On getting your feet wet

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”
— Ira Glass

{Credits: Paintbrushes; Quote found via wit+delight, originally Mint}

The wise old artists

Is there anyone else that can hardly believe that Wednesday is over? This week has been absolutely zany for me!

So to keep things simple on this lovely mid-week evening, I thought I’d share a number of quotes I’ve been saving up from some very wise old artists. I love collecting things like this, because every now and again, when you need it most, re-visiting these ideas can be truly inspirational!

Bon soir!

Some of you might recognize the Van Gogh quote from when I posted it back in November. Since then, I’ve discovered the artist who created this print — did you know the type is made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny stars? More on that tomorrow!

 

{Image Credits: click through for sources}

The Word

{Image Credit: In Style; Quote Credit: Pretty Stuff}

You’re amazing. Just the way you are.

It’s true: I just quoted Bruno Mars in the post header.

And also: How is it Monday again already?

What did you all do the last two days? This weekend, I finally bought my first Christmas gift (yay!), cleaned the whole entire flat top to bottom (including a closet that previously held only junk — I was able to reclaim it as a second closet for myself. Double yay!), and even finished sending out holiday cards (triple yay! Those things had been sitting on my desk, taunting me, for weeks).

Really, I’m not too upset that Monday’s back again. This week will be filled with plenty of holiday parties, potlucks, and gift exchanges. We’re inching closer and closer to The Big Day and I, for one, am getting excited.

You know, this time of year can be filled with so much pressure, and it’s good to remind yourself of the above. And I mean both parts: that 1) you should be kind to yourself, and 2) you’re amazing. I’m the first to step up and admit that I can be extremely hard on myself (especially during the holidays, when I tend to focus so much on all the little details). But this year, I’m trying to let go a little and just relax. Strangely enough, it really helps you enjoy the season. I know. Who da thunk?

 

{Image Credit: Pinterest}

The Word

Source: Abundance

Happy Friday everyone! It’s the first weekend of December — I hope you spend it enjoying the fun and magic of the season. I’ll be braving the cold (and potential rain) to hit up the Alameda Antiques Faire on Sunday, and can’t wait to see what kind of vintage holiday decor I might discover. Anyone have any big plans this weekend?

Off to India

I got an email this morning from Anthro with a sneak preview of their upcoming May catalog. Shot all over India, the images are as colorful and vibrant and inspiring as the culture itself.

Loving the backdrop of this shot — the building is so weathered and timeless looking. And the bright pop of pink is lovely. Just wait though…it gets better!

I may need this dress in Paris.

This one too.

Even more inspiring than the clothing section of the catalog is the home decor section. The stylists were able to shoot at some breathtaking locations: