Quite a bit of blogging and making stuff to sell, whether it is jewellery, quilts, socks or jam pot covers, requires a lot of bravery by the individual who is revealing their thing.
The first time I had a wee stall at SmallBean's school summer fair I was almost sick with nerves at the thought of someone looking at what I had made, judging me. I had a bit of a blogbreak recently when someone I vaguely know was (drunkenly) mocking me and the blog. Is this a self indulgent past time or showing off? To me it is neither, just a record of Bean life and a pattern of the years.
Part of the reason I started Magic Beans was to promote my jewellery and sell a bit more but the longer I blog, the more uncomfortable I feel about doing that. So, I post about funny things the Smalls have said. Little achievements (patchwork), holidays and day to day mundaneities. (Is that a word?)
Father Christmas was very generous this year. He left a watercolour set in my stocking.
I have always thought of myself as quite a creative being but not with a paintbrush. Mrs Aplin, art teacher throughout senior school, frequently asked me to tidy up the art stock and I stopped doing art as soon as I was able to because everyone else was better then me.
Back to today, and I picked up the paints and painted. Copied. Photos from the internet. No not those sort of photos, but tits, yes. This is not sounding good...
What I am trying to say is that here is some painting that I had a go at and am now showing to everyone who is still reading. I am being brave.
WOW - why have you been hiding this? Lovely MB just lovely!
ReplyDeleteKx
Beautiful birds. Forget the comments made about blogging - I feel just like you. I write like a diary and to show my friends and family what I'm doing. Two out of three of my children have the same opinion as your acquaintance about blogging, but I just ignore them.
ReplyDeleteLong tailed tits are my very favourite birds - we call the "fluffballs on sticks" here.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wish I could tell you to just ignore the mockers, but I know exactly the feeling you describe (and I reacted the same way and clammed up online), and I know the sick feeling of doing fairs in front of people you know. So I just want to say - I love reading what you write, and I love looking at what you've created, and will keep doing so as long as you want to keep showing it all.
And let's meet up soon!
Stunning paintings! I love them. I can't leave a normal comment for some reason known only to blogger so I am replying to Val's comment so I hope you get to see it. Don't listen to the drunken mockers they don't belong to this community and will never understand why we blog. Keep on being brave! Lucy x
DeleteThey are lovely and your art teacher was obviously too stupid to see your talents.
ReplyDeleteAs for showing off things you have made, I think of it as sharing with those who are appreciative of such things. Not everyone is into the handmade look, unfortunately.
Well now, you obviously have a talent for water-colouring too. All birds instantly recognisable. Your art teacher must have been useless. Don't stop using your paints now that you have started.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why people feel that they have the right to mock the work of others?
you are a truly a bean of many talents. lovely!
ReplyDeleteAmazing how teachers can put us off stuff for many years - I hated sewing at school because of the old witch that taught it!!
ReplyDeleteRe my blog post - we all take our own area forgranted ;) I do love your home city - hoping to visit again soon.
Your tits are lovely Magic Bean :-) No really they are. Re this drunken pratt, do they blog at all? If they don't they obviously just don't get it. I love blogging, don't get to do it as much due to my RSI at the mo but love keeping a record of my life for the kids to read when they are older. I have quite a few friends and work mates read it and say they enjoy my mad ramblings so you carry on what you are doing and ignore them. PS you are brave doing stalls at fairs, oohh if only I was brave enough :-) x
ReplyDeleteHello, just popping over via Driftwood. Your paintings are lovely, you obviously have talent you can develop. I bought myself some paints about Christmas time too but have yet to try them, afriad perhaps (a bit more time would be handy too!).
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you've been put off blogging by someone's foolish remarks. I started out blogging to market my mirrors. There's absolutely no mention of them now - my blog took over and turned into a little record of bits of my life that I like to share. I expect there are some who read it who wonder why I bother, but fortunately there is enough of an online community of like minded people who do know why we do it and it's nice to be able to connect.
Rather a long first comment, I'll stop now!
Anne.
Hello! It's been a while but I had to come out of the woodwork to say how lovely your paintings are. Definitely keep going with it! Best just to ignore someone's ill judged comments. If you worry too much about what people think of you, you end up not doing anything. We know you are wonderful! x
ReplyDeleteHello, I'm de-lurking as well. I love that you can paint with water colours and they're so lovely. I wish I could. I also love bravery, and think we are not really alive unless we try bravery, it wakes us up!
ReplyDeleteAs to the moaners who have nothing nice to say - I wonder why we give them so much credence? Why they are easier to hear than the majority, who love us and love what we do?