I found my “joy” through Dimensional Details
Several years ago I took a class through Big Picture Classes called Dimensional Details, taught by a very creative artist from Down Under, Nic Howard. This sample is what I made for the pre-class assignment, which was to take a phrase, or a creative mantra, print it out on paper, and use it as the background for a scrapbook layout.
I was really taken by a picture on the cover of the New Yorker magazine from March 29, 2010. I have always loved the combination of white, black, and red (thank you, dear Stephanie, my late stepmother, who also shared this passion), so I scanned the cover and saved it as a jpg. My problem, though, was finding a mantra. After much research, I finally came across one that seemed to fit my perspective on creativity to a “T”:
“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” – Greg Anderson, Wellness Author and Speaker
In addition to making a photo of the magazine cover, I also printed out a copy of it onto light card stock so I could cut out some of the butterflies.
I have since come to realize that for me, that quote holds more than a bit of irony: I have focused on the journey many, many, many times and had lots and lots of joy, and often very little finishing! Just ask my husband about the quilt for the bed (and pick one, either the crochet one or the fabric one). Remember that humorous saying that was everywhere several years ago: whoever dies with the most (insert your own word here, be it fabric, paper, embellishments, whatever) wins? I really didn’t want to be the poster child for that saying, but I’m afraid I’m off to more than a good start! 🙂