Created

I never thought of myself as a creative person. I've always enjoyed reading and writing, but I never went out of my way to take art classes or to draw. Growing up my parents would look at something I made (knitted scarf, birthday banner, etc.) and mention that it was creative. With Asian parents who always encouraged math and science, I figured maybe they didn't really understand creativity. Because I, most definitely, was not.

Then I met Russell. Russ who went to an art college and knew how to create pretty things on the computer and painted and sketched. He was everything I labeled as artistic. After being with him for five (omg, 5!) years now, I've realized how much he's pulled my creative side out of me. He encouraged the side of me my parents saw, and coerced it out. Because now, as a work-from-home writer and marketing associate, I think I've fallen over to the creative side. I spend my days at home--while Russ brings home the good bacon--writing and/or creating fun images for work. And when I'm not working, I write and/or make fun stuff.

This is not to say I am good at any "creative" things in any way. I am willing to try almost any creative hobby and am okay at failing at all of them. But it's so much fun to try. And Russell is always cheering me on. I find it so endearing. It's probably why I still keep sewing even if the creases aren't straight and the stitches aren't even. I tell him I'm going to try calligraphy and he gets excited for me. I want to try needlepoint and he's enthusiastic. And you guys, some of my stuff is not that great but he still puts them around the house. He hung up my "Oh Hello" embroidery sign up outside our door. I weaved this thing from my loom (that he built me!) and it was so unshapely and I hated it but he has it out in the living room. He asked me to crochet a few mats for our plants like he trusts me to be able to do it. And I do it because of his blind faith and encouragement.

Oh, this post was going to be about what I've been doing lately. Sorry, got side-tracked :) A final note before I post pics of my latest projects: find someone who draws out the best side of you, even if you thought it was non-existent.

So anyways, look what I've been up to:

Sewing!

Double-sided because I liked both fabric so much and didn't want to choose.

My parents were coming over one night this week. Our old table runner was in the wash and I really wanted a nice accent on our dining table before my parents visited. So...I made one. Out of old curtains bought from a thrift store and fabric scored from the Fabric District in LA.

Cooking!

Okay, so this might not be as creative as it was random. That's homemade ketchup, homemade ranch, and homemade chicken nuggets. Can you tell I work from home? Ha. The homemade sauces is mostly because we're trying to do our part on having less plastic waste--so when I have the time (keyword: time; this doesn't happen as often as I'd like), I try to make food/sauces that are easy to make from ingredients I already have. That way, no buying extra plastic packaging. The nuggets were just because I had extra coconut flour. Note: coconut flour is very dry. Have lots of water.

Calligraphy! 

This was harder than I thought. But I just love pretty writing. Some girls from my church invited me to a calligraphy workshop happening at one of their houses, and I'm so glad I went. I now have ink and a calligraphy pen and have been working on my up and down strokes. I'm nowhere near as good as I would like to be but this is one hobby I am willing to keep working at.


Russell and I got another order on Etsy this past week so Russ has been out on the patio making it. He also made a compost bin for all our raw food waste so we're making our own fertilizer. He also planted some new plants and made a green house. Oh you guys, it's such a weird home; but a happy one.