Today I did something I should have done twenty years ago. It took me just five minutes and has made my life easier. Why did I tackle what I thought was going to be a tough job? I was inspired by my cup list.
Continue reading Happiness is Working On Your Cup List
When I read Rachel Mankowitz’s blog post about struggling to write music for some lyrics she’d heard, I could relate. How often have I had a spark of inspiration, a desire to do something, but never managed to follow through? Even when it’s something I really care about, resistance to working on the project is always there. In fact, the more I care, the harder it is to start. Why is that?
Continue reading Getting Started: 5 Ways to Overcome Creative Resistance
Ever since March, I’ve felt like my brain isn’t working all that well. Something about the COVID-19 lockdown and the life changes that have gone with it has made it very hard for me to do things I would normally find only mildly challenging.
Continue reading Pandemic Project: Beaded Butterfly
Sometimes running with inspiration has magical results. Each step of the process is a natural extension of the last, and the vision of the end product keeps you on the right path, just doing the next thing, until suddenly, the project’s done. Sometimes doing what seems natural, however, can be a mistake, especially if that next thing is done without thought.
Continue reading Good Design Takes Thought: A Quilting Story
We need to be careful who sees our work when it’s still in process. I’ve learned this from writing and from quilting. My quilting experience is particularly surprising, because I discovered that early praise can be as harmful as early scorn.
Continue reading Unfinished Quilt: How Praise Froze My Project