I Was Born To Create

Where did my creative journey begin?

I was born to be an artist, writer, chef, baker, decorator and handicrafter. I started pursuing visual arts when I was only two years old. My parents enrolled me in different art classes that would occur at various art schools in the community. My parents always kept art supplies in the house and I would constantly use them during my ABA therapy sessions at home. Even if I wasn't practicing visual arts, I was always doing some kind of creative activity whether that was cooking, baking, writing, dancing and other activities. I always enjoyed thinking outside the box and creating things that would enable me to feel great about who I was.

As I got older, I discovered other forms of arts and crafts. I began practicing other forms of visual arts like photography, painting, knitting, crocheting, latch hooking, drawing and cake decorating. As an adult, I still enjoy doing all kinds of visual arts like adult coloring, drawing, abstract painting and diamond art. Not only is art a form of mental health therapy for me, but also a simple, fun, relaxing, healthy and low-cost way to kill boredom.

What are my creative hobbies, other than visual arts?

Storytelling began when I was six years old. I would imagine the most unusual things, like I was in some kind of fantasy land. I would share my stories with my dad, my mom and my brother and they would always think I wasn't telling the truth, when really I was just being my creative self. Storytelling is a form of art, and they never believed that my intention was to be creative. Over time, they finally understood and appreciated my love for storytelling. Although I don't necessarily make up random stories to tell my friends and family anymore, I enjoy sharing stories from my childhood and adolescence from time to time.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I've always had a wild imagination which was why I've been so keen on practicing various types of creative hobbies. Other than drawing, storytelling and painting, I've also pursued creative writing. I always possessed journals and notebooks in my bedroom, and would use those journals to make up the most ridiculous and entertaining stories. I loved writing stories and it started when I was only eight years old. My brother was the one to first notice my talent for creative writing. At one point during elementary school, I took a break from writing as a leisure hobby, however I always loved receiving different creative writing projects from my teachers at school.

I got back into creative writing and eventually took on diary writing when I was in the sixth grade. My journals were my best friends during the sixth grade, because I barely had anyone to play with at recess. All of my friends abandoned me and I would always be hanging around by myself while the other kids would play, laugh, eat, chat and embrace their friends in the school yard. Eventually I would write so much that my teacher had to put limits on how many times I can write in a day. She would encourage me to get out of my comfort zone and look for other students my age to interact with. I typically wasn't emotionally and mentally ready, because I was extremely upset about other kids neglecting me all the time. One time, I chose to ditch reading buddies to write in my diary. My teacher was so pissed that she literally snatched both the pencil and journal out of my hand.

For the rest of my life, I will keep writing and creating more inspiring stories and poems for people to read and enjoy. One of the dreams that I always held onto was to be any kind of writer, even if it meant doing it in addition to other jobs I would have. Now, look where I am! I'm now a part-time writer here on Vocal, which is like my fifth home! I always feel encouraged and inspired to write on Vocal. Thanks to the pandemic, I wouldn't have discovered Vocal if I wasn't at home last summer. Even after the pandemic, I'll be a part of the Vocal community.

Since I was young, I've been doing some form of culinary art. Asides from reading and playing with my brother and I, two of my mom's favourite hobbies were cooking and baking. She always kept recipe books in the house and would always be creating some kind of edible masterpiece at least four-five days a week. The kitchen was not just an essential place in our house; it was also her safe spot. I always looked forward to eating some of her homemade dishes and dessert like pizza pie, reversed chocolate chip cookies, frosted cockeyed cake and many others!

When I was about six or seven, I attended several children's cooking classes in the community and baked the odd thing with my caregivers at home. I always baked with the nanny and a few times with her mom and ex-boyfriend. When I was twelve years old, I attended a March Break baking class at a local bakery not far from home and the kids baked and decorated their own cookies. When I attended sleepaway camp, I always signed up for both indoor and outdoor cooking as one of the camp activities, because I enjoyed cooking so much. We made some of the best delicacies like bannock bread, colored pancakes using food dye, grilled banana boats and many others.

After the nanny left our household when I was sixteen, I eventually stopped baking and cooking unless I was at camp or at my dad's house since my stepmother, dad and I cooked and baked occasionally. My stepmother and I made several things like muffin brownies, coloured pancakes for my dad, cupcakes and a three-layered cake that I decorated all by myself. My dad and I made cupcakes, brownies and muffins the odd time. One time, he and I made cauliflower rice with mushrooms and onions that I got to eat with homemade breaded chicken for dinner. My mom and dad never allowed me to use the stove or oven unsupervised, because they were afraid that I would cause an accident. I was ill-equipped to use the stove and oven, so they never wanted me to risk it. However, I was allowed to use the microwave, toasted over and smoothie maker independently since they were less risky then the stove and oven.

As I've mentioned in previous Vocal stories, I moved out of my family home at the age of twenty. During that time of my life, I finally got back into culinary arts. I was taught to safely use a stove and oven by a residential support worker that I had. Eventually, I retained enough information that I had the confidence to successfully, safely and properly cook and bake. Now, I can freely make all the desserts and dishes I've enjoyed my entire life! I cook lots of great dishes and desserts for my friends and family to eat, share with their loved ones and keep in their homes. I even bake and cook for one of my elderly neighbours, because he loves my cooking so much! He'll write me a request and I'll make it for him! Cooking and baking will always be another pleasure pastime that I'll keep for my entire life.

Final Thoughts

For the Members-Only Vocal challenge, I also decided to speak about my passion and natural ability to create such unique masterpieces. Many of my friends on and off social media are also interested in art and practice all forms of art on a regular basis. Many of my friends enjoy anything from photography, decorating, making music, baking, cooking, singing, dancing, drawing and painting. My family also notices my innate creative abilities and encourages me to keep following my passion. My mom and dad were the first ones to notice my natural art abilities during my childhood, before my elementary school teachers did. Many people who I know personally continue to be inspired by my writing, photography, paintings, drawings and other masterpieces that I make.

On and off social media, we often show each other our creative pieces and talk about them. I have a heap of Instagram followers who have the same passions as me and are often thrilled by my fantastic ability to make art, write poems, cook and bake such delicious delicacies. I have a friend who currently lives in Kazakhstan and a few of her favourite hobbies are knitting, beading, cooking and baking. I often see photographs and Instagram stories of her handcrafted items that she creates with such pride. She also cooks and bakes authentic Kazakh dishes and desserts that she'll frequently post on Instagram. I continued to be inspired by her. Just like her, I'll continue to cook, bake and create many phenomal creative pieces to share with my friends around the world.

Thank you so much for reading this story! My hope is to inspire other people on and off Vocal to keep pursuing their creative passions. If you liked reading this story, please share it, click on the heart button and send a tip if you like. To see more of my masterpieces, please find and follow me on Instagram @naturalbibliophile or @tdcreates. To view my other creative pieces like my songs and poems, please click on the links below and share them with whoever is willing to see them. Stay tuned for more exciting creative projects and Vocal stories! Thank you and have a great rest of the weekend! Bye!