It's time to bust out the good craft supplies

And your biggest ideas

Post-painting cleanup at my artist’s residency at Wildacres this summer.

I wasn’t planning to write a newsletter today.

I’ve been looking for ways to grapple with the moment (who isn’t?!) and the answer came from a surprising place.

I started thinking about a post I saw on Twitter (RIP) in 2020 during the height of COVID, where a crafter posted a call urging her fellow crafters to bust out the good craft supplies that they’d been saving up: Something along the lines of “Emergency: Calling all crafters! Now’s the time to use your good craft supplies!”

In other words: Things are serious, and it’s time to use all the tools and resources we’ve been saving for a rainy day or a super special project that might someday be worth our talents.

Someday is now, and the world needs our work more than ever.

So go dig out that stash of really nice craft supplies you keep saving for a project that's "worth" the expensive paint or nice yarn or fancy pen.
Now is the time to use them.

But dig through your mental inventory, your old journals, and your phone notes, too:

What ideas are you hoarding like fancy craft supplies, waiting for the day when you'll be "a good enough writer" or have enough time or whatever else?

Now is the time to take out those big, big ideas, dust them off, and take steps towards making them happen.

This is the moment where we as creatives are being called to bring our no-holds-barred, full, luscious creative spirits forward.

Even though yes, it does not feel super safe or maybe even feasible to be visible right now. Let yourself grieve, lean into your community, and rest. Your wellbeing is one of the resources you bring to this metaphorical craft night.
So rest a bit, then, in a few days or a few weeks, come join us and bring your biggest ideas, your most outlandish creations, your possibilitarian perspectives, and that nice paint and new pen.

I love you, fellow creative, and I know the world needs the exact thing you are creating, or want to: Your book, your next album, that painting you're scared to show people in case they don't like it.

Whatever it is: We need it.

Pull out your good craft supplies, and let's get to work together.