Crossing lines... Excellence over Perfection

on not being perfect.

Jasmine of quiltkisses. said she might like the look of less perfect machine quilting.
I couldn't agree more, so all the judges out there, look away now.

some quilting on "Reaching...."

It's like seeing brush strokes on old paintings,  like plaster walls with dappled paint,  like rough hewn antique furniture with some dents and signs of having been made by hand. For me, free motion quilting is better when you see the maker in the movement.

I am not a fan of a BSR...or perfection. It's too far removed from the maker's exuberance.
Perfection is just so sterile, cold, machine-made.

There is something about  texture.
 Something about the connection with a maker.

 I have always, from early childhood been in love with making things. My favorite tool is my hands. I love seeing the maker in a finished piece.
Think about it, when you see an actual Monet painting, he touched it. You see where he did. 

My friend Annie commented on my free flowers quilted into Reaching. She asked if I remembered ( in the 80's ) we were told free motion quilting lines were not to cross each other? It was a rule.

Well, here's a little story of connections.
I married in the early 90's, quit social work, moved to MD with my new husband and joined a quilt guild. I had been quilting for a long time in FL and didn't know guilds existed. The first show I entered was a little quilt called "my favorite things". I just had a good time quilting motifs, and swirls and whatever my eyes wanted to see, my heart wanted to feel.

They must not have seen the value in it, as they hung the small piece near the floor in the back.

A woman who would become my friend,  Mary,  came and found me at the show. She said she just loved the rule-breaking, line crossing quilting in my free form quilt. She and I went on to form a 20 plus year friendship that continues despite her move across the country.

Like most of my quilts, that quilt is personal and tells my story. It's the kind of quilt I like to make.  I just didn't care what was acceptable in the quilt world... my style and vision were more important to my work. All my quilts are well constructed, they lay flat, have fairly regular stitches, and I try to follow the guidelines of good design.

I believe one can achieve good workmanship in one's chosen medium, as well as being original and working from your heart. I also believe

Perfection is over rated.

  Excellence is more important than perfection.
 Guidelines are more important than rules.
Individuality should shine through. Originality gives the viewer a peek into your personality.
Any artist should strive for excellence in their chosen medium, but perfection??  nah. 

For more posts on this series of Creativity Roadblocks--Overcoming them CLICK HERE

Coping with life... prescription:sewing

My calendar: the words say,"I'm officially declaring this Mimosas and kites month"

A friend of mine came to my latest lecture. She commented later that what I talked about resonated with her and she is still thinking about it all! What a compliment, Judy. Truly the kind of connection I seek when I speak to a group.

She shared with me, that she basically  just likes to sew, nothing earth shattering, nothing original or artsy. She defined herself while listening to me. She is also a morning person (I can't relate) She makes donation quilts, which makes her tops in my book. I admire her generosity and loving spirit.
She just wants to sew.

Another friend is going through some hard life changes and dealing with loss. She says she can't seem to  think creatively at the moment, can't deal with the studio and it's "care and feeding" or focus on creating art.

It brought home the fact that so many of us cope with life by sewing. I express myself with my artwork, and these days my artwork involves fabric, but there are times I just want to sew.

 I need to sew. I feel unsettled if I don't sew each day.

I mostly do original work, and find it has become almost hard to follow a pattern . I have so much I want to express, that there are just not enough hours in the day to "make". And I'm a fast sew-er. But I also have times, and am kind of going through one now, where it's hard to go sew. However...

Even if I must drag a machine out to the family room where there is more room  to sew, or do hand sewing with hexies, I need to handle fabric. It soothes me and using color revives me.
The problem is the studio...

After months of careening from one deadline to the next, one project to another, through fabric acquisition (I'm part of  FAT =  Fabric Acquisition Team) etc, the studio is now a heap. It's in a state of disrepair. It's become an archeological dig in the making. It could be dangerous as piles may tumble over, or a person might step on a ruler or worse. My files are all over the place, ideas and hand-drawn patterns to complete. I would have started on my guild challenge today but can't locate the fabric.

A fat quarter can hide easily in a stash like mine.
Let's see... it should be near the surface... wasn't long ago it got washed...

Anyway it can be overwhelming to look at a mess even if it's your mess. And it takes space to drag stuff out in order to sort and put it away, like with like. I know how to organize and  it usually is organized. But...

 Life got in the way.

