Does It Have Heart?

If you can’t draw as well as someone, or use the software as well, or if you do not have as much money to buy supplies, or if you do not have access to the tools they have, beat them by being more thoughtful. Thoughtfulness is free and burns on time and empathy.
-Frank Chimero

{Image by Badskirt}

Word-of-mouth is awesome. That is how I happened on a blog post by Frank Chimero that, although is directed specifically towards graphic design students, applies pretty much to every person every where {even those of you who think in ones and zeros}.

It is interesting how different people take different things away from the same piece of work. Badskirt made the graphic to illustrate what struck her the most. My friend Pink {who read the article at the same time I did, but just posted sooner than me so I'm copying her} made a list of what stuck out to her.

I've been thinking about what Frank said a lot since I read that post. A lot of things he talks about are just good philosophies for life.

• Quiet is always an option, even if everyone is yelling.
• Sympathy is medicine.
• Stop trying to be cool: it is stifling.
• It is okay to romanticize things a little bit every now and then: it gives you hope.
• Everything is interesting to someone.
• Everyone is just making it up as they go along.

I think Frank's message is that there is not an exact formula for {creative} success; you have to put a bit of yourself, a bit of your heart, into everything {creative and non-creative alike} that you do.

Blogs {not previously linked to} with heart {this list is by no means all-inclusive}:
Ivory Spring
Nacho Mama's Quilt
The Quilting Buzz
Traceyjay Quilts