I'm a Good Starter.

I am a Great Starter... not so much a Great Maintainer. I love the brainstorming process, the new plans, and all the required office supplies and craft items for such moments of brilliance. But when it actually comes down to the routine of a long term plan or even just a big project, I tend to lose interest.

These traits suited me well as a teacher, since the biggest part of teaching requires a combination of careful planning and ingenuity in the moment. No two days are exactly the same.

But otherwise, for really any other task in my life, it's good to be a maintainer. I'm just not one. Some of my bestlaid plans are just that: plans. Big plans. With all the necessary supplies.

For example:

• I once decided that I would volunteer to crochet hundreds of squares to make blankets for children in a foster care center. Good plan. I made about 16 of them, then I was done. And that was a stretch.


• I decided that I would earn extra money for our family by making crafty little lapel pins from fabric. I was going to sell them at a craft show, and make my millions. After all, these are big in the teacher market, and I knew of someone who earned her family's entire Christms budget on these little ditties. I have all the supplies in my basement, in case you'd like to give it a try.


• Oh, and then I took a cake decorating class. I had big intentions for the cakes and cupcakes I would make for all of you.


• There is a half-finished baby blanket upstairs, right now... I started it for a little man who is now six months old, no longer in need of swaddling. (Sorry, Truitt.)


• I was really into cheesecakes for a season. I made them like crazy. Which means I made, oh, three of them. I was going to sell those, too. (I'm all about making the money, not so much about the mantenance.)

So, when I told Robb that I needed to buy yards of fabric for the scrap garland I wanted to make for our home, he nodded (and probably rolled his eyes) and said, "Yes, dear. Add it to the list."

But guess what: I finished it. And I'm thinking of making another one. So there.

But, look out: we enter the danger zone when I get the brainy idea to start making them in mass quanties to sell in bulk.

Someday, you will find me behind a table at a craft show. I will be selling an eclectic combination of baby blankets, potholders, lapel pins, cupcakes, picture frames, scrap garland, fudge, and cheesecake. You won't want to miss it.

In fact, you should probably come early. I'm sure there will be a long line at my table.