Embracing Imperfection In My Keepsake Kitchen Diary

On the @lilyandval Instagram, we’ve been running the Summer of Simple Pleasures Challenge! Summer always flashes by in a whirlwind so it is designed to help you slow down and take a moment to savor the simple things! Plus, you’ll be left with an Instagram feed of memories to look back on.

This week’s prompt in the challenge is “berries”, which inspired me to share this page out of my own personal Keepsake Kitchen Diary with you – a gluten-free mixed berry cobbler! The recipe is delicious, but the real reason I wanted to share this spread is to discuss an important topic when it comes to filling out your Keepsake Kitchen Diary – embracing imperfection.

I normally don’t add too many embellishments to my spreads. I like to keep it simple with mostly just handwriting, but the pages lend themselves so well to some creative flair. So, I decided to add simple watercolor illustration details to this recipe.

All was going well, and then I messed up -a  misplaced purple blob of paint right on the “ingredients” box. I tried to soak up some of it, but the damage was done. It sounds so silly to say it, but my first reaction was to rip out the page and start again. In the spirit of releasing perfectionist tendencies, I left it in and attempted to make it part of the spread.

To tie in my “mistake”, I added a purposeful watercolor splotch on the opposite Memories spread and wrote on top of it. I admit that as I was painting it and trying to fix my mistake, I felt guilty for messing up this very important recipe spread in my diary. It made me hesitate to continue to fill out other spreads. I needed to get over that feeling!

Does this sound crazy? Perhaps so. But, I have to think I am not alone. I’ve heard from so many of you saying that you are worried to make a mistake in your shiny new Kitchen Diaries! I totally understand.

Now when I look back on this spread, I’m happy that it is imperfect. I enjoyed painting the little illustrations and I even think the extra watercolor splotches look nice! I wouldn’t have done that were it not for the mistake. It adds character.

Here are 3 tips I learned in the process of embracing imperfection in my own Keepsake Kitchen Diary:

1. Take a break. Sometimes frustration sets in after you’ve made a mistake and it’s good to just let it go and come back to it later. Once I came back to this spread, I actually liked how it turned out despite my mistake!

2. Realize that something good can come out of a mistake. Since I pushed myself through the immediate shock of “messing up” and embraced the mistake instead of ripping it out and starting again, I not only saved a page in my diary, but it’s filled with a certain charm.

3. Treat yourself like you would treat someone else. What if this spread was created by your mother, grandmother, aunt, sibling, or child? Undoubtedly you would treasure it and love it! You would look past any errors, crossed out words, misspellings, and splotches. You would see their handwriting and the love they poured onto the page. Give yourself some of that grace.

I hope those tips help you take away some of the pressure and just have fun creating! Filling in your book is meant to be a fun process, not just for the end result.

For more tips on getting started in your Keepsake Kitchen Diary, check out this post.

Not yet a Keepsake Kitchen Diary owner? Grab yours here!