from around the house and make them work for our needs. We save random cardboard boxes, and jury rig something that will effectively store the craft supplies we love. Most of us prefer to save the bulk of our budget for buying actual crafting supplies as opposed to spending money on the organization tools and systems to organize those supplies. And trust me, I completely understand that! Often times when I am looking at the cost of a new piece of furniture or bin system, I think of how many sticker books I could buy for that amount of money. (Yes, I realize I already have enough sticker books! Just a little insight into my thought process…)

However, I am here to tell you to stop making do. There is a way to combine form and function in your craft space. And, it is so important to find both form and function, because when you are able to marry the two ideas in your craft space, your creativity, desire to create, and inspiration will go through the roof. Organization, especially in a creative space, goes way beyond just finding a place where everything fits! It is about carefully considering how you like to work and create. It is about having functional storage that works together as a system, as opposed to one-off solutions for individual items. It is about evaluating the “real-estate” that you are allotting different supplies in your room and determining if it is time for a shake-up in placement. It is about going deeper than just making all your things fit into a particular cabinet, but creating a system that draws you in to your supplies, showing them off and reminding you of what you have and why you bought them in the first place.

I am not telling you that you shouldn’t be using the “leftover” furniture from other parts of the house or that you must go out and buy a whole new system of storage bins or bags to organize your supplies. But, what I am encouraging you to do is to take a little time to reflect on both form and function in your space. If you are feeling uninspired, how can you add a little more “form” to your space to inspire your creativity. If you can’t seem to find any of your supplies, perhaps you leaned a little too much on the “pretty” and it is time to re-evaluate the functionality of your systems. Your creative space, whether it is a closet, a dining room table, or an entire room, deserves to be thought-out and inviting!

Just a few thoughts and reflections to kick off your weekend! I hope you all have time to create (and perhaps organize!) this weekend.

Keep it creative,

Elisa, The Scrappy Wife

A Little Life Update…

Hello! Long time, no blogging for me 🙂 The summer sure did take me through a whirlwind of activities and events. My family was super busy getting to enjoy a full summer, and while it was tricky to navigate work and family life, I am so thankful for the time at home with my kids. My blog certainly went on the back burner, but of course there was still a ton of new content going up on YouTube. If you haven’t checked out my channel lately, you certainly are going to want to stop by!

Towards to end of August, my three kids headed back to school, and I got to work on moving my craft studio from an upstairs bedroom to our finished basement. I have been planning my dream craft studio in our basement for quite some time, and I can’t believe that it is finally coming together! It is truly a dream come true, and I can’t wait to show you a full tour. For now, here is a little sneak peek at the building process (Shout-out to my husband for helping me so much!)

The other big change that happened over the summer is the growth of my Patreon page. We have quite the growing community over there, and I am so thankful for each and every person that has joined over the past 9 months. As Patreon has grown, I am enjoying dedicating more time over on that page. I feel like it is such a great opportunity for me to connect on a more personal level with other amazing crafters, planners, and journalers out there. The community over there is amazing. I simply love the support and encouragement everyone is sharing.

Each month, I have chosen a different theme for my patrons that we focus on throughout the month. So far we have covered Organization, Christmas in July, Planner Peace, and Stash-Busting. I am SUPER excited to announce that our focus for the month of October will be faith journaling. Centered around the theme of hope, I will be announcing a scripture every Monday, along with a supply or technique challenge. Wednesdays during the month will be a livestream where I journal the weekly verse and patrons will have an opportunity to journal along with me. On Fridays we will share our faith entries and then I’ll hopefully be able to share some of the entries on my instagram account. It’s going to be a great month! If you haven’t check out my Patreon page yet, I highly encourage you to go see if there is a tier that is right for you.

Other than all the work related activities, my little family has been busy as ever. My daughter continues to participate in travel soccer and also made her school track team this fall! My twin boys are involved in gymnastics, baseball, running, and Cub Scouts. On the weekends in the fall, you can generally find me judging at marching band competitions and shuttling children to any number of activities. Time is flying by, and I am doing my best to enjoy all of these busy moments!

