Tuesday, January 24, 2012

It's all about pacing yourself.

blog 2012

I have mentioned before that,
in spite of being a mum and being crafty
and hoping that my kids will enjoy creating things too,
I just don't want to be the one to teach them.

I am not patient by nature.

I am a bit of a perfectionist, a "colour within the lines" sort of girl.

Teaching others does not come naturally.
I make things complicated.

But I like to feel like I give it a go
...every now and then (=rarely)

I have a small, slow sewing machine for just the occasion.
I have a book titled "The Best of Sewing Machine Fun for kids"
I dream of Walton-type moments
with comfortable laughter, huge productivity and warm fuzzy moments all round
as we use sharp instruments and machines that could electrocute or maim
or at the least puncture a fingernail.

blog 2012

So near the end of last year I bought some softie panels.

I thought "Take a deep breath, Tas, and jump in.
This could be a school holiday activity with the kids,
teaching them some of the very basics of sewing.
Go on.
You know you want to...

(...uncomfortably long silence...)

OK, then, well let's say you know that you should..."

blog 2012

It is now the last week of the school holidays.
I can't put it off any longer.
So yesterday was THE day.

blog 2012

We did the cutting and the pinning,
with only one minor cutting injury.
No-one even called for a Disney Princess bandaid
so I consider it a success.

I sat my hands, bit my tongue and counted to ten...over and over.

But time disappeared along with my patience
and I decided that lesson 2,
actually sewing with a machine,
should be designated to a second session.

blog 2012

However, today is my birthday
and the Official Handbook of Birthday Rules (239th edition) clearly states
(where I wrote in the back cover)
that I don't have to craft with kids on my birthday.

So tomorrow we will get back to it.
Unless I can find another reason.

9 comments:

Kate said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tracy said...

Happy birthday

Vic said...

Happy Birthday Tas! Strictly no stressful kid craft allowed. ;)

Lola Nova said...

Super, happy, lovely, goofy, do whatever you want, play the music at 11, resign all responsibility, eat cake, have a sippa, do a little dance, put your feet up, get presents, eat cake, fantastic birthday darlin'!

There will be time enough for counting...

Unknown said...

Happy birthday xxxx it's a craft free day for sure!

bec said...

happy birthday! And I so agree about not wanting to teach; if I wanted to do that I'd have studied Early Childhood haha. I think all of parenting is patience teaching!

CurlyPops said...

Happy Birthday Tas!!!! Hope you had a fantabulous day with not an ounce of kiddie craft in sight.

Sally said...

Happy Birthday!

... and of course no crafting with the kids on your own special day!!!

Tin Can Daisy said...

You make me laugh!!! I feel just the same about crafting with my kids and yet, I used to be a craft teacher!