At the risk of sounding a bit melodramatic, I have to say that Pinterest has kind of changed my life.
Both for the good and the bad.
On the one hand, it has made it so much easier to save and to organize my online finds. You see, I was “pinteresting” a long time ago. I bookmarked websites, screen saved online pictures into Word Documents to save in an Inspiration Folder on my desktop. I even tore pages out of these things called magazines, and saved them in file folders marked Decorating, Crafts, Recipes, etc. So when Pinterest came along, it made it so much easier to actually look back at the things I was saving. Because, let’s be honest, who remembers to go digging through file folders in the cabinet for inspiration. Not me!
So that’s why I love Pinterest. Now for the hate part.
I feel like Pinterest has created this ridiculous standard of perfection. Where it used to take me a few hours of browsing online or flipping through magazines to start feeling not good enough, it now only takes me a few minutes of scrolling through my Pinterest app to get that same feeling.
I decorate a cute cake…but it’s not Pinterest-worthy.
I do a fun craft with the boys…but it’s not Pinterest-worthy.
I wear a nice outfit…but it’s not Pinterest-worthy.
I love the way my house is decorated…but it’s not Pinterest-worthy.
Somehow, Pinterest has weaseled it’s way into my level contentment and satisfaction, telling me that unless it can be beautifully staged and photographed, it doesn’t count.
But that voice is wrong. Beautiful or not. Perfect or not. The time I spend creatively and the things that my children make, those things count.
Because for me, living creatively is more about the process than the final product or photograph.
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I had a cute little Valentine planned for the boys to hand out to their church friends. Of course it was something I saw online. Of course, the boys would be required to follow my directions, leaving no room for their own creativity. Of course, my motivation was probably a little bit more “look at our cute valentines” than it was anything else.
And then I thought about it a little more and realized that the boys (and my nieces) would have a lot more fun if I just let them make their own valentines.
So we got creative and messy!
I sat out just about every art supply we have…scrapbook paper, magazines, fabric, ribbon, markers, hole punches, stamps, tape, glue…and then let them have complete creative freedom.
Their little creations may not be Pinterest-worthy, but they sure are worthy to this proud mama and aunt.
How about you? Has Pinterest affected the way that you view your creativity?
Always,
Amanda
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I’ve been pinteresting it for what seems like forever as well. I know all about those things called magazines and I have a folder of all the ideas for future houses, etc. I’m with ya, girl! My kiddos love when I get all of our craft stuff out and let them create whatever they want. I threw perfectionism out the window after baby #3. It was a long road getting there though. I do love pinterest but I love it because it’s a stepping block for my own creativity…..none of my pictures are pinterest worthy either but we have a lot more fun in the process when this momma isn’t trying to be pinterest perfect for onlookers. Great post.
“…a stepping block for my own creativity…” I like that!
Loved this post. I get so frustrated when my two year old won’t do the “pinterest-worthy” crafts…when they get torn, ripped, tossed, or trampled on. When he would rather watch a show or just color a boring coloring book… But I am reminded that if the craft is more about ME and my feelings of worth than HIS then it’s just not worth doing!!!
Exactly! I used to take my boys to weekly story time at the library until I realized that I was just doing it because I thought it made me a good mommy, while they actually disliked it and would rather just stay home and play.
I recently deactivated my Pinterest. It’s just a bunch of wanna-bes who wish they had a closet. I pin things that I read and want to come back to and encouraging things. In reality, it’s pixels. I’ve been in the discussion with some of my blogging friends through emails and it’s agreed: we’re addicted to Pinterest and we all agree that pixels have no, if little eternal value.
*sigh*
Lauralea, I agree with you that we need to see and evaluate things more by their eternal value.