Work in Progress: What Do You Want from Me?

Rarely do the best DIY ideas come from my left brain alone. Today I hit a block with my writing so I went to my backyard studio to work on my bookshelves. I made forward progress on one, whose detail is musical shelves. I was excited about how it was looking but my other shelf stood there looking rather unloved. All she wanted was to be sanded. So I did. The bookshelf seemed to let out a sigh of relief. I smiled as I heard in my mind’s ear an idea of what to do with her exterior.

I am new to the DIY/Upcycling world of taking a used and not-so-lovely piece of furniture and turning it into individualized, functional art. I like to use the upcycling concept in my small works of art – but when I found myself running out of space to put both my art supplies, my books and my works-in-progress, I knew something had to give.

I enjoyed the heck out of my first creation and I got lots of praise for it.

Now I am working on a couple bookshelves for my living room as well as just finishing up some ladder/shelves for both my home but also for art shows. I see my ladders as a moveable, unique shelf system easily transportable even if it is only me doing the moving around.

I do DIY projects because I enjoy them, but I certainly don’t feel expert at it yet.

I have discovered, though, as I get more comfortable with them they have started to “communicate” with me, as if they are letting me know what might be the best finishing touches for them. This is actually my favorite part of the process thus far.

This sort of thing has been going on in my writing for years. You know, those moments of huffing and complaining about “nothing to write about” when kablooey, my pencil gets pulled into the direction of a story screaming, pleading and begging, “Write me!”

The momentum of letting go of my preconceptions and giving the “canvas” more freedom also means I can’t wait to finish and show you (as well as other friends) what I have been working on lately.

I have a feeling by the end of the weekend you’ll have more furniture to look at, which is good, because there are other stacked up projects waiting for my attention, too.

In what ways do you give your creative projects in control of your process?

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