Craftiness

People call me crafty and sometimes im called an artist. When I see real artist I think im just crafty. An Artist, I wish.

When I sit and think about it, Ive been this way as long as I've known me. I can't remember a lot from my childhood but I remember my craftiness as far back as 4 or 6 years old.

22 things creative people do different

As a small child I loved to color, paint by number and make things with play dough. I mean, I really made things with play dough. I would make bowls, vases and sculptures, let them dry in the sun to harden and sell them to my friends for a dime. I even used clay I could dig up from the yard. When My paper dolls tore up, I would draw them up another set of clothes. I can just keep going with little things like this but let me start with first grade........

I never liked school.  I could care less about learning. First grade teacher, Mrs Martin had these needle point American flags that she let the class work on often. They were made using yarn and a fat plastic child proof needle. I would complete one in a day. That's all I wanted to do, and well, she let me. It kept me busy while everyone else read. I even finished up other students flags (mostly for the boys). She found it so amusing that she actually bought me a real needle point to do. With real thread and sharp needle. It was of a gray mouse holding a ball of red yarn. I remember it like it was just yesterday.

Later on Mom taught me to sew barbie doll clothes and later how to crochet. 

My favorite class in school was art and I loved working with clay. 

Daddy would give me pocket knives and I carved acorns and sticks into jewelry. I was always coming up with something to make or do with things I found. To think about it, that's just what kids did in the 70's. I remember the boys putting together go carts and tree houses with scraps of wood, metals and wagon wheels found around the neighborhood.

I gave up art in high school all because of a boy! Yep. I could kick myself in the butt for that. It was my chosen art class on the first day of my junior year. Unfortunately It wasn't to late to make schedule changes. I looked over at the girl beside of me, she was wearing my boyfriends high school ring! My hand went in the air and I announced to God and everybody that I wanted out if this class. Wish granted.

I never went back. See how silly teenagers are? When I reached my 30's I joined a six week pencil art class and loved it so much I took a water color class the next season. Now I sometimes attend acrylic paint parties with friends. However, Its just too expensive for me right now, so I don't go as often as I'd like.

Now days I do a lot of crocheting and will paint a picture when the notion hits me. I admire people that can draw and paint. I've always wanted to know how to draw people and attend a live model class.

Creative peoples minds are always wondering. Always overworking and thinking of the next thing to make or do. There are so many great ideas out there waiting to be created. You never know when a new idea will pop in our heads. Ideas are off the wall. all of a sudden, wham! I will loose sleep thinking about it.

I got my creativeness from my Mom and Grandmothers.
My mom is a great seamstress and can make anything from belts to wedding dresses and still owns her own alteration shop. Growing up, she was full of creative ideas.

My next project? I want to make a small fairy Garden.
See what I mean?
The idea hit me and I will think about it until its complete, some how, some way. Stay tuned for that one.

Saving The Spearmint

This excites me.

You see, we used to live in the house of my Husbands late Italian Grandparents. The back yard was filled with hydrangeas, roses, fig trees, wild flowers and some spearmint. 

I used to cut stems off the spearmint once it grew the lavender flowers on the top and put them in a vase in the kitchen as it would add the perfect green life with the aroma of mint. Oh how I miss that house and yard. 

It was told that you could place the leaf of the mint on your tongue after an Italian dinner and it would rid your breath of the garlic. I just liked the look of the twiggy bouquet.

When we were out walking in our neighborhood toward the end of last summer, I noticed an old man cleaning out his wild and weeded yard. He looks to be over 110 years old and his yard is full of different flowers as if he just threw the seeds out of his windows to see where they would grow. Out of all the flowers and weeds in his yard, I always noticed the mint he had growing near the curb. It was always tempting to pick some but that would be stealing.

As we walked by his yard, I noticed he had ripped the mint out of the ground and threw it in the pile if brush he had by the road. I asked him if I could have some, and without skipping a beat, he said "sure! Take all you want". I grabbed only a couple twigs, not to look so desperate, and continued my walk. We were only a block from home. 

I stuck them down in a pot of dirt and within a day or two, they had already perked up and leaned toward the sun. They died off in January and by March, there was new growth. New life. It was almost like it appeared over night. I mean I just looked out there a day or two ago and didn't notice.

I can already smell the mint when I walk onto my patio. It almost hides the smell of dog poop of my next door neighbors dogs. Almost. Not sure a whole yard full of mint and roses would fix that fiasco.

I will use sprigs of mint in my water along with some cut cucumber for a refreshing quench. I may attempt to make some mint tea or search for other uses for this herb. 

It will also attract butterflies as the summer progresses. I'm so excited. I got something to grow in my flavor favor. Now if I could just get a tomato plant to produce.

Im open for more ideas on usage for this mint. If you have one, I'd love to hear it.