Make the Mess

A big storm shredded my greenhouse the other day. The ribs of the structure are naked, plastic skin fluttering in tatters, while spades, garden gloves and seedling pots are strewn across the field. I don’t want to deal with it. But, there’s another storm coming. If I want to save what’s left, I’ve got to get in there and start cleanup.

We get like that as creatives, too. A storm of inspiration might roll through, leaving a half-constructed jumble of a project behind. Or, we have an idea, but the prospect of execution is scary, daunting. So, we fill our time with how-tos and the minutiae of making the ‘perfect’ piece and don’t even start, or don’t finish.

Try this: Start. Make a mess. Take Darleen Santore’s advice and start ugly. See where it goes.

Stay courageous.

With whimsy,

Amber