We lost something along the way. Forgot to feed the creative spirit that made us so good at our jobs. Made us good at being ourselves. It's taking a long time to rekindle that part of us that ended up being battered and abused and run dry but I can feel it returning - can you?
Today I found this wonderful thing in my letterbox. Precisely sized to fit the upperslot, waiting for me to return from my walk and bring it inside, unpeel it from it's brown paper covering and marvel at another great idea. Impressed too by Rosie's optimism of including me on such a project when I have been less than reliable on such schemes in the past.
In case you're unaware, there is a movement afoot - well it's been underfoot for some time now. Segmented from the global return to craft, the art of altering books is where it's at, folks. And like most things: knitting, scrapbooking, rubberstamping (yes I can hear you groaning) the craft becomes commercial and every tom-dick-and-harriet buy the kits and make generic souless copies while riding the bandwagon. How many community centres are running scrapbooking classes now, selling templates and cookiecutter pages to .. no wait.. i'm being too harsh. Not everyone knows what to do and not everyone wants to do it on their own. I've been chastised for this attitude in the past - I find running with some ideas easier than some people and not everyone feels that way and needs help not my craft-snobbery.
And it's with great pleasure that I accept Rosie's generous invitation to join with her in altering a book. This hits on both our pleasure points: books, sticking, cutting, thinking and best of all - posting. Thanks Rosie - you are beyond original: being an alpha creative even though you draw bees.
There is art in craft. In the idea, in the process, in the end.
