CRAFTING: NO WORSE, BUT NO BETTER EITHER

I read an article in The Atlantic this morning that really resonated.  It was entitled: "What It's Like to Get Worse at Something" by Olga Khazan.  She was writing about her challenges on the ski slopes, recalling when she used to be a good (OK, passable) skiier, then she got pretty bad at it.  It was an encouraging article; funny and also well-researched.  No, studies show that doing something over and over for 10,000 hours of practice does not make you a genius at it.  Some people just have natural talents and also "cross-training" is more beneficial than repetition.

I feel so much better about my crafting capabilities, or lack thereof. I really want to be able to create artistic things with my own two hands.  But it seems "want" and "can do" are two very different animals.  So unlike the author and her skiing, I've never been very good at crafts and I'm still not.  But this is not for lack of desire.  I do, however, lack perseverance.

A spin through my craft bins is like a history of my intentions.  

I have all many of tools for making beaded jewelry -- beads (glass, plastic, wood); elastic, string, wire, clasps, earring fittings, little tiny pliers.  I also have a book on making jewelry.  I lost interest.

I have dozens of brushes, pastels, watercolors, oils, acrylics, canvases, watercolor paper, sketch books, watercolor markers, colored pencils, blank cards/envelopes all just waiting for the Muse to speak up.  I also have books on how to draw/paint.  I painted a couple little watercolors I like; the rest, not so much.

I have colorful papers, napkins, jars of Mod Podge, little boxes and cardboard forms.  I also have a book on how to decoupage.  I created one little box I like. 

I have chalk paint and a pamphlet on how to convert old beat up tables with stained tops into vibrant and unique pieces of furniture.  I did one table.  Gray.  Ugly.

I have roving, needles, a foam pad and a book on needle felting.  My efforts look like weird blobs.

I have a sewing machine, a bunch of fabric, and a quilt I sewed years ago which is now pulling apart at the seams.   Also I tried fabric art jewelry.  Nope. 

I used to have an SLR camera but never really understood how to use it properly, even though I have books on photography.  I'm thankful for my iPhone 13 which makes my photos look pretty good in spite of me.

Most recently I was gifted a felt heart by a friend and then became inspired to become a "heartist" myself, so I went out and bought a bunch of felt.  Actually TOO much.  I had no idea how much "1/2 yard of each" would turn out to be when I stood in line at JoAnn's!  I also bought a big bag of fiber fill and some embroidery thread.  My first (and only, so far) heart looks like a 5 year old was trying to make it.  The whole enterprise was going so poorly I gave up and went back to reading my mystery novel.  (Still a cool idea -- https://www.1000hearts.com.au)

I have bins of yarn and books on crocheting.  YARN!!!  I can do yarn!!!  Well, I can create blankets and afghans of the simpliest crochet stitches that are passably OK.   I don't try to make anything that has to "fit"; it just has to lie flat.  And most of my creations are of one color with maybe a different color border.  And I like to use a fairly large hook with yarn that isn't too delicate.  I lose interest if the whole project takes too long or is too complicated.  But I do love crocheting in my own sort of mediocre way.  I used to make dozens of baby blankets to donate to a layette program for "needy" new mothers where I used to work.  Now I'm donating to Project Linus.  It's fun, relaxing, something I can do while watching TV or chatting on Zoom.  It's my craft!  I'm probably not going to get any better at it because I don't care to.

The "new me" is giving myself permission to see all these attempts and lack of follow-through not as failures but as experiments; finding appreciation for my willingness to try new things, appreciating others' more skilled efforts, and deciding to support real crafters by buying their wares without thinking the well-worn and wholly untrue phrase, "I could make that..."  

At least, that's the view from here...©

P.S.  I now have passed the craft bins on to my granddaughters who delight in all the possibilities.  They are far less self-critical than I.  And we have lots of fun on Grandma/Granddaughter Craft Days.  They always tell me I'm doing a good job!  LOL