Permission to make

Michelle Green's needlefelted dog in Handmade Happiness now £60

 When you work full time whether it's for someone else, for your own business or in bringing up children your time is so structured and in demand it's hard to give oneself 'permission to make'. There's a tussle going on and it feels like there's no time for you to do anything some might see as unnecessary.  I still feel sometimes that making things is a kind of selfish indulgence that I have to give in to and I felt that much more strongly when I was younger. Do you relate?

Now we no longer have to use our creative powers to feed and clothe and shelter ourselves we are inclined to try to ignore that urge to make because we think we don't have time to indulge it; but I think it's still very much there and to use it whether it's in a workshop with others or alone at the sewing machine or drawing in a notebook is so very satisfying. It does us good.

 Being given permission to 'make' by ourselves or by someone else is necessary to maintain our balance and  self-esteem I think. And for 'make' feel free to substitute 'play' (an instrument or just play generally), write, draw, decorate, wherever your creative spirit wants to go. You need that time for yourself. Make time to be creative in your life.

A lot of people who visit Handmade Happiness tell me they aren't creative. But I know that everyone is creative. It might come out in different ways - in cooking a nice meal or in conversation but I do believe we are all born with the need to use our creativity. Perhaps some of us have repressed that need to be creative for so long in order to serve others that now they think they don't have it. Give yourself permission to make.