After 12 years of being married to my best friend and a relatively recent return from deployment for my husband and I, we suddenly began to wonder if were missing out on something in our life. My husband had always spoke of his desire to have a child, but I wasn’t so sure about it myself – until the return from deployment that is. Honestly, after that many years of really not doing much to avoid becoming pregnant I really thought that one of us was infertile anyways.
In 2012 we went to our doctor to seek fertility testing and were told that our insurance didn’t cover this and were handed some chart for me start recording my temperatures so that I could monitor my ovulation for optimum conception. Being intimidated by this, I put the document aside figuring it would be better to begin the next month after I menstruated. Astonishingly within a month and a half I took a pregnancy test that was positive!
Once I found out that I had a baby boy on the way and my husband and I had finally settled on the name of Orion I began scouring the internet for ideas on a jungle themed nursery. This is where I got my first taste of what quickly began my new passion for the love of craft. I found the perfect wall mural that you applied similarly to wall paper, but there was no lighting in the ceiling so I had to quickly find a solution for when he grew older and would likely pull a table lamp onto his head. I found plug in wall sconces, but I was determined to try to make them blend in with the mural as much as possible.
I kept looking for lamp shades that would fit that had the perfect animal print, but all I could find was zebra or leopard patterns and for some reason this just seemed cheap to me. I love giraffes, but couldn’t find any with this print. This was when I finally broke down and went to Pinterest – previously I didn’t think I had the chops for crafting so I never bothered to check it out. I found instructions for re-upholstering lampshades and of all places I found the perfect giraffe printed fabric for the application at Walmart for super cheap!
Impressed with my handy work I decided that I was going to paint the constellations in glow in the dark paint I found on the internet so I could add the constellation Orion as a cute homage to my son’s name, painting on the ceiling above the location where I intended to place his crib so that he could see his constellation each night.
Then in March my best friend threw me the most wonderful baby shower that I will never forget which set me on the course to always throw magical parties like the one she threw for me. So, leading up to my son’s first birthday I decided to throw him a Dr. Seuss birthday party complete with my own decorations that I would craft by myself. I made Thing 1 and Thing 2 character cut outs, pin the tail on Horton, Lorax, Barbalouts and the Oncler Wagon. Then I made Truffula trees to complete the scene.
I had such a blast and then I knew that I was forever going to throw him these amazing parties because I had unleashed a monster within that would only be satisfied by more and more crafting. The thing was, what do I love? I quickly realized that I particularly enjoy whimsical crafts and I am now forever on the road to my next idea. I dream of creating my own Etsy shop, but I have limited time for crafting and feel like I will need to build inventory prior to the start of this endeavor. Then I decided that if I started a blog it would give me the perfect excuse to try to execute the crafts that I see and would love to make for children’s parties!
Follow me on a journey of self discovery of talents that remain undiscovered and through my blog learn how to create whimsical things; uncovering your own hidden talents always remembering it’s for the love of craft!
She's One Crafty Mom 