June 09, 2009

Are you a 'scanner'?

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Are you a 'scanner' ? "Hmm?" you may say "what is that?" Well sometime ago I came across Barbara Sher's book 'What to do when I want to do everything' (Now called Refuse to choose) and I was amazed. For some reason I set it aside and until now never went back to it.


Well yesterday I felt drawn to check it out again and I came across Barbara's podcast on Blog Talk Radio. I listened to the one on scanners and felt like my life had finally been put into context and I was no longer a wandering soul, who liked Everything! You see I've always been someone who loves to try things and have dipped into many things and then moved on to the next. I always thought I couldn't stick with anything and saw it as a major flaw in my personality until I discovered this is not so!


'Scanners' are people who love learning and love to try many things. They stop something when it is no longer enjoyable to them. Does that sound like you?


Check out Barbara's podcast and book to learn much more, it is so freeing. I always felt like I 'had' to put myself into a box and be one thing or do one thing and if I didn't I wasn't being professional or I wouldn't be a success. Now I know different!


This issue has come up in many forms including a discussion I had with Jane about feeling like I have to paint in just one way. I was telling her how sometimes I longed to paint abstracts and other times whimsey or landscapes but didn't feel like I could for fear of coming across disordered and scattered. I told Jane how I loved her authenticity, the fact that she puts out work in response to her creative call, whether it be prim, impressionist or abstract - it is so freeing for a creative person. It is therapy in it's best form.


Since starting my business in 2004 as a craft business selling handmade stitched items, pot pourri, little gifts and hanging ornaments and then creating patterns and workshops and now moving into painting, I realise I am someone who loves to make things! It's impossible for me to just say I am a painter or a crocheter or a stitcher because I am all of those things. Going back to my Inspired post I can see I get a lot of this from my Grandma who loved creating in all kinds of ways.


So now I feel like I have been set free, free to create and put out to the world whatever God calls me to create and I am very very excited! Above you will see a little mosaic of just some of the things I love and creative things I have done in the past 5 years.


It is impossible for me to do just one thing creatively. I still very much love painting and will continue to bring you paintings every week and you may see some other cute and creative things popping up too. I hope you are excited as I am to share in my journey of a complete creative lifestyle offered to you here on this blog and at my Etsy store from now on and I also hope that you too will feel free to play and enjoy all the things that you love and that make you happy.


1. tea time, 2. Ellie in my studio, 3. Beautiful primrose, 4. angel love bookmark, 5. sweet pea seedings, 6. Crochet, 7. scented heart1, 8. osteospurnmum grown, 9. red heart cushion, 10. cupcakes, 11. creativity closeup 2, 12. Bear, 13. Sketch - Dare to Dream, 14. Ellie & Me, 15. chocolate queen greeting card, 16. blue pearl chain earrings


Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

17 comments:

julia said...

Well you know me of old, so you know this resonates with me - I think I accept that I just like doing lots of stuff and always will, whatever excites me at the time, but my frustration is not having enough hours in each day to do all the lovely things I want to do! lol

Lovely post, glad to read that you are opening up the creative channels and feeling free to express yourself however and whenever!

Love J xxx

Niki said...

That is what I was having trouble with before I read and heard Barbara's work, I couldn't accept it, I felt it was a flaw in me. I am so glad to be free of that negative thinking and know I can be myself and create what I want. Now I feel excited about my work, I was feeling quite de-flated before. Yay!

Beverley said...

Ni Niki, this sounds so much like me its scary. Just last weekend I went on a stained glass workshop and have already been reading catalogues on supplies! I paint, draw, sew, knit, photograph, write, mixed media, want to have a bigger go at clay, where does it all end? Like you I had a hugely influential Grandma who taught me to cook, sew and knit, among other things. Also what is a little strange is that I am from East Anglia as well. I was born and raised in Southwold and whenever we nip back and stay over we stay at the Premier Inn at Foxes Marina.

I shall listen to the podcast and look out for the book too. I will find the links to a couple of blogs you might like,also one of the blog owners has written a couple of books you might like. I'll get back to you.

Niki said...

Hi Beverley
How lovely to hear from you! I'd love to see the blogs and books you mention thank you! How awesome that you are also from East Anglia where are you living now?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Niki xxx

Beverley said...

Okay, its me again, the first one is this one. She hasn't updated it quite as often as she used to, but if you have some spare time and a cup of tea, go back a way and read, its very entertaining. She also makes loads of stuff LOL

http://mollychicken.blogs.com/

The next one, I have her first book, The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket, she knits, bakes, grows stuff, quilts, writes, and is fascintated by stories of women's domesticity and the roles they played. Also likes things with a vintage feel.

www.yarnstorm.blogs.com

Beverley

Niki said...

Thanks so much! I have read Jane's book it is totally beautiful and inspiring. I'll check out Molly Chicken thank you so much! Niki xxx

Little Brown Rabbit said...

I think I may be a scanner! Will go and check out her podcast!!

Little Brown Rabbit’s last blog post..Bonjour!

Niki said...

Hi Emma, let me know what you think! Niki xxx

Yvonne Temple said...

What a brilliant post. I know exactly what you mean. At times I feel that I am put in a box by people around me, especially those who are close to me, who think they know who I am, but really don't. Like you I love to try new things, get totally engrossed in them and then move onto new things. I still have core elements that I return to often. I started sewing at the age of 7 and it hasn't stopped since, i love to knit, crochet, sew, make jewellery etc... want to have a go at making glass beads, hats, silversmithing etc... the list goes on!!
Must listen to that podcast!! We just have to remember that we were created in the image of the most creative person, who obviously had a go at everything!!!!

Love Yvonne xx

Yvonne Temple’s last blog post..A brief escape..

cathie said...

WoW ~ this explains so many things....I always thought mine was attention disorder. I love learning new processes, and trying new things ~ which is why being an art teacher is such a great job. Anyway ~ This is a wonderful way to describe the creative mind.

Here's to all the scanners out there who help make this world a little more exciting, fun, and beautiful!!

cathie’s last blog post..Illustration Friday - Craving - A cup of coffee and a letter from a loved one.

Niki said...

You are so right He is awesome! xxx

Niki said...

Hi Cathie
Glad you found it helpful! Niki xxx

The Vintage Artist » Blog Archive » Hope Cottages said...

[...] « Are you a ’scanner’? [...]

Rochelle Beach said...

Hi this is a wonderful post! I needed to read this today as it is very freeing info for those of us who are creative and interested and intrigued by all sorts of arts and crafts.

Thanks for passing on this info it is the info I need to continue on my path to re-invent my cinna-minnie business....!

Just a little shy ~ a podcast — said...

[...] Scanner’s conversation [...]

Physical, Mental and Spiritual Wellness, Simply Through Walking » Refuse to Choose! said...

[...] Thanks to my Virtual Assistant  buddy Niki Jackson (who helps keep me sane and on track with all things website – bless her) I discovered the book Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams after reading Niki’s review of the book on her blog. [...]

The Vintage Artist said...

[...] Some days my painting doesn’t call me but I long to be creative. And after our conversation on ‘Are you a scanner?’ you will know that I love to do many creative [...]