We all have one. It’s lurking in the hall closet, beneath the bed, in the attic. Guiltily stashed out of sight, it taunts you every time you happen upon it…
It’s the abandoned DIY project.
Be honest y’all, we all have them. The materials you picked up for that Pinterest-inspired art project. A stack of prints that you were going to artfully hang on your wall. The pile of corks you were going to turn into coasters or some s*** that now just make you think maybe a dry January isn’t the worst idea ever. Been there, am there, this blog is called the Sampler Field Guide, so yeah… I’ll probably always be there. Why is that?
Time, money, inspiration, laziness, sure, that all be a part of the problem. However, I think there’s a common issue that is a part of many of the projects I haven’t finished: Fear.
Think about it. We all procrastinate – especially when it’s something big, and even when it’s something we’re really excited about. Why are we so afraid to create? We, we want it to be perfect. And that’s a problem. You just have to try it!
Make it work!
It might not be perfect, but you won’t learn a thing if you don’t give it a shot. Heck, it might look even better than the Instagram picture once you put your own spin on it – how do you know? On the other hand, if it fails, that’s ok too. That’s how we learn… in life, and in DIY projects. It’s also how the hashtag #pinterestfail survives. Think of the hashtags! They need you!
Forgetting about perfection can put you on a path to happily creating. Example: I had a whole bunch of white frames I’d picked up with the idea of making a wall collage of a bunch of our travel photos/tickets/maps/etc. Pretty basic, there’s tons of resources out there – but I was kind of paralysed by the worry I’d screw it up. I’d looked at the tutorials with their measurements, and examples, and even the paper templates traced from the frames (in theory you can place them on the wall and move them around). 😳
One day, I just threw up my hands and did it. I got my hubby to help me hold/place things and we just… “ished” it. We’d try a frame in one spot… and then another… and then we’d guess about the amount of space inbetween and just nailed that bad boy up.
It’s not perfect. When I took pictures today I actually straightened a few that had been sitting there crooked for months 🤷🏼♀️ But I love it. And now I don’t have a bunch of unused frames and photos abandoned in a crate. Instead they’re on my wall and make me happy. Easy.
I’m going to go take my own advice now and conquer something 🙂 Go! Make it work!
