Paying it Forward

Lance at Southpaw Leatherworks posted a challenge on his facebook status a week or so ago. The challenge was to re post his status and then promise to make the first 5 people who commented and agreed to in turn re-post, something handmade and send it to them. I read it and took a few hours to think about if this was something I wanted to do. Finally after thinking about it and, frankly getting up the courage, I accepted the challenge.

Getting up the courage? Of course. The thought of making someone something and then sending it out makes me really nervous. There is no bigger critic for the things that I make than myself. I have made a few pretty nice spoons and I have been happy, but the thought of sending them to someone else is downright terrifying. Okay, hold up, maybe not terrifying, but it makes me nervous. Sort of like the same feeling you get when you climb to the top of the high dive at the pool, gingerly walk out to the edge and look down. Feel me?

So anyway, I have my list of people. Five people from different walks of life. A sheath maker, a singer, a master chair maker, an old friend, and my dear Aunt Connie (who, by the way, is somewhat of a master crafts..er..person in her own right.) Trust me, family doesn't make it easier. I have to see her at Thanksgiving dinner!

So what do I make? The obvious choice is spoons or scoops I guess. I have a few other ideas kicking around in my head. The important thing is that by making things for these people, they are, in turn, making things for others, and the cycle continues. That is what this whole deal is about. It's about Paying it Forward, giving to others and making them smile and feel like there is someone out there, maybe a random person, that is willing to do something nice for them.