Inspiration for the "Non-Crafters"

We get so many emails from people with this line: "Let me start off by saying I'm not crafty" which is often followed by this line, "I don't know what else I was expecting." On one hand it makes me chuckle...we've all felt like that about something in our life. On the other hand it makes me want to hug them and tell them to keep trying and not to give up and other sappy cliche lines. I've been trying to think of a way to do a "motivational" post, but I just wasn't motivated too yet. Today I read an email that was perfect. It made me want to get my act together, pull on my big girl panties, and finish these projects I've kicked and thrown into a box so I could ignore their less-than-perfectness (there are 2 or 3 quilts in there, paintings, Christmas projects, etc.). I just wish I could jump on these projects now while I'm feeling enthused...but responsibility takes over and I really should show up to my doctor's appointment and work today (who said growing up was a good idea?). So I'll just have to re-read her email on Saturday when I'm home again. But in the meantime I'll share Mohria's story with you and maybe it'll hit a few of you like it hit me. Take it away Mohria:

Hi Pinstrosisters!

I'm a long-time follower of your blog, but just haven't worked up the courage to submit anything, until I saw your "calling all pinners" post.  I'm not what one would call, "crafty."  Most of the things I pin are just stared at wistfully, hoping the creative-fairy will have mercy on me and wave her magic wand to give me even half of the craftiness I see in these pins . . . Sigh . . . 

But I digress.  

My first Pinterest project that wasn't a recipe turned out surprisingly well.

We recently gave our bathroom a MUCH needed update.  We bought our house when I was 7 months pregnant with my son and it needed a LOT of work.  Needless to say, the bathrooms were functional and so they took were low priority.  6 years and another baby later, we had finally scraped together enough fundage to remodel our horribly out-of-date bathroom. How out of date you ask?  Well, so much so, that I have no "before" pictures to share with you.  Only one pic early on in the destruction process (check out the flooring, can you blame me?)

So when the remodel became a reality, I naturally spent WAY too much time on Pinterest searching for inspiration.  I finally found it in the two pins below:

http://www.remodelaholic.com/2012/03/bathroom-renovation-adding-character/

The idea of this pin is to put decorative tile above the shower - cool idea, right?? It turned out FABULOUS.  My only regret was letting the grout sit too long before wiping the tile down.  

My other inspiring pin is the clever built-in storage unit for bathroom cleaning items.  Those always GROSS me out!

http://www.remodelista.com/products/hy-dit-toilet-plunger-storage-cabinet

It was a last minute find and since my parents were only here temporarily to help me with this project, time was of the essence.  After some investigation, we learned that the specific unit in this pin had to be ordered online.  "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

So we built our own.  

I'm a mom of two, so my time in the bathroom is sometimes as close to a vacation as I can get.  So my design was inspired by the most relaxing vacation getaway our family of four has experienced.  Tybee Island, Georgia.  The pictures above the toilet are from when we wrote our kids' names in the sand next to their tiny footprints, and the lighthouse on the Tybee lighthouse.  (What do you think, do the tiles above the shower look like pixelated ocean waves?  Well, if you squint . . . and tilt your head ...a little)

Enjoy.  I know pin-wins aren't used as often as the Pinstrosities, but it's fun to share, anyway.  Hopefully I can help inspire other "non-crafters" that beautiful things are indeed possible.  The hardest step is the first one:  actually trying.  :)

                                                                            -Mohria

I love it. That took a lot of guts to jump into a project that big and it turned out beautifully. Don't let your fears or self-perceived limitations hold you back from trying. You may be surprised at how good things actually turn out! Thank you Mohria for the wonderful story. Your bathroom looks beautiful! Looks like somewhere you could just sit a while and relax. Well done!