At any given time, I probably have half a dozen craft projects in progress across various “crafts” – sewing, painting, crocheting, writing music – yes, I’m counting it… it flexes my creative muscles. The hard part isn’t finding ideas… the real challenge is finding time to finish them. Though sometimes it’s finding time to start them too.
For example, I’ve been saying for a couple years now that I was going to make myself a TARDIS dress. But it wasn’t until we decided to have a Dorkstock Halloween party that I actually started looking at patterns and fabrics. (Because, of course, John Kovalic has drawn the big blue box before.) After picking a pattern – and buying it just after New Year’s, when patterns typically go on sale at the craft store – I struggled with the fabric choices at the store and ended up buying fabric online instead. As of last Saturday, I was at the Ikea level for the dress… I had all of the parts ready and just needed to begin assembly. It’s not done yet, but it’s past the initial Ikea phase, and I’m gradually working in tidbits that will transform the dress from a black and blue dress to a TARDIS dress.
Sometimes inspiration jumps out at you. We were at a restaurant in the fall and I noticed this awesome carving on the wall across from me. I took a couple photos. I knew I wanted to do something with it, though I wasn’t sure what. I focused in on a face near the bottom of the wheel and drew that onto a canvas, then picked a small selection of colors that I wanted to use for the painting. I have to say, this was a fun painting to do.
More recently, when my Dad passed away, Cassandra was inspired to write a poem, linking the nearby erupting volcano to our family’s sadness. Volcanoes are stunningly beautiful and dangerous parts of our world, particularly for those living near them. If you want to see the stunning beauty of Fuego during an eruption, Google it… the photographs show far more than I can in a painting. But this was another one I felt I had to paint, my version of Fuego’s Lament.
Inspiration is all around us, and there’s no real limit on the crafts you can choose to express yourself.