Little, Pretty Family and a Big Beautiful Mess

So I've been wanting to begin this blog forever, and I've wanted a copy of Amanda Soule's book The Creative Family forever, too, so . . . it seemed apropos to make this the first post. I added a few more links to favorite crafty/arty/handmady stuff and figure this is a good way to keep track of those sites I want to dig into instead of work and/or spend money I don't have (need to stay off Etsy, need to stay off scrapbooking sites).

First, let me say that it's a beautiful book, one whose ideas I aspire to philosophically. I love the idea of using creativity (specifically in the form of creating and making things) to unify and knit family more closely. I love the idea of avoiding mass-made, cheap but expensive, garish plastic crap (er, toys).I love the idea that I can raise a child who will probably value working with his hands, handmade items, photography, etc . . .

But. While I love some of the suggestions for incorporating various forms of creativity into everyday life, I don't feel the book has a whole lot of content, at least in terms of specific content. And some of the ones that ARE described in details aren't for the novice sewer (that's me!) and seem to require a good deal of old-fashioned know-how to accomplish. I read the entire book in under two hours and found myself wanting more. Maybe I need to get her newest book. Maybe I need to write my own book.

Anyway, I occasionally check out Amanda's blog SouleMama, which is definitely worth a read or 100. Elsie's A Beautiful Mess makes me want to run away to Portland and open up my own little craft store and wear fuzzy hats and scarves and paint and sew all day and . . . buy things, as usual. Which you can do over at Red Velvet Art

I could spend. all. day. going through these sites and cataloguing them . . . but I should probably work. Ugh. More to come, and soon.