Mumbling, or not

My 'project' isn't ready to show quite yet, so I shall mumble instead.

I've been spending a fair amount of time on the computer the past few days (having over a week of 'no-computer' tends to lead to heavy-duty withdrawal and I need to top myself up again). Anyway...several of my favourite blogs/sites have been talking about pretty much the same subject (must be a phase of the moon or something). It seems that many people are feeling a great deal of dissatisfaction with their creative lives, for various reasons. They seem to be feeling overwhelmed and not worthy. Oddly enough, they have been putting into words exactly what I seem to be feeling too. Weird. Of course their words are much better at it than what mine will be, but I need to have my two cents worth on the subject.


What consitutes being an artist anyway? Where and how does one cross the line between being a crafter and an artist? Is a crafter one who follows a strict pattern/instruction/how-to? Is an artist the one who creates strictly on their own? What do you call the person that is part-way in between...someone who works outside the 'pattern box' ? I seem to fall pretty much into the latter category, but so much want to step outside. Is it because I'm so comfortable where I am...is it fear of the unknown....or is it because I simply don't have the required talent? Am I too much of a perfectionist and crowd-follower? Do I rely too much on the opinion of my family and friends, who are mainly supportive but look askance at the few things I have managed to do that are 'outside-the-box'. Is it because I'm a child at heart and look so hard for positive strokes, forcing myself to do the expected in order to earn approval? Do I have a fear of 'wasting' perfectly good supplies on something that has a pretty good chance of being a flop? All are questions I really wish I could answer for and about myself.


On another subject --- I'm trying to force myself to actually *use* supplies I've had in my stash for ages and saving for the inevitable rainy day or a better project to come along to do them justice. It is incredibly hard! I never thought I would be having such a struggle with the concept. It's like making notes in books (gasp!). I very nearly hyper-ventilate at the very thought. 'What do you MEAN...fold down a page????!!" "You're laying that book down OPEN??!!!" ok Mary Anne, you can breathe