Why start a blog?

This is something I've been thinking about a lot over the last few weeks.

At the moment I have a lot of spare time on my hands. Too much time! I've been off sick from work since November 2008 for a variety of complicated and exciting reasons which I won't go into here. This has given me a lot of time to think. Maybe too much! I think I was starting to go slightly insane until....I started crafting again!

I always loved arts and crafts as a child. I was always cutting and sticking . I hoarded shiny pieces of paper, funny buttons and ribbons from chocolate boxes. My parents' house was covered with slightly wonky sculptures and gaudy handmade pictures! I wasn't particularly talented but I made up for it with enthusiasm!

Sadly, as I grew up and life took over I seemed to grow out of my most creative hobby. There were always too many other things to do - exams to take, Saturday jobs, more exams, friends to see, even more exams and then a high pressure job to work too hard at! You get the picture. I still fitted in making handmade cards for my family every so often and still kept random bits and pieces that inspired me but that was the extent of my creativeness.

In January this all changed. After being inspired by a friend (more of which in a later post) I tentatively began a small sewing project. Before I had even finished my head was swimming with more plans and ideas. I was excited. Thinking creatively seemed to make me feel more alive again. I even felt slightly healthier.

Since then my output has been prolific. Most of the things I have made are plush toys and pin cushions, some based on my own designs and some from other peoples patterns. The more I do, the more ideas I have. The more I explore other peoples blogs the more inspired I become. I don't have enough room in my head to contain all the ideas I have and all the crafts I want to try! My parents' house is once again covered in my creations!

I decided to start a blog to document my adventures and experiments in crafts. To keep a record of what I learn and what I make. I promise to show the good and the bad! I will also post links to other blogs and pictures that I find inspiring. Hopefully someone will read my blog one day and be inspired to make something themselves and maybe that someone will find it as therapeutic as I have...... That's the dream anyway.

Bye for now.

Dotty xx

PS. I may well add in some other non craft related ramblings as I blog. I'm not really sure how this will all work at the moment so I guess we'll just see what happens...... I'm looking forward to it!