Thursday, August 7, 2008

Crafts Other Than Needlework

We tend to forget that there are many other handcraft specialties in addition to needlecrafts. Knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, etc., are only one tiny facet of the jewel we call handcrafts.

I have a dear friend (who I know only from the Internet but I know her well) who does spectacular rubber stamp work. You would swear her work was either professionally printed or even, in some cases, engraved.

Another friend is an excellent beader. She can do anything with beads. Her work is beautiful and original and wonderful.

I googled “handcraft” and got hits for everything from wood working and tile painting to soap making and candle making. I noticed hits for painting and blown glass and pottery. The list is, if not endless, at least very very long.

I’m not sure why I brought all of this up except that we tend to be narrow minded when we think of handcrafts. Instead, we should be open and eager. Open to all other crafts we might try, according to our own skill level and dexterity and ability. It’s an exciting world out there, and making things with our hands is an exciting way to expand it.

Father, keep me open-minded and eager to work with my hands, and to discover all that you know I can do with them.

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