For months I have coped by pushing a stack to the side, so I could make something, Tomorrow I will do that because the leash caddy I designed and made is worn out and needs replacing. I don't remember where I filed the self-made pattern. I'll have to design it again. The eye drops and alcohol wipes are falling out of the old one so I must enter the studio, push the stacks to the left and make a new caddy. Tomorrow.

"Walks" stop for no man, and no woman with a messy studio.
Can you relate?
At least I'll be sewing.
LeeAnna

For other Creativity Roadblocks see the link over there ==>

How to get your groove back and interviews with artists

 I was initially attracted to Kim Roluti's art because of the soulfull faces looking at me. The colors are lush yet gentle at the same time. When I see an artist among 300 who's work I want to take home, I stop to see if they are also welcoming.
That was definitely the case with Kim ( Link to KimRolutiArt) I ask questions like what is your process? how do you come up with ideas? inspirations? studio? overcoming down times? I must summarize her answers as it's been a week

 Her work looks like regular paintings but they start as a sort of collage of paper and laces on canvas. She then paints over with acrylic and oil. This explains the texture and text, two components I LOVE. She is inspired by life and like me starts with a concept she wants to convey.
I was drawn to a piece where two women are together, yet looking away. It was drawn from personal experience, that I related to, and in a gesture captured the feeling of separation while together.
When asked how she deals with those times when you don't feel like working, she said she has work going in different stages, and one of them will prime the creative pump. She works through it. I liked her!!

The next artist to really catch my eye was Ashley Kriehn (link here) who's booth was titled Metallist

 

  I started our talk with the question of how she came to label herself that way as I'd never seen it done.

She was quiet and unassuming, yet very friendly and open to a chat. I was drawn in to the wonderful shape and texture of her work.
It reminded me somehow of my work, full of texture, cool graphics, and oh! The three dimensional birds so reminded me of mine done in fabric (see the post here! )
Again, she is inspired by nature and her graphic designs are inspired by microscopic images of algae ( I think) In person they are dynamic designs. She chemically etches sheets of metal with the design then shapes it into the birds.  Her family is very supportive of her artmaking,.

We all experience times where we might not feel like working. Ashley doesn't let that interrupt her process. She just goes in the studio, and starts making a component that she has made before, an element that doesn't require as much creative decision making, so her hands are going on automatic until she finds the groove again. I LOVE that.
 I do that by mindless sewing. I just start sewing something together, so my hands and mind get back into the groove, and the Muse doesn't want to be left out so she joins me in the studio. Happy creativity returns. Hilarity ensues! Creativity is never too far away, but it hides. I think this is what other creative people have described as "just do the work" For me, sometimes it's sorting fabric, clearing the studio table of components, just being in a space where I've created before.
There is a kind of kinesthetic memory of your hands.
I hope this was enjoyable, the connection between different art forms. I have interviewed at least one artist at every craft show I attend for years. I love to hear how they live the creative life, and hope you do too.
LeeAnna

Creativity Roadblocks?? Making the right choices

I don't consider getting stuck on fabric choices a creativity roadblock really. (check out more articles HERE!)    It's just part of the process of design. It stimulates creativity. But...
I'm stuck. What about the top one?? Or the following combination?

I could do this one...

I like all the fabrics and they all match the pumpkin.

They would all make a  lovely piece of art. I know from experience that most viewers would then say it's the perfect fabric for that quilt!
They didn't agonize over the choices and after something is done, we usually can't imagine it any other way.


 For instance,  when you find out a different actor turned down a part in your fave movie, you can't imagine them in it now that it's done.

I pull out so many fabrics and try them in different combinations, different proportions, different positions.
There have been times I couldn't decide and the piece became a UFO.
What about the times when you want to finish and you can't choose the right fabric for a piece?

You can ask questions like, what mood do I want this work to have? How large do I want it? How will changing the proportions effect the whole? Is there a focal point (my pumpkin) and how do the choices impact it? Does this combination help it remain the focal point? Does the really cool confetti fabric on the top picture detract from the pumpkin itself?

Some piece are just learning tools, and happen to come out good enough to hang later. But some experiments like my pumpkin come out good enough to warrant all the decisions.

Tell me if you have trouble with these kinds of things and which combo you like better. I'm open for suggestions! LeeAnna

On fear of following directions

 A friend of mine just had a realization. The discussion was about people who buy and buy supplies to make quilts/art and never use them. Ever.
Now, we all do that occasionally but some people make a science of it.

