Friday, April 30, 2010

Get rid of rigid thinking or Craft room make over part 1

Jodi and I need a creative fix more often than we are getting it.  We committed to getting together at least once a month to do one of the projects that we always talk about doing but never do.  As we are both on tight budgets, we decided that we would make the next few projects trash to treasure projects.   She politely didn't say anything negative as we looked through the hazardous waste area (currently serving as the craft room) for hidden treasures.    

I pulled everything out 6 months ago in hopes that I would throw away, organize, and decorate.  Lack of inspiration, time, and money dropped me into a deeper and deeper pit.  Looking at all that mess paralyzed me.  I had NO idea what to do.  My mind stubornly stuck to beautiful craft rooms I have seen.  I visualized built in shelving, hanging baskets, stained concrete, etc. etc.  I couldn't touch those knee deep piles till my dream craft room somehow actuallized.

Jodi thought enough was enough.  She saw the way the mess seeped into my head to make me feel bad and messy, even when upstairs in the "clean part."  She anounced that our first project would be to make some headway on that room.  Today she arrived with Zoe and began to fly through my room.  I tried to catch up.  It was my room after all, but she was relentless.  Without stopping to think of ideals, or even asking what I wanted, the cyclone swept things into the garbage, salvaged unused items and anounced we were using them for decoration.

My methodical cells reeled as she rushed, yet I knew that my ways had hurt me for the last 6 months.  I'd try it her way and be grateful if we could clear a  few feet of space.

When she left, four hours later, my outside trash cans were full, and the room was functional.  AMAZING.  We pulled together in that short time a miracle.  "I want you to have enough of a beautiful space that it inspires you to keep going" she said.  That's what we did.  I am just at the beginning of the craft room makeover, and I'm going to document some of my journey, but I hope never to see another before and after picture with such great differences.

We are most proud of the fact that there is NO budget for this organizing and decorating project.  0 dollars.  Everything must come from my stashes and so far has.  The current curtain is fabric waiting to be sewn into skirts for the girls, the lanterns are from my party decoration box, the pictures we created from scrapbook paper, flowers...etc.

I realized something a bit shocking.  I have rigid thinking.  My lack of flexibility has really held me in a sad place.  Yes, people have told me I'm quite rigid but I thought they were crazy, and whatever rigidity I had was a good thing.  My room isn't what I would pick if I could pick each piece, yet it still makes me happy.  I am inspired.  I now feel like cleaning and decorating everything because, after all, It doesn't have to be perfect to bless myself and my family.

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