In my last post I wrote about why I think it's so important to share your ideas.
I explained how for me, it's all about teaching other people and inspiring others to create.
When you pass on what you know, especially if it's a skill or trade, not only are you helping
others by teaching them, but you are giving them the ability to learn and do something new.
After all, good ideas are meant to be shared, and I think people should inspire other people.
Book process photo: Choosing coordinating components for a project
But I also discovered - unexpectedly - a fascinating reward throughout the whole process of
writing my craft book. What was this reward? I found that as you give away what you know,
out of nowhere, completely new ideas come to you, and you discover brand new things.
The reward was, in giving, you open yourself up, and you open up your mind, to new and
different ideas. It's almost like a blossoming.
Book process photo: Choosing plate patterns for projects
As I created the projects for my book, BoHo Chic Jewelry, not only was I designing and
making the projects with my hands, I was also writing out all of the step-by-step
instructions, and at the same time writing down little notes here and there about what my
inspirations were for each project, snapping photos of each step so that the photographer
would have a reference point for what photos were important to take during the actual
photo shoot, etc. That was the work. So I began with project number one and worked my
way through; thinking, making, writing, and taking photos. Sometimes re-thinking,
re-making, and re-writing, and re-taking photos! But I was working my way through.
Book process photo: Choosing flatware patterns for projects
And then, while I worked, a wonderful thing started to happen. New ideas came.
First as a trickle. Then as a flood.
And let me clarify: these new ideas had nothing to do with the wonderful projects I had
already designed and created for BoHo Chic Jewelry. These were new, unassociated,
completely different ideas. And they wouldn't stop coming. So every so often when I would
take a break from working, I would jot the new ideas down, and set them aside.
As I gave away, I received.
I'm not sure how or why this happened. Where did these new ideas come from? And why
did they keep popping into my head when I was working on something else? I honestly
can't answer that. The closest thing I have to any kind of explanation is that maybe that is
just the nature of giving. Maybe it is universal flow. I can't explain it, but I can say, with
all honesty, that this is what I was meant to do.
(Note: the photos in this post were taken during the actual process of writing the book)
What do you think?
