I taught myself to crochet when we were expecting our first daughter--who just turned 16. I did want a baby afghan (wound up with about 5 after my baby shower), and that was one of my first projects.
Eventually, I progressed from following others’ patterns to creating my own, and to this day I think my favourite ideas are my ‘lightning strike’ ideas: those ideas that hit fast and fully formed out of the blue. I do like the other ideas, too, the ones that start as a vague idea and gradually take shape in my mind, my Snot-Nosed Goblin Hat is one of those.
In my off-line life, I work part-time at a grocery store, take care of two daughters, a husband, two dogs, a cat, and a new kitten we are in the process of adopting.
I try not to let small things get to me, usually I succeed.