blogging about blogging...and creating...

Since I wrote this post about remembering I've been thinking a lot about blogging. Why I do it and what I hope to gain from it especially. I've tried really hard not to worry too much about why other people blog. I think that everyone has their own reasons and they are all valid and they are all important. But what do I hope to gain from blogging?

I thought back to why I started to blog. It was simple. I wanted to share my new creative outlet: photography. Simple. I had never really had reason to blog before. But I wanted to share my new thing and I remember thinking..."I wish I'd had an outlet like this in high school." In high school I did a lot of art. My whole life I've done a lot of art. But especially in high school and early college. Other than a few student shows that I participated in I never really displayed my art. I would create it and then put it in a pile. A large pile of art was actually stolen from my art teacher’s office once. So I created something and then it was gone. That’s it. I don't even have most of the art that I made anymore.

Art is made to be shared not piled away somewhere. And by art I really mean creativity….in any form. Drawing, photography, writing, crafting, quilting, sculpting (yup tried this one once...check my parents living room for proof), painting, sewing, doodling, decorating, gardening, baking, cooking... creating... anything. Starting a blog, jump started my creative side again.

So as it turns out, I do not have time to work full-time at my job and as a photographer. It's a sad thing to admit (and it’s taken me a long time to come to grips with it) but it’s true. As this realization came to me, I felt that I didn’t have need for this blog anymore. I waned in my motivation and questioned my own motives. But as I did, I realized that I needed it more than ever. Without an outlet to pour creative energy into I struggle. I was panicking because I thought I couldn’t create any more unless I did it all the time.

Enter the purpose of the blog. To help me continue to create. To help me continue to see beauty in the world. And to share it. Even if no one is looking. At least it’s there and it’s not in a pile that can be stolen or a hard drive that can be erased.

So, I plan to write, and to draw and to photograph and decorate and quilt and cook and do whatever I want. Because I can. Because God gave me hands and eyes to do it. And I plan to put it here.

Two things for starters.

#1 Inspiration. I’ve never really posted images that inspire me here because I feel they aren’t mine to post. I do however collect them. On Pinterest or my phone or lists and lists of links. At home I hang inspiring photos and card on an inspiration board (or in my case it an inspiration line: see here. It’s a lot more full than this now but you get the point) So I’ve decided to create a virtual inspiration board. You can see it here:

My Inspiration Board

Above is a screen shot from the board. I’ll link to it in the top navigation too so you can check it out occasionally if some of things that inspire me also inspire you.  This board makes me really happy!

#2 Is a project I’ve started that I hope to post about soon. It doesn’t really have a deadline though so it may be a while. But it has inspired me to explore my creativity and I’m really enjoying it so far. More soon…

Until then, don’t mind my lags in blogging. There are good thing to come.