Doodlebugheart: being imperfect sucks. (or does it?)

Struggle struggle struggle. Seems like I'm struggling all day long. Why? To be perfect, of course. I want to be perfect. The job/presentation/art/book has to be *perfect*. My hair/bed/outfit/home/car/bag has to be *perfect*. And the funny thing? It never is. Hello, Frustration, my name is Emily.

So with the wise, guiding help of Brene Brown and her book, "The Gift of Imperfection",

I'm taking a good look at my imperfections and my constant (annoying) strive for perfection. I'm learning to live with -- and enjoy! -- being imperfect. For example:

   *I did a "cleanse" and included all my daily doses of chocolate, blue corn chips, cheese, and coffee. Easiest cleanse I've ever done.
   *We recently moved and I'm embracing the imperfections of not having great furniture, enough furniture, or the right color furniture. or curtains. or rugs. I'm loving the space and ease of our "beach house".
   *The previously blogged-about blocks I gifted to my partner Deborah were silly lessons in imperfections. She loves them - and me - warts and all.

And then I heard from a few friendly clients how much they love Doodlebugheart's Basic Bug Craft Box, but they just can't seem to start work on it because it's too white and clean (read: too "perfect") and knew something had to be done! Come along with me as I discover making my own imperfect 'Bug Box. Maybe you'll get some ideas of your own.

: The Doodlebugheart Basic Bug Craft Kit, as it begins. Pretty!

Below is the box with peach-colored gesso on it -- this is special gesso I scored from the Gorgeous Suzy Foy at Lisa Sonora Beam's Gorgeous Genius Workshop in Puerta Vallarta! (btw, gesso is simply a fancy name for primer. It makes the surface more tactile and things stick better on it than the 'Box's original gloss surface. I gesso everything.)

: Peach gesso-ed 'Box

: This is the ephemera (paper cuttings and photographs) I chose to work with today.

I roughly lay out the photos and words where I think I might want them before I glue them down.

: Emphera laid out on the box.

: Emphera glued on.

I also beat the box with a hammer before gluing things down, just to soften it a bit. It felt very risky -- would the box hold? - but it also felt good. And kinda naughty.

: Don't forget the inside! I put this fun hot pink duct tape (wrapped around a piece of cardboard) to give it compartments.

Then I painted and stamped the inside.

: The inside's finished!

And voila! I painted dots and added stamped on words to finish up the outside. I might add a little tab of fabric (via staple mosh pit of course!) on the lid, but this is it! A perfectly imperfect Doodlebugheart Basic Bug Box. Now show me yours!