Dialing In

I didn't write this, but wanted to share it. Found in a 2002 edition of Stamper's Sampler, Letter from the Publisher . . .

Do you live an artful life? For those who may wonder what an artful life is, I'm not sure I have the definitive answer. I only know that stamping, and the paper crafting techniques that have spun off this hobby, opened my eyes to art (or should I say opportunities for art) that surrounds me on a daily basis.

. . . I'm a firm believer that all of us can live an artful life to some extent every day; if we only set ourselves up to be receptive to the inspiration that is all around us. Whether it is finding the perfect journal to keep at our bedside, learning to photograph the right details that make our scrapbooks or art journals more interesting, appreciating the unique color palette you discovered in a picture at your local frame shop, or using (for your own crafting project) an idea you saw in a greeting card found in a small gift shop, artful ideas are everywhere all the time.

I have discovered an unexpected by-product of actively opening my mind to the art of life that surrounds me; the ability to dial in, so to speak, to a more subtle frequency in life--one that enables me to appreciate even the tiniest of treasures to be found around me. Whether it is the joy of knowing how much my mother enjoys my handwritten notes tucked inside of special stationery, realizing how beautiful the fuschia daisy in a magazine would look on a journal page, the challenge of identifying a correct color (is it crimson or poppy red?), or even appreciating the "lavender moonlight" effect of our bug-zapper on a still and quiet summer night, I have learned to find inspiration in every nook and cranny of my life.

For most of us, it's not the monumental events that make our lives worth living; it's the gathering and appreciation of a lifetime of tiny details. Maybe that's the definition of living an artful life. And maybe that's what sets stampers and paper crafters apart from others--our ability to be inspired by something we may have found in even the tiniest corner of our life.

Kellene