My Crafty Story

In the beginning.....

Like many of my age growing up watching the likes of Magpie and Blue Peter television programs, many a toilet roll, tissue box, egg box and Dairy Lea cheese packet went into making presents for Mum for Mother's day, which she always seemed to appreciate.

My favourite book as a child was 'Things to Make and Do' and was full of ideas for a crafty child.  I had this book for years and loved it to bits, I still to this day don’t know what happened to it.  One of the things I remember most was making a shell pin cushion for mum, which she still has in her sewing box.  I loved this book so much I bought it for my daughter when she was a child, but unfortunately after a fairly cursory look and initial flutter of excitement the fascination rapidly waned in favour of the regulatory Barbie dolls and horses and I despaired of her ever having 'the bug' that I could share with her.

Since then she has not really been crafty minded until recently when she discovered knitting and it became her passion for a while, but has never held any fascination for me as you don’t get the results quick enough for my taste.  Mum tried to teach me as a child but it just didn’t stick. The same went for jewellery making and beading of which my Mum is amazing at.  

I feel very lucky growing up with a crafty mum as she inspired me to try many things and bought me lots of different kits to experiment with.  My two brothers and I also had the pleasure of spending many summer days with my step gran (who we used to call Auntie Dorothy) I loved going to her house as it was full of nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered.  She kept a dressing up box full of old dresses, clothes and all sorts of things, and had a jewellery box full of those plastic beads that used to pop together and lots of lovely shiny stuff.  She used to teach us how to make all sorts of things, including the infamous sock dolls.  (One called Aunty but that’s another story for another time)

She used to take us blackberry picking, apple picking and showed us how to make jam.  Chocolate spread sandwiches for afternoon tea were a treat served in her little caravan which was great fun.  Squabbles and tears broke out when it was time to press the button on the blender to make the banana milkshakes.  Then there was the secret sweet drawer, which we were allowed to pick one or two sweets from when it was time to go home.

Forty odd years ago she was the original recycler and used to recycle and reuse as much as she could, including wrapping paper and gifts which sometimes ruffled a few feathers but is remembered now with amusement.

We never watched TV, she filled the days with so many different things and has been an inspiration to me with my own granddaughter.  I always try to do something crafty with her and maybe do some baking instead of watching TV.  She loves to make fairy cakes and biscuits and we had great fun one Christmas baking and icing cookies, which we bagged up in cellophane and she took home with her in a basket for presents.  

She always wants to make cards for mum whatever the time of year so we get out the card blanks and paper stash, peel offs and stickers.  I am always amazed at her steady hand and ever since she was quite small she was very precise with her sticking and glittering and never just splodged it on randomly like most children do. 

Unfortunately, I can't draw to save my life and my animal and people images look worse than a seven year olds' which is strange as both my Mum and younger brother can draw pretty well.  I can't paint either and have serious 'perspective' issues. I have no imagination for drawing or talent for painting which my art teacher was continually disappointed with.  I was good at making things with my hands and could put together all sorts of other bits and pieces and could sew quite well when others in my class were sewing their fingers into their work and jamming up the machines!

As I grew older I really enjoyed sewing and found I had a talent for it and made wedding and bridesmaid dresses to make extra 'pin' money.  (I always wondered why they called it that - then bing!!! - light bulb moment) - I made pretty party dresses for my daughter, curtained the house and made presents for people. 

I have always enjoyed making cards and am definitely more of a paper crafter now.  Anything to do with paper crafting  gets my attention but can change in a flash when I discover something new on Pinterest or YouTube on one of my many forays into the arty crafty world of the internet.   I am forever amazed with the many talented crafters out there and am continually inspired and quite frankly envious of their talent (and their crafty stash).

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