Therapy or crafting?

So its been stated that I enjoy spending my time creating things. Doesn’t matter if its food, or just something fun to look at. I find it very calming to do something extremely meticulous. It completely clears my mind if I do a daunting task that will result in something I’m proud of. Even if its something dumb as a bulletin board for a dorm hall way- Thank you ResLife. 

My very first bulletin board, unfinished however

My first bulletin board as Head Resident Assistant.

In college, I somehow managed to take up all my possible free time with any and every creative task possible. Again thanks to ResLife, I was able to manifest my greatest crafting accomplishments. Oh you have a team of 25 and you need to create original t shirts for a dodgeball tournament? Sure thing! You only have 30 dollars and you have one night. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.  Cue one trip to walmart for black paint, red spray paint and white t shirts. Bribe a minion with pizza and jack yourself up with coffee and go at it. VIOLA! Bangin t – shirts. It totally didn’t matter if we absolutely sucked at dodgeball- we looked the best.

We were the "Village Villans"

Around 2 am, I figured spray painting was a good idea.

I spent my summers in college working as an RA for orientation and a program called “Career Explorations”- basically a glorified advertisement for the college where highschool junior and seniors get to spend the weekend in a dorm and try out a class or two. All my job was, was to assign rooms for the orientees and CX kids, occasionally sit desk, and prepare orientation packets. Yup. That’s it. In return I got a scholarship for 2 classes over the summer- which I never used due to them not offering classes for my major. And I also received free room and board.  It was a million times easier just to stay on campus rather than move home then move back to school. Mind you I moved between res halls WAY more than necessary but still, it was all part of “the experience” that was college.

Well the upside- or downside, depending on who you are- to this summer job was having an immense amount of free time. I didn’t want to get a job persay because I liked being available to my staff. I liked being the one that was reliable to cover shifts if someone wanted to go out for the night or needed to pick up another shift. I wasn’t into the clubbing scene and I was lucky enough to have majority of my tuition be covered by scholarships. So Mama Rooster took care of her flock. And crafted….alot.

I have quite a lot of movies. According to my movie inventory app- iCollect movies Pro (probably the greatest app of all time)- I currently have 464 movies. Some say I have a problem, but hey I was better than redbox in my reshall. And when hurricanes hit and we were locked in our dorms for the weekend, believe me EVERYONE loved my movie hoarding.

So when life gets a little stressful for me, I pop in a movie, and get to crafting. I might hang out on Pinterest for a little inspiration, sometimes I’ll just wing it. I’ll do a little sharpie painting here and there- stippling (painting via hundreds of small dots), because I’m OCD and need the meticulous monotony of the process of course. Maybe I’ll work on some bracelets that I’ll never wear, but just have them as an accomplishment. Oh how about some coasters? I rarely drink but when I do, my ice cold beer will NOT leave a ring on any furniture! I rarely gift my crafts though. I get so self conscious about it. Mostly I’ll gift greeting cards I’ve made. Of course I nit pick on them so much I usually have to close my eyes when choosing them. I’ve gifted a vase I made once and every time I’m in that person’s house and see it, I cringe because I want to change things about it.

Who doesn't need mini pallet coasters??

Sharpie stippling "painting"

I "kept" a dorm table and turned it into modpodge heaven

 My mister has been the brunt of my crafting gifts. I find it so hard to shop for him. I crafted an apron and a papier-mâché cowboy hat and fashioned it on a toy dinosaur as an inside joke to him- I mislead him through NYC, over the George Washington Bridge (and its astronomical toll), only to find that the Dinosaur BBQ that I promised him, just didn’t exist. I’m sure it won’t be the last laugh I get in on him involving some crafting.

Well today, I did some dollar store crafting, spending around 8 bucks. I made a fall/Halloween wreath using fake flowers and leaves, some glitter covered pumpkins and a glittered Styrofoam skull that had color changing lights in its eyes. Add in a wire coat hanger, some wire ribbon and shit ton of hot glue, blistered fingers and 1 & ½ movies and Viola! My front door is ready for the non-existent trick or treaters next month.

The dollar store loot- and the beginning of "Music and Lyrics"

Bent a wire coat hanger into a circle then wrapped that shit with masking tape

Using a shit ton of hot glue, I attached those fake flowers

Added the little pumpkins to fill some holes

The bow took me surprisingly no time at all. Hot glued the skull on

With no flash on, you can see the skull's eyes light up

If I were to claim a vice, crafting would be it. Just about everyone that knows me, knows that crafting is more than just a hobby for me, its a way of life. If I'm crafting, I am more than likely working through some sort of dilemma. I rarely drink, hate smoking and never really got into the party scene as a whole. Sure I have a lot of tattos, but I can't spend every paycheck in that tattoo chair. My fingers may blister and I may push through the most epic paper cuts. My back will hate me and my eyes will sting from focusing so long, but believe me, by the time I'm done with whatever project I've taken on, I will come out in a better state of mind, ready to face whatever reality I may have to.

Not to mention, I would totally kick ass on Craft Wars.