My hope is to return to my blog this fall, so please let me know if you have any specific topics you would like for me to cover. Thank you all for your love and support…you are the best!

Keep it creative,

-The Scrappy Wife

Get Out of Your Craft Space!

I love my craft room so much. It is organized in almost every way. It is both inspiring and calming. Everything I need to create anything I want is right at my finger tips. No matter what state of disarray your craft area might be in, I am willing to bet that you still love it. How could you not?!? You set it up yourself, it’s your personal little corner of the world, and it is where you get to go be creative.

However, I am here to tell you to get out of your craft space. And I am not saying get out and go to the craft store! It’s time to take a break from your craft desk, craft corner, or craft room. While our spaces can inspire us, they can also really limit us as well. We can get so caught up with being in our own creative world, that we forget that there is a huge wide world outside those walls as well! We feel safe in our creative compound, and while we might not have a huge influx of new ideas coming, we also don’t have to deal with all the difficulties that the outside world presents us.

I am as guilty of this as anybody! I spend most of my weekdays in my craft room, plugging away at videos, editing, organizing, you name it. I love that space!!! As gorgeous as my room is with its bright colors and big window, it still isn’t the same as getting out of that space. There is so much beauty and joy to be found by literally just moving myself outside. When I change locations, I automatically change the inspiration that is coming at me. I hear new sounds and smell new smells. Not to mention all of the colors, images, and ideas that come at me. Simply changing my location makes me feel like a new person! This has been one of my recent strategies for dealing with a creative block.

I create something nearly every single day. Whether for a video, for a project, for Patreon, or for my personal use, I am always making something. I hold the belief that creativity is like a muscle and that the more you use it, the stronger it gets. But, just like a muscle you are working, it can reach a “maxed out” stage. When you are exercising and you reach muscle failure, it is time to stop and let your body rest and recover. You are meant to stretch, drink water, eat protein, and do anything else except that exercise. Once your muscles recover, you can continue to work on strengthening them.

The same goes for creativity! When you have reached the point of creative burnout, you have to stop, rest, relax, stretch, and replenish. I have found myself getting stuck in the rest stage though, because I was “resting” in my craft space. While I wasn’t creating anything, I also wasn’t stretching myself, or replenishing my creative bucket. I wasn’t taking in anything new, so how did I expect new things were going to come out of me? It seems pretty counterproductive, but as an introvert, I did find comfort in staying cozied up in my craft room, even when I figured out that it was limiting my creativity somewhat. It can be hard to step out of our comfort zones, but our creativity is always calling us to do just that! Creativity never wants to be contained. It always wants to grow, evolve, and stretch.

So, what should we do when we leave our craft spaces and brave the outside? Well, start with just sitting in the outside world! Go on a nature walk, sit on your patio, and take in all the sights and sounds that happen in the spring. And don’t feel like you can’t bring a little crafting with you! I often bring a journal or a planner and a few supplies with me to just sit outside and soak in the sunshine a bit. Need more of a stretch? Head out to a museum or go see a new movie. Better yet, look up some creative classes in your area. The more different it is from your normal crafting, the better! Expose yourself to new ideas and try new techniques. When you stretch your creativity, it will inevitably grow!

I hope that you love your creative space so much that you never want to leave. And then, I hope you leave it every now and then. Don’t forget…distance makes the heart grow fonder!💕

Keep it creative,

Elisa, The Scrappy Wife

Did you know that I have a Patreon page? There is all kinds of extra, fun perks happening over there! Be sure to check it out at http://www.patreon.com/scrappywife 💕

The Heart of Faith Journaling

There are so many reasons people get into faith journaling or Bible journaling. They may want to join a group at their church to meet people. There is the possibility that they were a crafter previously in their life and they just want to reconnect with their creative side. Perhaps they saw some pictures or tutorials online and they are intrigued by the concept. Maybe they really want to study their Bible, but honestly find typical Bible study methods boring, but are afraid to admit that. Maybe they are hoping to be a part of an online community they see growing by leaps and bounds. All of these are valid reasons to get started in creating faith art.

