Have you ever wanted to try something, but have been too intimidated to try it? You watch other people do it- they make it look easy and fun, but there is that voice in the back of your head that tells you that you can’t do it, so don’t even try.

Don’t listen to that voice.

I tried whittling the other day. It is something I have always loved to watch other people do. I love the little hand-carved wooden objects people create! Tiny birds, smooth hearts that fit in your palm, spoons and forks, wood goblets, etc.

Well, I finally got up the courage to try my hand at carving. I used my son’s carving kit, grabbed a Jenga block that was sitting in a pile of Jenga blocks on the table, and carved a spoon. And I am hooked!

I have made almost 20 tiny spoons and 2 forks ( spoons are much easier!) in the last few weeks. I don’t know what I am going to do with all the spoons- they are just fun to make! It is very relaxing and de-stressing for me to start from a small block of wood and whittle away until a spoon emerges. I sand down the sharp edges but keep the texture of the knife strokes, finishing off the wood with some oil to seal it and make the wood almost glow.

My next projects? I would like to try carving a simple bird. Maybe I will try a heart, or a cross, or some other little trinket to hold in your hand like a worry stone. I don’t know if I will get into bigger, more intricate projects- maybe someday. But for now, I am really enjoying carving small spoons out of Jenga blocks. I wish I had started sooner, but I have started now.

So here is your encouragement to try that thing you have always wanted to try, It’s not too late- you might find that you don’t like it or you might find your new hobby!