My friend realized it was more enjoyable to hunt and gather all the supplies for a project,  than to make the project. These are projects in magazines or books. She attributes this to a fear of failure.

 She made me think of this issue in a new way... first of all, that gathering thing is fun, in and of itself. It's like jazzing your imagination. And there are endorphins released during shopping, you know.

Second, of course there is the possibility of failure when you are doing what someone else did, taught, demonstrated, suggested, wrote about.

 It's only when you are doing your own thing, that there is little risk of  failure  as no one know what you were trying to achieve.  (let's not think about  the times a  finished piece doesn't come out like it did in your head, smirk)  If for some reason you don't like a finished project, you can choose to see it as another artistic learning experience, not a failure.

I'm an old dancer, and the rule was if you forgot choreography,  just keep dancing and most people wouldn't know you'd messed up. (This doesn't count if you're a guy and were supposed to catch the prima ballerina mid-leap)

Anyway, there is less chance of failure if you are doing your own thing, than when following directions, which I find increasingly hard to do anyway.Know what I mean??
LeeAnna
playing with scraps, because there is no failure in a scrap!

weekend is coming to a close

Just a little post about the weekend. I am frustrated with my current quilting project because I just can't find a satisfactory border situation. It's a tumbling block pattern, which is a bit traditional but done in a bold way. I have been furiously hand piecing it through the holidays, and wanted to just finish it.

Don't Step on this

Here's the thing, it's a good piece and I have a vision for it and I can't just "finish it" It needs to be special.
It is much bigger now, but this picture was taken while Cole was in training to KEEP OFF THE QUILT. He was fascinated by it all season. At one point, when we were off cavorting without him, he ate, yes, ate two blocks. Plastic template and all. They are bigger than they look. And they just don't look appetizing to me, but then I'm not stuck eating kibble all day.


So this weekend I took all the little bits and pieces and staked them to the design wall, auditioning fabric after fabric, combinations that rival any puzzle. There are literally endless choices for borders and I'm being driven insane! I think I have an acceptable one going, but wish you could all come see and tell me which one will be perfect. Come over... those of you in the area. Come here and help the woman who sees endless possibilities in this piece!
So this weekend, I sorted the stuff in the studio. I folded laundry mountain. I walked in the cold air. We bathed and groomed Cole, which is always a treat for all concerned. He looks like Little Richard right now, so tomorrow, Edward Scissorhands,  I will have to re trim him to look like a poodle.

 

in case it doesn't open and  you actually want to watch this, the link is click here

Other funny videos are in stored for your laughing pleasure on the side "just plain silly"

Christmas is almost all packed away, just the dishes on the storage unit dining room table to be packed and basemented. The studio is still a mess. I picked up the coolest branch today to try and sunprint but the cold weather was too daunting, but since I went through the paints and re organized them, throwing away dried ones, I am itching to paint again. The Stat project is Toulouse-lautrec so I probably should paint something. Klimt is still hanging around undone. I need to organize my entries for exhibit.
The weekend is over, all except for the Downton Abbey episode and wine drinking, (drinking word tonight is Anna, poor Anna) Cole and his Little Richard hair will have to wait for the morning.

Seriously, come help,  but call first.
LeeAnna

Comparing yourself to others-Overcome Roadblocks

comparison chart

One of the Creativity Killers is comparing your work to that of other artists. We all do it. We all hear other people doing it at exhibitions. There are a lot of opinions out there. A professional judge will hopefully make decisions based on principles of good design. A certified quilt judge makes decisions based on their criteria of a well made quilt derived from traditional guidelines. A non professional viewer makes their judgements based on personal preferences and what they like or think makes a good quilt. All of these are somewhat if not totally subjective opinions and we often take them as more valid than our own opinions.

I do lectures to groups about increasing one's creativity. We all want to be more creative and authentic in our work. We want it to reflect our personal vision. We want it to express something about us. Then when we get up our courage to show it to others, we worry about how it will be received.

Will they like it???

This fear of judgement actually paralyzes some people into never showing their work. It stops some people from making original quilts because they aren't sure of their choices. Someone else's quilt they've seen at a national show was so good, theirs would never be that good. They choose to follow a pattern instead, because for some reason, that person's vision is better than theirs because they are  published.

This is a major roadblock.

