Ask my family and they’ll tell you that I go through phases. One month I’m spending all my time wood burning, another month I’m coloring, another month I’m designing with typography, and so it goes. With each of the things I do, I go through phases. I still enjoy each one thoroughly, but sometimes I’m in the mood for a certain thing over another. Why does this happen? Well, I would say it happens because of the things I see and learn.

Learning tips and techniques for wood burning usually finds me watching YouTube videos or browsing Pinterest. I see things that I could apply to my projects and become very motivated to try it. Especially with Pinterest, I’ll find designs that I implement on the wood or get ideas that I want to try. A lot of times, my wood burning includes both my love for burning wood, designing, and typography. Figuring out what to put where to make the end product look just as nice (if not nicer) than the blank that I started with. Sometimes, this takes a lot of sketching and erasing just to find that right positioning. The most nerve racking thing is the actual burning process, once burned…it’s hard to unburn. Although, when the project is completed (and it turned out well), I’m encouraged to keep going and do some more.

Encouragement from Others

It is always encouraging to hear that others enjoy the things we make. It motivates to keep going and try new things. With every new thing, there’s always parts that don’t work. We try not to let that discourage but inspire us to alter what we did wrong to make it better the next time. There have been quite a few projects already that I have stepped away from in wonder. The idea I had in my head was much different than how it came out. But through that, I find out what works best and what doesn’t.

In designing what to burn on the spoons or projects that my husband makes, I have found that simpler works better. I’ve seen videos and tutorials of people who do ‘inverted’ burning; burning the wood dark but leaving the design untouched. I have tried that, but for our products, the less the burns the nicer it turns out.

In the End

Although there are many ways that I’m motivated and inspired to work on some projects, in the end it comes down to knowing that everything I do, I do for God’s glory. My aim is to do all in excellence, to the best of my ability. And yes, sometimes that even means forcing myself to get past the first hurdle and get up and accomplish something. Once I start, I can go on a roll.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might;” – Ecclesiastes 9:10a