Lizards in the Leaves

Rustlings in the green....imagination, art, whimsy

Sep 3, 2013

On Focus & Finishing

Just posted  the following in comments over on Coach Creative Space and just when I hit "reply" I thought, darn, that might make a good blog post - something to get me back to Lizards in the Leaves. Then I thought, hooray for 'copy and paste.'

This was a reply to a post about showing up for one's projects, staying with them to completion.

"How funny that I chose to pop in here right on the heels of my showing up for a project and seeing it through to completion. I tend to call it Focusing. But whatever it's called, giving one's self permission to do it is very rewarding. For me, it means I work nothing else but that project for the duration, except the day-to-day necessary tasks to keep my life moving.
It means I don't start anything else, no matter how many enticing ideas pop into my head as I work. It means I keep a pen and notepad beside me to write those ideas down, as well as all the 'to-dos" I think of that might lure me away. It means I regard the time spent working on my project as sacred.

My recent experience was in deciding, at virtually the last minute, to create something for a crochet design competition. I started it 8 days ago and today it's packed with all the paperwork and ready to ship off, hopefully arriving in time for the deadline 4 days from now.  Whether or not it wins anything doesn't seem so important to me right now, because I've already been rewarded.

I have the joy of finishing a project, of manifesting a creative vision.
I refined and defined for myself aspects of the technique I use in joining small motifs in a freeform manner.
I solved problems in construction. Probably the most important thing that happened for me was moving through moments when normally I would give up. Seriously, yesterday I woke up, knowing I had to complete this piece to ship today, and I felt it just wasn't working. I had a small despair about it. My commitment kept me at it.  There was a magical moment when this piece quite suddenly came together. Magical.

 I have starting points for new projects (my idea list) and a better understanding about how to show up, focus on them.

A big win cake. Any prize will be icing."

The competition is CGOA's 2013 Design Competition.  I can't post any pictures of my entry yet, but wish me luck!


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I can post a picture of a tabard I made in July (and will try to find pics to post of the finished vest I showed in process in a post below.)

This tabard was made of small tri-loom woven triangles in cotton-rich Noro Taiyo, joined and embellished with crochet - mostly slip-stitch and single.


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4 Comments:

At 9/3/13, 8:30 AM, Anonymous Meegan said...

"Focusing" is something I seriously need to learn. I have a very bad habit of starting then quitting projects or working at them so sporadically and over such a long period of time that all joy and passion for the project has evaporated. I'm taking Lisa Hoffman's course on the Art of Practice beginning this month to help break this habit. Good luck with your newest competition piece!

 
At 9/3/13, 9:07 AM, Blogger 'Zann said...

I'm going to check into that course, Meegan - sounds like something I might find very useful at this juncture!

 
At 9/5/13, 9:45 AM, Blogger jenclair said...

Love this. Beautiful and creative.

 
At 9/5/13, 10:29 AM, Blogger 'Zann said...

Thank you - and I just added your book blog to my feedly. :-)

 

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