But, in the end, the only way that faith journaling will really grab hold of you is when you see how it adds meaning and depth to your faith journey. I was very skeptical of Bible journaling when I first encountered it. If I am being honest, it seemed a little shallow to me at first. “Decorating” your Bible seemed like a waste of time and resources, and I had absolutely no concept of how it was connected to Bible study. However, I am a creative person, and while I was skeptical, I was also drawn to the practice of faith journaling. I was a tired mom that had every desire to spend time in her Bible and to dig deeper, but always had trouble getting past the surface facts. So I gave it a try.

Bible journaling allows me to slow down my very busy brain. I am constantly thinking of a to-do list and the logistics of my family’s hectic day. It is hard for me to sit still ever, because I am much more of an active person. When I would sit down to just study my Bible, I would definitely read, but would also simultaneously be making a grocery list or counting down the minutes until the kids woke up. Bible journaling changed that for me. Somehow, when my hands got busy creating art, my mind quieted down. Actual space was created in my brain to allow God to speak to me, to meditate on His words and His will. I felt like I could have conversations with Him in a way that I was never able to before.

So yes, Bible journaling is a lot of fun. I love all the pretty supplies and gorgeous illustrations that I get to use when I am working in my faith journal. But, it is so much more! It has deepened my faith journey in a way that I could never have anticipated. Sure, I’ve encountered a TON of amazing people with this hobby, but most importantly I’ve opened up myself to conversations with God. I’ve processed and retained scripture in a whole new way. It has changed me.

I know Bible journaling can feel a bit intimidating to jump into, and as someone that has done it for over 5 years now, I feel like I have learned a lot to help others get started. I am passionate about connecting creativity and faith! That is why I have created a brand new course over at Scrappy University called “Worship in the Word”. It is a guide to creative faith journaling, taking you step by step from concept to creating. I explain all the basic ideas behind Bible journaling, the options that are out there, and even walk you through creating your first entry. We dive into the heart behind Bible journaling as well as supplies, techniques, and journaling options. It is a wonderful course that I am super excited about!

Included in the course are instructional videos, tutorials, printable note pages, and decorative printables that will help you immediately in your faith journaling. There is ample opportunity to post questions and get feedback on the whole process. Need help with something specific? Post about it and I can create a new tutorial in the lesson library to help you out!

I hope you will take an opportunity to check out this new course. And, to help with a little extra encouragement, I would love for you to bring a friend along! The cost of the course is $15, but if you purchase at the $20 levelthe-scrappy-wife.teachable.com/p/worship-in-the-word-creative-bible-journaling, you will receive a coupon code for a friend to enroll in the course for free! Then the two of you can embark on this journey together!

Please let me know if you have any questions at all….hope you see you in the course soon!

Keep it creative,

The Scrappy Wife

What to do with completed projects

I make a lot of projects. Like A LOT of projects. They run the gamut from scrapbooks and faith-based projects, to old planners, traveler’s notebooks, mini-albums and cards. I really do get so much enjoyment from each finished project, but they can really pile up quickly. I used to always imagine that my kids would one day sit around and lovingly flip through all my old things and remember how creative and crafty their mom was. But, it has recently hit me that if I leave them 100 boxes full of projects to “flip-through”, they are much more likely to just toss them out.

I am frequently asked about how I store the projects I complete, and I can honestly say that I keep them all….for a little while. The truth is that no matter how precious they are to us, they will never be quite as important to someone else. No, I don’t think my kids are just going to trash the things I created once I am gone. I think they will lovingly treasure them, but only a few of them. They absolutely do not need every devotional I’ve ever worked through or every journal I’ve ever written in. They need a few, a collection perhaps, of some of my favorites. Because you don’t need every single piece that you created in order to pass down the stories that matter. They will remember me as crafty and creative. They will love having a couple of Bibles that I added journaling to or even a few scrapbooks that I created for them. However, I want them to treasure up their own memories, not just have to store mine!

