I'm Tiana and it's so wonderful to have you here! My experience with crafts dates way back to my childhood when my family owned a craft store called Lace-A-Faire. I don't know why they named it this, other than the fact that they would take their crafts to craft fairs and sell it. Plus, they sold lace. I personally think they should have named it Lace Affair, because it's much more sexy that way. Besides, who doesn't want to have an affair with lace? I suppose someone might have mistaken the store for lingerie instead of crafts, and what a letdown that would have been! I do wish my mom or my aunts had passed on their craftiness to me when I was younger. Oh, but where would I be if I had been crafting for the past 20 years instead of just the past few?I taught myself to crochet sometime around in 2006/2007. I had no previous experience with fiber arts, but really felt the urge to learn. I went to the bookstore and purchase the Cozy Crochet Kit. At first I struggled with following the directions, but I had managed to slip knot my yarn onto my hook and I could chain like no other. On a whim, I picked up a copy of Crochet Magazine while I was at the market one day. In the back it had instructions for making Single Crochet and Double Crochet. It was all I needed to get going. I crocheted a lot in the beginning, but then I took a break when I started to get frustrated trying to learn new processes (like working in the round). I'm back now, and I've overcome my setbacks (thanks to a handy tool called YouTube).
I first learned to sew back in the 7th grade in Home Ec., where I made a pillow shaped like a heart. Sadly, I never sewed since. That is, until December 2009, when I purchased my first sewing machine. It's a Singer Esteem II and I purchased it on sale from Target. It's a nice machine, we're friends. I purchase most of my fabric and notions from JoAnn's. My friend Michelle and I like to have Sewing Extravaganza parties where one of us hauls our machine to the other's house, then we chat, and sew, and chat ,and sew some more. It's fun, but our schedule's don't always allow for time, so it hasn't happened in awhile. We're hoping to find some more time soon & you'll hear all about them right here!
I really enjoy making handmade goods. I've always enjoyed and taken pride in working with my hands. I feel that crafting is the right outlet for my creative spirit. It also allows me to do my part and cut back on mainstream consumerism. I hope to one day be able to sell my crafts and possibly even fund my beach bum lifestyle. Tianamatopoeia is dedicated to the want-to-be crafters. I hope you see that crafting is for everyone. I would say that I'm 98% self-taught, and if I can do it, you certainly can too! Good luck!
