Crafted By Natalie

I'm a woman who has always been very crafted, I learnt to bake and crochet when I was very young. I used to look up at my nan with complete amazement at the speed she could crochet, or the ease she would whip up afternoon tea for the shearers or the farm hands and as I've grown into an adult and a mother I have taken those memories and lessons to further my crafted arsenal

I studied commercial cookery and completed an apprenticeship in a small boutique bakery, this was in a time where the government was giving huge incentives to take on apprentices or trainees and when my apprenticeship was over (and the government stopped paying more than half my wages) I was farewelled.

I went on to study Fine Arts at University and at local colleges, my portfolio was mainly charcoal drawings and sketches, that was until I started to see craft as a form of art.

(Here is one of the sketches that got me into Uni - I was innocent, shy and to embarrassed to complete the sketch, 

I think this is one of my favourite's now because of that. )

I admit I never really saw a knitted sweater or crochet baby blankets as art works until I met the ladies here and the ladies who show their works at local and national craft shows. I'm now a firm believer that craft can in fact be a beautiful and often functional form of art.

Granted, looking at a machine knit, mass produced poly blend jumper from Kmart, you might think NO WAY that could be art - but I say are you looking at the finished product or a blank canvas?

I am Crafted, my posts will be about me, my baking and my crafting.

You can visit my Crochet site or my baking site, and I always welcome custom orders.

Just for fun...

Vegemite or Peanut Butter: Vegemite, I take my just the same as nikki – on cold toast with butter. But I have started to wonder if I have cold toast and coffee because I have had toddlers in the house for the last 6 years, lol. Perhaps I’m just used to cold toast and cold coffee :)

Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring: I want to say spring with all the flowers and my favourite cherry blossoms, the new life after winter, the sheer relief from Canberra winters which happen to be so awful and generally last about 6 months. But if I was to be honest Autumn would be my favourite season, relief from the dry hot summers brings picnic time for our family, A time to enjoy the colours, run through the falling leaves (and not die from hayfever) then comes the stomping, followed by raking it up and stomping some more, lol...

Cats or Dogs: Can I say fish? I had a beautiful white cat with black spots when I was a girl – Pongo I had called him, I had been given him just as the 101 Dalmatians cartoon was release on VHS (I feel old even saying that) and Pongo was the daddy Dalmatian. My cat looked just like a Dalmatian I thought, right down to the black spot on his ear. This cat and I were so close, he even followed me to school (which wasn’t saying too much as I lived 5 houses down from the school) but he would find me on my way home. I went away for a sleep over, my first sleepover. When I got home Pongo was missing, my nan (who adopted me when I was very young and will be referred to from now on as mum) was beside herself, said he just took off after dinner and hadn’t come back. For weeks we looked for Pongo, waited, but he never came home. I have never had a cat since, I guess for me Pongo was it. (wow this got deep, lump in the throat and all).

Pen or Pencil: Pencil, I’m in my element with pencils. Do you know how many shades of graphite pencils there are – oh and then there are charcoal pencils, pastels, watercolour pencils. Yep I’m a pencil girl, I even carry a roll of pencils with me in my hand bag – you never know when the inspiration might strike :)

If I were a doll, the accessories would be: I think I would be a 1950’s doll, red ribbon in my hair, wearing a cute novelty apron. My must have’s (not to be sold separately) would be my dashingly handsome husband and two beautiful children. I’d come with a Kitchen backdrop, a mixer pro, a partons yarn bag (which is my handbag), crochet hooks and yarn.

I know how to cook: A lot. Can I say that? I’m a trained Baker, and an avid home chef, I wish I knew how to cook Ethopian food though – one day :)

Scary Movies or Happy Endings: Happy Endings, Warm fuzzy happy endings, the type that are so sweet you could cry.

Bye for now,

Natalie