At the risk of losing some of you with the title, stick with me.  You don’t need to be creative to read along.

I am one of those people that loves to dabble in crafts.  Whether sewing, beading, painting or any form of creating, I am excited to jump in and try it!  I especially enjoy working with organics and raw materials – sea glass, driftwood, textiles, shells, rocks – there’s something special about natural substances and the tactile experience.

Wandering the aisles at the local craft stores, I could be there for hours!  I easily get lost in home improvement and architectural salvage stores too.  Looking at all the items for making life easier, my brain goes to alternative uses.  I’ll go grab a coffee and set loose on my eye-candy adventure.  Eye candy being fabric, beads, paints, little boxes, boards, hardware – they’re all blank canvases awaiting my burst of creativity!  You see a crystal door knob and I see a hallway coat hanger; you see a balustrade and I see the potential for a candle holder; you see a corbel and I see bookends!

I find it fascinating looking at others’ designs as well.  It is a glimpse into their brain and reflects personality at a whole other level.  A cousin-in-law creates the most unique ornaments from found objects. I have been lucky enough to receive several sets of these treasures.  His quirky sense of humor is reflected in the art he creates.  It makes me smile as I unwrap each one and find their special place for the holidays.  Others delight in their uniqueness when the treasures are discovered amongst the normal glitter and glam of the holiday decor.

I looked up the difference of art versus craft.  My perception was, if you create something, it is a work of art.  You have invested time, effort, creativity and emotion into the piece.  Whether it is knitting an afghan, repurposing found objects or creating beautifully bead embroidery, it’s art. According to the world wide web, crafts are something you can easily reproduce whereas art is unique and cannot be duplicated.  Interesting. Looks like I dabble in both, arts and crafts.

Crafting is a wonderful outlet for those of us with short attention spans.  There are so many ways to express emotion and the constant bubbling of ideas awaiting inception. I have an ongoing list of things to try – stained glass, encaustic painting, crochet, welding, glassblowing, pottery, etc.  Once tried, then I decide if it is something to pursue or chalk it up to a fabulous experience and consider it done.

Not a creative soul?  We need you too!  This world is a wondrous blend of analytical, technical and creative personalities.  Each bring their unique qualities creating a balance of function and fun.  How boring would daily life be if we all were the same?  Rejoice in who you are; the way you have been knitted together is worthy of celebrating!

Now who’s with me for a fall field trip to the craft store?