She's Crafty

So, I'm not one of those ladies who sews clothes and curtains.  I'm not one who decorates cute little cupcakes and truffles.  I'm not one with many overly impressive home-making skills in general. 

Not that I don't want to be, mind you.  I envy those people and aspire to, slowly, acquire those skills.  I'm a decent cook, a decent crafter, a decent baker.  I think I lack the patience and focus required to really excel at these tasks.  However, I have undertaken a few projects in the last little while that make me proud. 

Project 1: Baby Blanket

When you find out you are pregnant, there is this initial moment of sheer excitement and terror.  After a few days, though, you realize that life has actually gone back entirely to normal.  In that 8 week range where no one knows and your body doesn't feel any different (in my morning-sickness-free case), there's nothing to remind you that your life is changing.  Rapidly. 

So, I started crocheting a baby blanket.  I chose yellow and white because Geoff and I both had yellow baby blankets as kids.  I got about halfway done before I got too tired to crochet.  Seriously.  I would fall asleep just trying to finish a line or two. 

Well, a few weeks ago, I got my energy back and I was able to finish the blanket.  I don't love it, but I made it.  And I think it will be a happy memory of the way I handled my nervous baby energy before anyone else knew about little baby Parker. 

Project 2: Fabric Panel Wall Art

Another good example of a project that started months ago that I didn't finish until now.  In February, Geoff and I took a short trip to Minneapolis.  While there, we spent a good deal of time (and money) at Ikea.  Geoff had mentioned that his office needed some style.  While wandering the hallowed halls of Ikea, I found some awesome fabric and asked Geoff if he liked it.  "For what?" was his response.  "For your office!  I could make cool wall art out of this."  He eyed me with the eyes that know me well enough to say you are going to make wall art?  I can't wait to see this come to fruition. 

Well, his skepticism garnered some momentum as the months passed and the fabric laid in wait on the chair in his office.  Finally, at the thrift store, I found a couple cheap wood frames I could use as the base for my panels.  I should have gone to Home Depot and picked up some wood to hammer them together myself, but it seemed so much easier to buy them already built, second-hand (and it was, undoubtedly, it just took longer). 

So, this weekend I finally buckled down, striped the frames I had bought down, ironed the fabric and staple-gunned it in place on the frames.  And tah dah - Wall Panels!  They look great in his office.  It's a good, patient husband who will wait 4 months for his wife to finish a project for his office.  :)

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