I didn’t think that I would end up crafting.
To be honest, my whole childhood and the early years were pretty… boring. I was always told by adults around me that crafting was a waste of time, and that I should pursue more bookish pursuits. And being the child I was, I listened. And did everything I could to make the adults happy.
Sometime growing up, I began to find myself interested in the performing arts. I started doing theatre performances, while pursuing an undergraduate studies in education. Of course, we had to pick our majors while in school so theatre it was. That was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with my creative self. I felt alive. Something had broken free.
I never looked back.
Some time this year, I was approached by my school to create an original performance for a school event. This would be my second year doing it. As usual, there is very little school budget for us to work with. With almost zero budget and a pretty ambitious dream, I would have to DIY a lot of things.
It was during the DIY process that I discovered something else… that sewing was something I enjoyed and there was so much joy in seeing the beautiful transformation of a piece of craft material into something I envisioned. I was hooked. From sewing, I discovered other crafting hobbies — resin was one of them. A part of me really wish I had found this love earlier. At 30, picking up a new hobby and trying to juggle my time is pure madness. Work, part-time studies, work, family… it was certainly hard to dedicate time to everything. But I see crafting processes and products the same way I se my theatre processes and performances — that each moment is a gift, and that it must be preserved and shared.
I’m really grateful for my boyfriend, who encourages me to craft and create — small whimsical things and little requests. He keeps me challenged, and constantly shows everyone around him my little creations. In a way, that spurs me on too… other than the fact that I need this hobby to keep myself sane amidst all the madness.
On a completely different note, I would never tell my child (if I ever have one) not to stop dreaming and believing. Dreams need to be fed; but more importantly, dreams need to be dreamt because they give us a freedom and pursuit away from just material gain and success.
;; pocketetch ;; 