This afternoon my Mum, my daughter Precious Princess and I all went to see 'High School Musical' on ice. It was a brilliant concert, very fast, bright & loud. How they do all those wonderful stunts on ice, I'll never know. One young woman did a back flip on ice skates! I nearly poked myself in the eye with the straw of my coke cup when she did that. Amazing! Truly amazing. The one and only time I tried ice skating when I was a kid, I ended up breaking my ankle. Athletic I am not. Unless there's a sale on. Then I can run like the wind!
Ok, now I have a question for you all. I know that lots of you out there are truly fabulous artists and crafters of all kinds. I have always been interested in all sorts of arts & crafts, and have dabbled in a little of everything, but nothing well. After reading your wonderful blogs for so long now, I am really wanting to get into a craft, but I am at a loss of where to start. I do a little drawing & painting, and I do a little hand stitching, but I don't know, I just would like to be good at something! So my questions to you all are this......how did you get into the art or craft that you love? Where do you take your inspiration from? I know a big thing with me is lack of confidence and not believing that I could possibly produce anything really lovely, but I am trying to get over that feeling, and just have a go at something. I have thought of maybe trying a small tapestry kit, but don't know how frustrating that would be? I know I'll need to start off small so that I can see the finished results quickly. So do you have any suggestions or advice or tips on how you got started? If you do, I'd love to hear them! Pretty please, with whipped cream and strawberries on top! This weekend I am going to try my hand at a couple of easy projects to whet my appetite, and IF they work out, I'll show you....IF.......maybe....lol. Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Love Amanda xxx
23 comments:
Ive always crafted things, and i love to paint (rooms not pictures) my entire life. I beaded for awhile, but found it boring and lacking creativity. When one of my cats passed away two years ago in Feb. I wanted to do something special to remember him, and thats when i started dabbling in metalsmithing, and made my first pendant with a pic under glass surrounded by silver....Now I am always keeping my eyes out for beautiful papers or material designs to put under glass. I think my real passion is still cooking, but this is fun too. Good luck!
Smiling Hello from the CrossRoads:) I come across with your journal thru dear Tracy's.
As far as the inspiration, I know you should just focus on what facinates you, or your mood or whatever but I know that it comes firstly from inside of you! If 'Skill' and 'will' come together, then it is the formula:)
All of my Best Wishes,
~ Nihal in Istanbul
Morning Sweetie.....I think it's fantastic to explore your artistic side! I know if I lived closer to civilization, I would take some classes. I would love to learn to weave. I adore homespun textiles. Do you have a community college that gives classes?
Or how about doing what Junie Moon does and get a books with projects that interest you and just start at the beginning and see what happens.
Can't wait to see what develops. :-) Rosie
Hi amanda, you know I dont recommend taking classes in art (even though I am an art teacher myself) because I think it teaches you to draw like someone else generally. Grab a sketch book, a stick of charcoal or soft pencil, sit down and watch your favourite things and do lots of free drawing. Doesnt matter what it looks like, just loosen up. Then go back through and pick out your favourite. Draw that one again but with more detail. Its all about practice and keeping at it. you dont have to show anyone if you dont want but one day you will do a drawing that you are quite happy with. then the real fun begins!!
Hiya!
I am not "good" at any one particular craft as such, but I dream of doing something oneday too, I have seen a dress-making course (correspondence)where they send you the fabric,buttons, patterns etc and a manual and dvd,and you have a tutor to guide you through, so I am saving for a sewing machine and hope to start that, even just learn the basics and be able to sew little cushions or hearts or something..
Another nice "craft" is scrap booking, do you have any lovely paper shops where you live?I am sure you do.With ribbons, stickers and pretty papers and of course photos, its a really rewarding craft.
I'll be the same - one day I will show my "creations" on here, but for now I am waiting in the wings!
All the best
x
Good morning Amanda: How great for you to explore your artistic side! Go girl!
Glad you had a good time with mom and Precious Princess... you have a great weekend!
Cielo
Amanda, I had very little confidence with sewing, but great desire to learn and to do it.
My husband encouraged me to take a class, so I did. Boy, that put me on a roll. I know you already know how to sew and you do it incredibly well, but maybe if you have desire for one particular thing, but lack the confidence, a class might help you. God bless you deary. Kathi
I embroider, scrapbook and quilt. And for me, formal lessons worked best to get me going in the beginning. Lots of craft shops around here offer lessons quite cheaply on a Saturday (I work fulltime). Now my friends and I get together once a month to work on whatever craft, drink tea and chat and that keeps me motivated. You have such a lovely blog, I am sure you will be a great'crafter'! Eleanor at Thatchwick
This is my first visit to your site. I enjoyed reading and looking at your photos. I have just started blogging - and am enjoying it a lot.
I do scrapbooking -you can get ideas and kits at scrapbooking areas. Another idea for a new crafter is Plastic Canvas. You can make a beautiful craft but it gets done quickly. That way you get immediate reward for your work! :)
I just stumbled upon your blog and I have really enjoyed reading your posts. With that said, I love to scrapbook and cross stitch when I have time. Scrapbooking is wonderful because I never feel rushed or that I should follow a pattern. Take care
Michelle
Hi Amanda...I'm finally getting here at the end of the week and see you've had quite a week, indeed!
The concert sounds wonderful! I love to watch figure skating. I couldn't even begin to know how, even when I was young. Our newest son in law played hockey in youth leagues. He's taken on the task of teaching youngest g'daughter Gabi, age 3, to skate. She wants to do spins and jumps already!!! Of course, her uncle has no clue about all that. So we are sort of wondering if Gabi will turn out to be a hockey player!!
Hope you're having a wonderful weekend.