What would you create if you'd never seen these nationally shown quilts in shows, magazines, or books?
Would it be more fun if you didn't know what else was being done?  Would you try odd things because no one ever told you that wasn't done with fabric? What if your opinion counted more than other people's opinions?  What if you knew other quilt artists also felt these concerns to varying degrees? Maybe they wonder how their work will compare, but are not limited by their concerns, or have learned to overcome them.

Once again, this is a series to start a discussion, an inner dialogue between your 4 year old self who loves to create and the inner critic that compares your work to other work. From my personal interviews with artists of all media, I know we all have or have had this dialogue and come to terms with this issue in our own time.

I can only encourage you to learn what you can about techniques and design, then make art that expresses your vision. There will be people who like it and get it, and there will be people with no taste (smile)

the other side of the discussion can be read in R.. Genn's letter HERE

I'd love to visit your group, and get a chance to give my lecture on creativity. I welcome all opinions on this post, love the connections between makers, and I learn from all of you. Thanks for reading.
LeeAnna
you might enjoy other Overcoming Creativity Roadblocks-  CLICK HERE

Avalanche! Creativity Roadblocks 8

AVALANCHE!

Can we ever have too much fabric? Too many spools of thread, too many books, too many rulers? If we do have too much, are we ever willing to get rid of our supplies? I know it's possible... but I collected all that stuff because I wanted all that stuff. That stuff caries with it the promise of possibility.
I have been sewing all my life, and collecting fabric almost as long. I seldom turn down free fabric. It's hard to walk past a deal on batiks. Therefore, I am drowning in fabric at the moment. 

Can having too much stuff interrupt creativity? You'll have to ask yourself if you have organized it into a usable form. Ask yourself if you like things tidy and put behind closed doors, or if you are stimulated by seeing the raw materials scattered around you. You'll have to decide for yourself how you best work.

I know, you are reading this to get an answer, but like so much of life, the answers really do lie within. Know yourself and know what you need.  As for me, I need both hidden supplies, and scattered supplies. I like having a lot of fabric, but the care and feeding of it is time consuming and a challenge to finding just the right one for a project. It's why I like going to retreats, I only have a usable portion in front of me, and have to make do. It's what my grandmother did, she cut up old clothes and made do. She didn't have to worry about making too many choices as she used scraps. That's sewing, but when we consider the idea of creativity, it's different. We can all sew. What we want to do is come up with the Next Great Quilt.

When I make color choices, I pull out the that drawer of fabrics to choose. I don't go shopping anywhere but in the stash. I feel there must be a critical mass for supplies. Like goldilocks, it has to be just right. There has to be enough to choose from but not so much that you have no idea what you own. Only you know if there is too much and it's getting in your way, or if you need an outbuilding behind the house for storage!

This is a happy problem, isn't it?
LeeAnna
other roadblock posts CLICK HERE

Creativity Roadblocks 7 Physical limitations

The weather is definitely cooler. I know because the poodle gauge says so. He is renewed and ready to rumble. There are hints of the puppy in him lately, like the pacing around at night, bored looking for something novel to entertain him. His overflowing toy basket doesn't interest him. He wants to run and fetch and play shark with the daddy. Shark is when he locks his poodle-jaws-of-death on your arm and puts you where he wants you. We hate shark. He wants to play chase me, which is where he grabs something he's not allowed to have and runs from us, MUCH faster than any of we slow mortals, and if our interest in the game wanes he circles back and "buzzes" us, a poodle drive by where he bumps you before scampering out of reach.
He wants to play his old games, but his aging joints just do not want to play. He fell on the stairs the other night and we all panicked.
What do you do when your mind is still young, and your memory of being powerful and unstoppable feels real? In your mind you are able to kneel on the floor, or pick up heavy baskets, or crouch over a sewing machine for hours without pulling your  pin-basting muscle. In Cole's mind he is capable and we are holding him back. Unfortunately I realize my limitations now, and turn down some opportunities because of the probable repercusions.
Many of us have to cope with physical limitations and I am all for ergonomics, and setting up optimal conditions to make art. I have high tables, the sewing chair at the right height, try to remember to use the rotary cutter in a straight fashion, etc.   Many books have been written on how to set up a studio ergonomically.
There are temporary limitations and unfortunate permanent or worsening limitations. I just want to let you know, if you cope with these issues you are not alone.
I find when I am at a high pain level, just entering the studio is rejuvenating. If I manage to get lost in a project or what I call medicinal sewing, I often escape the pain for a while. Endorphins. Just like when you find an exciting pair of shoes to buy, or get an runners high. Distractions from everyday pain are good.
And can lead to art.

hope you are making something that makes you happy today,
LeeAnna

Weighing the choices creativity roadblocks 6

Do you have trouble making choices about your quilts? Does the decision making period that comes with any original design upset you? Do you think "real" artists just know what to do?