It is with this mindset that I began cleaning out my project shelf last week. I keep a shelf in the hallway near the craft room that stores my recently completed projects. It was crammed full and overflowing, and honestly stressed me out to walk out and see it. So, it was time to go through each item and decide if I was going to save it or toss it. Yup, you read that right. Sometimes I just toss it. Donating or gifting is a fabulous choice, but not always the appropriate one for devotionals that I have written personal prayers in, or traveler’s notebooks that have my family pictures. I bought containers from Target and began sorting through all the projects on the shelf, and it was quite the collection.

When I was ready to let go of a project, I did take time to flip through it one last time and appreciate all the joy that had gone into creating it. The most important part of the process for me has always been the actual process over the finished product. I create all kinds of things simply because the act of creating brings me joy, not because I think they are valuable for anyone else. And that’s okay! You are allowed to create things just for fun, not always for gifts or to create a family heirloom or anything. Enjoy the process, acknowledge the joy, and then let go of the clutter.

It isn’t always easy letting go. I have not been able to part with any of the journaling Bibles that I have worked in yet. I already have quite a few, but I just feel a little uncomfortable discarding them. I will probably have to work up to that as I continue to Bible journal, but I know that when the space is desperately needed, I will make some hard choices. It is much easier for me to let go of my private journals, because they definitely served a purpose in their season, but I don’t really have a desire for others to go back and read the things I wrote. With scrapbooks and family pictures, I keep some and toss others, generally depending on the season and the stories included. The choices aren’t always easy, but I am put at ease with knowing that the ones I am keeping can be truly treasured.

This is your official permission slip to start letting go of the clutter of old projects. Bask in the memories and then say goodbye to the materials. You will feel lighter and even more free for new creations! I know I do!

Keep it creative,

The Scrappy Wife

Cleaning for Creativity

It’s a gray day here in the Northern Virginia area, and honestly, it’s okay with me because I am feeling a little gray on the inside. I’ve been a creative person for as long as I can remember, and have always loved channeling that energy in my craft space. But, in the last week or so, I just haven’t felt the spark. I have felt a little stagnant. Not that I can’t create, just not feeling especially motivated to do so. It almost feels like my space is closing in on me a bit, looking too familiar, too filled, too overflowing. And that feeling was not just in my craft room, but in the rest of my house.

Creating is my job, so it can be really difficult for me to take a break from it. The way being a content creator works is that if you are not producing new content on a regular basis, you simply don’t get income. But, the trouble is, creativity does not always come on demand! Despite all of that though, I have been taking time away from creating in search of a new “spark” of sorts. My go-to inspiration has always been to clean and reorganize my craft space, but I will be honest, my craft space is pretty well optimized and orderly! I spent some time reflecting on how I could create a little more space for my mind to be open to creativity again, and then I think I stumbled on the solution.

I am a busy mother, wife, volunteer, and small business owner, and my time is filled to the brim with all those things. As a result, my house is also filled to the brim with all those things. When you walk into my house, you aren’t necessarily overwhelmed by “stuff”, but open any cabinet or drawer and you will see what I am talking about. After COVID, the sudden shift back to our busy lives really created some organization problems throughout our house. I brushed it off by telling myself it was fine and that most families function this way. And, it is true, it was fine and a lot of families function just fine with an overflowing house. I know myself though. I had to be honest and realize that my cluttered house was also taking up space in my brain.

I am someone that is most definitely Type-A. I do not unwind easily. I like a to-do list, and I don’t really give myself permission to relax if that to-do list is left undone. I am definitely working on giving myself more grace and making time for rest, but that is an evolving process! In order to clear up space in my head for creativity to flourish, I knew I needed to clear up space in my house…not just in my craft room. I began in my daughter’s room, directly across from my creative space. She is at the age where she wants to keep all the things. Filled with soccer gear, lego, art projects, and stuffed animals, it stressed me out to just walk by her room. I started helping her go through her things, choose what she really loves, and install a few systems that will help her enjoy her space more.

