Project 1: Operation 'Medal Works'

So, for my first official Crafty Raptor project, I think I am going to do something personal, something I've been wanting to do for a few months now.

You see, the mister served in the US Navy for long time and over his years of service, he achieved many medals and awards. I would like to display them on a board. I have just had them laying out on top of a low book shelf, but they are much to precious to just lay around. Not to mention the fact that our kitties, Chubbs and Sammy, have an affinity for hopping up there and knocking them about.

So, I am in brainstorm mode.

My initial thought is to take a picture frame I have and simply remove the glass. I'd like to find some nice papers to place on the backboard of the frame and then I'll have to come up with a way to attach the medals without destroying the integrity of the pin backs.

My biggest challenge is to do all of this in a way that I find visually appealing, but that will not be feminine or prissy for a former US Navy Petty Officer.

Now... off for my favorite part... selecting materials!!!

The Goal

Short term and long term.

My goal for short term is to be able to post at least one new craft I've made on here each week. That will help me with my long term goal which is.... drum roll please...

TO CREATE MY OWN ETSY STORE!!!

I've been told often that I should do this. My goal is to make enough items that I can list them and have a proper store on etsy.com

So you and me... let's do this... together :)

Why I craft.

What exactly is a crafty raptor? Well, it's a who really. And the who is me. I am a twenty-something woman who has earned the affectionate nickname of "little velociraptor" from my soon to be hubby.  As written in the desription area, I have spent most of my life trying to figure out what in the world I am supposed to be. A testament to this search would be the 8 majors I sifted through in my long and sorted college career. None of them finished, though my last attempt at a college degree is nearly complete. I started with the idea of being a performer, an actress or singer or dancer... or better yet, all three! But I quickly realized that my rear end was not willing to submit to the weight requirements that performing seems to put on people and I had no desire to continuously play the quirky chubby friend or mother role for the rest of my life. I tried my hand at history and literature and politics, ultimately ending up in International Relations and Russian area studies. While I still have a strong love for languages and international affairs, I found that it didn't quite hold my interest as I had hoped it would.

I maintained a career in retail for all those years until this past August when I left my job and moved across the country to follow my wonderful fiance and to support him while he worked on his college degree after serving our country in the Navy for so many years.

And here I am. Unemployed with quite a bit of time on my hands. I've had ample opportunity to sit and ponder the question, "What the heck am I doing with my life?" And I've come to the conclusion, that I am supposed to be happy.

Don't get me wrong, my fiance makes me so happy, as do my family and friends. But I need something to fill my time that also makes me happy. Do what you love, love what you do. What makes me happiest is to craft and create. To take bits of paper or fabric and turn them from scrap to treasure. I find that after I've spent time crafting, I am more relaxed and calm than ever, regardless of how difficult or intricate the craft might be.

So that is what I've determined to do. Craft.