These are a few questions when deciding if decision-making is one of your roadblocks to creativity.

If you have problems making choices, is this a personality characteristic or is it isolated to your craft? I believe the source determines the solution here.

 If it's part of your personality, then allow yourself to see many or all of the choices before deciding which one to pursue. For example, if you must choose a border fabric, pull out all the possibilities from your stash, then try them out one by one, eliminating ones til you come up with the few that would work. One will seem best, many will be fine as well, maybe not the best but also fine. Acknowledge the choices, then narrow them down one by one until you reach a number that will all work if chosen. There is not always a right one.

Remember, making original work is challenging as there are no guidelines, no one has been there before to draw out a pattern for you OR able to judge you for your personal choices. If you are making your own pattern, then by definition it will be right. So there, critics!!

If you only have trouble making choices in your artwork, not in general, then maybe you don't trust your abilities as much as you trust others. Maybe you think there is a perfect choice and you just can't find it. Maybe you need to learn a new technique or skill to make the art look like it does in your mind's eye. If you dither a while, that's not only okay but preferable in some circumstances, as a perfect fabric might not be in the stores yet, or the technique you seek hasn't been mastered yet. It's okay to let a project simmer a while on the back burner.
The problem comes in to play if you never finish anything because you can't make the choices needed.

Often there just is no perfect choice, there are acceptable choices, maybe better ones, but no right one til you are content. I'd like to go one further, and say even if you finish a quilt, and look at it critically seeing what displeases you, it's okay to note the problem areas, and put it away, maybe even giving it to someone who doesn't know it isn't perfect and loves it, and learn from that piece. You won't make that mistake again, you'll come closer to your goal next time. Go ahead and quilt, there will always be more fabric, more ideas, more patterns to try, another chance to quilt it better.

I say, allow some time to weigh the choices, then just make it. Love it or learn from it.
NEXT?!
LeeAnna

Creativity Roadblocks #5 Perfectly Imperfect

uh oh          (c) lapaylor 2013

Do you strive for perfection??
There is a difference between perfection and excellence. I value a person putting themselves into a project and doing their very best.
I think chasing perfection is unnecessary and counter productive.
Perfect for who anyway?
 I either work intuitively letting the art grow as I sew, or there is a vision maybe a sketch and I see the finished quilt in my mind. Even then I am willing to let the piece change as I go, but am often really happy if it comes out looking like it did in my mind.
Mainly it's perfect if it makes me happy.
"Perfection" goes hand in hand with judgement, so if you are entering your quilts to be judged for ribbons/money they will be judged against technical perfection. Even entering your work in a local show opens it to this kind of judgement by your peers, and you might think it needs to be perfect or it will be  found lacking.
Do not confuse this game with beauty or worth.
I have seen many a beautiful antique quilt that would receive negative judges comments in today's world.
Some judging comments actually tell you how a quilt might be improved in a judged situation, but some comments seem  more about justification for prizes, not always, just sayin'. (If you're a judge, don't hold that against me, I am absolutely sure I'm not referring to any of your comments)

In striving for excellence, you do your best at a moment. You bravely make choices, learn what you need to do to make that quilt, make the effort to match and press well, and fill the quilting evenly, etc.
A person can improve their skills to the point where they automatically do technical work "perfectly" and they no longer fret over them. If you are ripping out repeatedly to make points match -that are supposed to match, then there is a class out there somewhere with your name on it. Learning is good.

Trying to be perfect might be interrupting your creativity if.....
--if you are constantly unwilling to share your quilts because you don't feel they are good enough, then perfectionism is interrupting your creativity.
---if you can't enjoy the process of experimentation in making art, perfectionism is interrupting your creativity.
--- if you never finish anything because you can't choose the perfect fabric, the perfect quilting pattern, the perfect binding corners, then perfectionism is interrupting your creativity.
---if you don't even try to make the quilt because other people are so much better at it than you are, then perfection is interrupting your creativity and your fun.

Creativity is coming up with something original, something that hasn't been done, or done that way before. It's making a new path instead of staying on the one with roadsigns. It can be exciting or scary.
How can you do that perfectly and who's to judge?

