There are just some things I’m not that great at. My best effort at drawing will probably result in a two-dimensional blob. Math makes my head spin. And while I do make a strawberry and blueberry salad that many adore, I still have a lot of things to learn about cooking. But when it comes down to crafting, now, that’s where the magic begins.

I’ve recently discovered my passion for crafting, i.e. making decorative things by hand. It came at a much-needed time--a time when I was trying to figure out who I was and what made me me. I love being able to choose materials, color schemes, prints, and lettering and bring them together to create something with meaning. It makes me feel unique and confident--and as someone who feels called to love and care for others, I’m discovering that I can be me in doing so.

This year I was able to use my passion to show support for a friend whose mother was having health complications. After being informed of the news, I went to the craft store Michaels and gathered materials that I could use to make something encouraging. Later that evening, I ordered pizza and invited my friend Amari over to help, and we sat cross-legged like kindergarteners among a pile of construction paper, scissors, decor tape, glitter, and markers. We got to know each other more, and she kept me company as I worked on the gift--a cluster of small, white flowers in a thin mint vase, which I adorned with a decorative border and verses from each of the girls in our life group. The next day, Amari and I got the opportunity to take the gift to the hospital and visit Shannon’s mother. She was thankful for the gift and our visit, and we were able to show Shannon that we cared. I love how crafting literally forces me to pause my life and be mindful of someone else--something I struggled with tremendously last year.

Through crafting, I was also able to support my sister during one of the biggest moments in her senior year: prom. After finding a few creative ideas on Pinterest, I went to Party City and Hobby Lobby to gather materials to decorate her champagne party. The night before the big day, I began prepping a photo backdrop, a life-size polaroid prop, and table centerpieces. Family members even joined in and began blowing up balloons for the balloon clusters. Though I lost much sleep, I was happy that I was able to show my sister that she was special and meant something to me. 

While crafting has helped me care for others in life’s difficult times and times of celebration, it has also become an avenue of self-love. Recently, for my twenty-sixth birthday, I wanted to celebrate myself and surround myself with things that appealed to me. So, along with my balloons and birthday tassel, I decided to make cupcake toppers out of my favorite color scheme--mint, gold, and pink. Surrounding myself with my designs is a reminder of my creativity and strength and creates an atmosphere of self-love.

What are your passions? What makes you you? Share with us below or tag #adolescentcontent and show us your work!