Happy 2015 everyone!
Button Box has been a bit quiet these past few months. 2014 was a strange year, there weren’t any BIG changes or events, it was a year of quiet growth. Lots of reading and reflecting, stepping-back and resting.
One book I started reading in December was Kim Werker‘s Make It Mighty Ugly. I still haven’t finished it and I haven’t done all of the exercises but it has set in motion a change in mindset. It has left me with the thought that it doesn’t matter what I am making, so long as I am making. I am a massive perfectionist and often this leads to not doing anything for fear of it not being ‘Perfect’ (whatever that is!). Kim’s idea is that it’s OK if everything isn’t perfect and actually every now and again we should try and make something ‘Mighty Ugly’ as mighty ugly offers us creative freedom.
Reading Mighty Ugly led me to the idea of a #YearOfMaking. Kim has made a great ebook guide to getting started which you can find here. Meighan O’Toole is also committing to a year of making and has a great description for what the year will entail:
“What I love about a #YearOfMaking is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be AMAZING. It is solely the act of committing oneself to creating and being within that moment. It can be dinner. It can be a doodle. It can be learning new software. It is what you make it. Literally.” (Meighan O’Toole)
I came across #YearOfMaking on Christmas Day and decided rather than doing what I normally do and wait for a particular day and never actually get started, I decided to start straight away. Which puts me at Day 7/365 already! It actually feels quite satisfying to start New Year’s Day having already actually made some progress on a New Year’s Resolution – it’s a first!
So here’s my progress so far…
1/365 – getting started with Kim Werker’s #YearOfMaking ebook
2/565 – some English Paper Piecing (EPP) ‘hexie’ sewing. Made with my gorgeous Liberty print fabrics bought from Alice Caroline.
3/365 – embroidered felt wallet encouraging me to spend less #SpendingFast
4/365 – mini-hexies this time! Made with Liberty print fabric scraps. Being inspected by Aggie the Cocker Spaniel!
5/365 – this day almost didn’t happen I was so busy, I ended up finishing off this EPP project sat in the car, sewing by the light of the motorway lights – hence the strange ‘offspring’ sticking out the side!
6/365 – can’t show the full detail of this yet as it’s a gift and it needs to make it’s way to it’s new owner!
7/365 – some more EPP, this time done on the train on the way into London. I genuinely think EPP will be my saviour in this process as it’s a craft I can just pick up and do and it’s majorly addictive. I’m working towards creating a full king size quilt so I do need a lot of these!
So far I have really enjoyed my #YearOfMaking and the way it has made me shift my focus. I now wake and my first thought is ‘What am a making today and how will I fit that into my day?’.
Are you going to have a #YearOfMaking or maybe a #WeekOfMaking or #MonthOfMaking? I’d love to hear your story!
You can see what I’m up to over on Twitter @AmysButtonBox and Pinterest – See you there!
Amy's Button Box 