Next up was the twins room. When you are fitting two 8 year old boys in one room, it gets very crowded fast. I quickly realized that I had never finished changing out their last round of clothes as they were growing out of them. Their interests have also grown a lot in the past year, so I needed to help them move out old “babyish” items and make room for a growing book collection and more complicated lego sets. I now love walking by their room and peeking in to see just how functional it is. I can tell they love it too, because I have not had to prompt them to make their beds at all since I cleaned out their room. They are loving their space and wanting to keep it nice!

The cleaning project has grown from there. I’ve done the primary bedroom and both upstairs baths. I’ve moved to the kitchen and front hallway closet, and will slowly work my way to the basement. I am saving the basement for last because as I clean it out and organize it, I will also be prepping it to be turned into a brand new creative space for myself. So far, I’ve donated 12 trash bags full of items to a local charity and have probably thrown out 12 bags of trash that had just accumulated around the house. I’ve invested in a few bins and baskets that really fit the spaces properly and function well for my families needs. It certainly isn’t transforming overnight, but I can start to see the light at the end of this cleaning/organizing tunnel.

All of this to say that cleaning out and organizing my entire house is starting to help me breathe a little easier. My mind is loosening up a bit, and I feel like I can better focus on tasks at hand. I still haven’t quite recaptured the creative spark, but I know it will come. I can feel it getting closer as my brain now has more room to relax and my family has more room to function. There are all kinds of ways to work through a creative slump. Some are quick solutions and others take a bit more time. Give yourself some time to reflect and try to find your way out of the slump. Give yourself a little grace and a lot of love. And if it takes reorganizing your house to free up a little mental space, well I am right there with you!

Keep it creative,

The Scrappy Wife

Junk Journal Ambitions

Can we talk about junk journals for a minute? I am secretly obsessing over junk journals recently, but I just have so many questions! What constitutes a junk journal? What types of things would I use a junk journal for? Do you only use vintage pieces or do you add more modern pieces as well? As I dove into a little bit of junk journal research, I did begin to find some answers that are giving me a little more confidence to dive into this type of project…

What is a junk journal?

A junk journal is a handmade book full of recycled and found materials and ephemera. The biggest appeal of a junk journal is its eclectic feel…no two are the same! Because they are made from recycled pieces, they are eco-friendly and sustainable which is another big plus. Also, they give vintage pieces of paper, books, and mementos a second life, a second chance to be treasured and enjoyed. Junk journals come in all shapes and sizes, which is another big appeal because that adds to their possible uses.

What types of things go into a junk journal?

The sky is the limit! In general, paper pieces for a junk journal are found or recycled. This adds to their sustainability and intrigue. But, you do not have to limit yourself to only vintage pieces. You can grab for anything and everything in your creative space when you are putting together a junk journal. I’ve even seen one that was made entirely out of junk mail received over a month…what a fabulous idea instead of throwing the junk out with the trash. Many junk journals will have themes centered around a color scheme, holiday, season, or sentiment. In this vein, it may be helpful to collect and sort pieces for several junk journals at once. Not just paper, either! Consider saving cardboard, chipboard, fabric, trim, even plastic pieces. Let your imagination focus less on the actual material and more on the color and artistic intrigue of each piece.

What do I use a junk journal for?

It turns out that you can use a junk journal for ANYTHING! I have seen a lot of people who like to use them as a diary of sorts, writing out what happened in their days or just using it as a place to write out thoughts and feelings. They can also serve as beautiful mini-albums and scrapbooks full of photos and keepsakes to preserve all kinds of memories. I also thought it would be a great place to put inspiring quotes or Bible verses. A junk journal would be a wonderful addition to a coffee table display. Because it tends to be so intricate and “hands on” it is a great piece to serve as a conversation starter with guests. Truthfully, it could also be the quirkiest, most personalized planner ever. Your creativity is the limit.

How do I make a junk journal?

