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Hello There and Welcome,

This week I am re-living my childhood with this very simple craft project. It is reminiscent of the tissue paper art projects that I made in grade school. You know the projects with the square pieces of tissue paper glued onto a piece of paper using a pencil and some Elmer’s glue.

I have also been re-reading a book called “The Artist Way” by Julia Cameron. It is actually a 12 week course that requires an hour or two per day and it is designed to help people, not only learn how to live more creative lives, but also the importance of allowing themselves to do so. One of her premises is that our artist within, is a child and therefore requires not only encouragement and nurturing but also protection.

It now occurs to me with some irony that I have been struggling to write this post and I have been feeling more critical than usual of my own work. I have caught myself thinking this project is too easy, silly, tacky, stupid, bad and cheap. These are definitely not protective words of encouragement. I should not tell myself these things. It is true that this project will never make the cover of Home and Garden or any other magazine. It is not going to be in Pinterests top ten prettiest Valentine’s Day Decorations or win any other accolades.

What it is…..is a decoration hanging on my mantel. A project that I enjoyed making for its soothing repetitiveness and the memories of childhood it afforded. It is something that I created with all the shortcomings and flaws of any human made thing. Some will not appreciate it. Most will not even see it. One other may be inspired by it. But at the end of the day none of that should really matter to me. I make things for the pure enjoyment of creating them and I share the things I make with the hope that it encourages others to make things. The same thing, something better, something altogether different, anything. The important thing is to create something with true intention. There is joy in the act of making things. The key is to not let our inner critic steal that joy.

And so I humbly offer you my Puffy Valentine Display DIY

Happy Upcycling,