Why Was Crafty Little Things Created?

I knew in December of 2006, when I accepted my boyfriend's proposal, that I was taking the road less traveled. In American culture, marriage isn't something that many people consider until their mid to late 20s, and more and more people are waiting even longer than that. A young couple marrying at the tender age of 20 often carries a social stigma, and I knew that we would receive no end of funny looks and speculation until the requisite time had passed to prove that there was no pregnancy involved in our decision.

Despite what many probably assumed, I didn't enter into marriage with any (okay, I'll be honest - many) delusions of perfect bliss in my mind. I knew it would be hard, and that nothing would be perfect (I fantasized about turning into Martha Stewart over night, but don't all new brides?). Still, throughout it all, I held on to one hope - that once I was married, I would be accepted into the world of the wives. I daydreamed about finding a mentor to take me under her wing. I pictured myself trading stories and tips with the other ladies in our "young couples" class (of which all of the female members are at least 10 years my senior), and playing Bunco at the bi-monthly ladies' nights.

By the time I had been married for a month, I learned that everyone who expressed concern over my marriage was right about one thing: my unreasonable expectations led to disappointment.

Oh, everything in my married life had been going about as I expected it to. My new husband and I experienced all of the ups and downs that newlyweds will, and came out on the other side stronger and more happy to be married to each other. I didn't turn in to Martha Stewart, but some little part of me had realized how ridiculous a notion that was, anyway. The real disappointment came when I realized that the cool distance the ladies at work and church kept was not going to go away. Shoulders still angled to block me out of those conversations I had longed to join, and my Bunco invitations kept getting lost in the mail. My bubble popped, I quietly bowed out of the running and set about trying to figure out all of this stuff on my own.

And boy was there a lot to figure out! I've spent the last year of my life finding the best detergent for my money, how to solve minor household emergencies, how to manage finances now that there are TWO people spending out of the account, how to use a sewing machine (still working on that one), how to cold call companies and read contracts for things like phone and internet service, how to file joint taxes, how to cook for just two people (and what to do with leftovers!), and how to keep a livable home and a happy husband without losing my sanity. Oh, and much, much more, besides.

Still, I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones. My mother is a very thrifty, very creative woman, and she taught me a lot in the 20 years I lived with her. I came in to marriage equipped with cooking, crafting, and penny-stretching skills which made life much easier than it could have been. I can't even imagine how someone without that background could have faired.

And all of this brings us to Crafty Little Things, and the reason for its creation. I know that I'm not the only one out there. Whatever the circumstances behind the decision, many young women just like me will find themselves walking down the aisle, with no woman to turn to for advice on the other side. What's more, in our disjointed society, that close relationship is often unavailable even to those who marry at a more "reasonable" age. So on these pages I've endeavored to put a little bit of everything that I've learned in the past year, and that I continue to learn as I go along. I don't even begin to claim expert status - I'm still a newlywed. But I survived my first year, and that's an accomplishment I'm rather proud of. If anything here proves useful to you, then I've done my job. Best of luck to you in your own home, and happy browsing!

~Lily