We all have different talents and it’s good to acknowledge these special attributes so they don’t become forgotten. My husband, for example, is an extremely practical and tenacious man which means that he can turn his hand to almost anything (…except the ironing which persistently confounds him for some reason). He also entertains me by turning his socks the right way around whilst putting his feet in them – although this has to be seen to be believed!
My talent is usually knowing what the time is (with an accuracy of less than 15 mins). I never wear a watch although I own several as many people feel sorry for me and buy them as gifts. I’m also pretty good at matching colours without a swatch which means that I can walk into a fabric shops and just know what the perfect shade would be (this also makes it a nightmare for those who are with me- “it’s near enough” they say. “It’s nothing like” say I).
The kittens have a talent for being effortlessly cute and cuddly as well as growing at least a centimetre a day! However, the chickens surely must have the most delicious talent of consistently providing us with the tastiest eggs.
So, you can imagine that I also have a very good idea of where my weaknesses lie. The top one (of a verrrry long list) is impatience. I have no patience for fiddling around with things like embroidery, sugar craft, jigsaws, sudoku, untangling christmas tree lights etc. It’s not that I can’t do them it’s more like I can’t be bothered to spend time doing them and there always seems to be more intresting and/or pressing to do. So, as much as I thoroughly enjoy reading all of the wonderful craft posts, I know that deep down my talents lie elsewhere.
One of the blogs that I love is Gardening Nirvana and last week dear Alys was thrilled to be involved with a “Craft it Forward” project. She explained that the first five people who left a comment on her blog would receive a hand crafted gift and the only condition was the lucky five have to pay the craft favour forward. Once the five bloggers had safely added their comments to Alys’ blog I contacted her to say what a great idea it was and then THIS happened! (the link can be found in the word THIS!). Thanks Alys x
Oh well, I like a challenge and it may just lead to a new hobby. If you would like to be involved then please hurry and comment – the rules are very simple:
- The first five people to comment here will receive a handmade gift from me at some point during 2013…. I apologise in advance for what the postman brings.
- You won’t know when, and you won’t know what, but I can assure you that it will happen…. heck, even I don’t know when or what!
- I will email you for your snail mail address so it will be private
- As one of the famous five you have to agree to do the same for five other people
There’s no time like the present – I’ve already thought about embroidery, crazy patchwork, stump work, decoupage and water colours. My Mum’s really good at crafts so I’m sure she’ll help me out and try not to laugh too much at my attempts.
Last night we went to a family dinner party and took along some champagne, a dozen organic eggs and a potted cyclamen. There’s no time like the present so I had a little go at glamming things up …. starting with the tatty recycled egg box.
I was pleased with how much improvement a simple decoration of flowery tissue paper, buttons and raffia made…
… so the cyclamen plant was attacked next with some old brown tissue paper and more raffia…
… these gifts were gratefully received and it was nice to know that I had spent some extra time and thought on them. Don’t worry – you won’t get eggs or a plant in the post!!
So my main questions are
- who wants to enter the Craft It Forward challenge?
- what on earth can I make??? 🙂
The Pyjama Gardener 
This is so creative, I love it! What the heck, I’m in if you’ll have me? Love the egg box by the way :))
Welcome aboard – don your life jacket and hold on tight 🙂 It should be a fun ride and thanks for being the first!!
Hooray! I’d better get thinking of something suitably ‘crafty’ now :))
Looks like fun – I feel rather like you, minus the ability to match colours, but would love to have a go!
Marvellous! Why should all the talented crafters have all the fun? Thanks for getting involved 🙂
Well, despite your alleged impatience you are showing a creative streak well done! I encourage myself to indulge in creative task to reduce my own impatience and it works( I’m making a violin at the mo, but won’t be sending that to anyone 🙂 Have you tried macramé ?!
Ha ha! I was quite pleased to have decorated an egg box and there you are making a violin…LOL, really funny! You’ll be SO underwhelmed with my hand made gift when it eventually arrives. I’ve never done macrame but I made a rag rug once. It was horrible. Maybe I could knit you a bow warmer (I can just about knit one, purl one). Thanks for being my number three!!
