Hi! I'm Sandy and I create. I've done this my entire life
At first it was making clothes for my Barbie doll. Next is was teaching myself to knit using sharpened Tinkertoy sticks. My mom finally let me do machine sewing when she gave up her treadle machine and bought an electric sewing machine.
In elementary school, I put together a notebook full of fashion designs. And along with my best friend, Katie Ann, created a house plan we were sure we would build and live in one day.
Jewelry has been a part of my creativity all that time too. White-headed sewing pins became Barbie pearl earrings. Friends received Shrinky Dinks earrings as gifts in junior high. I had a small board of jewelry items for sale in the corner of my mom's cafe during high school (which included macrame - am I dating myself?).
A space to create is important
In my parent's house, I cleaned out a little section of the basement. It had no outlets and a single bulb up on the ceiling.
To plug in the sewing machine, I needed to add an outlet above the bulb. I needed to strreeetttch to reach that outlet - being on the shorter side of average. I still remember the shock I received.
Crafting and buying craft supplies are two different hobbies!
Moving out on my own meant renting places that provided not only space to create but also to store my growing quantity of supplies and equipment.
One Christmas my enabling brother gave me the gift of a custom-made 4-foot x 8-foot cutting table.
After that Christmas, calling potential landlords included asking if there was room for a pool table. I figured they could understand the space needed for a pool table better than a sewing table.
Creating is such a big part of me that lack of a sewing and craft room was a deal breaker when buying my first (and only) house. When I found the right place, the room I designed around that cutting table is my sanctuary and happy place in my home.
A little bit of this and a little bit of that and a whole lot of these
I've dabbled in sooooo many things. Sometimes I'm envious of those who can limit their choices and devote their time to one craft.
My friend Mary knits… and knits fast… and actually finishes one project before starting another.
Ellen, her craft room is devoted to enamel work.
Kay has framed cross stitch on every wall of her house.
Neeshia paints ceramic pieces and I love the Santa face that adorns my Christmas tree.
Always creating
While this website is devoted to jewelry, that won't stop my other interests. I'll still sew. And knit. And quilt. And cross stitch. And plan travel itineraries. And study history. And…and…and…
How can I not?
Because all those crafts and activities make up me.
And part of me is in everything I create.