Getting Crafty

Most of my life I've never considered myself a crafty or creative person. Oh, don't get me wrong, I did plenty of craft projects with my mom growing up. Because...my mom is the crafty queen. Seriously, she's the queen. And maybe that's why, in comparison, I never felt very creative. And to be honest I was okay with that. Sure I learned to sew (just a tiny bit) in home economics class in 6th grade and I looked forward to the annual Christmas craft project with mom growing up, but beyond that I was good. Until...I became pregnant with Lily. It was like being pregnant (and the process of becoming a mom) flipped some sort of creative switch in me. I'm sure it was probably there all along, but it just took my children to bring it out in me! I guess it started when I decided to paint a shadow tree on the wall in Lily's nursery. Oh how I wished that my mom was going to be visiting before the baby was born to do it for me, but she wasn't- so I had to figure it out myself. And then there were a few other little projects for the nursery- like the painted metal tree for the wall, and the frames tied with pink ribbon, and the wooden letters I painted for her name. That was the beginning. And then came photography (still my largest creative outlet). And then as Lily got a bit older came the creative little projects we could do together (or sometimes that I do for her like kite making). And then Eli's nursery (my first canvas painting and the mobile that I am still in love with) and all of the creative ideas for their birthday parties. And more and more I find myself drawn towards handmade things (and this I just never would have guessed)- whether I make them or someone else hand makes them. And then...something I thought would never ever happen...this summer I got my first sewing machine (my mom helped me pick it out as my birthday present)...and I am learning how to sew! It's a slow process for me and I don't have a lot of time, but I am beginning to learn. I've mended a few things and sewn Lily a pillow for her doll bed (I have fabric for pillows for our living room, but just haven't gotten there yet). I think it may be some time before I follow any real serious pattern, but maybe someday. And one of my favorite projects this year was these flags I made (with my sewing machine!) for Eli's birthday! I made a lot of them and not all of them turned out perfect (I learned as I went), but I adore how cute they are! Here's just one of the pictures (the rest will come when I finally post about his birthday party). I love them so much that at least a few of them will be hanging in Eli's room sometime after Christmas! So, I may never be quite as crafty as my mom (or my grandmother who worked as a seamstress for Oshkosh B'Gosh for many years), but I do think it might be in my blood. It's just one more gift from God that He gave me, not because of, but through my children.