Who Am I?
Sometimes I honestly don't know the answer to that question. There are facts, I'm a 34 year old Woman, Star Sign Leo, born in the year of the Pig. I'd like my hair to be longer, my waist to be thinner and I have an overriding sense of guilt that I'm not doing enough with my life, while simultaneously wondering why there are not enough hours in the day. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and the skills to wrangle large groups of children. (I also have Admin skills and can herd software engineers, but that's a story for a different time). I have the occasional need to leave the house and go for a long drive with the music in my car blaring loudly so I can sing along. I also have the occasional need to build a pillow fort and shut out the world. I know I'm not alone in either of those sentiments. I like to make people laugh. I like to laugh. Maybe later on in life I'll become a stand up comedian, but for now, I am me and that is more than enough. |
Why Do You Craft?
Crafting has always been a sanctuary for me. It's a way of expressing myself by creating things that others will love. It may seem very strange but at times I get the feeling that a little piece of myself goes into everything that I create, and it's one of the reasons that I don't enjoy remaking the same piece over and over again.
My parents, next door neighbour (Mrs Thompson), across the road old lady I used to visit (Mrs Bowman) and school teachers (HUGE Shout Out to Mrs McArthur and Mrs Polka) all fostered my love of making things. I've always been fascinated by taking different mediums and seeing how they stick together, usually with serious amounts of glue, copious stitches and a few staples for good measure.
I discovered in year three that I couldn't colour in at all well, and I still can't (a number of people under the age of eight have told me so) and in high school, even though I adored the way that other people drew and painted, they were never skills that I flourished in (My stick figures are AMAZING though).
On the other hand, sewing was something that came easily to me. My mother owned an Elna Sewing Machine and she taught me to sew using it when I was nine (it has a slow speed setting and yes, I still have all my fingers). I made my very first cushion in Year Four (I still have it,) and I once ruined the lounge room carpet while making a kookaburra costume and putting dots of shoe polish onto old nappies to make speckled wings. (Craft first and ask for forgiveness later is still a viable motto.)
I've made countless costumes, got caught up in following the Japanese Lolita fashion trend for a while and also discovered that you CAN make a bunch of amazing jewellery that sells the night before a convention, provided you don't want to sleep at all. Sleep is for the weeks after the convention.
I craft because it keeps my brain busy. I craft because when I walk into spotlight, I don't see flat rolls of material, or yarn, or cotton. I see what the raw materials can become with a little creative flair and some magic.
My parents, next door neighbour (Mrs Thompson), across the road old lady I used to visit (Mrs Bowman) and school teachers (HUGE Shout Out to Mrs McArthur and Mrs Polka) all fostered my love of making things. I've always been fascinated by taking different mediums and seeing how they stick together, usually with serious amounts of glue, copious stitches and a few staples for good measure.
I discovered in year three that I couldn't colour in at all well, and I still can't (a number of people under the age of eight have told me so) and in high school, even though I adored the way that other people drew and painted, they were never skills that I flourished in (My stick figures are AMAZING though).
On the other hand, sewing was something that came easily to me. My mother owned an Elna Sewing Machine and she taught me to sew using it when I was nine (it has a slow speed setting and yes, I still have all my fingers). I made my very first cushion in Year Four (I still have it,) and I once ruined the lounge room carpet while making a kookaburra costume and putting dots of shoe polish onto old nappies to make speckled wings. (Craft first and ask for forgiveness later is still a viable motto.)
I've made countless costumes, got caught up in following the Japanese Lolita fashion trend for a while and also discovered that you CAN make a bunch of amazing jewellery that sells the night before a convention, provided you don't want to sleep at all. Sleep is for the weeks after the convention.
I craft because it keeps my brain busy. I craft because when I walk into spotlight, I don't see flat rolls of material, or yarn, or cotton. I see what the raw materials can become with a little creative flair and some magic.
What craft skills do you have?
I can both hand sew and machine sew, including gathering ruffles, making petticoats, onesies, Applique, buttons, zippers, buttonholes and I accidently took up quilting once.
My Mother tried to teach my to knit, and I failed miserably at it. She taught me how to crochet instead and I love it. There is something about creatively using a hook to make tiny continuous loops that makes sense to me. I discovered Amigurumi and Micro Ami through textile artists like Su Ami and ever since I've been working on making teeny tiny worlds in all manner of small containers. My latest inspiration is Lunarheavenly who makes gorgeous hand painted crochet flowers.
At a convention I found a large group of people who were into the Steampunk sub-culture, and they had amazing resin worked pieces from an Adelaide Artist called BlackWool Holiday and I went into full research mode so that I could learn to be a 10th as good at she was. I'll get there one day.
I got bored recently and took up the 18th century art of tatting, again, the shuttle and I didn't get along, but needle tatting. OMG I think I'm in love all over again! One day I'll make tatted items that are good enough to sell, for now I'm just pottering and enjoying learning something that is just for me.
Do you have any last words?
Binglybonk. I think that's an epic word. Also Penguin.
For those of you who always WISH you'd learned how to do something. Go do it!