Greetings, fellow fiber arts enthusiasts! If you're new here, don't worry; I'm in the same boat. I've dabbled in Blogger Blogs before, and I've even got a few WordPress Blogs in my repertoire, but this time around, I've decided to kickstart my crafting journey with Blogger, with a future move to WP in mind.
Let's get acquainted! I'm Ashley, a single mom of three - two adults and one teenager. I hold a bachelor's degree and, currently, I'm taking a well-deserved break before diving into the world of Master's studies. My brain needed some downtime after the intense last semester. Looking back, my last paper was good, but I know I could have done even better. The final weeks of college can really wear you out, and sometimes, your brain just doesn't cooperate.
I've been crocheting for about 7 to 8 years now. I rekindled my love for crochet when I fell sick one day and felt utterly bored. Prior to that, I'd only dabbled in crochet briefly, but it had been a good 15 years since I last picked it up. Recently, I've ventured into intermediate patterns, and it's been quite the adventure.
Knitting is a new skill I've acquired, and it's been about a year since I started. My motivation came from reading a book by Debbie Macomber. The book, the first in a series, follows the journey of a woman who opens a yarn shop in Seattle after recovering from cancer and losing her father to illness. Her father left her some money, which she used to start her store and offer knitting classes. Knitting played a pivotal role in her recovery, and I, too, am a fan of Macomber, particularly her knitting books. I haven't finished all of them yet, but I plan to.
Cross-stitching is another craft I enjoy. While I'm still working on my first big project (college tends to steal my leisure time), I find it incredibly satisfying, even if I still consider myself a newbie. I dove headfirst into this craft when I was sick; I get easily bored when I'm under the weather and can't just sleep the day away.
I've got a ton of Works in Progress (WIPs), and even my mom questions why. Well, I have a bit of Shiny Object Syndrome, and people just won't stop sending me stuff, especially yarn. My small two-bedroom apartment is running out of storage space for all my yarn!
Crafting is my go-to stress reliever and a great way to keep my mind engaged. It's important to take breaks from our phones and find meaningful activities to fill our time. I started this blog to share my crafting journey and to fill in the gaps when I'm not posting on TikTok. Creating worthwhile content takes time and effort, and I'd rather post videos infrequently with content that matters to me than create content just for views. Don't get me wrong, views are fantastic, and they show that people appreciate crafts, but I'm not a speed crafter. Kudos to those with years of experience who can whip up a project in no time. I craft because it helps me manage stress and find joy in the process.
Before I wrap up this post, I want to share that I love listening to audiobooks and watching shows or movies while crafting. Currently, I'm engrossed in several audiobooks (a handy trick to tackle college reading assignments), including "Daughter of the Forest" by Juliet Marillier and "Hounded" by Kevin Hearne. The former is a historical fantasy fiction novel set in ancient England's seven kingdoms, featuring a young Irish girl tasked with making shirts for her brothers turned into swans by an evil sorceress. The latter follows an old Irish iron elemental druid living in modern-day Arizona, embarking on adventures with ancient deities and people. I discovered this series while listening to the third audiobook, a bit out of order, but it had me laughing during my overnight shifts, particularly during the encounters with Loki. If you enjoy crafting while listening to audiobooks or watching the same shows, I'll be sure to mention them in my posts.
I hope you enjoy this blog, and may your crafting endeavors be both fun and fulfilling!
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