Being Crafty.!

I used to envy those who have a gift for crafts,my sister is one of those people, whatever she turns her hand to turns out looking professional and good enough to sell.
Being a home educator you can feel a bit of a failure when all around you seem to be making pictures from autumn leaves, making soap or finger painting and generally giving the impression of the 'perfect home educating family'
So many people,when you speak to them about home education will tell you,"I could never do that. I was never any good at maths,or English or crafts ( whatever their perceived weakness).
What I gradually learned is that it really didn't matter. My daughter left guides because she didn't like doing "crafts" and she joined scouts instead. She has just moved up to Explorer scouts and after a weekend away last week she has been making dog collars out of paracord, having learned how to make a survival bracelet at Mersey-moot. It's a bushcraft skill.A way to make a very strong cord and she has really enjoyed it.
It occured to me that, as with all subjects which I as a home educator don't know how to do ,there are always people able and willing to teach them. Every year there is a local lantern procession in our nearby market town.The scouts learned to make paper lanterns from withies,tissue paper and P.V.A glue and there are some great creations made by people from all walks of life,many of whom have very little time in their daily lives to paint or draw or make things just for the fun of it!
I also learned that crafts are not just about 'art'. I love taking photos and am slowly learning how to use the camera. I also have a penchant for car boot sales and love buying and making things for the garden. I've painted old wooden garden chairs, planted up tea pots and fish crates, made wind-chimes out of cutlery.All these things have bought me pleasure and fulfilment and cost virtually nothing. They have also been relevant to me and where I am at the moment. My son on the other hand has turned his hand to lego,minecraft world and digital art because of his interest in computers. There is no linear development in home education as there is in school, you don't learn about Constable one week and Picasso the next but there is a sense of turning your hand to arts and crafts when you need or want to. With my husband it's do it yourself, with my daughter its cake baking, with me it used to be sewing now it's upcycling. We learned in different ways, from parents,friends, books and videos but even though we didn't learn at school we still learned.So don't despair, if you feel you can't teach something,put out some feelers and find someone who can,they're out there somewhere!