It's a first for me

Sunday, May 27, 2012

I don’t know about you but I love, love, love a little project.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a sewing project, a DIY project, an organising project, a craft project or a school project – whatever – it always makes me feel all "warm & fuzzy", I’m always happy while doing it and it’s a great way to realise your creative potential ... which half the time I don't think I have and then – BAM – I’m done and I love the results, which is super cool.

I have loved creating or making things for as long as I can remember.  I think Anzac biscuits were the first things I ever “made” by myself at around age 7 - on a Sunday in the kitchen, left to my own devices (my parents were happy to leave me to it knowing that they’d get a fresh batch of cookies out of it!), cleaning up my own mess, eating the cookies ... good memories.  Then around about the same time I met a wise “old duck” (I say “old” – she was probably the age I am now ... yikes) who looked after me from time to time and would take me on her “adventures” to the rubbish dump – yep, glamorous I know, but I TOTALLY loved it. We would scour the place together in search of whatever she could upcycle (not that the word “upcycle” was used then, let alone access to blogs and online tutorials!) but mainly it was dolls she was looking for – to pull apart, repair and beautify.  It didn't really matter what it was, it was just fun being with her and returning home together to set about working on our new little finds.  I think right there was the moment I fell a little bit in love with making and creating. 

She also taught me to knit and, at around age 7 or 8, I made THE cutest red coat, complete with collar, belt and gold buttons, for my barbie – from a pattern!  Here’s a pic.



Seriously?  No, of course not.  I so just Googled that image!  But how cool would it have been if I did have a photo? I guess I just wasn't thinking about my blog back then – clearly no foresight.

Anyway, now that I have completely and utterly rambled (I hope you’re still with me) and have told you of my love affair with little projects, I guess I should share with you what project I worked on today during “a little bit of quiet”.  Here are some clues.




Can you guess what I did? I grabbed two of my gorgeous Craft Queen BFF’s and high-tailed it to the Craft Fair!  Okay, not so much a project, but a serious hunt for project supplies!  (BTW, my husband totally thinks I’m “so old” going to a craft fair but what would he know – he’s a phys-ed teacher so knows as much about buttons & twine as I know about climbing walls & carabiners!).  And, yes, the majority of the fair clientele was, in fact, the more mature generation (not to mention a billion quilts & fat quarters as far as the eye could see) but I love being amongst those ladies – they are, afterall, the matriarchs of the crafting world and we have so much to learn from them.  They pioneered the whole crafting/homemaking movement and I am honoured and proud to be carrying on (well at least giving it a damn good go) their traditions and values of hand-made and home-made.  

We had a lovely time, bought some cool little pieces and will be setting to work using some of them soon.  Watch this space.

Until then, I hope you find yourself “a little bit of quiet” and keep in touch with what YOU do with it!