Getting Crafty

Paper flower wreath assembled from various kits

In the past half year, I've been doing lots of creative things on the side, and it's been a blast! While design work is considered creative work, a lot of it involves staring at computer screens and writing on post-it notes with sharpies. I miss a lot of the tangible hands-on work I did while studying industrial design, and returning to my crafting hobbies has been an excellent way to get back into the analog world.

Paper flowers, in progress

I'm really thankful I had visual arts training while in design school--not all UX designers I meet got that from their formal education, and I think it has been so beneficial to me professionally and personally. Recently I took a stab at a lettering project (after being somewhat intimidated by it), and I'm happy with how it turned out!

The lettering was used for a T-shirt design, made for a friend's medical fundraiser

Starting with pencil sketches, then moving into digital

Last week I dabbled in metal jewelry making at Seattle's Pratt Art Center. There's something so satisfying about sawing and hammering little metal pieces into the shape you want. Seeing a design vision come to life in my hands is so rewarding!

Little triangle brass earrings with sterling silver ear wire

Perhaps someday I will open a little crafts and doodads store and run it on the side. It feels great to practice my craftsmanship skills in both the physical and digital realms!