Sometimes with craft deadlines looming like book chapters that must be reviewed and projects that need to be made and posted, it is easy to forget why I enjoy it so much in the first place. For me, crafting provides a creative outlet and a sense of personal satisfaction when I make an item that I can wear on my body, display in my home, or give as a gift. But, for some crafters, it can bring so much more, like self-confidence and independence. When I’m reminded of this, I can’t help but get that warm fuzzy feeling, that feeling where you realize that making jewelry, altering a book, sewing a purse together, the acts themselves bring so much to anyone who participates than just the result at the end. It’s the “doing” that is the real reward.

One group of crafters who has recently reminded me of this is the Refugee Crafts Project, an amazing group of women who are working together as part of the Emily Griffith Opportunity School to learn the art of jewelry making.  You can learn more about their story at the group’s blog, A Little Something, but today I wanted to mention a specific honor this group earned: an invitation to participate in the City Park Arts Festival and Jazz Fest located in Denver, Colorado.

Pictured above is some of the beautiful jewelry they are making, and when one of their leaders, Sharon McCreary (who has been the brains behind the beads for this group), sent me this picture of their jewelry, I was pretty surprised. I remember seeing some of their earlier work on their blog, and boy! they have come a long way in just 9 months. Yes, can you believe they haven’t even been making jewelry for a year?!

Thank for showing me your wonderful jewelry as well as giving me a gentle reminder to slow down now and then so that I can appreciate the process and not just focus on the end result. I would wish you luck at your up-coming show, but somehow, I don’t think you’ll need it.