Sharing the Torch

One of the great things about being a kid (at least from my former-kid's perspective) is doing Arts & Crafts. Nearly every child likes creating something from next to nothing, and while that something might be unrecognizable to us, it's the Mona Lisa to them. I sat at Bible Day Camp with the best of them and churned out God's Eyes like there was no tomorrow!

I've been making things for as long as I can remember. One of my very early memories was of my grandmother staying with me while my mom ran a few errands. I must have been three, because we lived on Reavis Place in Webster and my dad was in Viet Nam. I was sick, and she brought over a box of straws and some string (resourceful grandmothers can spin straw into gold on command, pardon the pun). We cut the straws into beads, strung them onto the strings, and voila!--designer necklaces! From there, I learned how to trace a heavy metal paperweight onto felt to make a perfect-sized Barbie skirt. Cutting several layers of felt into an apple shape, then stitching the top together by hand created a needle holder that my proud mom still uses 40+ years later.

I've spent my summer learning some jewelry making techniques, starting a new quilt, finishing a sweater I was knitting and starting another, filling hand-sewn organza squares with home-grown lavender, turning currants into jelly, and learning to lay tile with Sweetie. I've always got this intense need to create something, and without having more children (who, while absolutely wonderful, are probably better left to future generations at this point) I look for raw ingredients everywhere I can.

Tinkerbell and I went to the fabric/craft store this morning and used our handy dandy coupons to pick up a couple of craft kits for her--more pot holder loops (a staple in many homes) and a really great bead-making kit. She reverse-painted some glass beads and glued them onto mirrored backs to make bracelets, which turned out very cute and kept her occupied for quite awhile. The Easy Bake oven is out, the pot holder loom is waiting in the wings, and a spool knitting kit is hiding in my dresser drawer. I'm not giving up our summer break without a fight!