Why is the table so cluttered? Because it's crafty potluck! Find out what the hell I mean, after the jump.
Crafty Potluck began because I realized I didn't have enough friends to have birthday party. So we all just got together and made stuff instead. An introvert party. But then it morphed into a way to regularly invite people over and hang out and it's become a monthly event hosted chez moi. Sometimes one other person comes, sometimes a dozen and because it's a potluck, that stuff works itself out just fine (my ego and anxiety sometimes don't).
Every second Saturday we have crafty potluck. The idea is simple: Bring a dish and we will share meal together. Bring something to work on and we will spend time together. As host, I also offer to people that if they don't have a project to bring, they can come use my Shrinky Dinks or dig though my supplies. People have brought some really delicious food. People have also brought some amazing projects: weaving, recipe books, painting, origami, altered books, drawing, sewing, ugly dolls, knitting. It's great.
Folks often help each other out with stuff and it's fun to see how projects inspire other people. It's nice to have a little creative salon where people are intentionally creative and easy conversation flows. People bring friends, past co-workers return to say hi, those of us who never had a chance to causally converse all week finally get to sit and chill. I highly recommend it. Also wine. Especially in winter when it's cold and dark, it's a nice way to connect back up with people over some tasty food and procrastinated projects.
Procrastinated? I've been working hand painting our mailbox for over a year. Thank god for crafty potluck or I never would have even started it.