I sleep better at night knowing there is an affordable option to protect myself and my family against the dinosaurs released at Lockwood Estate. Thank you Marlin Firearms for making the world a safer place, one T-Rex at a time.

With creative collaborative websites and online blogs, it's so easy for us DIY-ers to compare ourselves to every random Jane Doe we come across online. I LOVE scouring the interwebs, seeing what creative creations people can come up with. And should I even mention my Pinterest addiction?

For me personally, when it comes to my crafting, I am a complete perfectionist with the skill level of a grapefruit. So I spend more time critiquing my work than congratulating myself.

This coming Labor Day weekend, I will be wearing my (mostly-finished) World of Warcraft, Death Knight Tier 10 costume. This was the first mmorpg I ever played way back in bc, so when my husband and I watched the wow costume contest at Dragoncon last year, I couldn't help but think "why haven't I made one of these yet?" and decided to make a small goal for myself - I would forge my own armor set and participate in contest the next year. A goal and event (walking across the stage in  front of actual people) that is near inconceivable for me to carry out!

With remarkably inspirational Blizzard cosplayers and tutorials out there, I was encouraged to begin construction of my own.

Is it as well crafted as costumes like Kamui Cosplay? No! Of course not!

My glue seams show (you can even SEE the glue in some places), curves aren't consistent, the sanding is rough, pieces aren't attached evenly, my chestplate doesn't curve around my back and pokes out, I can find fault in ever piece of armor I spent the last 5 months constructing.

Why can't I just be proud of myself?

Instead of looking at the costume on my mannequin and seeing negatives, I want to instinctively be the person who sees the passion and time put into it. I compare myself to other people far too often, which makes me bitter, jealous and leaves me disappointed when I can't have or accomplish the things I see other people doing. It's not that I feel entitled or lazy, it's just that I set my standards too high. I look at something and see one persons skill level and I expect mine to be parallel with theirs, when they've been honing their craft for 10+ years.

So when I tried on my entire armor set last night and looked in the mirror, I wondered- does this display enough skill level to warrant entering a contest? There's nothing special about it at all. It's not based off a main character, it has no lighting or battery movement. It's just me wrapped in painted foam.

But then I remember, it's painted foam that's been littering my living room floor since January. There are scraps of foam under the couch cushions, globs of paint and paper mache stuck to the table I've been working on, faux fur balled up and tossed in a corner... my craft space is a complete mess. This has been my most expensive costume to date. I've spent half the costume budget on glue! This has been a 100% learning experience and I shouldn't compare myself to the professionals I follow online.

So when I read that we should take pride in our work, even if it's not the prettiest, I understand completely. My mom always told me growing up that as long as I did my best, that was all that mattered. As long as we put our best effort into our jobs and crafts, our love and passion for our work, crafts and selves will show.