Contests, Contentment & Confidence

Today is about encouragement! I hope that once you’ve read this, you’ll sew more, post more, wear more and enter more. Because . . .  if not now, when?!

At the beginning of May, I made a personal commitment to wear something that I had made everyday. It was my response to the wonderful challenge of the SoZo blog called Me Made May. Along with the wearing, I also committed to post a picture of myself in my makes on Instagram each day. And, that was the real challenge for me.

You see, I don’t really have a problem wearing what I’ve made. I often sew for a purpose, a class, an occasion or just because I need to relax and I love wearing what I end up with. But, posting pictures??? I HATE pictures of myself, so that just didn’t happen – hardly ever at least.

But, here was this commitment and right next to the commitment was my iPhone 7 photographer hubby who was ready to help me (make me?) follow through. So, what’s a “picture shy, doesn’t post” girl to do? Post, that’s what!

This is a fun picture. I loved this fabric, but wasn’t a fan of the top. I wore it as part of Week Three anyway and got SO many compliments, it was crazy!

There’s no canine MMM, so Rosie snuck into a few of my pictures. One must obey the terrier!

You may have been following me on Instagram, Twitter or one of the six places where I posted on Facebook each day. If you did, I am incredibly grateful to you because I learned so much about commitment and gained so much confidence from those daily posts. The comments you left were amazing! I was absolutely overwhelmed as I heard from so many who were now inspired to sew more because of my posts. And, wonder of wonders, I became content with pictures of myself and began to actually look forward to posting my smiling face online everyday.

So, TODAY, I entered a contest for the first time. With so much sewing background, you would think that entering would be routine for me. But, it was that posting a picture thing that kept me back – every time. No more, though, so look out. You’re probably going to see me all over from now on. Because why not?! If not now, when?! And, why not me?!

And, that brings me to the real point of this post. WHY NOT YOU?! What if you weren’t afraid of posting, entering contests and engaging with the rest of the sewing community? What if you had confidence and shared the joy that sewing brings to your life and it spread? What if?

Start on your own Facebook or Instagram. Post on the Sewful Life Facebook page – I would love that! Look for Facebook Sewing Groups – they’re plentiful! Then branch out to Threads Magazine’s Reader’s Closet. And, let me know what else you find, so I can jump in, too! Here are a few hints that will help:

• Smile! Seriously! It only takes a second and it will make such a difference in your picture and your outlook.
• Go outside if you can. The lighting will be so much better and you won’t have to worry about what the kids left behind you on the floor. If you can’t, you can’t. But when you can, do.
• Dress it up a little. If you’d normally wear jewelry and make up, wear it. If not, then don’t. But, both of these can go a long way in making you more comfortable with how you look. For me, this meant that I had to have earrings and lipstick on even if the rest of me wasn’t dressed up!
• I’m saying this in love. Don’t whine about your tummy, or your bust, or your rear or your short legs or, or, or. You know what I mean? We all have those areas we’re not exactly thrilled with, but that’s the point – we ALL have them. We’re all unique and we can all look fabulous, darling – no matter what we’re not pleased with. Accentuate how much you love sewing and let the rest go.

So, this is my encouragement. Picture me with a bull horn . . . step out. . . from behind the . . . sewing machine!  Grab someone with a camera or smart phone or learn to take selfies. Whatever you have to do, do it! Because you’re going to help other sewists with your posts and you’re going to make new sewing friends. And, birds will begin to sing like lovely, little sewing machines and the sun will shine in your precious, wonderful sewing spot and the world really will be a better place. All because you sew and share you and what you’re making!