My Next Challenge

I had seen this post on Facebook a while ago, and it struck a cord with me. I had never considered myself a "creative person" albeit all the different crafts I had taken up in the past. Going all the way back to my high school art class days (and that is going back quite a while!), I remember my teachers encouraging my attempts at watercolor, pottery and year book art (yes, that was a senior elective).

It wasn't until nursing school, when I first had the confidence to venture out and volunteered to be the Yearbook Editor. The cover was white eons ago, and gave the advisor a hissy fit, because tradition dictated it should be garnet red, my first attempt at self expression! I was so proud of what we had accomplished, and even now, thumbing through the pages, reminds me of how and when photos were taken, write-ups approved, and the many decision meetings where my ideas were often taken and accepted.



I was fortunate enough to be a stay at home mom for the first four of our children, but when my husband took ill, I had to take on the role of bread winner, and I gravitated back to crafts and become a demonstrator for a now defunct crafting kit company. The idea was to teach a simple needle craft at a home party to the attendees and then sell the kits available to them. Made some money, still have a TON of sample kits stacked in a closet, and got to the Regional Manager position (which anyone who has ever done home parties, knows that is where the road turns into a major highway).

Of course, nursing was my first love, and after doing 42 years of it, my tired feet would no longer cooperate. So after moving to Florida with my retired husband, I followed suit and retired too, and then found polymer clay, and bead making to fill the hours while he was watching his football, hockey, etc, sports on TV. A natural progression was to jewelry designs and other creations.

It has been an interesting, richly rewarding and mind expanding experience. One I never thought I would have the confidence to show the world, and you, what came from my head and hands. Thanks to so many successes, and flubs, and innumerable words of encouragement from others, it has given me the desire to step out and share again.

My new venture will be teaching "newbies" a class in Polymer Clay, at a bead shop nearby. The owner of the shop picked out one of my simple pieces, that she felt her customers would like to attempt. The preparation is daunting, needing a lot of pre-planning, and probably more than I truly should do, revamping and rethinking (something all crafters are guilty of), but I look forward to sharing what I know with others. Guess that is the nursing (nurturing) side of me coming to the forefront again.

Wish me Luck!