Why This Blog, Why Now

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Times are rough right now. For many of us times are hard both financially and emotionally. But to keep it in perspective I have to remind myself that even tough times in this country at this time in history are no were near as bad as people in other place in the past and present have endured.

Right now I have a roof over my head, it may be a small modest house in a blue collar neighborhood that could seriously use some work but it is a roof over my head and I am damn grateful for it. We have food on the table that we shop carefully for using sales and free coupons from the internet. We barely make our bills..but we are making ends meet and that is something to be thankful for. I have friends both in my everyday world and online that I cherish and family that I adore. And most of all we have each other.

When I count my blessings I may not run out of fingers but I still have a lot.

So I got to thinking about what I could share with others. It certainly isn’t money I haven't got enough of that to spread around and this house is barely big enough for the two of us and our two little dogs so I am not taking in any strays anytime soon and I am certainly not sharing my honey with anyone (sorry ladies but he is mine..LOL).

So all I could come up with was the many skills I have learned from years of creative trial and error and the skills I learned in college getting an art degree.

That is where the idea for this blog came about.

Because the creating and exploring new mediums has kept me sane through the bad times and the good times I thought it was important to share the techniques and skills I have learned along the way with others. If I can help give the world and some of the people in it even for a moment that sense of peace I get when I create something out of bits and bobs then I will feel like I have done my part.

So many times in my life when I was holding on by a thread just the act of creating something gave me the focus I needed to tough out whatever it was I was trying to make it through. I figured that survival skill would be a good thing to give back to the world.

I chose the name “Crafting a Reality” with great care. It fits what I am trying to say and do. I found this definition fit what I wanted to say,  “Reality = the state of things as they are, rather than as they are imagined to be” It just tickled me that I could look at objects as they are add my imagination and skills and turn them into something totally different. By changing the reality of the object I am also changing the reality of my life. The act of creating gives me hope and enhances my life immensely.

So this blog is about what you can make and why you should attempt to create even when (especially when) life is beating you down.

Since I know we are all low on funds I will keep the cost of these projects to a minimum.

It is amazing the craft stash I have accumulated after 20 years in this house but I am going to try to use what I have on hand for the projects or what can be purchased cheaply.

A thrift store sweater can be made into a bunch of interesting items and if you shop on the right days the thrift shops around here do discounts and ½ price days.

I would like feedback from all of you on what you would like to see in the future.

I have a few projects planned for the holidays but I am very open to suggestions.

Art like life is a journey, the different mediums are like countries to be explored. I think it is best to travel through as many as possible until you find the place where your heart really yearns to dwell.
I am looking to be your tour guide in this journey.
Please sit back and enjoy my blog.