Permission Granted

I've mentioned a few times that I'd like to add Scripture to the walls of our home.  

I've compiled a list of many, many verses from which to choose... 18 pages, to be exact!  

I've searched the internet for inspiration examples of how to make it look classy.  My intent was to handpaint them myself.  But how?  I can certainly do calligraphy on paper.  Or at least I used to.  I haven't practiced it a lot lately, and putting it on a vertical surface, and with paint, is a whole 'nother matter, I fear.



So I've been stuck.  But I was still set on DOING. THIS. MYSELF.

This week I read Dear Young Artist (a guest post by Emily Freeman). (I usually read Emily's wise words via Chatting at the Sky, but this time she was guesting on Be Small Studios.) In her letter she said: 

Stop trying so hard to be original. It will get you stuck inside your own head and your work will become self-indulgent and self-centered.

Work instead to be generous.

After that it occurred to me that, in this case, insistence on doing things myself and doing things in a totally original way grew from an issue with control and pride.  I was at least partially motivated by the desire to say "I did that... and isn't it lovely?  Pats accepted right here."  At least in my head.

Number 1, that flies more than a bit in the face of the "More of You, Lord, and less of me" idea that I want the verses to remind us.

Meanwhile, our front entry wall is empty

Also, and probably more importantly, this insistence and my quandary of how to ''get 'er done'' meant our family is longer and longer without the benefits those verses could provide by actually being up where they could be seen.










So, I gave myself permission...

• Permission to spend money.
• Permission to buy someone else's work. 
• Permission to NOT do it all myself. 

Enter Etsy.  I've looked at things on Etsy every once in awhile, but have never made a purchase.  

Of course, I want specially chosen verses, and couldn't just go to one site and have them look all the same, like cookie cutter verses slathered around the house, so I had fun considering different styles over a couple of hours.  

In the end, I am super-excited about my choices... One metal art piece from thewordwithin, a hand-painted subway sign from CantonAntiques, and a couple of sets of vinyl decals from bwordy and astickyplace.  (I also came away with ideas for my own creations -no painting on walls required. I still have my eye on a couple more vinyls from decorexpressions, too, but am waiting until I receive the others to decided colors and my specific order.) 

I will show them to you when they're in use.  I have vague ideas about where each will land around the house, but I may adjust those plans when the pieces arrive.

Meanwhile, I'm headed to YouTube to watch videos (this one and this one) on how to install the vinyl decal type, as recommended by Amber and Sheri of BWordy.  Each of the sellers were so quick, gracious, and generous with their responses to any questions or requests.  As I feel excited about my purchases, I am also happy to give my business to such nice people.