Wish you were here… and Layers… metaphorical ones.

I am so very proud to say that this layout helped me move on to Round 3 at the Bad Girls Kit’s Top Designer Competition this week.   I am learning so much from the gals there, and it is just so much fun to try my best each week and keep my fingers crossed that I move on… I’ve already made it way past where I was cut last year, so I’m feeling good!  

We’ve also had a very exciting week at AC Bailey, as we have added our three new Design Team Members!  The lovely Leah, April, and Elisabeth will be joining the team, and I couldn’t be happier for them.  So well deserved!

So, all the excitement this week got me to thinking… and I hope you don’t mind if I get on my soap-box for just a moment (as long as it’s 12 X 12 so I can use it for storage later… ).  Having such a great week, I can’t help but be reminded of when I was on the totally opposite spectrum a year ago.  Cut the 1st week of a competition, and denied a position on a DT yet again.  Man did I feel rotten.  Like I shouldn’t even try anymore, because rejection really, really stings.  You wonder why, you wonder what you did wrong,… and then you feel silly for feeling bad, after all it’s not the end of world, and suddenly, the thing you love is something you have to make yourself feel silly about.  

Don’t ever feel silly about your feelings when it comes to your creative work.   Everyone’s is different, and what you made came from who you were right at that moment.   It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and grow a little every day, but it also doesn’t mean that you must completely change in order to get to where you wish to be (because that really feels hopeless).   Every opportunity you take is simply a chance to add another layer to who your inner artist is.  That first little spark of a creative urge that made you buy an idea book, who made that first layout with just markers and stickers… think of all the layers you have added to her already.  Your love for your hobby or your art grows around you in all directions and fills up the empty space in your life that needs it.   Layers upon layers of  life experiences that surround it, and protect it, and make you better next time. 

Along with whatever point I’m trying to make to anyone that may read this post and is feeling down,  I’m marking a spot in my creative journey on this blog of growth for myself.  It’s ok to feel bad for a little bit about any kind of rejection, it’s only natural, and even among the hooplas and the yay for yous that it was a big deal just to try, it’s hard to really take that to heart sometimes.  But you should.  My favorite college professor quoted me this when I was having issues with getting a feeling in a monologue right, and it’s stuck with me to this day.

It is only when we step outside of our comfort zone, that we will ever grow.

Feeling down is way more uncomfortable than all the prize packages and recognition that you so wanted will ever be.  So next time… next time, you will have grown so much, grown another layer - and amaze yourself.

Thank you for stopping by today, and being who you are. 

Let’s play this week… fun project coming soon.