Creative Manifesto

Lately my biggest vice has been Ali Edwards' blog and newsletter. I've just been introduced to her world as I've been expanding my scrapbooking outlooks (in a way only the internet can provide) and I'm definitely hooked. I love the newsletters she puts together and her thoughts on things that I realize I've been struggling with.

With getting better at this art, I've found that I (as well as other friends I have in the community of scrapbooking) have had issues with finding my place, my style, and my groove if you will. I like so many eclectic things, but my layouts end up looking similar. Ali has some great points about accepting your style and that it is different from others. Plus the voice expressed in her writing is so full of support in being yourself that it's relaxing.

In the 2/7/2007 issue of her newsletter she talks about developing a creative manifesto. I think this is a down right awesome concept. It's a grand way for people (not just scrapbookers) to put their thoughts into a coherent piece and use it to work from. For me, if I can nail down specifically what I want to do with something I can build on it and usually create something I've not yet dreamed of.

Here's some of what I have so far (mine is in list format, but that's def not required. You can do it however, but for me, I think in lists with descriptions. Short bursts that I have to explain.)

• Take risks and experiment - I'm always afraid of messing something up or not doing something as well as someone else does so I tend to stick with what I already know.
• Trust yourself - I'm alwasy so unsure of my work and of my ideas. This helps me focus on what I can and can't accomplish. It also helps put mistakes into perspective.
• Do what inspires you - I'm so "behind" in scrapping that I feel like I need to get caught up all the time. Yet I've found that the pages I love hte most are the pages that I'm in the mood to work on when I work on them. It's something I really need to focus on doing. Just creating and letting myself get caught in the moment, not caught up.

That's it for the moment. Perhaps I'll build on it. I've got new LOs to post, but I'm still bringing it together. And I want to try and figure out the scanner a little better.