A Smattering

I am a terrible blogger. I am on the web looking at other people's blogs all the time but I rarely post anything myself.
I am a user of the blogging world, not a giver. Thank you to all of you who regularly give inspiration from your daily lives. I will try to be more faithful in the future. :)

That said, I thought I would put a smattering of my creative ventures, or maybe I should say, creative explosions, here for your perusal.

This little hat was a gift for my beautiful niece Kate. I made a similar one for my other lovely niece Isabella but I cannot find a picture of it. I love yarn work for little girls. All of the fluffy pinkness is very addicting.


Next are all of the purses that my female relatives received for Christmas. These are so fun to make and work up very quickly. Beware, once you start you can't stop!!!






When I was in Dallas we went to one of my favorite stores, Anthropologie. I love that store but I can't afford much in it!! :) However I did find a beautiful tea towel that was clearanced and was calling my name!. I could never use it as a towel, so I turned it into an apron!
















Recently I was snooping around in the dark recesses of our basement and I found a treasure!!! Behind the water heater sat a pile of leftover tile and grout!!!! GROUT!!!

Maybe it's a little odd to get so excited about home improvement leavings but us crafty types are easily thrilled by things others throw away. "One man's grout is another woman's treasure!!"
I have been waiting for years to begin mosaics but the right time has never come. I have carefully laid aside broken china, beads, shells and anything else pretty and cast aside for my future crafting endeavors. I almost pitched my collection in all of the moving we've been doing but I am a pack-rat (much to my husband's dismay) and so it stayed.
These are my first attempts. I thought they would make nice trivets. I'd like to work my way up to stepping stones and urns for my future garden. (my spring project! any ideas?)
In fact, every flat surface in my home is in danger of being covered in shards of china and glass.
All it really involves is gluing your pieces to the tile and letting them dry. Then you mix up the grout and spread it on, making sure to get it in all the crevices (isn't that an awful word?!{{{shudder}}}). Then you wipe down the surface and let it dry. After a final buffing with a towel you're done!!!
Next, I'd like to actually buy the little tiles found in more traditional mosaics and cover a small box (or maybe an end table!). I need to start small but I get so excited with all these ideas flying around in my head!





The next pictures are of a jewelry party I had awhile back. It was a great evening with friends and family doing a little Christmas shopping from my wares. I was really nervous beforehand. It's hard to be vulnerable like that. But it went really well and I even had fun!

I don't know where this need to create comes from but I always have to be in the middle of some sort of project. Maybe our need to create comes from our Creator. He created us in His image so we create to be like Him. It's a beautiful gift that He's given us. I've begun to see the creative process as more than a hobby. I think it can be an act of worship to the One who gave us these gifts. The whole process brings so much joy and fulfillment. I love the moment of inspiration where I can envision the finished piece and can't wait to get started! I love the process, seeing my vision become a reality (though it rarely looks like the picture in my head). And I love, love, love, giving a gift to a loved one that is more than a gift, it's a part of me. I'm always nervous, giving a handmade gift." What if they hate it or don't appreciate the time and love invested in it? Is everyone sick of homemade gifts?" But (unless everyone in my family is just humoring me) I love the moment when they really see it for what it is and they accept it. It's almost like they're accepting a part of me.
I think that's why Christmas is such a nerve-wracking time for me. When everyone starts digging into the wrapping I suddenly feel like I'm standing in my skivvies under the brightly lit Christmas tree. (talk about a mental picture!)
Anyway, everyone was very gracious this Christmas and accepted the little bits of me that were created and wrapped just for them.
What about you? Do you ever feel the urge just to make something? Why do you think we feel this need to create? What project are you in the middle of?
This has certianly turned into a long post. I'll put some new pictures of John up soon, as he is the most important creation I've helped to make yet!