Thanks, my pleasure, nice new challenge. BTW the violin is taking me literally years and I am being micro-managed by my other half- a violin maker. I have become more patient though 🙂
I am not much of a crafter either, impatience is my problem too! I loved your comments on your talents, your knowledge of the time is remarkable! I guess mine would be that I can kiss a child’s forehead and tell you within a half a degree how high the temperature is! Unfortunately, I have had lots of practice these last few weeks :(. We seem to be on the mend now though! Good luck with your crafts!
That’s a very precious talent you have there – sorry that you’ve had to use it a lot recently! Well, maybe with this project we’ll both learn crafting patience and develop a new hobby out of it – you have a whole year to pay it forward! Maybe you could incorporate some of your photography? You’re my number four so brace yourself x
No time like the present, and no present like time. 😉
Congratulations (or commiserations) for being number five. I know you’ll receive the gift in the spirit it’s attended – it will be with you sometime in the year as I have to learn a new craft first!!
This is a GREAT idea!! I think I’m too late for your Craft It Forward but I might just have to start one if my own – so much fun! 🙂
You can either follow one of the guys above as they’ll be hosting their own Craft It Forward project soon or certainly start you own. It should be fun, and I’m sorry that you missed out, but I daren’t agree to more than five for the first one. Thanks for stopping by x
😉
i think if gardening is your passion, then it is your “craft”. You could design a small garden plot for one of your recipients and maybe a painted flowerpot for another. How about some bulbs from your garden or some heirloom seeds. Just go with it!!
There are some good ideas there – thank you! I might have a go at designing some seed packets. My confidence will soon know no bounds!
Lovely ideas!
This is a really great idea, and a good way to get some new friends too 🙂 It’s like the movie, I think it was called ‘Pass it on’, just with homemade gifts instead! Sorry I was too late, maybe next time, I have been buried behind my laptop for the last 2 days to get everything ready for my announcement, my Monday post. Finally done, I can sleep tonight 🙂
Your announcement of the new gallery is exciting! You’ve obviously been working hard and have some fantastic photos. I’m sure that they’ll be other Craft It Forwards popping up in Blogland soon x
Oh PJ, sorry for the lateness of my visit. Snap, you always make me laugh so hard. I can see by the colourful hostess gift you magically cobbled together that your talents exceed telling the time 😀 I’m not surprised your husband has not displayed a passion for ironing, I can’t even get excited about that. I once had to turn it into a post to actually get it done…HA. Looks like you got a full reply too, that’s fabulous. Say hi to the chickens for me, “well done I’d say” xK
I’m sure the lovely people who commented are looking forward to a mystery gift…. they’ll spend ages saying “what on earth is this? It really is a mystery!!”.
😀 Never! We will all be delighted, I promise. LOL.
Should we put Sherlock Holmes on the invite? The Ocean has shrank and brought friends together to an old fashion ‘knock-a-door’. Have you heard of it? You leave a gift, knock on the door and run….might just be a North American thing. Alys is an expert! 😀 So looking forward to something, anything from your sweet heart! xk
Great Idea, I had to wait until you had your five before commenting! As you know I making a house and I doubt it would fit in the post:)
Oooh – just a kitchen extension would be good! Shame you’re too late… maybe next time 🙂
What an awesome challenge! I can’t wait to see what you make, your crafty things are sooo cool. People 1-5 are very lucky 🙂
That’s very kind of you to say Anna x I still have no idea what to make but I suppose it’s just lovely these days to get something through the post that isn’t a bill 🙂
Yes! Yes,yes, yes!
Or…You could make a collage of your bills, turn it into a customized set of note cards, and start a whole new trend. The possibilities are endless.
Oh…I’m too late! [sly wink]
It felt self serving somehow to jump in too soon. I can’t wait to read and see what you create. I love the decorated egg carton and if we lived closer, I would consider it a special gift. I would save the decorated carton as well. I knew you had the creative gene.
Great post. Thanks, too for making me smile and laugh.
Love this!
Ironing is hard to master!
I like your decorated egg box!!! so cute!