Did you ever have a day when your ability to draw/pipe/create anything beyond a cup of coffee is just off and all you can muster is a few shameful bits of creativity that amount to just about nothing?? A day in which you wonder why you ever try to do anything in the first place? A day when you feel less than, not good enough and never gonna be good enough so WHY am I even bothering?
Although I am quite confident in myself a times, I do also have moments when my own version of self doubt rears her impeccable self and starts up with her incessant chitter chatter in my head. Through the years I have been able to keep her at bay and learned to ignore that part of my negative self, but unfortunate sometime she comes out at the most random of times flipping her perfectly coiffed hair about out and is just a snarky b*tch.
I haven’t been feeling to well as of late. This winter has reeked havoc in our household in regards to us all passing one illness along to the next like a game of toss. And one thing I know is that when I feel off either, mentally, emotionally, physically or even spiritually; an opening always presents itself and a darker version of myself walks through.
The voice of self doubt.
I have been going over old photos and old projects that I did when I first started writing this blog a little over three years ago. It’s funny that sometimes all you need is a little space and time in between where you once were to where you are to see how much you’ve grown and that is tangible evidence that has the capacity to shove that self doubt back into the darkness. I have improved in so many areas and I just wanted to show you all what happens when you keep doing something you enjoy!
This was one of my first Royal Icing ventures it was a set of Darth Vader cupcake toppers I made for a friend. I really didn’t understand consistency at that time and they came out really bobby with no real definition……can you tell??? The photo is a real gem too 😉 I didn’t understand photo composition so much then, an just took photos to record what I had done.
Fast forward a few years and with a few projects under my belt and this is what I was able to do. This is one of my all time favorite sets. Notice the correct lighting, no flash photography here! And no head on shots, everything is set o a bit off centered and angled about, which in my humble opinion is much more interesting to the eye.
Here is another newer cookie done with Royal Icing. I was able to use a stencil in this as well, something I would have never been able to do when I first started!!
Since I am already mentioning my less than stellar photography skills, which have gotten much better, I though I would include a few “Then” and ‘Now” pictures. As you will see my photography skills have definitely improved as time has gone on. This is a picture of some cupcakes I made a long, long time ago. I didn’t know much a bout anything, not that I do now, but I am also pretty sure that flash (shudder) was on. No background , boring old plain counter top. nothing to entice the eye.
Now these are photos of more recent cupcakes I have made. I’m thinking that these look about a million and four times better than the above photos. The foreground is interesting and keeps the eyes focused on the subject matter, so the eye circles the picture rather than floating off to the next interesting thing it finds.
Here are my character cupcakes…..again terrible photo, with a flash, the colors are wrong and the photo is blurry.
This is another photo done later on….still not the best, but getting much better. Color is corrected and no flash.
Getting better, at least I am adding in more visual interest.
Then…
A bit closer to now…
Here is one of my “first” cakes All piping, my hand was killing me!! An I’m sure you can notice that awesome flash photography again!!
This is one of my more updated cakes. I was able to pick up a few new techniques in the past few years!!
Sine I am mentioning all of the other counterparts of my creative side, I want to share the newest part of my journey. On this baking journey of mine I discovered a passion for creating fun printables. This was one of my first digital printable I ever made. Very simple, to the point and perfect for where I was at that time creative wise. It was also what the above Snow white cupcake was based on.
But, because I kept at it and didn’t stop because I thought everyone was so much talented then me, I was able to push past my own personal barriers and create this.
and this….
and this…..
and I can’t forget this one 🙂
Just a few of my favorites <3
As I wrote and re-read this post that voice of self doubt has withered away into the darkness it belongs in.This post is now a reminder to myself myself that the joy is in the journey and oftentimes so is the discovery. If anyone told me a few years back what I would be capable of creating. I don’t think I would have believed it.
So if you have a passion for something…keep at it as what I have learned is sometimes the passion is so great that it overshadows the initial talent, but in time they join forces and begin to collaborate in order for wonderful things to come forth!
Tell me please, where are you on your own creative journey?????
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