Sponge is my middle name

Don't wear it out.

I've been really into learning new stuff. Absorbing any little thing I can. And I'm not talking about history, or the like. I'm talking about doing stuff. A few years ago, I never would have imagined I could be so crafty -- uh, not like a fox, but like someone who makes things. I always thought I lacked any creativity whatsoever. I could care less about making things. I lamented the fact that I had no hobbies. I wanted hobbies, but nothing piqued my interest.

My mom had been crafty when I was growing up. Actually, I dislike the word "crafty." It sounds like I sit around making cheap, junky stuff that people want to find a nice home for in their kitchen trash -- like when you made your parents little ceramic things in elementary school. Oh, but thanks, Dad, for saving that stupid roadrunner I made in sixth-grade shop class.

A few years back I suddenly wanted to sew. I taught myself, and haven't been able to stop since. Then, I started studying fashion design, just so I'd know how to make a pattern. It's really hard and something that would take a lot of practice. During this time, I started an accessories business, Burst of Happiness. The business focused on bags, but then I wanted to learn to knit. About a year ago, I took that on and added scarves to my line of accessories. A few months ago, I gave crochet another try.

Oh, but it doesn't stop there. Buying yarn wasn't good enough. I wanted to make my own. And while I was messing around, why not learn to make felt? Or knit an item first and then felt it? A friend taught me to spin on a drop spindle, but now I want to do all these fancy things and I don't know how. I can learn! I will! Oh, and I also want to learn to dye yarn or roving. My mom and grandma signed me up for a class for my birthday at Village Wools. Yay!

I have friends who are artists and jewelers, and sometimes we try to learn from each other. If for nothing else, you can just see how something is done -- even if you have no intentions of doing it yourself. I've always been curious about how things are done. When I lived in Bakersfield, a drunken old lady knocked down the carport across from my apartment. I couldn't understand how they would straighten it up and fix it. I couldn't wait to see, so I watched every day to see if anyone was there to fix it. Suddenly, it was done, and I never got to watch. I am a curious girl.

The other day my friend asked, randomly, "oh, by the way, did you want to learn how to solder?" I thought, "what?!" But then I thought, "yeah! Might as well." Another friend is going to teach me beeswax collage.

I guess the downside is that I'll know just a little about a lot of things, which isn't very useful. I think I need to focus a little bit, but first I want to explore and figure out what I want most to focus on. I think part of it is the business. I can't seem to just make something for me, because every time I make something, I think that maybe someone in the world would love it and want to buy it. Then, if nobody does, I am so tired of it that I don't want to keep it.

I wish I could just take my time and make myself garments -- even design them. Or learn to knit something more complicated, just for me. But when I make items for me, I'm just not motivated. I want to share things with the world. I just wish the world wanted more of them!