Monday, July 28, 2014

Perfectionism, Creativity, Crafting, & Bottlecap Magnets

Perfectionism is definitely something I can relate to.While it can get me doing things merely in an effort to impress others, my style of perfectionism is more likely to relentlessly compare myself to others, determine I don't "add" up, and then decide something is not worth the effort because I can't do it as well as so many others. (Graduate school was an especially tough time for me regarding this, by the way). Obviously, this is a very limiting habit to have, and I often find it competing with my desire to create. Perfectionism in fact feels to me like the enemy of creativity, of taking risk, trying new things, or doing things from the sheer love of doing them rather than out of a need for illusive perfection.

So I'm trying to feed my inner creativity and starve my perfectionism. As noted previously, I like to dabble in crafts. I'm not a craft blogger and don't intend to be. For one thing, my camera phone and photography skills are a little lacking. However, I enjoy making things, and since I have a blog AND a Pinterest account, I can share them with people just to share something that makes me happy, not in an effort to compete. Yeah, there are so many people out there so much "better" at crafting than me, but that's ok.

My current/ongoing project is bottle cap magnets, pictured below.

You may have seen various bottle cap products in stores, from magnets to key chains. You can decorate the front or the back of bottle caps (from old beer or old-fashioned soda bottles, yay for recycling!) with anything from photos to rhinestones to scrapbook paper.

The ones I make are pretty simplistic, actually, and I double the recycling effect by finding pictures that appeal to me from old magazines. You can even use old junk mail images. Then I just cut the image into a circle the size of the bottle cap, fold it slightly around the inside of the bottle cap and glue it. Craft stores carry pre-cut magnets with adhesive on one side, so I just stick that on the back and stick the magnet on the fridge. Simple, cheap, and fun!

Some of mine are a bit messier looking because I used too much glue, making the paper bubble up. For a smoother,  more professional effect, you can buy Epoxy Dots and stick them on top of your image. Or make them the cheap and easy way, like I do. :). Either way, these magnets are a fun way to personalize your fridge, and they make great gifts too.
bottle cap magnets