It’s been a few weeks now since I started my social media detox. It wasn’t really planned. It sort of just happened, and I think it was really for the best. I just wanted a little break from it. So I figured a few hours off of it one day would be awesome. Hours turned into days, days turned into weeks., and I just kept on going. I suppose that’s just the way it goes sometimes, yes? So apologies for the radio silence.

Last year, I found myself pulling away from social media-ing a bit. Last year, it was more of a feeling of being jaded by it and just trying to ‘find my way,’ that I just felt like I was just going through the motions…with a lot of things. I found myself scrolling through feeds just out of habit. I was wasting time, and I wasn’t feeling excited about creating. I didn’t like it. Then something kicked me into gear, and things needed to change.

This year feels different, though, compared to last year. A little wiser, perhaps? Haha maybe.  I have more of a sense of direction that I’m heading towards, and a lot of it seems to just focus on being creative and losing myself in the process. As great as it is to have all of these outlets to share my art, there’s just been a part of me that just wants to devote a lot of time to just creating. No sharing right away. Just focusing on creating…and appreciating…and growing.

Create first. Share later. For awhile, I fell into the trap of immediately sharing my latest piece or photo. I was so busy uploading it to social media, that I just forgot about the one place that I felt should be the first place to share it on – my website. I know I’ve said it a few times before and I most certainly did not do it. Here’s hoping that I actually follow through this time.

I’ve also been tackling clearing up my work space. Clean space = Happy place. By the gods,  it’s working! The floor has been cleared and remains clear, so it’s definitely a step in the right direction. There’s still a bit of a ways to go, but baby steps. I’ve got a lot of fabric! Speaking of fabrics, I’m notorious for hanging onto scrap fabrics for ages. By ages, I mean years. I’ve been working on clearing up some of it…by making zip pouches.

Behold!

By making these, I’m clearing up small pieces of fabrics as well as small zippers that I rarely reach for. I get new things for my shop, and I make room in my work space. So, it’s win-win. These will be available in my shop shortly.

I found plenty to keep me busy and creative during my time away, but I also took some time to just step back and relax. For instance, I’ve had a growing collection of mangas and other books just piling up. It felt wonderful to finally sit down and read them and re-discover my love for reading. It’s been awhile, old friends!

Am I leaving social media completely? The short answer is no. I’d still like to hop on now and again and see fellow friends and artists growing in their respective fields as well as getting the chance to interact with fans. However, I do like what all this social media time out has done for me as an artist. I’m feeling refreshed and inspired. I’ve created some fantastic new pieces (it’s more than just zip pouches, I swear), and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you. With these new pieces comes inspiration, and I’m motivated to create some dreamy photo concepts. Perhaps my little break from the camera is coming to an end…

♥
Lee