"The most important, and perhaps most obvious, factor in nurturing your children's creative lives is to model a creative life yourself."
- Amanda Blake Soule in her book The Creative Family
Chronic Craft Experiments
Dear Reader,
I consider myself to be a fairly organized person. I like to plan for things. I like to arrive early. I like to schedule our meals for the coming week. I like creating files (using my trusty label maker.) I like keeping my spices in alphabetic order for easy access. In most areas of my life, I like order.
Besides the obvious need to be "go with the flow" with my two year old, there is another aspect of my life that shows no order or natural progression. I really enjoy trying crafts. (Please note the word "trying" in that sentence.) Here are just a few of the crafts that I've attempted:
- scrapbooking (one book, maybe two)
- knitting (a few scarfs)
- basket weaving (one completed, another started)
- stamping (cards, place cards, invites)
- baby block making (occasionally revisited for select new babies)
- sock puppet sewing (as a special favor to my then one year old)
- decoupage collage making(one set of three prints)
- upholstering (one ottoman)
And now, drum roll please, I'm onto card making. We'll see how long this lasts! I think I enjoying trying the craft more than sticking with it, but I always justify the start of a new one by thinking that this craft will: 1. be the one for me and 2. save so much money rather than buying [fill in the blank]. With this evolution of craft experiences over the years though, I'm coming to terms with the fun being as much in the creating as in the end product.
Sincerely,
Abi
Originally posted by Sincerely Abi on September 8, 2009
I consider myself to be a fairly organized person. I like to plan for things. I like to arrive early. I like to schedule our meals for the coming week. I like creating files (using my trusty label maker.) I like keeping my spices in alphabetic order for easy access. In most areas of my life, I like order.
Besides the obvious need to be "go with the flow" with my two year old, there is another aspect of my life that shows no order or natural progression. I really enjoy trying crafts. (Please note the word "trying" in that sentence.) Here are just a few of the crafts that I've attempted:
- scrapbooking (one book, maybe two)
- knitting (a few scarfs)
- basket weaving (one completed, another started)
- stamping (cards, place cards, invites)
- baby block making (occasionally revisited for select new babies)
- sock puppet sewing (as a special favor to my then one year old)
- decoupage collage making(one set of three prints)
- upholstering (one ottoman)
And now, drum roll please, I'm onto card making. We'll see how long this lasts! I think I enjoying trying the craft more than sticking with it, but I always justify the start of a new one by thinking that this craft will: 1. be the one for me and 2. save so much money rather than buying [fill in the blank]. With this evolution of craft experiences over the years though, I'm coming to terms with the fun being as much in the creating as in the end product.
Sincerely,
Abi
Originally posted by Sincerely Abi on September 8, 2009
Reason to Celebrate
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| Yum! |
Dear Reader,
August 25 is a day I look forward to each year. Today is my mom's birthday. I could name so many reasons why I appreciate her presence in my life. I think birthdays provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate the people we love.
This year we happen to be together as my son and I are spending the week out of town at my parents' home. While the birthday girl headed out for lunch with one of her friends, I quickly searched through her pantry to see if I could mix up a batch of cupcakes for tonight.
I pulled out my mother's copy of Better Homes and Gardens' red plaid cookbook (with well-worn pages and fabulous fonts of past years) and found a recipe on page 74 for "Everyday Cupcakes." I've come to love simple white cake and vanilla buttercream frosting for birthdays. There is something so classic and so timeless about it.
The cupcakes turned out nicely, and mostly I enjoyed seeing the pleasantly surprised look on my mom's face in returning to a home smelling of cupcakes.
Sincerely,
Abi
Inspiring Words...
"Get up. Create like you're training for a marathon, methodically, day by day...You are an artist, a guide, a prophet. You are a storyteller, a visionary, the Pied Piper himself. Do the work, learn the skills, and make art, because of what the act of creation will create in you."
- Shauna Niequist in her book Bittersweet
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