Cake'n'crafts

So today my friend and I had what could be considered our first Cake & Crafts get-together. We didn't say so. And I'm not sure she knew so. But there was cake (tiny cupcakes called Pistachio Pops, made with eggplant - bizarre but delicious), there was crafting (I continued the scarf, my friend crocheted a flower for the brooches she's making) and there was plenty of gabbing.

My friend's been having doubts about this Brown Owls craft club idea as she doesn't quite see the point of it. From her perspective, she crafts every day and often prefers to do it alone. That made me wonder about the sorts of people such a "club" would benefit.

Obviously these Brown Owls clubs are for people who love to craft - and, namely, craft as a community - regardless of their ability. But I think the clubs would most benefit those who want to craft but don't know where to begin or are embarrassed - because they think they're the only ones with nannarific tendenices - and need that community to help them get started or realise they're not alone. I know I've been there, and my crafting friend was a great source of comfort and encouragement.

Until she came along, I didn't know ANYone my age who crafted, the odd bit of baking and herb-growing aside. Maybe I just needed to get out more, who knows. But that's the way it was. And the response to my mumblings about how it "might be nice to, you know, make something with yarn" was always laughter or a hand to my forehead. My friend showed me I wasn't crazy. The pretty blogs on the 'net that I later discovered did that too. But there's nothing like having a real person to share your interests and swap ideas with you.

Thinking about this has made me all the more determined to start this club, even if I have to do it by myself. The numbers may never top 5, but it would still please me to know that we're doing our bit to keep the twenty/thirty-something crafting spirit alive.