Changing perfectionistic tendencies is a process, and will take awareness and practice, but we are a patient group, we art-makers. We know how to take apart a problem, and put it back together into a solution. 

 Self judgement wastes time you could be having fun. Go have fun. (go on)
LeeAnna
you may also like CLICK HERE

Roadblocks #4 Ideas

so many choices

I imagine some of you have trouble coming up with ideas and some of you, us, have trouble narrowing down the constant flow of ideas. For me it's like I need an organizational system for my brain! It's very crowded in there!!

For those who face a roadblock in getting ideas:
Brainstorm. This is not the time for censoring, this is the time for wild and crazy possibilities. This is the time to sit down with a piece of paper and 30 minutes, the challenge rules or concept , and just get some flow.
 I choose to sketch or write out ideas in groups of 12.  These are quick, rough sketches, one leading to the next. Sometimes it's just words, thoughts, like "I want it whimsical, with lots of thread, all in reds" "what if I took a close up of a petal, showed just the veining, and only used paints" and just go for a list of 12 ideas or 30 minutes whatever comes first. I review at the end and decide if any of the ideas are worth tweaking or all evidence should be destroyed and never spoken of again.

The discussion of how to get more ideas will be for another day, such as magazines, friends, music, poems, experiments, combining ufo's, etc. 

For those of you with too many choices:
Sometimes you just feel closer to one over another. Sometimes you want to try a technique so you'll try that one. Sometimes the deadline is so close you just pick one and go with it. Keep the list for later and  there is always another chance to use your other ideas, so you aren't abandoning them.

When you choose an idea to try, start with the components that are the easiest, and just start.

 I am comfortable not knowing exactly where I am going. I have worked from a detailed sketch, but I'm not the person who draws out a pattern, as it becomes a ball-and-chain to me.
I feel free to change mid stream also.
The piece changes as it grows, and so far I usually like the finished piece.

Ideas swirl, they bloom, one comes from another, if you LET them. If you sensor them, they will be sporadic, they will go into hiding. Do not despair, they are always there in your head/ psyche/spirit.
 The muse may be silenced temporarily by your inner critic but I think if you find a way to quiet the critic, the ideas will flow. The ideas may be disorganized in your mind, so you need a filing system (idea journal)         Be like a gold-miner and let most of them flow past, but catch the gold ones and make something.

Next time, perfectionism
LeeAnna giving it to you in a sound bite, little by little

you may also like to see the other roadblock discussions CLICK HERE

Please do not disturb Creativity Roadblock #3

"Please do not disturb, I'm disturbed enough" (c) LAPaylor 2013

Today's Creativity Roadblock series continues with a discussion of interruptions.
I get so lost in thought sometimes, so focused on an idea, that when DH says something I jump!
Women multi-task well, but how does it effect your body?

This world is very distracting. One is expected to do more than one thing at once. An interesting quote from THIS ARTICLE says "Do two or more things simultaneously, and you'll do none at full capacity"

I am totally guilty of this and have been for years, and beyond that, thought it was a gift. I can't sit in front of a tv without my ipad, or a math puzzle or hand sewing. I think I am hearing it all til suddenly DH is mad at me for asking what's "going on in the story?" This ability to juggle was adaptive in my previous life as a caseworker. There were constant interruptions throughout the day, and each one was top priority and each one needed to be done first.

What if we decide making art, and the creative process is as important to us as say, answering the phone/doorbell, or folding the laundry, or watering the grass? What if we give the process, either the idea part or the production part, the time it's due? What if we schedule time for that part of ourselves that makes us a better us?

The hard part is on you now... I can't tell you how to prioritize your tasks, or how to turn off the demands of a child/dog/parent. I can tell you I am no longer at the whim of a phone ringing. I no longer feel the need to go to the door for every salesman. I often do not want the radio on when brainstorming ideas.

The tasks that have to be done, like making dinner, picking up children, going to an appt, a job, need to be done. I say, your creativity enhances your whole existence and deserves time as well, and so I encourage you to put yourself on the schedule. If you decide you are most productive in the mornings, then dedicate time each morning, or more time once a week, what ever works for you, to your process. Your mileage will vary, but put a bit of thought into how to give yourself some time to create.

My mommy friends have to schedule creative time, well creatively. The older the children are, the more you could explain to them about mommy's needs being as important as theirs. You can't ignore blood or fire, but you could remove yourself from being referee for a bit. I think it takes the decision that your needs are as important as other people's, then you won't feel guilty for taking a moment.

