Nudged: Do Something Crafty

Back in my single days, I was very crafty. I made wreaths with my glue gun, I created elaborate table centers, I sewed. Not just mending; I made curtains and duvet covers without patterns and created all my prom and formal dresses. Legit! In my early 30s I discovered a friend and I shared a love for needlework and…wouldn’t it be more fun to do it together? We made a date and worked on our own projects while we chatted. The following month, we invited a few other friends to join us, and our group became the Crafts Babes.

Then life got busy. Work, responsibilities, and household projects took over. Then I got married, and my “free” time was not entirely my own. That’s a good thing, of course. But as I was putting together The List for this year’s nudges, I recalled things I used to love to do and vowed to do them again.

This week, that means I’m going to get crafty.

As always, you can do this nudge along with me or come up with another task that fits the intention. What was something you once loved to do that you haven’t done in a long time?

What Happened: There’s a small cabinet and a plastic storage bin in one corner of my office where all my crafty supplies are stored, including some unfinished projects. I knew exactly what was in there, I knew all week I “had” to do this nudge, but I kept putting it off. Why? I’m not sure. Maybe because it felt big, like it was going to suck up my time, take away from other things I need to do. Maybe because I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy it again, and I’d feel sick for having kept all that stuff around for so many years.

And that’s why this nudging adventure is so good for me. This is my nudge to pull those items out, try them again, and make a decision about how I want to move forward.

So that’s what I did two nights ago. I unearthed a cross-stitch project I started about 20 years ago (maybe longer–gack!). The original plan was to complete the four seed packet designs and frame them to decorate the kitchen of whichever apartment I was living in at the time. I finished the tomato (cute, right?). I started the eggplant, then the whole thing got tucked away and neglected until now.

The first thing I discovered is that my eyesight is not what it was back in the day. Those little stitches are hard! I dove in though, while complaining to Thor about the poor (ahem) lighting, and completed a few rows. It was…frustrating. Shoot! I had high expectations for this, was hoping I’d get hooked again, but I’m not sure.

I pulled it out again last night, and it was still rough going. Maybe I need to invest in a big magnifying lens or those cheapo magnifying old lady reading glasses you get at the pharmacy? I think I might do that before I give up on this. Because even though it wasn’t as satisfying as I initially hoped it would be, I did derive some satisfaction from seeing the work progress. Maybe those seed packets will look cute in our kitchen here?

The Ah-Hahs: I’ll admit I was disappointed with the outcome of this nudge. I really was hoping I’d pick up right where I left off, would rediscover an old passion and find it still inspires me today, maybe even launch a Bay Area chapter of the Crafts Babes. Sorry to say, I’m not feeling it.

Is it time, then, to Kondo all my needles and threads? Hmm…not quite yet. I don’t yet feel “finished” with this. And that, I think, is the gift of this nudge. By trying things old and new, I can figure out what feels good and authentic to me today.