Crafting Happens

I will be the first to admit that life has taken a series of very unexpected twists and turns over the last two and a half years. Things in my family and personal life have left my opportunities to take on this blog, and other projects of mine, a bit at the way-side in hopes of picking them up when the time lent itself to the possibility of a return.

Just a little over a year ago, my mother passed away from an incurable cancer. My life had also taken a bit of a turn a year earlier as my more immediate family of children and spouse lent to a few complications in their health and wellness too. I am glad to report that it seems life is making way to a much more manageable spot in the world.  But as it continued to do so, I still felt like there was something missing in my day to day that really helped me feel like me again.

I started cleaning out my mom's craft room(s) just recently, there it was: CRAFTING. I was missing crafting. The paper, the new trends, the latest technique, the feeling you get when you take something so simple and figure out how to turn it into a beautiful masterpiece. I had been missing the time I would take out of a day to blog, to share, and to consciously craft!

And as I looked back a bit, it turned out that perhaps, I was still doing it, but just a little less consciously. Everywhere around me, I was finding little opportunities to glue and glitter and sew and cut:

I ran for a position in a state volunteer organization and found that I was creating little pop-up cards to send to local chapters -- crafting happened.

My daughters needed to have valentines for Valentine's Day -- crafting happened.

A local charity raising money to help children with potentially terminal illnesses needed a costume for their event -- crafting happened.

I run an international philanthropic "beauty pageant" in my extra time. We needed gifts for the delegations for the opening day of pageant week -- and chocolate crafting happened.

And then, the other day, as I was gluing the last leaf on a dress form that I was using to create a window display at my now job, I realized that crafting had been happening all along... right there... in my store!!

At first, during Christmas time when I made garland and lights look like a tree and a dress for our window!

And then, in February when the dress became from a bunch of our men's ties and people were purchasing them right off the dress!











And then at prom when I crafted paper dresses that said "yes to prom" all over them.

And since I had to try to top it, a wedding gown in duct tape made its way into the shop window too! 

And now, that the leaves are going to start turning and I am sending my kids off to their first day of school tomorrow, a paper leaf dress.

There it was: crafting. It was happening. All over the place and I just hadn't seen what I was up to.

And all of a sudden, I was just a little happier. I felt a little more fulfilled. I took a deep breath in, and for the first time in quite a while, I exhaled.

We all get to a place in our lives where we add on too much. Too much happens in our lives and takes us away from those things we enjoy. The things that make us feel whole and satisfied. Make us just breathe out.

And I wondered why... I just got so wound up in it all and everything I had to take care of not to take a moment to just do a little bit of what I really loved... consciously.

SO here I am, resurrecting the Blog, adding a new page to my facebook, adding twitter etc., and starting back at what I truly love: Crafting.

I hope that the enthusiasm I have for the crafty arts can inspire you to also consciously enjoy a little bit of what you truly love, and I hope you follow and come back and enjoy a bit of what I have to share too! :) Please enjoy my upcoming youtube tutorials, my crafting lessons, kits, and completed projects for purchase and more!

BACK TO IT Y'ALL! HAPPY CRAFTING!

Happy Belated Halloween!

Halloween was fun this year!

This kids had a party with about 30 friends at our home. I really decorated the place up. Here is a walk up to my house from our sidewalk... I did add more after this, but it was hard enough to get this video. I hope you enjoy my cat named Beer, giving your the commentary. :)

I also tried my hand at sculpting pumpkin instead of carving it.



These are the costumes I made this year for the kids and my husband and I. I have to admit. They are a little dull compared to some years when it comes to my kids' costumes, but they wanted to be some pretty basic things this round.

I had a Rapunzel. 

 A "Beautiful Angel"

 A "dark Angel"

And then my husband and I: I was just a princess to match, but my husband was a dragon slayer this year. His was the most time consuming with all the individual scales on the armor. He had one shoulder that would not stay in place. I need to solve that for next time (when?) we use it again. The bazillion pieces and fabrics (""leathers")  shown above!

I also got a few costumes done for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. I made my kids fast costumes as fairies, and a few friends some "wench" costumes. 

Also a very special District Director, for MNWT a Snow White costume.... 

Then came the pumpkins!!!! My kids have started getting more and more independent with their carving. Doing it ALMOST entirely by themselves!

Samantha's Spider (Age 8)

Terra Jo's Cauldron (Age 10)   

Aubrey's Disney Fairy (Age 4 with help from daddy)

 My haunted cottage in the woods.

AND..... The first year I tried sculpting instead of carving!!!!  Below are the stages or my first two tries and some of the tools I used. (pottery tools easy to find at craft stores) I am going to try this again next year to see if I can produce an event better result.

The start of Halowe'en costumes begins early for me! It all starts with RenFest costumes for attendees, then on to Hallowe'en.

 I have placed my usual Etsy ads and wait now for the orders to come in. The "profit" I make from these costumes fund my children's and husband's costumes. (Really like to go crazy on those costumes: beads, baubles, decorations, shoes, wigs etc.)

So let me know if I can make something for you!

Here are a few of my previously done outfits: