DIY yourself

Arts and crats fairs/shows are very different if you're artsy craftsy. If you aren't, everything is pretty cool because none of it is something YOU could do! If you are artsy or craftsy, you look at people's work differently. for instance, I can walk by a booth and think, oh yeah, that's cute - and not have to stop. I already know what it took for them to create their art or craft and that I could do it too, if I wanted. But if they have something that's super cute or really creative, I want to stop and look at it. I want to try and figure out how they did that. I'm interested. Plus, I really appreciate their talent, patience, skill...etc.

I read a delightful little book once called, Steal Like An Artist. The author talks about finding your inspiration. About copying the work of the people you love until you eventually find your own style. He also says, nothing is original. Everything comes from something else. You have to start somewhere! On Instagram, you can find people who create art and things, in just about any category. Sometimes I save a screenshot of something they've done because I like the colors they used or the way they twirled the paper in a leaf.

Some artsy people or small businesses are totally transparent about what they do and/or how they do it. Others are super secretive! When I participated in the art fair a couple years ago, several people asked me if they could take a picture of something I had for sale. I always said, sure! A couple people asked me what kind of paper I used. I told them. It doesn't hurt me to share that knowledge with them. If they want to make it themselves, they should! Anyway, it always kind of surprises me when people keep their process a secret. For instance, I follow a quilling page on Instagram of a woman who makes quilled earrings. She's amazing! I like to see her art. It's not something I'm interested in doing though. Another follower asked her if her earrings were waterproof. She said, yes. And it took her many, many attempts and many, many different products to achieve the waterproof coating that she was satisfied with. Then she said, but don't ask me what it is because I won't share that with you. Do your own research and figure it out yourself. Dang. I thought that was kind of rude. I mean really, what's it going to hurt her to tell someone? Geesh.