Red Fiskars

When I was young, probably around 3 or 4 years old, I started watching my mom and dad do all sorts of creative projects. At the time, my dad was taking an entomology class in college and it fascinated me when he would pin beautiful insects to boards for assignments. Later, he would frame them as gifts for our family members. My mother refurbished old furniture and I was always I awe of how she could turn something she pulled from the trash, and turn it into a gorgeous piece of furniture that would sell for hundreds of dollars.

Around the age of 6 or 7, I had decided to use my own creative skills to make Valentine's cards for my classmates and teachers. I will never forget how much I loved the color red back then and as I set about making my cards, I realized I'd need a pair of scissors. My dad had just purchased a shiny new pair of red Fiskars that I just had to use! Little did I know they were left-handed scissors, and I was a righty. By the time I finished my cards, my hands were sore and blistered. When my dad asked what had happened to my hand, I explained to him I'd used his scissors, and that was when I learned the difference between red and orange Fiskars!

During the next several years, it was my dad and I who spent the most time together building and creating things. I will never forget the doll house we built together. There was an upcoming science fair in school that year, so he taught me about electricity and we wired the entire house with lighting and door bells. I won first place in the science fair and it was one of my fondest memories of my dad.

Just a year later, my mom and dad had a very difficult divorce. It was hard for my brother and I as well, especially when we had to leave my dad and live with my mom almost two hours away. We didn't get to see my dad very much after that because both of our parents worked so much and it was a very sad time in my life. My mom became abusive and drank too much. I would take summer art classes just to be out of the home.

When I got older, I was able to visit my dad more often and he had finally decided to move out of our old family home. I drove the two hours to help him go through things and pack. As we sorted through the house, I wondered why he kept so many useless things, and I will never forget his response. He said, "As soon as you throw something away, that's when you find a use for it, so I don't throw things away amymore!" We had a good laugh as I convinced him to throw things out! While cleaning out his old desk, I came across that same pair of red Fiskars and I asked him if I could keep them. To this day, I still have them hanging in my craft room. And although I do not use them, they remind me of so many things. My love for my dad and my love for art and creating things.

Over the years, my creativity and love for art has only grown. I pursued many college art classes including drawing, metal work, and clay sculpting. I also enjoy jewelry making, painting, drawing, photography, wood working, sewing, welding, glass art and many other mediums. And not a day goes by that I don't need a pair of scissors for some project or another.

Now that I am an adult with my own children, I try to encourage them to be creative and try new art ventures. I have even taught them what each of my pairs of scissors are for so they are not using my good fabric scissors on anything besides fabric!

The photo I am submitting is my basement, turned craft room, and although it looks quite messy, I have it all organized into sections for each type of craft I feel like doing that day. I am forever grateful for my dad, especially, for my love of art and creating to this day, and those red left-handed Fiskars serve as a reminder of how it all started.