As I have said before, I have had a thing for arts and crafts most of my life. In so many ways I have been encouraged by my folks in the world of creativity. Some of my first creative endeavors I have received as gifts were latch-hook kits, yarn for my crochet projects, and other various craft kits throughout. But as it turns out in so many ways is that I am not the only creative person in my family. This post is to talk about the creativity I have noticed and wish to acknowledge with a few different family members.
My mother (Catherine) has shown her creativity in many ways. While we were children she often made our outfits. There was a lot of similarities yet beautifully different, whether a halter top and shorts to Sunday Easter dresses. She even made dresses for our Barbie dolls. Somewhere there are photos of some of those simple snap in the back doll dresses. When I was going through Home Economics in Intermediate School (7th or 8th grade), I learned a bit about sewing on my mom’s Sears sewing machine as well as the Bernina in school. I was making a pillow for my school class. One year she made us bunnies out of new mop heads. In my early high school years, she made several “prairie style” skirts for me. When there was something to dress up for, like going to the Renaissance with friends, she could help me put something together. In fact, the dresses we girls were wearing in a photo of all of us together is the similar style our dolls dresses looked like.
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Another way I saw her creativity is in how she had been able to stretch a dollar. There were times in the 1970s and 1980s where when she went grocery shopping, it would be for about three hours or more. But that was to cover a whole month. She was planning meals a month at a time.
Another individual I see as being creative or at least a bit into crafts is my dad. I remember how he liked to paint figures and did so usually around the holidays. Both my folks were also into macrame with different types of jute. Most of it used to hold the plants.
My sister, Leah, is also creative. I have seen her work in how she can turn any living space into something beautiful. With her kids she has made cool costumes when they were small. I printed and cut out the Maleficent costume to work into my Mirror Mirror layout one year. She also did the decorations for our grandfather’s memorial service.
I have an aunt (Mary) who is an artist herself. I have taken some tips from her on my artist journey. Things like how to protect your work once its done. She once made a painting for me with a butterfly and one of my favorite verses – “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. I believe she also has done artwork onto surfaces of furniture to sell on consignment.
I am also aware of a nephew of mine who has a poet’s bent though I have not seen his work. I have a similar bent myself.
I am sure there is creativity in many more members whose names allude me right now. I came across poetry once by an older relative. Receiving certain objects and supplies from my relatives, I learned that my paternal grandmother kept a toolbox of paints. I still have that toolbox today and keep my own art supplies in it.
Many times people can be an artist of one type or another and maybe its never known cause it wasn’t a practice considered seriously enough to become an income. So, it became a hobby. For some it stays a hobby while for others it becomes more. But I am sure that for every creative individual, there is probably a family filled with others in the same vein. As a creative, are you aware of the creatives in your family?
