on buying art supplies

Been thinking about buying art supplies. It seems many people spend more time buying products, or longing to buy them, then actually using the stuff they've bought. This feels so sad to me and I know that I could easily fall into that gap, too (haven't I already, a little bit?).

Things you see in craft stores or on the internet always look so fabulous on the shelves, like I could make more amazing stuff than I ever have if I buy them. But at home, they can make me intimidated and I end up not daring to use them. Sometimes it's because I'm afraid I am going to find a better use for a certain thing later, and then regret I don't have it anymore. But mostly, it's because of the money. Patterned papers and rub-ons, for example, which is what I have been most drawn to as of late, are ridiculously expensive here, and that makes me think I have to carefully plan every page or little thing before I make it.

And that just doesn't go with my way of creating. I've always been much more "just pick up whatever you have lying around, glue it somewhere, see if it fits, and if it doesn't, put something else over it". Iguess I could do this spontaneous thing with patterned paper too - I guess I should, since that way of creating is what makes me happy ... But I really don't have a lot of money, and doing that would feel like a waste of beautiful paper if I have to glue it over with something else ... The beautiful paper that I so appreciated to buy, own, and look at.

Because I really do have that side too. I drool over glossy magazines, cute colorful stationary and minimalist design as well as spontaneous, wild creations. So I love buying patterned paper. I can get really inspired by art stores and everything they have to offer, too, sometimes they make me go home and create like mad. But mostly not. Mostly there's so much to choose from that I become overwhelmed and don'ät know what to do at all. And often, too often, they make me wish I had more money to buy beautiful stuff, instead of being happy about all the things I already have.

Since when does creating art have ANYTHING to do with the amount of money spent? I started making collages from people's recycling bins, that really should say enough.

These are the two things that threaten my creativity most: Fear of what others might think of it, and being held back by thoughts like "I shouldn't be wasting this" and "this was too expensive for a page/ collage/ project that I don't know how it will turn out or if I'll like it".

I need to find ways to get through these. I have seen what I'm like when I haven't been creating for a while. And right now the obvious solution to the problem, is to not buy more products until I've used a lot more of what I have. That is what used to make me so happy! Just using what I had, finding ways to put things together, all kinds of things. They were never expensive. I need to remind myself that I don't buy stuff to keep them, but to create. Stuff does not make me happier. Creating does.

Some words of wisdom from the amazing mr. Danny Gregory:

"Splurge. Be bold, not precious. Be creative, productive, lavish, not hoarding. [...] Please do waste art materials. Use paper. Empty paint jars. Deplete pens. If it's teaching something, it's not being wasted. Don't save your supplies for a rainy day. Beautiful handmade paper is no good in the rain. Pens run in the rain. Precious bottles of ink get washed away in the downpour. Use 'em now, while the sun is shining!"

(From the Creative License by Danny Gregory)