Crafter is the Best Medicine

My girls recently received these beautiful and adorable hand-knitted gifts in the mail from an old dear friend of mine, Sarah. Ava loved them instantly (I think she could sense that they were special), and PJ sucked on them with a little more reverence than her average toy.

Seeing these fantastic creations reminded me how badly I want to be an accomplished crafter. Making things brings me great pleasure, and I have taken an interest in many crafty skills such as knitting, sewing, bookmaking, scrapbooking, woodwork, pop-up art, and paper crafts of all types. I scan craft magazines, websites, and books, and Derek buys me crafty pattern books for Christmas gifts every couple of years. I have a stockpile of yarn, a box of fabric, and ideas for projects scattered around. But I apparently don't want to be a crafter badly enough, because I have far more projects-in-the-works than I have finished products. Somewhere along the way, I get busy with other things or else I realize that I'm not as talented as I imagined myself to be when I began the task (e.g., I don't know how many times I've learned to purl, dang it, and I still don't have the hang of it...). And yet I still am constantly itching to make things.

I think that some of this is due to my current at-home, non-working status. When I had a job (the paid type, not the paid-in-hugs-and-cherished-memories-type), I really enjoyed completing projects--whether it was teaching a class, conducting a meeting, writing a report, or helping some kid stop hitting another kid. Every week, I learned something new and many weeks, I did something that made me a little uncomfortable because it was different from what I had done before. And that is something that I truly miss--the feeling of anticipation/anxiety towards a new task, the excitement of the learning & experimenting process, and the satisfaction that accompanied the finished product or assignment or newly acquired skill. I absolutely believe that I am learning while I am home with my kids--there is no doubt about that. This is a job that offers all sorts of opportunities for growth, maturation, anxiety, pride, and hands covered in poop (sorry, but it's true.). And I am extremely happy and appreciative to be doing exactly what I am doing right now. I wouldn't change it for anything. Being home with the girls right now suits my temperament, as well as my personal goals. Nonetheless, I miss that certain brand of accomplishment and growth that my jobs offered me (my good jobs, that is. I don't miss being a papergirl.).

Which brings me to crafting. Sorry for the long interlude. I only intended to write about crafts and what a pathetic wanna-be crafter I am. I have a long list of projects on my fridge right now, and many more items on that mercurial list in my head. Lately I've had projects on my mind a lot, but can't seem to get to any of them. But hey! It looks like I had time to write about them!

For some inexplicable reason, I decided to write an ode to a few of the talented craftswomen in my life, and show a sample of their creations (Though there are many, many more dear crafters who inspire me, it IS 11:00, and I'm getting sleepy).

Crafty Ladies

My big sister's name is Kelly
She's artsy from head-toe-to-belly
She sculpts, sews, and draws
Her designs illicit "aaaw's"
She should have her own show on the telly!

And then there's my lovely friend Bess
Who crafts with such casual finesse
Her creations are so cute
With great sense of style, to boot
I long for her success, I confess

Jessica is my sister-in-law
She holds her needles without flaw
While she knits and crochets
Blankets that comfort and amaze
She also writes books (Ta-Da!)

Nothing like a little poetry to scare people away from a blog, eh? Come back again, and I'll try to resist the urge to rhyme. Nighty-night!