It turns out that there are also all kinds of ways to create your own junk journal as well. From my research, it looks like a popular way is to use a book binding kit, gather materials and a cover and sew the whole thing together. That seemed intimidating to me at first, but truthfully the book binding kits are very self-explanatory, so it isn’t too difficult. I’ve tried my hand at repurposing a vintage book before, and I am a HUGE fan of that process. You simply rip every third page out of the book to create space to add in new paper pieces and found papers. It is pretty simple and fun, and since it already has a cover, it comes together pretty quickly. If you are nervous about creating an actual book, you could always make a junk journal ring. For this you just need a large binder ring, a whole punch, and all of the fun paper pieces you have gathered. Punch a hole in your paper pieces and run the ring through and you are ready to go!

I would love to hear if you have created a junk journal before and what your experience was like. What have you used them for in the past? It is definitely a project that I am wanting to get into for 2022!

Keep it creative,

-The Scrappy Wife

Setting Creative Goals in the New Year

Happy 2022! It has certainly been a while since I have been over here on the blog. December was a crazy month, and with 12 inches of snow to kick off January, 2022 has already been pretty eventful around here. I am hoping and praying that all of you had a wonderful holiday season and that you were able to stay safe, healthy, and happy. I know the holidays can be a bit complicated for many, but hopefully the joy of the season found its way onto your doorstep!

As we begin a new year, we can’t help but turn our attention to our intentions and goals. While not everyone likes to set resolutions, it is only natural to take a look at our life at certain waypoints like the new year, birthdays, moves, or in the midst of other changes in our lives. Personally, I am a very goal oriented person that thrives on setting up new goals and habits to help myself continue to grow and mature as a person. Some of the goals are simple, like remembering to floss daily or tidying up the refrigerator. Other goals that I set are lofty and far reaching, but I love to dream of the path that may just help me to reach one of my bigger goals.

Our creativity is a part of our life that deserves goals just as much as other areas like health and finances. Creativity is tied so deeply to our well-being and our ability to process the world around us, I feel like it may even be MORE important to set goals in this arena. We never want our creative spirits to grow cold, or to go ignored completely. While creative goals sometimes may feel trivial or “extra”, they absolutely deserve to be addressed, tracked, and monitored. If that seems a little too “left-brained” for such a “right-brain” activity like creativity, don’t worry! No, you can’t force creativity. You can’t force inspiration. But, you certainly can nurture it, encourage it, and create an environment not only around you, but also in your head, that invites creativity to take up camp and grow!

As you begin to set creative goals for this new year, keep in mind that you do want to align them with being a “SMART” goal. In case you never heard this acronym before, “SMART” stands for: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Any goal that we set for ourselves is more likely to be successful if we make sure we have outlined how our goals aligns with each of the principles.

For instance, let’s take a common goal, which is getting our craft space in order. You’ll want to be more specific than just saying, “I want to clean out my craft room”. How much do you plan on cleaning out of your craft room? Are you reorganizing the whole thing or just destashing? Are you planning on redecorating the room or just doing a good clean out? Being specific helps you focus in on what your desired outcome is. Instead of “I want to clean out my craft room”, you may want to state that “I want to destash my craft supplies to create more space for crafting”.

Next is making sure the goal is measurable. How much do you want to decrease your stash by? Are you hitting all areas of your craft space or just trouble areas? Set some parameters! Perhaps, “I want to destash my craft supplies and reduce them by 25% to create more space for crafting and creativity.”

The next part is a little harder to judge. Is your goal attainable? I was just talking to my daughter about this element today. She would like to set aside time to practice soccer on her own in the new year. Her initial goal was to practice soccer every day for an hour. While I respected her enthusiasm, I asked her if that was really an attainable or doable goal. Probably not! Instead, she decided that practicing on her own 2 to 3 times a week, outside of normal practice, was a much more attainable goal. I agreed! As you are setting your creative goals, what is going to be attainable for you? I’m not saying the goal needs to be easy, it certainly needs to stretch you. But, it does need to be within your view!