I do not know what interrupts your process. Is it your own thoughts that something isn't good enough? Is it the phone or checking social media? Is it another person? I can only suggest you start to notice what interrupts your art, and see if any of it can be removed as a roadblock.

LeeAnna, trying not to multi-task today
ps dh called while I was writing this, and said his plans for the day were interrupted by other demands at work.  Someone else prioritized his day for him! How annoying.... we can only control what we can.

Roadblocks to Creativity 2 (Raining with a chance of poodles)

RAINY WITH A CHANCE OF POODLES

First of all, if you can read this, thank an electrical engineer. Our internet system went down this morning, and despite being late for work and looking at impending storms all day, DH fixed it. Oh he says he knows nothing about computers, but he always saves the day. Thankful, that's me.

So let's talk about roadblocks again. It's Monday, as if that isn't a roadblock enough.

I have a long list of possible roadblocks and abandoned the one originally chosen for today to discuss weather. Yep, sometimes weather actually gets in the way of creativity. I heard someone last week say she'd start a new quilt but the weather was so wonderful, she had to be outside instead. Lots of people have a hard time staying in the studio when gardening is a possibility. Some are more productive when it's cold and snowy. Once again, you have to know your preferences,  know what turns your mojo on or off.

We hate rainy days around here. The "check poodle" light comes on and he hides in the hallway or becomes comatose.I have a similar reaction but fight against it.

I have always been depressed when the sky is cloudy and gray.  My emotions are down those days and creativity can suffer. ( people with Seasonal Affective Disorder  know what I mean)
I cope by lighting up the world! Then I turn up the sound, comedies or old musicals for me.
 I turn on all the house lights. The studio is loaded with  daylight  ( full-spectrum)  bulbs so that when I flip the switch it's daylight in there. As my eyes age, I could use even  more.
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 If I can get to the studio and  turn on the lights, my mood will lighten too,  which allows me to focus on making something. NOTE:  These are the days for  mindless sewing, since I'm creative but not on full-power.

  Those are the days I will pull out the scraps and sew, either pull out paper piecing patterns and make components to combine later or sew free form curves.

 I love what I call medicinal sewing, and teach a workshop called "from tiny scraps come great quilts", which you could check out CLICK HERE








The important questions to ask yourself  are:
> does weather effect your emotions or not  IF SO
> does weather effect your emotions (creative mojo) in a positive or a negative way?
If it's positive, and for instance you love rain, then as much as possible go with it. Plan to spend the day making art when rain is predicted.  If it's not positive...
> how will you overcome emotions to get back to your energetic creative mood?
Again, my solutions may help you or you may need different solutions, say chocolate and caffeine, rock n roll, paint by numbers, whatever.

However you cope with weather, keep making something through the low moods. It's easier to change direction than start from nothing. Even if you aren't creating something original today, make something that brightens your mood, and the muse will return. She always does eventually....
LeeAnna 

Creativity Roadblocks 1. our thoughts

 Who are you? Who, who who who?   ( from The Who) 


In my lectures on creativity I ask what roadblocks must be overcome to live a more creative life. The answers are usually the following:  work and family obligations, space or lack of it, lack of organization, injuries and illness, lack of skills, perfectionism,  lack of ideas, unable to narrow choices, and others. I'll discuss ways around these in the next few weeks.
(For a fun hour, sign me up to come to your group and lead you in creativity exercises DETAILS HERE)

 The worst  roadblock in my opinion, is telling yourself, saying the words,  you are not creative.

 It's my belief that we won't be creative as long as we believe we are not creative. Creativity  is a survival technique for life.

Do your thoughts get in your way? 

Self-limits might come from long-ago comments made by others. They become hard wired in our brains until we believe that's who we are.Surely we can throw away limiting thoughts like we do with any other rubbish. 

Personally, I am trying to quiet the inner critic in my brain, the one who says I am unable to understand the blankety-blank computer, and replace those thoughts with, "it may be a nuisance but I can learn to use the computer to suit my needs" There are a lot of creative uses for computers, after all. I can do it!

Imagine if everyone fired their inner critics, gave themselves permission to play and make mistakes, and were brave enough to be truly original!   I want to be a part of that world.

Allowing yourself to be creative is nothing new to the people reading this blog, but you know others who need to be encouraged, don't you? 

I'd love to hear not only what gets in your way but ways you've overcome blocks to your own creativity.
Hope you are making something original today.  LeeAnna