I cannot count how many times in my life I’ve said the words “I wish I could… Wouldn’t it be great if I just… I don’t know how to… But that will never… I can’t…” well, you get the picture. How many times have you had a dream, or just a hobby, a great idea – that you just wish you could run with? Now think about how many times you actually made an effort and put in the work to make it happen? For me? Idea count: approximately 1,438. Attempts: 2. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like those numbers.
So here I am (this is my effort for idea/passion/hobby #2), writing what I will later most likely consider a subpar blog post. But negative mindsets and gaining confidence are topics for another day… The point is that I’m here, and I’m ready to put in the work.
My vision for Say Yes to The Mess is that it will begin as an artsy blog and shop, a place for me to share with you my creations and inspire you to step outside of your own comfort zone and dive into what makes your heart sing, despite how scary and messy it may be. However, art is not the only messy thing in my life I’ve learned to “say yes” to. Marriage, parenthood, fitness, careers – they are all messy. This blog will undoubtedly evolve into a space to discuss the messiest but most beautiful challenges in life. – A place to share what we’ve learned along the way, while empowering others to embrace their own beautiful mess.
Even as a child, I knew I was born to be creative. From handprint turkeys and construction paper cards to popsicle-stick picture frames and toilet-paper roll treasures, my mother endured and encouraged it all. I’ve always had an eye for opportunity when it comes to making something out of nothing. Of course, these days we have the wonderful world of Pinterest, which makes it easy for anyone to find DIY ideas and transformation projects. While I love Pinterest just as much as the next person, I do know that I have my own creative vision which certainly deserves some credit.
I’ve dabbled in various arts & crafts projects with different mediums, textiles, styles, and so forth for many years – and mostly, I love them all! But sometimes you just have to find your thing. That one thing that clicks. I can definitely tell you that for me, it wasn’t sewing. Nevermind the tower of purposefully chosen fabrics and three sewing boxes I own. It also wasn’t watercolor, free-hand painting, woodworking or calligraphy. I had tried so many things that I enjoy, but nothing ever brought the amount of joy I wanted it to, or produced the results I had hoped for. Sure, there were probably times I gave up too easily, but regardless, I knew I it wasn’t a sustainable hobby or one that would ever amount to more if I wasn’t fully invested and enjoying myself. Enter acrylic paint pouring. I spent months stalking groups and watching YouTube videos, taking notes and telling myself how badly I wanted to try. I was nervous to “try something else” because let’s face it, no matter how many sales I find or how much stuff I donate, a new hobby means spending more money and needing more space for STUFF. Lucky for me, most of my prior experiments left me with a nice little starter set for my new adventure! Just like that, starting with what I had, I decided to dive in. I was tired of saying “I’d like to try this! This looks so great! I’ve always wanted to learn how to do this!” so I just started. And I practiced. I loved the results I was getting. Then I hated them. I tried new techniques, new paint recipes, and added a touch of patience and grace. Eventually it clicked – this is what I want to run with. I don’t want to give up easily, and I’m not getting that feeling that my hobby is turning into one more thing to stress about. Let’s keep going.
You’ll notice (as if you haven’t already) I’m long-winded and detail-oriented (I heard that phrase puts a positive spin on my habit of talking too dang much). In an effort to not scare you off before we even really get started here, I’ll go ahead and wrap this one up. I hope you’ve learned a little more about how I got started and what I hope to accomplish. I assure you there is so much more in store than what you see here, and I certainly hope you’ll stick around for the ride. Hope you like rollercoasters!