Personalized Charm Necklace

I can’t believe it has been over a week since I have visited my own website. Perhaps it doesn’t seem that long ago for me because I constantly “journal” in my head… but they never seem to make it anywhere… whether it’s on paper or here. Sometimes I find that I do not have the luxury of time to sit down and write. And when I do find the time to escape from all that’s going on in my life, I ended up staring at a blank screen until something calls me back to reality, whether it’s time to feed/change a crying baby, or let the dog out, or stir a bubbling pot, or even fold the laundry that’s done drying.

Lately, apart from being a full-time mom, I have been preoccupied with my crafts. 

On April 8th, I am going to be a vendor at the Spring Craft Fair at Chesley Community Church. This is my first time joining a craft fair so I hope I can see some of you there for support! It’s open from 10am -4pm if any of you wishes to stop by.

And since we are in March already I am now starting to worry if I can actually pull it off. What if I end up not having enough products to sell? What if people end up not liking them? What if I am just wasting all my time for nothing? So many what-ifs!

I craft because I find it de-stressing. If I have the time, I like making handmade gifts or cards because I get to give a part of me to people who receive them. So even though it takes me longer to make something for someone, it doesn’t matter because all the time and effort I put into it is part of what makes the gift special.

I wish to incorporate the same philosophy to whomever will buy my items at the craft fair. When they pick up something from my craft table I would like them to feel special. I’d like them to see that the person behind the crafts put her heart into every item. That the products weren’t just made in a rush to make a profit. I want to achieve perfection! Which probably makes me a lousy entrepreneur. Being a perfectionist, I have a very high standard. So if it doesn’t pass me, it goes in the reject pile that I would have to tinker away when I have the time.

So when crafting becomes a chore,  I think that’s when I need to step back and just breathe and make something else that will give me a sense of purpose.

I once told a friend, I felt useless because I do not know how to help her. That thought weighed heavy on me even after I blurted it out to her. Eventually, I found a way (as little as it was) to give something of myself to her to let her know I’m with her during this difficult time. I made her an adjustable satin cord necklace with charms that I specifically gathered from my collection to tell a story of a special chapter in her life.

I handmade a necklace cardholder to put the necklace in, with cut out butterflies, and wrote a quote from Anne Lamott about grace.

I tied a hemp cord to close the card and embellished it with a flower cut out from old wedding invitation with the word beloved in it.

I wrote her a letter as well, but that’s too personal to share here so that would be just between me, her, and God.

This craft is just what I needed to do to step away from the mundane sewing and hot gluing of headbands and hair clips.

It’s craft like this that makes me enjoy being in the midst of the chaos, and not worry about the mess one bit.