Those who spend much time around me find out quickly my love of all things creative.

I had my first “business” at age 9 having sewn hair scrunchies (remember those!?!) and bows using school uniform fabric. I saw a gap in the market with no hair accessories allowed and gained approval to make and then sell the uniform appropriate ones on registration day. I LOVED sewing them (all by myself!) and made $200 having sold out! While home schooled for 6 1/2 years, my mom gave me an elective of “crafts” each year. 🙂 I enjoyed everything from tole painting to paper making, sewing and creating specialty candies and even preserving and re-setting wedding bouquets among other things.

While I chose particular crafts for my school elective, out of hours my mom taught me to work first, then play. Her love of crafts was considered to be a reward which she worked hard for. I think she had so much fun doing them and she was such a hard worker that she felt a need to have an excuse to do crafts. She would say things like, “let’s work really hard today so that we can spend a little extra time tomorrow doing that craft”. I learned that art was a reward and I learned to work hard for it.

Last year I was feeling little motivation for [click to continue…]