From Creative Writing to Crafting
Hello all! I’m Carrie. Thank you for taking an interest in my creative endeavors.
I spent 30-plus years in the software world. When I hit 45, I decided it was time to say goodbye to that chapter of my life and start a new one – to follow my dream. I’d always wanted to write and publish a novel. So I did just that. One year after leaving my career, I published my first novel, The White Raven. I’ve since published another and am working on my third, which is the sequel to my first novel.
My software career involved a great deal of sitting and so does my writing career. Over the years, I’ve searched for hobbies that would keep me active and were an outlet for some other form of creativity. I started a pet treats business that became quite successful. My best years were during the pandemic, when everyone was at home in front of the computer. They were ordering dog treats.
But after COVID, prices of ingredients, shipping, and materials—everything really—skyrocketed. I couldn’t keep increasing the price of my products to offset the rising costs. Also, my hands, back, neck, and feet were giving me grief with so much standing and kneading, etc. So after 5 good years, I closed the treat business.
It Started with Resin
As I began work on my third novel, the ache to have a physical hobby gnawed at me again. (Sitting for long periods of time begins to hurt body parts just as much as standing does.) Reels and posts on Facebook and Instagram of people crafting with resin caught my attention, so I tried it.
Unlike creating a physical object, a story has to be worked and worked and worked until it’s ready to be read. But with UV resin, I could create something ready-to-go in minutes. The instant gratification was intoxicating.
As gratifying as it was, I soon found myself no longer excited about the medium. Firstly, everything seemed to have to have glitter in it. As my friends will tell you, I’m not a glitter girl. It’s perfectly fine for fun, holiday or novelty earrings, which I still enjoy doing, but for everyday decor, glitter is just not my thing.
Secondly, two-part resin is toxic while it’s being mixed. I had to wear a respirator and goggles, and had to keep my cat out of my craft room. That did not go over well at all. Binx is my supervisor in all things, but I couldn’t have her breathing those chemicals.
The tipping point came one day when I was mixing up a batch of two-part resin and it started to smoke. I mean, seriously smoke. Resin normally heats up as it’s curing, but that was nuts. I was done with resin.
Finding eco-resin after that led me to cement and I haven’t looked back.
Obsessed with a Building Material
I had no idea one could make such beautiful and colorful things with cement. Cement! I’ve always loved rocks (I should have been a geologist) and I think one reason I love working with cement so much is that I can swirl colors to make it look like agate or marble. Plus, it’s non-toxic, incredibly easy to work with, and cleanup is much easier than with resin.
What I’ve been able to craft with cement has blown me away. When you peruse my shop, you’ll see just what I mean, although I only have a small sampling of what I can make listed. (I’m trying to focus!) I love making plant pots and tea light scenes and other home decor, but I think I’ve hit my sweet spot—Stella has found her groove—with aromatherapy gardens. (What’s that, you ask? Well, check them out!)
When you hear the word ‘cement’, you immediately think ‘heavy’. And that’s true if the item is big and dense; it can be pretty heavy. But it’s not an issue with earrings and pendants. Jewelry? You say with wide eyes. Yes! I poured some leftover cement into one of my resin earring molds and was shocked at how great they turned out. Some of the thinner earrings are too brittle, but the chunky ones work out great. Once I’m confident about what works and doesn’t, I’ll put the jewelry on my website.
There are so many molds and pigments available for use with cement, and I freely admit that I’m obsessed with buying them. But recently, I think I’ve bought all the molds and all the pigments, so I’m set for a good while.
I’ll keep creating and experimenting, so please follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my successes and failures. (But nothing is really a failure since each is a valuable learning opportunity!)
Explore the shop to see what I’ve created with cement.