I grew up in Northern NY, on a 150+ acre hobby farm. My mom was a kindergarten teacher turned stay at home mom. She encouraged creativity and learning. Not that I needed much encouraging.
From the time I could stand up, I was 'helping' in the kitchen. From the time I could read, I was baking. My first chocolate chip cookies my dad termed "hockey pucks". My ingenious idea for meatballs didn't work (cook them first and then squish them together). Thankfully I improved. I combined my natural ease of public speaking with my love of baking and placed at the state level in baking public presentations through 4-H. Everyone who stopped by my house when I was a teen left with a little bit of homemade something.
I was a big time creator early on. I mass produced pot holders, friendship bracelets, jewelry and cards for the nursing home residents. I was into flower arranging, gardening and animals. Homemade gifts were my forte. I even created a "store" in our house with my goods that was set up for visitors to browse. I would sew doll clothes and stuffed animals. I organized craft time for library story hours. I had a craft bag for kids that I brought babysitting. My closest friends had quilts, prom dresses and graduation dresses made by me. I was often volunteered for projects-like making costumes for school plays. After school, I was a frequent fixture in the Home Ec room-not for credit, but for my own enjoyment. I dragged my dad to fabric stores and quilt shows. I got a sewing machine for my sweet 16 and a serger for my 18th birthday. Creating was always a passion.
Environmentally conscious. That was always me. I did a public presentation, again through 4-H, about the importance of recycling. This was well before recycling was hip. I'd hoard trash to whip up treasures. I wish I still had the ginormous maze I made for my hamster out of cereal boxes.
Growing up without unlimited access to the TV encouraged my creativity. I still cannot sit and watch TV without having my hands busy. I am probably the only teen who would schedule snow days with a comprehensive list, with start and stop times, detailed with the 'must finish' projects of the day. "I'm bored" was not a term frequently uttered by me. My dad once told me "You accomplish more in one week compared to what most people do in a year". I really can't help it. I was born this way.
I think everyone has a bit of creativity in them. Work up a little ambition. Get your imagination in gear. Create. You can do it.
