When Good Ideas Go Bad

A few months ago there was a "Craft It Forward" Project making the rounds on Facebook. The premise was that you signed up to receive a handcrafted item from someone and you continued the chain, offering to send a handcrafted item to whoever signed up for your unique crap. (They capped it at 5 thankfully.) Simple, right?

Maybe it was the fact that it was still winter, there was still snow on the ground, and I was getting a little case of "I wish it were summer-itis", but I thought, "Why not? I can be crafty somehow. I have been in the past." What sealed the deal was that it could be anytime over the next year that they could receive it. I had a whole year to whip up something crafty? I could do that! I'm in! Oh, the crap that I get myself into.

What I failed to realize is that most of my crafts are children based. Yes, they might be happy to slap some beads on a string and call it a necklace, but I'm not sure a grown woman can get away with calling this a craft! I can't crochet, knit, or quilt. I don't have any handy hidden craft talents like decoupage or macrame. Hmmm, this might be harder than I thought. Sure, I once stenciled a coat rack and a kitchen apron but neither are worthy of being featured in Martha Stewart Living. Crap! The things I get myself into.

So two and a half months go by and this proposal is simmering in the back of my mind. I'm still keeping an eye out for craft projects for dummies but mostly I'm wondering why the hell I thought I could do this. Not only am I not crafty, but when do I have time for this? What was I thinking, that I could create hours in my day to find time to do this? Am I going to clone myself since I keep adding things to do in my not so spare time?

Thankfully I see an article in a magazine that talks about craft tape and how it's an inexpensive way to make things new and/or pretty. They showed a box and a picture frame. It looks like something a craft novice can do. I think I heard the Hallelujah chorus.

So Friday night my step-mother, my daughter and I went to the "big" craft store. This is A.C. Moore. If you have ever been there, or to a craft store period, you know that it pretty much has everything a crafter could want: beads, paint, yarn, picture frames, wood projects, baking supplies, kids crafts, t-shirts and fabric paint, jewelry making supplies, and so on. I walked in and figured if I can't find a project to do here, then no one can. Actually, these stores are dangerous. They make you think you ARE capable of all these craft projects and more. You feel like Supercraft Woman! Able to create decorative, high quality art out of string, a toothpick, and glitter glue!

After walking around for an hour and a half and doing laps around the store, we finally did walk out as they were closing. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson about signing myself up for extra activities until my schedule lightens up a little. What? They need 6 dozen cookies for the PTA bake sale? Okay, sign me up.....