Pat
I feel the same as you Amanda. In fact I asked my husband last night what I should do creatively. He didn't say anything. I'm not sure how to take that LOL
Good luck with your creativity :)
xo,
rue
High School Musical on ice! That must have been wonderful. Lizzie & I love both. She's my little figure skater you know.
I've been doing various crafts since I was a little girl. My grandma taught me to knit when I was about four and both my grandmas and mom are quite crafty so I come by it naturally. I get my inspiration from other bloggers. I had really let it go for a few years and then picked it up when I saw all the beautiful things that were online. Plus, there was a time when being a crafter wasn't very cool & when you are a hip singleton, I couldn't do anything "uncool".
I love all my crafts- knitting, crochet, needlework, sewing mostly. I'd love to do more painting, but I have no time. I would recommend going to a local craft store and seeing what strikes your fancy. One lady mentioned crafting with plastic crafting. I used to do that and it is simple & rewarding. Of course, I very partial to yarn arts as well. I could spend HOURS in a yarn store.
Good luck on your crafting journey. It's such a wonderful, rewarding pastime.
Hi Amanda, I love to craft and have bounced from one thing to another always looking for my passion. I've had classes in knitting, weaving, crocheting, quilting,beading and I cross stitch too. I still enjoy all the crafts but so far nothing totally consumes me. Take a class, try something new. Have fun finding your passion. Hugs, Linda
I think patchwork is a fantastic craft….not that I get much time for it anymore. However when my children are bigger I will definitely be bringing out the machine again. Especially to finish the quilt that is currently in a plastic box! In my peak I made 2 quilts and many wall hangings….oh and also cushions. Patchwork is such a versatile craft and is not limited to just quilts. I started off in a beginner’s class and also attended various weekend workshops. I made lots of little things to master the techniques before moving onto a quilt. Due to my lack of inspiration I resorted to magazines for ideas and would adapted them to the fabric I had or could get. Hope this helps.
Love
Shaz
Hey Miss Amanda...I have missed you.
I do draw..and I always have but I have yet to DO anything with my ability...
I think the reason why I craft is because I am so FRUGAL...(cheap)..and I try to recreate things I see for much less cost...I like the challenge...I like to handsew,,its very therapeutic..and at the same time I have a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine....LOL. I feel I've always been very creative and I like "doing things":...it keeps me out of trouble...LOL
HUGS,
Robin
I second the advice of all those who said: If you have a deep and abiding desire in your heart to do a certain craft / art, it's because you have an innate ability to DO that kind of craft or art and your talent is talking to you ... trying to get you to bloom.
I loved all of the ideas given, but I have one that wasn't mentioned:
CHINA PAINTING!
I notice that you love to get little plates and antiques with flowers on them, roosters, etc. China painting allows you to use your painting skills AND create the most amazing gifts/boutique items that EVERYONE goes gaga for. My grandma, who is not with us anymore, made each of her children a set of china plates, and we PRIZE THEM like INCREDIBLE treasures not only because they are beautiful, but just the idea of them is NEAT! Wonderful to display OR use.
It just popped out in my head as something you would be interested in doing.
I have also always loved to draw and paint. So now I love to do murals in my house. I just grab paint and start painting on a wall when I get the urge. But it began with me drawing every chance I got as a youth. I quit for a long time as an adult, but got back into it when the church asked me to do some GIGANTIC scenery for a play they were putting on ... and that's how I found out I love doing THAT. Serendipity!
I have this feeling that what I love doing could become something I could sell. But how to pre-package wall murals? And not pay SO MUCH MONEY for them? That's what my mind is buzzing about lately. I never find what I want at the store. At least only rarely.
They always says that doing what you love will make you the most money. "The tighter the NICHE, the easier it is to get RICH." (The more specialized your product, for a more special interest group, the more money you'll make.)
Good luck! You are so bright and fun that I just KNOW that you are going to bloom into an amazing crafter!
p.s. I meant to say that Grandma made each of her GRANDCHILDREN a set of plates.
Hi Amanda! I am back and playing catch up with all of my blogging friends. Thank you so much for my sweet award! I will post about it soon.
Now on to your question. I have always been an artist of some sort....silk screening, watercolor, etc. But when I discovered mosaics about 8 years ago - it just hit me! I knew I had to do it. My first projects were pretty sad....but I just kept trying. I studied other artist, read alot of books on technigues and finally it all came together.
And just so you know, even today, I look at my work with a critical eye wondering if I am good enough...
Hugs,
Penny
ps come enter my 200th post giveaway!
what fun to begin a new adventure.... my only suggestion is to begin your crafting journey as you would any journey.. go down the road and explore as many places (crafts) as you can... and take it a step at a time. My uncle picked up a paintbrush for the first time in his life when he was 65. He had never ever painted before.. and a year later.. we were all clamoring for his paintings. Who'd have thunk it... and it was a great adventure for him. Have fun cottage contessa!
That sounds like a fabulous show! How fun to go with your daughter and your mother! I love the movie!
As far as my crafts go, I dabble in this and that and I mainly do things for decorating reasons. I do not really have one thing that I do well! One secret desire is I would love to get into oil painting one day, but that will be down the road.
I hope you find what you are looking for!
:0) Sharon
I have posted about you on my blog... thanks again for the beautiful award, Amanda....
Have a good night!
Cielo
I feel just as you do, Amanda...I am not crafy nor talented at all but would LOVE to be able to make just one thing really well. I'm afraid I gave up on it long ago...for one thing, my mom was so good at anything she did, I always felt I'd never come close to anything she did...so, I just didn't try. I admire you in wanting to give it all you've got. I am cheering you on, sweet friend....GO FOR GOLD !!
hugs and cheers, bj
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