Next is relevance! This is really talking about your “why” behind your goal. No need to spend time decluttering and organizing your craft space if you are perfectly happy with how it is functioning in the present! You need to have a why behind your goal, or you are quite likely to lose steam and drop off in the first month or two. Define your why. Write it down. Read it all the time!

And the last element of a SMART goal is that it is time bound. This can look like two different things. One might be a deadline to complete the goal. For instance, maybe you have visitors coming in the month of March, and you intend to have your craft space in order by the time they arrive. You could also look at the time-bound element in a different way. Perhaps you are planning to dedicate a specific amount of time to a project each week. It doesn’t matter how far you get in that time, but you are setting aside the time to work. That would look more like dedicating one hour every weekend to destashing and organizing your space. Set a timer and get to work.

It may seem like a drag to take your beautiful creative goals and hash them out in this way, but I promise it is going to make a huge difference in your ability to achieve those goals. Just because we are creative does not mean we can’t be focused and get things done. Creativity and inspiration thrive when they are invited into our lives in this way!

I’d love to hear about some of your creative goals for this year! Let me know what you are planning on focusing on in the comments below!

Keep it creative,

-The Scrappy Wife

Making Mistakes

There are a lot of reasons that people watch my YouTube channel. Often times, they are new to Bible journaling and tend to stumble across one of my videos. Sometimes they like my voice or they are a fan of the length of my projects. They might be a big fan of using all the colors like I do, or maybe they like playing with different types of journaling. But, probably the most mentioned reason that people watch my YouTube videos is because I often share the mistakes that I make when I am crafting. This surprised me!

We all make mistakes, all day long. I make parenting mistakes, cooking mistakes (all of the time!), schedule mistakes, and most definitely crafting mistakes. In fact, if you aren’t making mistakes, you are most likely not growing in many areas of your life. One of my daughter’s teachers always says, “Mistakes are where the learning goes”, and I think that is such a beautiful truth to hold on to. I used to be afraid of sharing my mistakes on Instagram or YouTube. I was afraid that if I showed myself messing up a project that people might realize that I am an imposter. I was afraid that people would see me as just another typical crafter, nothing special, no reason to watch.

But, do you want to know the truth? I am just another typical crafter. I make mistakes ALL the time in my crafting. I am not sure that you can even venture into art journaling if you are not willing to make mistakes. Truthfully, art journaling probably helped me get over my fear of mistakes more than any other craft I have tried. Art takes on a life of its own. Even in those projects where you are trying to follow step by step directions, you can’t help but add a little of your own flare…it’s only natural! But, with any flare, comes a little spark that might ignite a fire. A fire that could turn your project on its head. But, that is half the fun!

Sometimes, the mistakes come when I am just hurrying or when I am distracted by other thoughts. I appreciate those times as well. Crafting is a sort of therapy for me, so it is not uncommon for me to be lost in thought while I am creating a project. And, if that causes me to document on the wrong page of my planner or do a Bible journal entry in the wrong book of the Bible, so be it. The heart was always there even if my brain checked out for a few minutes.

Once I was a few months into my YouTube journey, I began to realize that people were not looking for some “perfect” crafter to watch online. Honestly, there are so many more creatives on YouTube that are much more artistically talented or more creative than I am. But, I enjoy watching people that I can relate to. And, I think others feel the same ways. Sharing our mistakes with the world is presenting a more authentic view of ourselves with the world. With the rise of social media, we are all searching for a bit more authenticity. The other thing I learned is when I share the mistakes I make, I also get to share how I over come those mistakes. It often just takes a tweak or two for a mistake to turn into a wonderful creative opportunity! There are certainly times when mistakes run so deep in a project that I have to scrap it and start over, but there are lessons to be learned in those times as well. Mistakes are truly where the learning goes!

Why am I sharing all of this? To continue to encourage you to not get down on yourself when you make mistakes in your art or in your crafting. They happen to the best of us. You don’t have to share them with thousands of people online, but you also don’t have to keep them a secret. Be authentic, bring them out of the dark, and overcome them! You might just find someone that really connects with that authentic version of you!

Keep it creative,

-The Scrappy Wife