I learned to knit and crochet from my Grandmother Daisy when I was about 7 years old. That was a very long time ago. I did it for a while as a teen-ager but it was the 70’s and yarn was not that great. I got away from it for many years while I was going to school, working, and raising my kids. Now that they are pretty much on their own I am able to devote more time to the craft I love. Over the years I have sampled many, many crafts: stamping, scrapbooking, knitting, cross stitching, latch hooking, rug hooking, weaving, quilting, beading, needle felting, painting, fabric painting; just to name a few. I currently crochet. I am very into Tunisian or Afghan stitch crochet right now. I teach it at Yarn Harbor and write patterns.
Last year I decided I would try to go to craft shows to sell some of my work. Just to support my habit if for no other reason. I did 22 shows last year and it was a lot of hard work and a little demoralizing. When you spend at least 1 hour moving everything in and setting it all up, then sit for 4 – 8 hours, depending on the show, spend another 2 hours tearing it all down and loading it into the van and you only made what it cost you to be in the show, it can be very hard!! I luckily had my family to help me set up and tear down and give me a few minutes to run to a bathroom but it is still a hard life. My tent got destroyed during a massive storm at the end of the summer last year, as well as 1/3 of my inventory. I decided at that point that I really wasn’t making enough to start over. Next time you go to a festival or craft show, take a second to think about all the time, money, and energy that person has spent to be there and please don’t tell them they do beautiful work. (I heard that so often it could have been a college drinking game.)
I am also a massage therapist and really love to work with people. I help them to figure out why they are in pain and ways we can help it. I have had my own practice for 13+ years, it allows me the freedom to have clients and teach and write and be available for my family when needed. My husband has been so completely supportive in everything I have tried. I never would have been able to get to where I am without his love and support.
